"Latin's Not So Tough" review (Classical Sources Message Board)

"Latin's Not So Tough" review
Author: KC	May 30, 1999 at 07:05:29

Program: Latin's Not So Tough!

Overall rating: 8

Strengths: This 3-book series is a good "starter" in Lain. It assumes no prior knowledge for teacher or student. It uses NO grammar, just focuses on vocabulary. The 3 books roughly follow Book 1: Pronunciation. Book 2: Individual Vocabulary Words. Book 3: Translations. Can be used with "ages 6 and up" (however I would not use with a 6 yo or even older if the student is not confident in phonics...student here will learn digraphs for Latin that are pronounced differently than in English (i.e. "ae" is "long i") and this would confuse a phonics learner.) Nice drills. Nice pace. Cumulative review. Tests (and answers!); in fact, answers for all work are provided. Nice ample spaces to write in the workbooks (we use plastic sheet protectors so we can use again). Price is roughly $20 per level (the 3 levels above) with all tests and answers (workbooks only are $13 each).
Weaknesses: No instructions in presentation...no directions on HOW to present each level to students. No correlation of Latin words to English words (i.e. when "specto" is given, doesn't direct the teacher to tell student about English words that have that derivative. Just do that on your own.) All black and white; no glitz! Don't know if this is a weakness or not: not sure how the vocabulary is chosen...if they are the "most common" Latin words-to-English or what. Not real obvious, and some of the choices are surprising ("field/territory") but my quess is because of the translations, these are precursor lexical items.
How fits with Classical: no jingles, no tapes...just rote drill. There are audiocassette tapes available just for pronunciation.
Continue?: yes; I'll use it to completion (we've done Level 1 and are nearly finished with Level 2). Will use as introductory with successive children when they are solid in English phonics. Feel like it's been a good (postive) introduction; my 8yo daughter has loved it, but she's a "left brain kid" and loves languages, so it didn't have to "do much" to please her.

KC

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> Program: Latin's Not So Tough! > > Overall rating: 8 > > Strengths: This 3-book series is a good "starter" in Lain. It assumes no prior knowledge for teacher or student. It uses NO grammar, just focuses on vocabulary. The 3 books roughly follow Book 1: Pronunciation. Book 2: Individual Vocabulary Words. Book 3: Translations. Can be used with "ages 6 and up" (however I would not use with a 6 yo or even older if the student is not confident in phonics...student here will learn digraphs for Latin that are pronounced differently than in English (i.e. "ae" is "long i") and this would confuse a phonics learner.) Nice drills. Nice pace. Cumulative review. Tests (and answers!); in fact, answers for all work are provided. Nice ample spaces to write in the workbooks (we use plastic sheet protectors so we can use again). Price is roughly $20 per level (the 3 levels above) with all tests and answers (workbooks only are $13 each). > Weaknesses: No instructions in presentation...no directions on HOW to present each level to students. No correlation of Latin words to English words (i.e. when "specto" is given, doesn't direct the teacher to tell student about English words that have that derivative. Just do that on your own.) All black and white; no glitz! Don't know if this is a weakness or not: not sure how the vocabulary is chosen...if they are the "most common" Latin words-to-English or what. Not real obvious, and some of the choices are surprising ("field/territory") but my quess is because of the translations, these are precursor lexical items. > How fits with Classical: no jingles, no tapes...just rote drill. There are audiocassette tapes available just for pronunciation. > Continue?: yes; I'll use it to completion (we've done Level 1 and are nearly finished with Level 2). Will use as introductory with successive children when they are solid in English phonics. Feel like it's been a good (postive) introduction; my 8yo daughter has loved it, but she's a "left brain kid" and loves languages, so it didn't have to "do much" to please her. > > KC
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