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Latin more popular than supposed

Posted: Thu Mar 17, 2011 10:56 pm
by Sassie'sDad
An Oxford experiment, by putting the children in charge, has overturned every classics cliché in the book; but it’s worked.
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/education/83 ... n-....html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Re: Latin more popular than supposed

Posted: Sat Mar 19, 2011 12:36 pm
by lara228
Thanks for the link - have been thinking lately about the advantages of learning Latin and wonder if I can find some basic tuition for my DS once he is over the 11+ exams at the start of year 6.

I was forced to learn Latin at my school from the prep school until O level - I was absolutely hopeless at it and only got 11% in my mock O level (and that was with cheating!) - it was then I was allowed to drop it. HOWEVER, the knowledge has been invaluable in helping with general knowledge and vocabulary - as the article said - finding roots of words and then other words they are connected to. I am not at all linguistic but can make an educated guess when faced with several Latin-based languages. So, if anyone knows of any light-hearted, easy-going courses aimed at 10 year olds, please let me know.

By the way, it would be the Dragon School where this was article was based - a very exceptional establishment!

Re: Latin more popular than supposed

Posted: Sat Mar 19, 2011 4:31 pm
by Sassie'sDad
Not sure how 'in depth' an approach you are wanting but I suggest you look at what is available in terms of distance learning which is available on the Internet. The Cambridge Latin Course is widely used in secondary school. My daughter uses their text books at Rugby. Their web site is very informative.http://www.cambridgescp.com/Lpage.php?p ... top%5Ehome" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

I would be inclined to start off with Caroline Lawrence's wonderful series of books entitled Roman Mysteries.She was once a teacher in a London Primary school (Latin, French and art) is academicly very strong but nothing she writes is dry and dusty. I started my youngest reading these with me back in year four and then they became adapted for television on the BBC. We happily watched them and they were a great introduction to the Language. They were one of the factors which influenced her to think outside the eleven plus box and develope a love of historical novels.
http://www.romanmysteries.com/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false; http://www.bbc.co.uk/dna/h2g2/alabaster/A33547331" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Dd2 has just told me about this Minimus for up to ten year olds. http://www.minimus-etc.co.uk/question_page.htm" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Re: Latin more popular than supposed

Posted: Sat Mar 19, 2011 8:16 pm
by lara228
Thanks Sassie's Dad - lots of great links, will look into them further. Much appreciated.

Re: Latin more popular than supposed

Posted: Tue Mar 22, 2011 12:17 pm
by doingmybest
Prep school start with minimus for fun y4 and then move quickly onto "So you Really Want To Learn Latin" usually y5. If you look at the Galore Park website you will find lots of latin stuff there, they have CDs etc and cards and workbooks. If you are thinking of buying though its always cheaper on Amazon!, I just use Galore Park to browse.
I learnt using the Cambridge books (they were little orange pamphlets then, now its a big book), and I think SYRWTLL is better.
Children are still taught to clap or bang on the desks when learning verbs etc which I find bizarre, teaching rally hasn't changed much.

Good Luck with the declensions!

Doing my best

Re: Latin more popular than supposed

Posted: Thu Mar 24, 2011 8:46 pm
by KB
DS followed Minimus at Latin club for years 5 & 6 - he really enjoyed it.

Re: Latin more popular than supposed

Posted: Thu Mar 24, 2011 8:51 pm
by push-pull-mum
I loved the Cambridge Latin course! Any Dr Who fans out there who noticed the familiar names in the Pompeii episode? I had a tutor at University who could read any piece of writing (500 words plus) and tell you whether that person had studied Latin (I never knew him to be wrong).

Re: Latin more popular than supposed

Posted: Fri Mar 25, 2011 12:31 pm
by R3ad1ngDad
"Caecilius est in Horto" was the first thing i learnt in Latin. But i dropped it after 2 years at secondary and became one of the first group to do Classical Civilisation O Level instead (basically Roman/Greek history and study classical literature).

as an aside, I have a relative who helped with minimus as she was teaching at a RC London primary with a lot of embassy children and it gave a common language base for them all