Q & A: Foreign Languages
Q: "...I was just going to ask about how you were going to teach another language in homeschool. Are you still gonna teach Spanish? -Ash"
A: Ash, I'm not sure if we will teach Spanish or not. We plan to follow a Classical education model, so we will be teaching Latin primarily and the some Greek and Biblical Hebrew. At least, that's the plan right now. Jesse and I are hoping to start learning Latin soon (anyone know of a recommended curriculum?) so that we cna better teach it.
Teaching a foreign language while homeschooling is very simple to do. There are many, many excellent courses out there to choose from. The hard part is just figuring out which one will work best for your family!
In high school, I studied Spanish for one year and Biblical Hebrew for one year (this was before the our state laws mandated two years of the same foreign language. When I graduated, you only had to have 2 years of foreign language, so I combined two). My mom lived in Mexico for some time when she was in high school, so she is fairly fluent in Spanish and so she has taught all of the younger children Spanish for their foreign language (They have all started when they were quite a bit younger. I wish I had learned a foreign language at a younger age. It is a lot harder to learn when you are older.)
A: Ash, I'm not sure if we will teach Spanish or not. We plan to follow a Classical education model, so we will be teaching Latin primarily and the some Greek and Biblical Hebrew. At least, that's the plan right now. Jesse and I are hoping to start learning Latin soon (anyone know of a recommended curriculum?) so that we cna better teach it.
Teaching a foreign language while homeschooling is very simple to do. There are many, many excellent courses out there to choose from. The hard part is just figuring out which one will work best for your family!
In high school, I studied Spanish for one year and Biblical Hebrew for one year (this was before the our state laws mandated two years of the same foreign language. When I graduated, you only had to have 2 years of foreign language, so I combined two). My mom lived in Mexico for some time when she was in high school, so she is fairly fluent in Spanish and so she has taught all of the younger children Spanish for their foreign language (They have all started when they were quite a bit younger. I wish I had learned a foreign language at a younger age. It is a lot harder to learn when you are older.)
posted by Crystal Paine at 1:05 PM
9 Comments:
I would suggest using the Minimus books with children - they work great and there is a website with a few more resources such as game. We use it with 10yo Sugar and plan to use itwith our son when he is old enough - but it wouldn't be suitable until your daughter can read English, although you could work out simple word recognition and matching games, and read the stories to her in Latin then translate. You can buy the work book for pupils, and also a teachers guide. It is a fun way into the language and builds quickly - but the teacher does need to know Latin to teach Latin...else pronunciation is hard, let alone the ability to teach the language as something useable and fluid. Peter Jones does a good basic book for adult learners called (I think) Learn Latin, which you and Jesse could work through, using the Minimus pupils book [much cheaper than the teacher book] as practise and lighter relief! Love, Lucy x
I did two yrs of Latin in highschool. I forgot the curriculum but I bet if I went home my mom still has it packed away. It had tapes with it so you could hear the correct pronounciation. I don't remember much of it because I didn't use it. I think it was form the Encyclopedia Protanica Educational Company. It has been awhile. I'll try to find out.
-Zan
You might check out Canon Press (canonpress.org) for Latin materials. I have a friend who has used them with good results.
K.
I wish I knew Spanish. It would really help me at work. I guess I should have tried a lot harder in school.
I took Latin in the 5th grade and Middle School. I can't remember too much of it though. In Middle School the focus was more on culture and less on the actual language, I caught on to that better.
I studied a very small amount of Latin in highschool as part of the history of English. I had to memorize quite a few of the Latin roots used to construct English words. It was incredibly helpful when studying anatomy and physiology along with my nursing courses since so many medical terms are derived from Latin and Greek.
My mom used English From the Roots Up with the younger children. It has a workbook and flashcards to memorize from. Later on she used a Latin course from Mars Hill curriculum from Canon Press. It had audio tapes for pronounciation. I would definately recommend the audio tapes. It is easy to mispronounce the roots (like the word video is pronounced with a W sound at the beginning like in water). You could ask my mom about them if you have other questions. I am very glad I had the introduction to Latin as part of highschool. It makes for a larger vocabulary and comprehension of the English language. If your sons were ever interested in Medicine or Law a background in Latin and Greek would be a real asset to have. Also beneficial since many other langages are built on its foundations (Spanish, Italian, French, etc).
We like Prima Latina for the younger students here...
I learned quite a smattering of different languages growing up, but now since Russian is a second language in our home that is what we will probably focus on. If only I could twist my tongue around most of the words, I understand most of it!
I have heard Canon Press has a good Latin program also
hmm... I don't know for babies and kids, but Wheeler's Latin is great for when she's older. I'm pretty sure the entire course is available on amazon. That's what I used for part of my years of coursework and really enjoyed it. I can still read the language, but alas-- linguam Latinam non dico. :P
As for Spanish, if you (or your mother) are fluent enough to speak it exlusively with her, I'd say do it! You don't really need story books for that. Our rule growing up was that we could speak to mom and grandma ONLY in French and likewise they spoke only in French to us, so we were conversationally fluent well before we started formal language study. (and my little nephews are only allowed to speak to us in French and are pretty much fluent at five; I might have mentioned that before, sorry to repeat)
Rosetta Stone is in my opinion the most fun, and easy way to learn Latin (or just about any language!). It's an on-line course, which uses pictures. It's also an audio course, so you can hear the correct pronounciation and all. There is no translation or memorizing with it whatsoever; it basically teaches the language like a child learns his native tongue.
I highly recommend it! Right now I'm doing it for German, and it's really interesting! (Albeit, somewhat repetitious).
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