Latin courses are pretty much forced to justify their own existence these days. Up till the early 20th century, Latin study was considered an essential part of a well-rounded education, but as state-run schools became the established norm and replaced the Classically-derived curriculum with lighter and more propagandistic fare, Latin was gradually discontinued. In the 21st century, however, there's been a resurgence of interest in teaching Latin to students.
The benefits of such study are many. Probably the best reason to study Latin is that good Latin skills affect every subject which a student will ever learn or study. This doesn't apply only to subjects like science and philosophy that often rely heavily on Latin vocabulary; in fact, it applies only secondarily to those subjects. Studying Latin is valuable first and foremost because it trains students to think carefully and to organize their thoughts in order to retain the massive amount of information they must memorize.
Isn't this true of every language? In one sense, yes. But Latin, being a dead language, isn't spoken anywhere in the world today, and therefore students aren't privy to the same sort of practice as those studying German, or Spanish, or Japanese. Students learning Latin are forced to learn the entire language simply by memory unaided by spoken practice. If this sounds a bit daunting, it is, but it's also highly rewarding, especially in the long run.
Other reasons for studying Latin come to mind: you can read Virgil in the original, you can read a lot of classic theology as it was written, you can translate legalese, Something Funny Happened on the Way to the Forum suddenly becomes a lot funnier, and you can impress your friends by interpreting stuff in old movies like Ben-Hur and The Robe. Or, you can simply learn Latin because you want to, or maybe to help you research Roman history, or whatever.
There aren't many different approaches to choose from. The best Latin programs all revolve around grammar and vocabulary, and while there are different places to start, it's all the same content. You'll be hard-pressed to find a good student-directed Latin program, though Artes Latinae is just that and remains one of the best Latin courses available. The only real oddball among those we offer is The Latin Road to English Grammar, which uses Latin study side-by-side with English grammar study to both teach Latin and enhance students' udnerstanding of their native tongue.
For the most part, kids are simply asked to memorize verb conjugations, noun declensions, gender and case, grammar (and sometimes syntax), and vocabulary. All these courses help cement information by the use of exercises, which range from games in the courses for younger kids, to actual translation in the high school courses. Parents need not know the language themselves in most cases to present the material, but they will need to work through the content on their own apart from the student.
As Classical education becomes more and more popular (and more and more accessible) among homeschoolers, Latin programs are beginning to proliferate. We carry some of the best that we've seen, though we're always open to investigating new programs. If you just need resources to assist a curriculum you're already using, you should check out our Latin Resources & References section. Below you'll find a list of the programs we carry, with links to much more extensive reviews.
Here is a quick summary of the Latin curricula we offer, in alphabetical order:
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Artes LatinaeGrades 8-12
A longtime provider of Latin education,Artes Latinaeis both well-established and newly revised and updated to meet the needs of technologically savvy students. The course focuses on grammar, mechanics, and pronunciation; is student-directed; and uses CD-ROMs, workbooks, and readers to provide a thorough instruction in one of the world's great languages.
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Canon Press LatinGrades 3-12
Like most Canon Press curriculum options, these Latin texts are challenging but effective. The Latin Primer series introduces elementary kids to the basics of the language, while the Latin Grammar course is much more in-depth and suited for advanced middle school, or high school students. Grammar is emphasized, and exercises are expected to cement information in kids' minds.
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Henle LatinGrades 8-12
Whatever else the Henle Latin series may be, it isnot student-directed. Written by Jesuits in 1945, the four books with necessary answer keys are grammar-oriented texts that move students from noun declension and verb conjugation to reading Classical texts by Caesar, Cicero, and Virgil. This is a challenging course that will provide a sound working knowledge for motivated students.
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Latin Alive!Grades 7-10
Like the best Latin programs,Latin Alive!focuses on grammar, vocabulary, reading, and translation; unlike the best Latin programs, it uses cultural context, interesting historical facts, and other trivia to make the memorization more bearable. DVDs, CDs, worktexts, and teacher's guides make this a rewarding multimedia approach parents and students will enjoy.
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Latin for ChildrenGrades K-5
If you're wondering what teaching Latin in the home looks like, you can know: in theLatin for ChildrenDVDs, Dr. Christopher Perrin has recorded himself teaching his daughters and the kitchen table. These teaching sessions integrate the content of Latin for Children with that of Shurley English, thus teaching kids English grammar while giving them a solid foundation in Latin.
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Latin's Not so ToughGrades 1-8
This is a worktext- and flashcard-based Latin program the goal of which is to get kids conversant and doing basic translation with as little headache as possible. Latin's Not So Tough! may be a bit of an overstatement, but author Karen Mohs does believe early instruction in Latin will greatly help young learners, and she's prepared a course of study that is comprehensible to blossoming minds.
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Latin Road to English GrammarGrades 4-12
Barbara Beers uses the fact that 60% of English words derive from Latin roots to defend her method of teaching English grammar by teaching Latin. This is a well-thought-out program that may appear daunting with its worktexts, DVDs, multiple flashcard sets, and more, but The Latin Road to English Grammar includes enough teacher support that even reluctant parents should have no trouble.
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Memoria Press Form Latin SeriesGrades 5-12
Designed for older beginning Latin students, the Memoria Press Form Latin Series covers four complete years of work, using DVD lectures, flashcards and wall charts, pronunciation CDs, workbooks, student texts, and teacher materials to cement a limited vocabulary and proficient grammar skills in place. This makes an excellent lead-in for Henle Latin.
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Memoria Press Latina ChristianaGrades 1-8
Grammar is the one constant for Western languages. As a result, Latina Christiana begins with as much English grammar as Latin grammar, teaching kids how sentences are constructed. If there's an immersion course for a dead language, this is it—between the DVD course, flashcards, worktexts, etc., kids are given an all-round education in the Roman tongue.
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Wheelock's LatinGrades 9-12
Wheelock's Latin has become the standard one-volume Latin text for American students. Grammar, usage, and vocabulary are internalized through analysis, exercises, and rote memorization: the old fashioned and still the most effective way to learn language. The follow-up text is a reader in which students utilize their knowledge and skills by reading and translating original texts.
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Review by C. Hollis Crossman
C. Hollis Crossman used to be a child. Now he's a husband and father who loves church, good food, and weird stuff. He might be a mythical creature, but he's definitely not a centaur. Read more of his reviews
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