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Author Topic: Teaching Latin to Children  (Read 3228 times)

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Offline MaterDominici

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Teaching Latin to Children
« on: January 31, 2015, 01:37:55 PM »
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  • Does anyone here teach Latin to their children?
    At what age to you begin?
    What books or program do you use?


    We just attempted to start using a very basic program called Song School Latin, but the pronunciation is frequently inconsistent or incorrect.
    "I think that Catholicism, that's as sane as people can get."  - Jordan Peterson


    Offline Ladislaus

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    Teaching Latin to Children
    « Reply #1 on: January 31, 2015, 01:48:06 PM »
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  • Offline Cantarella

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    Teaching Latin to Children
    « Reply #2 on: January 31, 2015, 01:53:35 PM »
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  • Prima Latina / Lingua Angelica / Latina Christiana
     
    From Our Lady of Victory:
    http://www.olvs.org/shopcart/InvList.aspx?a=33
    If anyone says that true and natural water is not necessary for baptism and thus twists into some metaphor the words of our Lord Jesus Christ" Unless a man be born again of water and the Holy Spirit" (Jn 3:5) let him be anathema.

    Offline Jaynek

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    Teaching Latin to Children
    « Reply #3 on: January 31, 2015, 01:55:39 PM »
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  • I use Memoria Press Prima Latina starting at around 7, whenever they read English fluently.  I am using it with my oldest grandson now.

    It has pronunciation CDs but I don't use them.  I don't like their accent.

    I find it really helps to have the children learn their basic prayers in Latin.  They can memorize them without a detailed understanding.  Then, as we learn grammar and vocabulary, we go back over the prayers and see how it fits.  Memoria Press is a Christian (though not explicitly Catholic) publisher so they introduce a lot of the prayer vocabulary.

    This is the same thing that Cantarella linked to.

    Offline 2Vermont

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    Teaching Latin to Children
    « Reply #4 on: January 31, 2015, 01:59:46 PM »
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  • I'm actually thinking I might like to find a Latin class for myself.
    For there shall arise false Christs and false prophets, and shall shew great signs and wonders, insomuch as to deceive (if possible) even the elect. (Matthew 24:24)


    Offline MaterDominici

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    Teaching Latin to Children
    « Reply #5 on: January 31, 2015, 02:31:47 PM »
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  • Quote from: Jaynek
    I use Memoria Press Prima Latina starting at around 7, whenever they read English fluently.  I am using it with my oldest grandson now.

    It has pronunciation CDs but I don't use them.  I don't like their accent.


    Do you know if they have samples of the audio? I don't think I'd attempt anything that doesn't have audio pronunciation since I don't know much Latin myself. The only reason I concluded that the program we were doing wasn't very good was that they were inconsistent.

    For example: magistra, in the song they'd pronounce it mah-jee-stra and on the pronunciation CD they'd say mah-gee-stra (with g like goat).


    Lad, any chance I can talk you into downloading the audio files from the book you linked to and giving me your 2c on their pronunciation? I'm of course looking for a program that does a good job with ecclesiastical pronunciation.
    "I think that Catholicism, that's as sane as people can get."  - Jordan Peterson

    Offline Mabel

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    Teaching Latin to Children
    « Reply #6 on: January 31, 2015, 03:00:57 PM »
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  • I use Memoria Press as well.
    We start Prima Latina around second grade, at the beginning of the year or midway, really whenever the child is reading well enough to read the simple vocabulary. I help them with the workbook, I don't write for them but I am there to read directions. We spend 5-15 minutes each day, working at the pace of the student.

    After Prima Latina is done we move on to Latina Christiana I. Also done at a student's pace. One child has stretched this over two years, and is a great Latin student, possibly even better than my speedy Latin child. I would say the range would be third-fourth grade here. Again, 5-15 minutes per day, or more if you buy enrichment materials.

    Next we do the First Form Series. I think this series is excellent and much better than where the Latina Chrisitana books were going. There is ample practice and the text is not cartoony or colorful (I'm all about business). I also allow us to go at the student's pace, however, I've noticed that my students really are on a roll with Latin at this point. They get it. I'd say that it takes 15-25 minutes to complete, maybe more if review is necessary.

    I am satisfied with Memoria's materials and will continue. I don't purchase the DVD but every once in a great while I might listen to the PL or LC CDs to hear a word, usually words with "q" in them. I don't think their pronunciation is wonderful but my ears are spoiled by going to mass in a small room with a priest whose Latin was flawless for many years.

    I'm considering having my oldest take the National Latin Exam this year or next year.

    Personally, I would never consider not teaching Latin. If we are busy, we always finish at least Latin and math every day. It is important for us as Catholics and for the development of the mind.

