 
|
| |
|
|
OOOGuide to Latin instruction for Homeschoolers OOOby Kathryn Boyer Because the benefits of studying Latin and the Classics have been well-documented elsewhere, here we will say only briefly that the study of these subjects will: --Improve a student’s English vocabulary and grammar In addition to a textbook (see the series discussed below), students will need a good dictionary. By year two or three, they will also need a reference grammar. We recommend Bennet’s Latin Grammar as the simplest and shortest. Choosing a Course A “getting your feet wet” course may make sense for some families, especially with young children. But in general, an “easier” and “more attractive” book is not always better. The fact is that students must sweat and work or ultimately they will lose half the benefit of studying Latin, and half the real pleasure of accomplishment. People have been studying Latin for over 2000 years-Greek for even longer-and while there are improvements, the fact is that people wrote better Latin in Cicero’s day than in ours, and better Latin was written by Erasmus and Thomas More in the 16th century, and by Dr. Johnson about the time of the American Revolution, than is written by anyone now. This suggests that we are not doing as good a job on the basics as was done 100 or even 500 years ago. The best home systems will take advantage of new technology without giving up the painful lessons acquired in several thousand years of teaching experience. Because it is easier to learn Latin at 11 than at 25, and many youngest students are actually better off with more advanced programs. The courses we recommend offer a clear presentation of grammar and vocabulary. The exercises will contribute to a student’s mental development. The civilization sections are accurate and useful (political correctness has distorted some books). Overall, these courses are well-organized, bound, and illustrated. A student who completes one of the secondary programs should be able to pick up a Latin writer and, with the aid of a good grammar, dictionary and glosses, make sense of him. Series We Recommend Elementary This program of introductory Latin study in four units was originally developed by the Cambridge School Classics Project to create an “innovative” method of teaching the Latin language and classical history and culture to younger students. Under the sponsorship of the North American Cambridge Classics Project, revisions of the English books have been made for North American use. Supplements to the books include a teacher’s manual, workbooks and cassette tapes. The pronunciation is classical. There is much that is charming and inviting about this program: a continuous, if fictional, story about the family of Lucius Caecilius Iucundus (a “banker” whose house and business records have been uncovered at Pompeii) is the basis on which all manner of archaeological, historical, cultural and language information naturally unfolds. Each chapter starts with a cartoon story that the student “translates” through the pictures; then individual words have to be learned. In Unit 1, we are introduced to Caecilius, his wife, son and slaves, and learn about the design of a Pompeian atrium house, the daily life of a businessman with trips to the baths, forum, theater, and gladiator shows, and the politics of a local election; this book culminates in the eruption of Vesuvius in 79 A.D. In Unit 2, we find ourselves in Roman Britain, where we are happy to discover that Caecilius’ son, Quintus, survived the disaster in Pompeii and has quite an adventurous life in several parts of the Empire. The teaching of grammar picks up speed as the books continue; but from the first unit, the student becomes accustomed to reading and memorizing first and “analyzing” after. This has the happy effect of building reading muscle and confidence. This program can been effective with children even as young as 8 or 9, an age when thinking grammatically is not easy but memorization skills are strong. The invented story is charming and teaches the student a wealth of information about the Roman Imperial world. Secondary Now in its second edition, this series was designed to cover the GCSE syllabus to prepare young English students to qualify for college entrance. The first and second parts center on a fictionalization of the life of the poet Horace, based on the facts he has told us about the poor but talented boy who made good. Since he lived during one of the most exciting periods in the history of Rome, and knew some of the most famous people, the developing story is appealing, especially since much of it is true. Grammar is introduced slowly and the emphasis is on reading, but by the second part, grammar becomes more central. In the third part, students learn the more complex grammatical constructions and read serious texts. The clarity of the exercises and presentation of grammar make this course a good choice for early junior high and high school students. This is also a good choice for teachers who don’t know Latin. The illustrations are silly, a situation that was somewhat improved by the addition of more photographs in the second edition. Through these and through the cultural and history sections at the end of each chapter, students will earn a lot about Roman history and literature. Two downsides: the second edition has added politically correct and unbalanced discussions of the position of women and slavery. Also in the second edition, the exercises and expanded grammatical explanations are placed in the sections at the back of the book, which makes for annoying page-flipping. But on the whole, this is a nicely measured program, which does a good job teaching the language and gives (mostly) good information about Roman history and literature. Jenney and Scudder’s Latin Course. Various publishers; in four books published as First year Latin, Second Year Latin, etc. The first book is by Charles Jenney; the others by Jenney and Rogers V. Scudder. This is our second choice for the secondary student, an old stand-by
for good reasons. This is a high school text but has been used by both
6th graders and college students. A used book service may be needed to
find especially the first year books. The course was written for a time
when high school students were expected to spend four years in one language,
completing a book’s worth of work in each year, and is nicely organized
and paced: the subjunctive is not introduced till the second year. The
cultural aspects have been enlarged over the years without diluting the
grammar, exercises and readings.
|