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Secondary education

Connect with other parents whose children are starting secondary school on this forum.

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Original poster

Leaning Latin, Any Suggestions?

19 replies

urbancupcake · 15/09/2013 14:40

My Ds, desperately wants to learn Latin and although the school offers it, he is no in the stream that benefits from it.

He's 12, a smart child (English 6c, Maths 6c and Science 5a), self motivated and just started in year 8.

Would you suggest a tutor (would have to be cheap), or a book? If so, which one?

Struggling to find groups that study it for children outside of school in London which would have been our preferable option.

Thanks loads.

OP posts:

OldLadyKnowsNothing · 15/09/2013 14:46

Have a search for Ecce Romani, they're a series of textbooks and there's online support available.

titchy · 15/09/2013 14:48

Cambridge Latin course often used in secondaries. Both books readily available on amazon. Leads to GCSE.

LIZS · 15/09/2013 14:50

Cambridge course is online

Moominmammacat · 15/09/2013 15:00

We did the Cambridge course online, excellent tutors, not cheap. Nearly got to gcse ...

Original poster

urbancupcake · 15/09/2013 15:03

Wow, what a fabulous response in minutes!!! Love mumsnet. Thanks guys:0)

OP posts:

LIZS · 15/09/2013 16:29

Another option Ab Initio has certainly be used in dc schools.

NulliusInBlurba · 15/09/2013 16:32

"Have a search for Ecce Romani, they're a series of textbooks and there's online support available."

Good grief, is Ecce Romani still going? I remember using Book 1 in 1983, it was quite good fun.

OldLadyKnowsNothing · 15/09/2013 16:47

I used Ecce Romani back in the 70's, but I'm guessing Latin hasn't changed much since then.

ZZZenagain · 15/09/2013 16:48

My dd used Latin Prep from Theo Zinn in combination with Latin Practice Exercises here You can get a CD to go with it to listen to Latin pronounced if you like.

I found the extra exercises in Latin Practice were essential. For Latin Prep I you can also get two workbooks with additional exercises but I still didn't find that was enough.

THe Cambridge Book can be used with a CD-Rom to work with from home. If you go on the Cambridge Latin Project website, you can see how much it would cost. I am afraid I have no idea. The Cambridge course has a very different approach to Latin Prep. It is reading-based and each chapter includes a couple of pages of background cultural knowledge. The CD-Rom has the texts, some exercises and short videos. I think if you go on the website you can watch a video presentation of the material.

The Galore Park website allows you to view inside the textbook. So maybe you can compare the two and see what might fit.

ZZZenagain · 15/09/2013 16:49

sorry, the CD I mentioned in the first paragraph is from Galore Park and for the Latin Prep course not the Latin Practice Exercises book.

happygardening · 15/09/2013 18:39

Where do you live? We know an awesome Latin teacher outside of London. Even DS1 wanted to learn Latin with him. He charges £25 an hour don't know if that's "cheap" enough for you its the going rate for round here. He's so much in demand that I believe he now offers Skype lessons as well. He is an old fashioned Latin teacher who expects his student to really learnt the grammar but he make sit fun as well. PM if you want to know more.

QuintessentialShadows · 15/09/2013 22:37

LoL at Latin not having changed much from the 70s....

QuintessentialShadows · 15/09/2013 22:38

See if UCL still offers Latin summer schools for youngsters, maybe something to look into for next year?

jokebook · 16/09/2013 10:06

So you really want to learn latin books - galore park is the publisher. Combine with latin practice exercises, from the same publisher.

castlesintheair · 16/09/2013 10:12

I've used "Getting Started with Latin" by William E Linney (Armfield Academic Press) to teach my DCs at home. Would really recommend it.

A friend of mine in Surrey uses a tutor for her secondary school aged DCs so they certainly are around.

Original poster

urbancupcake · 17/09/2013 22:49

This is all great, thanks so much.

Looked at them all and will see if UCL still do classes. Will probably start off with books, then a tutor (London based) combined with Cambridge.

Thanks guys - so happy.

OP posts:

Wuldric · 17/09/2013 22:58

My DS adores Latin - it is something about the logicality of the language that really appeals to my geeky maths boy. I am in a similar position in that DS can't do GCSE Latin because his options are so circumscribed at school.

He is not allowed to do more than 9 GCSEs. He has to do 3x science, 2x English, and Maths. That makes 6 already. To get to the English Bacc he has to do a MFL (French, in his case) and either History or Geography. That makes 8 now. His ninth has to be music for so many many reasons. So no space for Latin.

So we are investing in a tutor for him to do Latin GCSE outside of school. It is not ideal but he is delighted!

lottiegarbanzo · 17/09/2013 23:05

Caecilius in horto est. Canis in mensa stat.

Happy days. There was a Dr. Who episode (David Tenant) in Pompeii where they met Caecilius and Metella. Amused me.

happygardening · 18/09/2013 08:20

I understand from the tutor we know a bright and motivated student with time to devote to the subject can easily achieve an A at GCSE (possibly not IGCSE which is apparently marked in a much more rigourous way and requires an exceedingly good knowledge of the grammar) in two years with an average amount of outside tutoring. Ancient Greek AS level from no prior knowledge (an A) can apparently be done in a year if your bright and motivated.

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