    Offline Jaynek

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    Teaching Latin to Children
    « Reply #7 on: January 31, 2015, 03:23:12 PM »
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  • Quote from: MaterDominici
    Quote from: Jaynek
    I use Memoria Press Prima Latina starting at around 7, whenever they read English fluently.  I am using it with my oldest grandson now.

    It has pronunciation CDs but I don't use them.  I don't like their accent.


    Do you know if they have samples of the audio? I don't think I'd attempt anything that doesn't have audio pronunciation since I don't know much Latin myself. The only reason I concluded that the program we were doing wasn't very good was that they were inconsistent.

    For example: magistra, in the song they'd pronounce it mah-jee-stra and on the pronunciation CD they'd say mah-gee-stra (with g like goat).


    They do have a lot of sample pages on their website but I don't think they have any audio.  They pronounce it with a Southern US accent which just seems strange with Latin.  I keep waiting for them to say "Salvete, y'all."

    The inconsistency you are describing looks like they are combining ecclesiastical pronunciation (the first one) with classical (the second).  That would be bad.


    Offline Centroamerica

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    Teaching Latin to Children
    « Reply #8 on: January 31, 2015, 04:06:58 PM »
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  • Quote from: Jaynek
    Quote from: MaterDominici
    Quote from: Jaynek
    I use Memoria Press Prima Latina starting at around 7, whenever they read English fluently.  I am using it with my oldest grandson now.

    It has pronunciation CDs but I don't use them.  I don't like their accent.


    Do you know if they have samples of the audio? I don't think I'd attempt anything that doesn't have audio pronunciation since I don't know much Latin myself. The only reason I concluded that the program we were doing wasn't very good was that they were inconsistent.

    For example: magistra, in the song they'd pronounce it mah-jee-stra and on the pronunciation CD they'd say mah-gee-stra (with g like goat).


    They do have a lot of sample pages on their website but I don't think they have any audio.  They pronounce it with a Southern US accent which just seems strange with Latin.  I keep waiting for them to say "Salvete, y'all."

    The inconsistency you are describing looks like they are combining ecclesiastical pronunciation (the first one) with classical (the second).  That would be bad.



    Teaching kids Latin is very important.  the benefits are immeasurable.  
    We conclude logically that religion can give an efficacious and truly realistic answer to the great modern problems only if it is a religion that is profoundly lived, not simply a superficial and cheap religion made up of some vocal prayers and some ceremonies...

    Offline Ladislaus

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    Teaching Latin to Children
    « Reply #9 on: January 31, 2015, 08:35:22 PM »
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  • I have long disagreed with the customary/classical method for teaching Latin where you memorize lists of inflections (declensions, conjugations, etc.).  It's an unnatural method for leaning a language, does not lead to fluency, and is certainly not conducive to the minds of younger children.  There's a lady from Christendom College who put together a more natural learning method, but I can't find it all of a sudden.  I had intended to do something similar years ago but never managed to get around to it.  That's why Latin had been deemed inaccessible to students before 7th grade or so.  But I'm sure that Roman children were quite fluent in it well before then, eh?

    Offline Jaynek

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    Teaching Latin to Children
    « Reply #10 on: January 31, 2015, 09:19:39 PM »
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  • Since very few of us speak Latin so well that it can be our everyday language at home, we do  not have the option of our children learning it as Roman children did.  


    Offline Ladislaus

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    Teaching Latin to Children
    « Reply #11 on: January 31, 2015, 09:27:05 PM »
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  • Quote from: Jaynek
    Since very few of us speak Latin so well that it can be our everyday language at home, we do  not have the option of our children learning it as Roman children did.  


    No, not in the sense of immersion, but rather via a natural progression.

    Offline MaterDominici

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    Teaching Latin to Children
    « Reply #12 on: January 31, 2015, 09:30:58 PM »
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  • A random Latin question for those who know:

    Do vowels in ecclesiastical Latin have more than one sound (short / long)?
    "I think that Catholicism, that's as sane as people can get."  - Jordan Peterson

    Offline poche

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    Teaching Latin to Children
    « Reply #13 on: January 31, 2015, 10:46:45 PM »
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  • Quote from: MaterDominici
    A random Latin question for those who know:

    Do vowels in ecclesiastical Latin have more than one sound (short / long)?

    no, but double vowels have a pronunciation that is longer in duration
    for example in "tuum" the length of the pronunciation of the u is similar to the a'a in ma'am.  

    Offline poche

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    « Reply #14 on: January 31, 2015, 10:48:03 PM »
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  • Quote from: Jaynek
    Since very few of us speak Latin so well that it can be our everyday language at home, we do  not have the option of our children learning it as Roman children did.  

    I went to confession in Latin one time.