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Song School Latin

Publisher: Classical Academic Press Author: Amy Rehn Review last updated: June 2009

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Song School Latin is published by the same folks that publish the Latin for Children series. Song School Latin serves best as a precursor to LFC although it will work as an introductory course before most grammatically-based Latin programs. The publisher says that it is appropriate for grades K through 3. However, lessons expect children to be able to read and write at what seems more like first grade level, so I would recommend it for grades 1 through 3.

Songs play a major role in every lesson as you might guess from the title. Most songs and some of the other lesson material use diglot weaves where Latin and English words are mixed so that children easily grasp the meaning of the Latin words. Songs are sung by a man and woman with a variety of styles that are easily copied by children. Tunes are often those already familiar to children such as "My Bonnie Lies over the Ocean."

Some of the songs also preview the chant style that is used in LFC. At the beginning of the book, charts outline both classical and ecclesiastical pronunciation, offering you both options. On the CD, the first 30 tracks present songs and chants using classical pronunciation, and the last 30 tracks use ecclesiastical pronunciation for the exact same songs and chants.

Song School Latin essentially uses a conversational rather than a grammatical approach, although a few grammatical concepts are introduced when needed. Teaching notes in the Teacher's Edition sometimes suggest optional grammatical explanations.

Lessons often include fables and fairy tales such as "The Three Little Pigs" and "The Tortoise and the Hare," and some lessons use Bible stories such as the announcement of the birth of Jesus to the shepherds and parables.

Most lesson material works with words very familiar to the child, words having to do with such things as greetings, family, manners, school, food, and pets. More than one hundred Latin words are taught, and review of previously-taught vocabulary is included in every lesson.

Connections from Latin words to English expand children's vocabulary and are presented in a way that should pique their interest. Likewise, a few famous Latin sayings are introduced such as "et cetera" and "mea culpa."

Lessons direct children to trace letters, copy words, circle the correct word, match columns of pictures and words, draw, color and cut out items from workbook pages, and fill-in-the-blanks. All of this is very age-appropriate activity. Workbook pages are printed in black-and-white, but they are very attractively illustrated and well-laid out in a format that should appeal to children.

The 31 lessons in the book should be spread out over a semester or a year depending upon the age of the student and time available. Taking a week for each lesson--practicing vocabulary in practical situations throughout the day and listening to and singing the songs--will be the best way for children to really absorb the material.

While Song School Latin needs to be taught, there is really no lesson prep required other than identifying the correct track on the CD. Parents need no Latin background! Overall this course is a great way to introduce both student and parent to the study of Latin.

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