Customer Reviews

Latin for Children, Primer A (Latin For Childred)

5 star:		(4)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(2)
2 star:		(2)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

While the first Primer A did have some errors, they certainly weren't enough to deter me from using it. The benefits of the program itself definitely outweighed the proofing errors. I'm using the revised Primer A (I believe all the old versions were pulled a while ago) and am very, very pleased with it. An entirely worthwhile Latin program. I've used Primers A, B, and C to teach Latin to my grammar school students, and this is by far my favorite program. Several of the others are very good, but this one combines the English grammar, the Latin, the roots and derivatives, in a pleasing format, almost everything you could ask for. I really appreciate that part of the curriculum itself is review, you don't have to work it in, it's already worked in, and review so vital to learning. I've used the old Primer A, as well as the new, revised Primer A. I really liked the old one (despite its flaws) and the new Primer A is just about all you could ask for. The DVDs can help a teacher who doesn't know the language and the chant CD really cements the vocabulary in my students' heads. The folks who have put this together are top-notch and have a really helpful website to boot.

When we researched Latin curricula for our classical home school co-op, we appreciated the Latin for Children Primer "A" Bundle for a variety of reasons. The entry-level lessons are designed for students 3rd grade and older (our Latin students range from 4th-12th grade). The deluxe bundle--which includes a student primer, answer key, history reader, activity book, chant CD and DVD instruction set--aims to equip students with a basic vocabulary and understanding of the grammar and logic of Latin.

The curriculum is appropriate for both a co-op and home school setting. The writers wisely aligned their text with Shurley Grammar's format. Thanks to the DVD lessons, a parent or teacher can learn alongside students, though ideally the instructor should stay several lessons ahead of the class.

Although academically challenging, this package brings silliness and fun to the rigorous study of Latin through Dr. Perrin's dry humor and whimsical wit, as well as through goofy skits sprinkled throughout the DVD lessons (reminiscent of a family-friendly Monty Python).

That playful spirit likewise romps through the pages of games and puzzles contained in the activity book.

Plan to visit the errata page on the Classical Academic Press website as there are corrections to the text noted there. (These errors can be a burden to the novice teacher, but, fortunately, the editors are quite responsive to user feedback and diligently post corrections and incorporate changes and corrections in updated editions.) Once there, you will also find many freebies, including downloadable flashcards and worksheets.

In our opinion, the greatest strength of this program is how strongly it appeals to kids--and that's a huge plus when seeking to capture and focus the attention of entry-level Latin students.

First, the pluses -
Production is first-rate, and the book is easy to read. The support at the website ([...]) is terrific as well, especially for flashcards. Whatever typos that were in the first edition were corrected in the books that I got. The authors have clearly been teaching kids for a long time, and it shows. The text is very, very accessible.

Now, the minus -
I took my daughters through chapter 10, before we moved on to another book. Why?
It is just too vocabulary-intensive, without providing a context for the vocabulary. Yes, my daughters learned the vocabulary, but they couldn't do anything with it, because there are no reading assignments to correspond to what they memorized. In addition, there were no translation exercises. I did not use the separate reader, also published by this author, but they don't recommend it until the first half of the book is completed, anyway.

This means that kids have to go almost 12 weeks before they actually start doing simple Latin sentences, and that's too long. More time is spent every chapter doing English derivatives from Latin, than is spent on Latin, itself. And that's o.k. - learning Latin as an aid to learning English vocabulary is a worthy goal - it just isn't the goal that I had.

Now, the good news - I really, really, really like the publisher, so I bought the Latin book that they did for older kids ("Latin Alive!). As soon as it came, I put "Latin for Children" on the shelf. The "Latin Alive" book strikes a much better balance. There is actually LESS vocabulary per week than the book designed for younger kids. Simplified grammar is presented up front, at an appropriate pace. And, most importantly, they are reading Latin right off the bat. "Latin Alive" also has flashcard support from "[...]".

So I reluctantly would NOT recommend "Latin for Children", but am very pleased with the same publisher's book, "Latin Alive".

My seven-year-old sons (second grade) and I are just finishing up with this text (version 3.2) and will be moving on to Primer B. While some other reviewers mentioned significant typos and other errors in Primer A, this version is virtually free of errors (I found three grammatically incorrect English sentences and two more Latin vocabulary omissions which were mentioned on the publisher's website).

I spent a significant amount of time researching Latin programs and have been extremely pleased with this text. I wanted to give my sons a solid foundation in classical Latin (as opposed to an ecclesiastical emphasis) and this program fits the bill. Latin for Children is a traditional grammar (i.e. "parts to whole") approach that is incremental and systematic, rigorous but not overwhelming for the elementary-aged child (it should be noted that while this text is "for children", it is perfectly appropriate to use with older students and adults--there is nothing cutesy or childish about this book). Not only will your child learn Latin grammar, he/she will also develop a strong English vocabulary based Latin derivatives and understand English grammar as never before. This, after all, is one of the main reasons for studying Latin. While many modern Latin texts emphasize a reading or "living language"/ "whole to parts" approach, these methods, while "fun" at some level, miss the mark. Such programs should be used as supplements to a thorough, grammar-based program, not the other way around. Unlike learning a modern foreign language where the primary goal is to develop speaking fluency, the purpose of Latin study is to train the mind and develop mental discipline, to learn about the structure of language itself, and to access the culture of Rome which has profoundly influenced Western thought. Rote, repetition, review--the only real way to learn an inflected, no-longer spoken language--are emphasized in this program. If you think this sounds boring, think again. My sons loved learning all the "chants" of the first and second declensions, principle parts of verbs and their conjugations, prepositions and their cases, etc. What is more, the learning has stuck and they are able to make many connections to all the other subjects they are studying.

