Anyone add foreign language? Latin/Grk/Word Roots, etc.

[Mom2Monkeys]

I'm wanting to do latin but we're not enjoying Prima Latina so much. I'm rethinking my goals and originally, I really wanted them to know the language...Daddy was going into the medical field and was hoping to get into med school, so of course, I assumed some of our kids would want to follow daddy's footsteps and knowing latin would be a HUGE help. Now, he is getting a degree in something else and will be an Aif Force Officer. I'm guessing some of our kids will want to also go into the Air Force as well. Knowing the language isn't such a huge help career wise, but at least word roots would be helpful. So, I'm considering just using a program that teaches roots, like English From the Roots Up. Does anyone use this or a similar program? Can you lead me to some other possibilities?

Also, I'm considering the benefits of actually knowing the language anyway. I know it helps in so many ways with writing, vocab, english grammar, etc. So, I'm thinking if I go this route I would likely do Song School Latin then the Latin For Children series followed by Latin Alive!. Any others you particularly like? Easy to implement, mom with no latin background, short and fun lessons, not expensive, and we like songs/chants/dvd's... Oh, also being in the air force, we could be sent to anywhere in the world. Latin language would give the kids (and me!) a good basis to quickly pick up on many other languages we may be exposed to.

I can't convince myself one way or the other, so could you help me out?

[water2wine]

We do Spanish as our foreign language. We do some work with Greek and Latin roots only and it is very gently and very slowly. I do it for vocabulary and to help with spelling and because it is an interest that my older kids have. My primary focus though is to learn Spanish at the level where they could share the gospel in Spanish and for the value in being bilingual. My little sister is just graduating med school. She went to a private classical school. Learned all the Latin and Greek but no Spanish. She has told me she would toss all the Latin and Greek away just to be able to speak to the half of her patients that speak Spanish. That kind of gave me focus. Plus I have dreams of doing some mission work with my children and Spanish will serve us well. I think learning the roots can be helpful and it has helped them a bit with spelling but it is not the end all. We more just do it for fun because they want to. i think if I was going to learn the language I would go for Biblical Greek or Hebrew otherwise the roots are the way to go for us.

I am not sure if I am answering you but hopefully there is something there. Praying you find what God has for your family.

[deltagal]

Hi!

I've been wanting to post this question (myself) to see if Carrie had plans to do Greek/Latin roots with the Ancients cycle. It seems like a good fit! We have on our radar to hit this next year. This year my oldest is studying Spanish using Rosetta Stone. It is still too soon to call , as to how beneficial it has been. But he does enjoy it. It's the first thing he does every day.

With Joy!
Florence

[Lori_in_Austin]

I was thinking about trying out Phonics Road or Spell to Write and Read next year, but I also think it might be too much to add on as I don't want to overwhelm or sacrifice our HOD plans. Maybe PR and SWR are something totally different than what you are talking about; and I probably have no idea what I am talking about so if that is the case, please tell me !

[Mom2Monkeys]

I'm trying to figure out mostly if I want to do the language or just the roots...

If I did language, here's my most likely choices: Prima Latina followed by Latina Christian 1&2 (we're doing PL now. Its easy to teach but just not fun for dd. She has learned a lot though!) Next choice would be Song School Latin followed by Latin For Children A-C then Latin Alive! 1 and 2. Not sure about any of the other programs b/c we prefer ecclisiatical/church pronounciation.

If I did just roots, I would consider Vocabulary vine for this year followed by English from the Roots Up 1 & 2. Or just start with EFRU now. I'd consider adding in Song School Latin for the fun of it and the Latin phrases. I might also do EFRU Vo. 1 Latin roots one year, then Greek roots, then Vol. 2 Latin, Vol. 2 Greek...and repeat the cycle.


Choices, choices....hmmm...what to do?? LOL

ETA: I want to add in either Spanish, Italian, or German later. Does that make knowing Latin that much more of a help?? I wonder how much of a help it is with other languages in real life (like if we ended up in Italy with the Air Force) would it help us all adapt a little easier to the language enough to justify learning it?

