Teaching Latin – Really? Why? How?

Why would a parent want to teach their child Latin?  Isn’t it just a “dead” language?  Can it really be that helpful?  The answer might surprise some.  Over two-thirds of our English words come from Latin roots.  You have probably heard Latin phrases like carpe diem (seize the day), vice versa (the order being reversed), or tempus fugit (time flies).   

Many abbreviations come from Latin words. 

For example:

• anno domini (abbreviated AD),  in the year of the Lord.
• et cetera (abbreviated etc.),   and so on.
• exempli gratia (abbreviated e.g.),   for example.

Latin not only reveals a great deal about English but it enhances expression.  It develops understanding and appreciation for literature and the classical impact on our modern culture.  And learning other foreign languages comes easier to a child who has learned Latin – French, Italian, Spanish, Portuguese, and Romanian are all derived from Latin.

As we can see there are many good reasons to teach Latin. So what is it that holds parents back?  I cannot speak for all, but I can speak for myself.  Learning a new language is time consuming.  There are days that I do well to get everything taught.  In addition, it is hard to teach what you do not know. 

I was recently given an opportunity to review a Latin program from Classical Academic Press with Andrew.  Due to my concerns for teaching a different language, I was anxious to give it a try.  And I am glad I did!  Song School Latin is a gentle introduction to Latin for children in kindergarten through 3^rd grade.   What I love about the program is the music CD with over 30 songs.  Andrew and I spent about 15 minutes a day learning new words, reviewing the songs, and working in the activity book.  He really enjoyed the coloring pages as well.  When we finish the program Andrew will have learned over 100 everyday Latin vocabulary words.

You can purchase the Song School Latin student book with CD for $22.95.  The teacher’s edition is an additional $22.95.  They also have available the Latin Monkey Match Flashcard Game for $24.95.  Or, you can buy them together and save money by purchasing the bundle for $64.95.

Visit the Classical Academic Press website for more information.  To see what others are saying about this product you can click here.

Disclaimer:  As a member of The Old Schoolhouse 2010-2011 Crew, I received Song School Latin in exchange for an honest product review.   I do not receive any other form of compensation for the reviews posted on this blog.