Latin: which is considered the best course?

[Bonsoir]

Anyone have any opinions on Cambridge Latin versus other courses?

[TinklyLittleLaugh]

Sable that is interesting to know. Latin is DD's weak point and has the potential to be the B in a good run of As and A*s. It might help if she could drop down to one GCSE.

[TheFirstOfHerName]

If you do both Level 2 courses (L2 in Latin language and L2 in Latin literature) you get the equivalent of two GCSEs.

Not sure what happens if you do one of the courses that's not pure language (e.g. L2 in Latin language & Roman civilisation). Maybe that just includes the core language exam and not the additional language exam.

[sablepoot]

yes, true enough. you don't have to do both certs and sometimes schools differentiate on ability/aptitude so some do two and others one even within the same class. That is a big strength of the WJEC arrangement.

[TalkinPeace]

titchy
They get 2 GCSEs.
I can scan a copy of DDs certificate if you do not believe me.
They both show as A* and are counted the same as each of her other GCSEs and IGCSEs

[titchy]

Ah right. Our school does the Language and Roman Civilization option which counts as 1 GCSE equivalent. Schools don't have to opt for the Lit AND language option though, though could just do one.

[sablepoot]

no tichy, there are two certificates, one in language and one in literature that can be taken as level 1 or 2. see wjec.co.uk/latin for details. Two level 2 certificates are counted as two GCSEs

[lalsy]

dd is now at university and still studying Latin by the way - she still loves the dramas of love, life and death!

[lalsy]

dd followed the CLC and went on to do OCR - if you do the literature paper, it is a two-year course so you switch to Virgil etc in year 10. The CLC needs supplementing with grammar but the stories are great, really engaging, interesting history, lots of drama and blood - I think it is easier to supplement with some extra grammar (there are plenty of resources) than make an inherently dull course (eg the MFL syllabi that seem to be mainly about shopping) exciting.

[titchy]

They don't get two GCSEs with WJEC - there are two papers that make up the exam, but they get one Level 2 (or Level 1 if that's what they've been entered for) certificate at the end, the Level 2 being equal to a Higher tier of entry, Level 1 foundation tier.

[sablepoot]

a school near here that switched from OCR to wjec found that with same teaching time pupils are getting better results for two certificates that are more consistent with the rest of their GCSEs than they were getting for the single OCR GCSE. ie: a pupils often dropped a grade and got an a with OCR, but tend to get as with wjec. So would seem WJEC is considerably easier than OCR, whether that makes one or other better is open for discussion.

[TinklyLittleLaugh]

My DD's school had ditched OCR in favour of WJEC. I'm not entirely convinced she needs two GCSE's in Latin though.....

[Tinuviel]

DS1 started with CLC but then as I was unhappy with the way the grammar wasn't really covered logically we switched to Galore Park. However, he found that a bit dry on its own so we combined the two, which he really enjoyed. He got a B in the OCR GCSE and is now working towards AS. The Galore Park has certainly prepared him better for that.

[AtiaoftheJulii]

Dd1 did CLC and then the OCR GCSE. Ds was using Galore Park SYRWTL Latin in y7 and 8, don't know what he's using this year, and doesn't want to carry it on. CLC is much more appealing than the GP books!

[Pantah630]

DS2 use CLC think they're mid book 4 now, he'll take OCR next year, and is on course for top grades. He has a good grasp of vocab and grammar but he has a natural talent for languages wish I did is taking Spanish to gcse, and has picked up Italian igcse to do as a twilight subject. They have a very good Latin teacher at the moment, it was a bit hit and miss in yr8 and he learnt more grammar on a 2 day MN Academy Latin course than he did at school, luckily what he learnt has stayed with him, again I wish I could say the same.

[angelcake20]

We used Ecce Romani in the 80s, which seems to still be on the go. I liked it but I think we were taught a lot of grammar and did a lot of translation exercises that were independent of the course. Year 7 DS is using CLC, which seems to have a lot more history and social stuff in English. They are whizzing through it and he is really enjoying it, to my surprise. 25-30% of the year do GCSE but I don't know which board. Lots of nostalgia for Dh, who also used it and can still quote a surprising amount, though I'd say I can remember a lot more than he can!

[LIZS]

Ds took OCR.

[TheFirstOfHerName]

DS1 has nearly finished CLC Unit 3 (book 3). He has gained a reasonable vocabulary of a few hundred words, an interest in ancient Roman culture, a limited knowledge of word endings (he can recognise most indicative verb endings and nouns in the nominative and accusative cases). The grammar weakness has resulted in a guess-and-hope approach to translation.

He would like to get a B or above in the WJEC Level 2 Core Latin Language exam in May.

We'll see...

[TheFirstOfHerName]

I think OCR do a Latin GCSE but I don't know how much overlap there is with the CLC syllabus.

[Bonsoir]

Are there any other GCSE level qualifications that complete CLC other than the WJEC certificate?

[TalkinPeace]

DD did Cambridge Latin and then the WJEC which is actually two GCSEs one for Language, one for literature - I have her certificate
she loved it
sadly the Latin teacher has retired so the school dropped it as a subject

[ExitPursuedByABear]

Marking my place to discuss the weaknesses mentioned with DD's latin teacher.

[Givemeabreakimtryingmybest]

I used CLC as it is so well supported but as TheFirstofHerName points out the grammar needs further reinforcement so I supplemented with "So you really want to Learn Latin" Combining the 2 really worked for my classes as I could dip in to the specific areas of grammar as necessary as we were going through the CLC - it made the whole experience less rigid and formulaic.

[Bonsoir]

I'm generally a fan of Galore Park text books.

[ChazsBrilliantAttitude]

The DC's prep school use this one for common entrance
www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/1902984005/ref=pd_lpo_sbs_dp_ss_1?pf_rd_p=569136327&pf_rd_s=lpo-top-stripe&pf_rd_t=201&pf_rd_i=190298403X&pf_rd_m=A3P5ROKL5A1OLE&pf_rd_r=19KE3YHBYS9JS1ZKM1H3&tag=mumsnet&ascsubtag=mnforum-21

It has good reviews.

[Lilymaid]

Caecilius est in horto