4Real Forums: Visual Latin for a 9 year old?

Oh, Dearest Mother, Sweetest Virgin of Altagracia, our Patroness. You are our Advocate and to you we recommend our needs. You are our Teacher and like disciples we come to learn from the example of your holy life. You are our Mother, and like children, we come to offer you all of the love of our hearts. Receive, dearest Mother, our offerings and listen attentively to our supplications. Amen.

Active Topics || Favorites || Member List || Search || About Us || Help || Register || Login

Across Time and Place
4Real Forums : Across Time and Place

Topic: Visual Latin for a 9 year old?

Author

Message

<< Prev Topic | Next Topic >>

Claire F
Forum Pro

Joined: Sept 14 2011
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 272

Posted: March 28 2014 at 4:40pm \| IP Logged

My 9 year old son wants to learn Latin. We have played around with Song School Latin, which all my kids enjoy, but we haven't made it a priority (which means it gets put on the back burner a lot). The other day he told me he wants to "really learn Latin, not just a few words."

I've reviewed quite a few threads on teaching Latin (I know I don't post a lot, but I am so grateful for this forum - such a wonderful resource!), but I have a couple of questions.

I like the look of Visual Latin, and I think my son would enjoy it. Do you think it would be too advanced? We could certainly take our time with it. He's a 3rd grader - bright, and a fairly strong reader.

Also, we have not done much (any?) formal grammar. We are very CM/Bravewriter in our approach to language arts, and I'd been eyeing 4th or 5th grade as a time to do a more formal study of grammar. I figure he'll either learn some grammar if we study Latin, or be lost and not understand what's being taught because he lacks the background. He understands basic writing conventions and puncutation, and his grasp of the parts of speech could be better.

Thanks so much for your input!

__________________
Claire
Mom to DS 12/04, DS 5/07, DD 8/09

CrunchyMom
Forum Moderator

Joined: Sept 03 2007
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 6385

Posted: March 28 2014 at 5:17pm \| IP Logged

My son is 9 but doing fourth grade work. In third we used Getting Started With Latin. It introduces the parts of speech, which my son did not know at the time. We watched some Schoolhouse Rock to solidify things as he was doing the Latin work. It is hard for me to say for certain whether VL would have been too much if he had not had the GSWL last year.

But I think that if your son wants to learn Latin, VL would not be too much. If he does struggle with something like the parts of speech, you could always take a little time or use schoolhouse rock to help.

__________________
Lindsay
Five Boys(6/04) (6/06) (9/08)(3/11),(7/13), and 1 girl (5/16)
My Symphony

[URL=http://mysymphonygarden.blogspot.com/]Lost in the Cosmos[/UR

SuzanneG
Forum Moderator

Joined: June 17 2006
Location: Idaho
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 5465

Posted: March 28 2014 at 5:21pm \| IP Logged

Claire F wrote:

The other day he told me he wants to "really learn Latin, not just a few words."

Have you asked him what he means by this? He could mean...

:: he wants to SPEAK it (he wants to be able to say full sentences, maybe?
:: he wants to UNDERSTAND it either by READING IT or HEARING it
:: he wants to actually learn the mechanics of it....iow, the GRAMMAR

Does he attend latin mass at all? Maybe that would explain his interest?? I would maybe answer differently for a child who is attending latin mass.

How is he doing in other subjects?

__________________
Suzanne in ID
Wife to Pete
Mom of 7 (Girls - 14, 12, 11, 9, 7 and Boys - 4, 1)

Claire F
Forum Pro

Joined: Sept 14 2011
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 272

Posted: March 29 2014 at 3:12pm \| IP Logged

We don't attend Latin mass, so it wouldn't be from that.

I think he likes the idea of learning something that feels very grown up and special. He's very into science, and has been interested in learning the scientific names for things. He made the connection between some of the vocabulary he's learned from Song School and the words used to name animals and plants (as in, it is all Latin), and finds the whole thing very exciting. But he wants to study it like a "big kid." Song School is feeling too babyish to him all of a sudden.

Schoolhouse Rock is a great idea! I'd forgotten all about that. I also downloaded the sample lessons from Visual Latin, so we will give it a little test run and see how he likes it. I love it when you can do that with a program!

Thanks!

__________________
Claire
Mom to DS 12/04, DS 5/07, DD 8/09

knowloveserve
Forum All-Star

Joined: Jan 31 2007
Location: Washington
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 759

Posted: April 03 2014 at 12:19am \| IP Logged

My 9 year old handles VL very well. If he ever struggles, its because he doesn't want to do the writing� I allow him to do much of the homework orally. It's a very WHOLE program� as close to immersion Latin as one could probably get.

We love it.

__________________
Ellie
The Bleeding Pelican

If you wish to post a reply to this topic you must first login
If you are not already registered you must first register

[Add this topic to My Favorites]

Printable version

Forum Jump

You cannot post new topics in this forum
You cannot reply to topics in this forum
You cannot delete your posts in this forum
You cannot edit your posts in this forum
You cannot create polls in this forum
You cannot vote in polls in this forum

Hosting and Support provided by theNetSmith.com