[tmcg]

Okay....here is my perspective. We are teaching our kids just basic Russian words (my oldest was adopted from Russia) and probably next year we will use Rosetta Stone (wonderful reputation and if you purchase it from My Father's World they sell it for the "basement retail price" so there is no mark-up....not sure if they have Latin though. Get the newest version....although it is pricey...worth it.

I took 4 years of Latin in high school, it was one of my majors and I had a near perfect average in it. I had an awesome teacher, although she was VERY challenging. I learned more about English from taking Latin than I did in English. It helped dramatically in nursing school and when I went to graduate school for my masters in my NP program. I knew it would be either medical or legal for me, so Latin won out for my language and then I took the Regents exam for it. Not so good at that thing as I was in the class. It caused me to read classics (in English) and then I also did better on vocabulary....if I did not know a word I could figure it out from the Latin root. We did not speak Latin much, rather wrote and read it. I loved it. I don't know of any curriculum to recommend....sorry, just some encouragement that it has had lifelong benefits although I sometimes have to refresh my memory. Even medical abbreviations come from Latin words. It helps in learning other languages later....not to mention if you teach the culture along w/ the language, you can learn from the history of Rome.

Cum amore (with love)
Tammy

PS I would start with Latin and if you want to do Greek or Hebrew wait until later as they do not share our alphabet. Spanish is practical for speaking it but Latin will help academically and if you teach Latin, spanish will be easy later. Much depends on your child's interest and language abilities.

[Lori_in_Austin]

Tammy ! WOW !!

Thank you for sharing your story and for such wonderful advice on learning Latin. I am going to remember what you said. Thanks for the encouragement.

...start with Latin and if you want to do Greek or Hebrew wait until later as they do not share our alphabet. Spanish is practical for speaking it but Latin will help academically and if you teach Latin, spanish will be easy later...

I have heard this before so it helps to hear it again.

[Mom2Monkeys]

I I learned more about English from taking Latin than I did in English....It caused me to read classics (in English) and then I also did better on vocabulary....if I did not know a word I could figure it out from the Latin root. ....sorry, just some encouragement that it has had lifelong benefits although I sometimes have to refresh my memory. Even medical abbreviations come from Latin words. It helps in learning other languages later....not to mention if you teach the culture along w/ the language, you can learn from the history of Rome.

.... Latin will help academically and if you teach Latin, spanish will be easy later...

This is what I needed to convince me! Thanks so much for your detailed and encouraging reply. I knew all this but I needed to hear it from someone that has experienced it, not just a website trying to convince me to buy what they have! I especially like the effect it has on English knowledge as well as how it helps later with other languages. As soon as I'm able, I'll be ordering Song School Latin for this year for a gentle, fun start (my oldest is only 7!). Then I think we'll go with Classical Academic Press' Latin for Children series. I can't afford the Rosetta Stone!! I wish I could though. Although, I prefer to have more of a grammar approach to learning Latin to get that English grammar effect. I honestly don't think the immersion method would work well for my dd...she's the kind that needs to know the when and why or things or she comes up with her own method. LOL

[tmcg]

I am so glad my detailed answer was helpful to you. This will sound crazy but when I speak English and you have to figure out when to say "I" and when "me"....like in this example..."Johnny and I went to the store." Or "Suzie went with Johnny and me." In my mind I go back to when we diagrammed sentences and I can visualize it in the sentence. So, I know that if you take out Johnny from the sentence then it says "I went to the store." "Me went to the store makes no sense as "I" is the subject. But in the second sentence if you take out Johnny, saying, "Suzie went with I" makes no sense because me is the direct object (I believe that is the reason). Anyway nobody cares what i am saying, BUT I will tell you this I can see the sentence in my head and because of Latin I understand which one is correct but with English I was not on board with some of this. Sooooo, I hope your child(ren) will get as much out of Latin as I did. I would encourage you to find a Latin high school student or a tutor to help her sit down and learn Latin. In the beginning you can have her memorize vocabulary words but it helps to have someone who knows it help. Also maybe they have videos somewhere. I would encourage you to point out the Latin around your daughter...like the college mottos, on our money, the military (marines) etc. So she can see it in her world. If you need any help you can always ask me, if I don't know at least my mind will be refreshed when I look it up. I used to want to be a Latin teacher....before I became a nurse.

Thanks for listening to me ramble!

Tammy