Cost also played a significant role in my selection of this program. While the program offers a DVD, CD, Answer Key, and various other aids, we kept costs down by using only the primer and the accompanying Libellus de Historia: Latin History Reader. This book made the language come alive by providing extra translation practice; it also helped my sons learn about various Roman emperors, historical events, cultural figures, and some Christian mythology. There are also a lot of free resources on the Classical Academic Press website. If you have had any exposure to Latin (I had only two years in high school, many, many years ago!) you probably can get by without the extras.

I have two critiques of the primer text: the vocabulary lists often seemed disparate. I realize this is done because these words are all in the same declension or conjugation, but I wish they had been grouped around a particular topic or theme; a short reading passage (in Latin or English) about that topic would enhance the learning of the vocabulary and make it more meaningful. I also wish the text provided more practice with English to Latin translation, though at this level it is fairly easy to make up some exercises of your own.

First, let me start by saying that my 14, 12 and 9 yos are using this complete program: they like it, they are remembering what they learn, and I think that nearly anyone could use it easily. Now, I'll tell you why I won't be continuing with the rest of the program. We are on chapter 7, and we have encountered many typos, errors and inconsistencies. We are using the DVDs as well. ALthough they are cute (sweet daughters and nice Dad) and helpful, they don't always follow the book. For instance, the third maxim in the book does not match the maxim on the DVD. I bought the readers, but we haven't used them. Also, on the DVDs, I was glad that the neighbor/friend disappeared. She was a distraction; I'm hoping that she does not reappear. I think that with some editing, this could be a much better program, but I spent too much money to be encountering so many errors.

This book takes a grammar and memorization intense approach to Latin. If this is not your thing, check out Minimus Pupil's Book: Starting out in Latin (Cambridge Latin Texts) or Lingua Latina: Pars I--Exercitia Latina I or Artes Latinae. If a grammar approach is what you want, this book explains the basic concepts of Latin well for younger students. I also think it's pacing (2 of 5 declensions, 3 tenses of verbs in 2 conjugations) is just right for first-time students.

I'd have given this book 3 stars, except for the following caveat.

Caveat: Make sure you get the revised edition (which I've not seen personally). There are lots and lots of errors in the *unrevised* edition. Enough that I would recommend that no one buy that edition.

I hear the errors have been fixed, so make sure you get the revised edition.

Before purchasing this product I would have liked to have seen at least the first chapter. Having taught Latin for 30 years, I was more than surprised to find this paperback opening with the principal parts of verbs. It is Primer A. I expected a lesson on nouns, some illustrations, and some attention to the fact that those using it are children. I assumed at purchase that 'children' referred to elementary school children. The book is well packaged, nice cover, interesting layout. It is part of a sequence that also caught my attention and was a factor in my choice. I did not return the book, but I am saving it for the time when my elementary school children can relate to such a complex grammatical concept as the 'principal parts of verbs.

We are on Chapter 3 of Primer A. My girls and I thoroughly enjoy the DVD classes taught by Dr. Perrin and chanting with the children. There is a variety of material to reinforce the concepts taught; exercises and review sheets in the Primer; puzzles and games in the activity book; the CD to take along in the car; and flashcards, a vocab drill game and tests on the website, etc. We purchased the whole bundle of materials and have found it to be worth every penny! I am impressed with the level of support materials. My girls are learning a lot about grammar and the English language. We sometimes skip History or Science, but rarely skip Latin !!

I work at a school that used this book for the main text, and I have to say that I am thoroughly disappointed with the results. Latin for children gives you lists and lists of words, and not too much to do with them. As a Latin teacher, I am constantly having to try and keep the kids interest, and this book did not help with that endeavor. I ended up writing practically my own curriculum to go along with this book, because it offers so little for the kids to do. The book opens with a vocab list, then gives you a small worksheet where the kids just re-write the words from the previous page, a derivative sheet with three or four questions, and then a "quiz" that is basically the worksheet in a different order.

I give this book one star simply because it offers the kids nothing to do or read. It simply requires memorization.

This is a nice course that is well thought-out and organized. It's quite intense and demanding so be sure you have enough time and energy to go through with it. The additional material is very nice and makes learning a more pleasurable experience. But for my personal taste I prefer Lingua Latina: Pars I: Familia Romana (Latin Edition) (Pt. 1).
To make learning more fun and to give kids an incentive to learn Latin it would be nice to have additional reading material that is unconnected to study books, eg: Puer Zingiberi Panis: et Fabulae Alterae (Latin Edition) and Fabulae Faciles (Latin Edition)

(see my list "Best Latin Books for Kids")