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TracyFD
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| Posted: March 03 2012 at 4:05pm | IP Logged
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I'm stuck. We're stuck. I think. 
My 6th grader has progressed over the last few years from Prima Latina to Lesson V in Latina Christiana II. I forgot to read the directions in the MOGD syllabus about what info to put on the index cards so she went back and wrote out the case endings for lessons I-V. I am not sure if she's ready to take the test and move on, but we'll try it this week. I'm nervous!
I was hoping that by doing this program and watching the DVDs that the light bulb would come on for her with the declensions and conjugations, etc. I don't think it has, and I certainly don't have the time (or quiet) to sit down, study, and let it sink into my brain so I can teach her. I even tried reading some of Latin for Dummies.
So, if the test over Lesson I-V doesn't go well, do you think we should proceed with Latina Christiana II (perhaps focusing more on vocabulary and blowing off the rest), or switch to something like Visual Latin or Word Roots from Mindware or enroll in an online class from Memoria Press ($400)? 
And to put this all in perspective, how important is Latin if we would like our children to attend a good Catholic high school or college?
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Tracy
Mom to 3 girly girls,
1 absent-minded professor, and one adorable toddling terrorist.
Pinewood Castle
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kristinannie
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| Posted: March 03 2012 at 4:55pm | IP Logged
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How often are you doing Latin? With Latin, like any language, it is all about regular lessons so they don't forget things. That could be a problem, but maybe not.  I have also heard that Latina Christiana II isn't as good as Latina Christiana I. I don't plan on using it at all.
Have you looked into First Form Latin from Memoria Press? For her age group, I think this would be the best fit. They also have DVD's. I am using this right now to teach myself Latin and I love it. It moves slowly enough and has tons of practice, but you also feel like you are getting somewhere. She could be frustrated by using a program like Latin Christiana that is geared towards younger children.
Are you learning it with her? I think that would also be a great way to do it.
Those are just my quick thoughts. I really don't know much about your situation so take them all with a grain of salt if you want to. 
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Mackfam
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| Posted: March 03 2012 at 6:32pm | IP Logged
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Hi Tracy! 
I only have a minute but I wanted to throw some quick ideas your way for your 6th grader. First, you need to talk to your MODG coordinator since you're enrolled with them. Then, call Memoria Press. They have great customer service. I WOULD NOT spend $400 on a course online!!!!!!
1) Try the LC II test. She may not do too badly.
If she does poorly and you're discouraged and she's discouraged, stop LC II and finish out the year with:
1) Book of Roots. Fun. Not too time consuming. A good program with lots of plain vocabulary and declensions. Straightforward: order book, open book, do lesson independently. Really helps with vocabulary. I used it as a filler one year and my dd really enjoyed it for the help it gave her in understanding prefixes, suffixes and vocabulary with Latin roots.
2) Consider moving her into Henle Latin and going REALLY, REALLY slowly. We move from LC I directly into Henle with no problems. We don't do LC II at all. My dd prefers Henle to Latina Christiana. Use the lesson plans from Memoria Press that go with Henle - they help break the lessons down into manageable chunks. Those lesson plans divide Henle into two years. You could divide it into three comfortably.
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Latin is something that is good to just plug slowly and consistently away at. It's best if worked at slowly!!! It can actually be enjoyable when worked at a reasonably slow pace. I *wouldn't* shift gears entirely at this point, especially if you're going to have her pick Latin up again, but that's just me. We got flustered, and did shift gears entirely one year and it really threw us off. We came back to tried and true Memoria Press and learned that setting a good slow pace really helps. If you do nothing else but review Latin declensions, conjugations, tenses, vocabulary from earlier this year, that's plenty to me. It gives you time to regroup and takes the pressure off of her.
Unfortunately, I don't have First Form, so I can't review it for you as Kristin has, but my guess is that it's going to be redundant now that she's this far along.
As to your question about how important Latin is, that's a question only you can answer for your family. For a college bound student, I'd say it can be very helpful. It's a question of family priorities. If it's not a priority for your family, then by all means free yourself and your daughter from that burden!!! Latin IS a family priority for us. It is the language of the Church, and I have seen remarkable benefits from learning the language in all my children, no matter their age. Having said that, I want to reassure you that you can stumble here, find yourself unsure, and still find your way back to Latin if that becomes clear that this is the direction you want to head in. We did. Stumble, I mean. It really took me making some big mis-steps and feeling really uncertain to finally hit our groove with it. Good luck to you, Tracy!!
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Mackfam
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| Posted: March 03 2012 at 6:34pm | IP Logged
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Mackfam wrote:
| I don't have First Form, so I can't review it for you as Kristin has, but my guess is that it's going to be redundant now that she's this far along. |
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By the way, I could be totally wrong here!!! About it being redundant! Which is why I think you'd really do well calling Memoria Press and talking to them about your dd, where she is, what she's having trouble with and where to go from here!
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Jen Mackintosh
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TracyFD
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| Posted: March 03 2012 at 7:00pm | IP Logged
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Kristinannie - We have plugged away at Latin about four days a week for the last three years. Prima Latina in 4th, Latina Christiana I in 5th, and the MODG syllabus takes both 6th & 7th grades to get through Latina Christiana II - should be a manageable pace.
Jen - We're not enrolled with MODG, I just use the syllabus as a framework, with some subjects according to the plan and others significantly tweaked and/or supplemented.
From the description on the MP website, it looks like First Form is designed to follow up Latina Christiana I? And it looks like MODG uses Henle beginning in 9th grade, according to the Emmanuel Books catalog. Maybe First Form would be a good move until high school.
We also supplement with Lingua Angelica and attend the TLM, so we do intend to stay with a program that teaches ecclesiastical Latin. I guess I was just wondering if focusing on roots & vocabulary in middle school would be adequate preparation for high school & college or if we should stick with a full program (declensions, conjugations) at a slow pace.
I just wish Latin had been a part of my educational background so I could be of more help! Such a handicap! For some reason I can't even begin to look over the lessons and understand anything unless it's absolutely quiet. Must be adult onset ADD complicated by homeschooling with little ones in the house.
You are right - a call to Memoria Press is probably the wisest move. Maybe after taking this first big test I will have some specific information about what is and isn't working. Thanks for your advice and encouragement!
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Tracy
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Pinewood Castle
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JodieLyn
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| Posted: March 03 2012 at 7:06pm | IP Logged
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I would think that any high school or college would also have most students "begin at the beginning" so that anything you do with latin will just give her a familiarity that will enable the high level class to go easier. For instance I know people who had foreign language in high school generally if they had 4 years might start a level up in college is all.. so my gut feeling would be that she could start at the beginning level in either high school or college or she could start at a higher level and either way have an advantage from anything you've done whether you continue or not. I found for myself that classes that I had some knowledge of were much easier than classes with all new info.
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CrunchyMom
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| Posted: May 15 2012 at 8:37am | IP Logged
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Did you see that Visual Latin has plans to coordinate their lessons with both Lingua Latina and Henle. It more closely follows Lingua Latina naturally but can be used to supplement Henle.
Anyway, just pointing out that you might be able to mix and match resources here.
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Topic: Latin - Help!
