I liked the reputation of Latin Road to English Grammar for being clear and thorough for the teacher. I was sold.
For those who have asked, following are the details of how we use the program, while this shares how we’ve benefited.
Also it had exactly what I wanted my children to do without a lot of extra map work and history readings on ancient Rome.
It is a multisensory program for older children. My children do not like lots of fingerplays, ditties, or color sheets, so they preferred this program.
Because LRTEG thoroughly compares Latin to English grammar, we don’t need any other English grammar study.
It sounded to me as though this program would effectively and clearly teach Latin while relating it to English grammar.
Almost done with Book II, we have found all of the above to be exactly what we expected.
For books I and II, I have purchased the Big Fat Latin Special which comes with the teacher set (notebook with lesson plans, answer keys and charts, tests, worksheets, textbook, vocabulary cards and audio CD), student set (notebook, colored paper, colored pens, textbook, comprehensive reference guide), DVDs (for the teacher) and Latin dictionary.
My Preparation Process for each Lesson
Beginning my preparations for each chapter by first reading through the chapter in the textbook, I then read the lesson plans, followed by watching the DVD.
Only for the teacher, the DVDs showcase author explanations of the lessons followed by her translating several sentences.
This has been the most beneficial to me as I get to see how she makes choices after analyzing a sentence.
If there is more than one correct answer, she discusses how both can work. However if one is better than the other, she details that.
After cutting out the vocabulary cards for the chapter, I start studying them. Ideally, I would laminate these.
I store the cards in a pretty box I purchased for half off at Hobby Lobby. Looks like I’ll need a bigger box to add next year’s cards from Book III.
Stimulating the brain’s visual areas, these vocabulary cards are color-coded.
The noun flashcards come in three different colors, depending on whether they are masculine, feminine or neutral.
While the Latin version is on the front, the back has the English, a derivative (to expand vocabulary), and the chapter number when the word is introduced.
I try to review all vocabulary daily. When I can’t do that, I do the new vocabulary daily and the rest at least weekly.
Memorization is essential to quickly completing the translations.
There are also charts and vocabulary cards to reference during the translating process.
I store the charts in the teacher’s notebook in page protectors.
At the author’s recommendation, I pasted the verb charts onto foam board so that they become portable bulletin boards, easily pulled out when needed, then easily slipped between the wall and cabinet when we’re done!
Seeing the charts in this arrangement, we are better able to see the patterns, which helps our memory.
My Daughter’s Study Process
My dd uses the audio CD daily to drill new vocabulary and information (which I should too), which targets the audio portion of the brain.
While learning her new vocabulary, she copies them onto color-coded paper with color-coded pens for her Latin notebook.
There is also a way to fold the paper after copying, to allow for ease of studying derivative forms and from Latin to English or English to Latin.
When teaching new Latin syntax, LRTEG compares it to the English. This makes a terrific review of English, forming a bridge to learning the Latin. In the end we understand the English grammar better than before.
There is copy work for the first few days of each chapter, which targets the kinesthetic portion of the brain.
Each day my daughter is building her Latin notebook, which will be a reference tool while studying more Latin, digging into English, or learning other foreign languages.
In the second half of the chapter, she completes translations in manageable bites.
Instead of translating a complex sentence, we usually start with phrases, or decline nouns or conjugate verbs.
We eventually work towards translating Latin sentences to English which is easier for us than the reverse.
In Book I the student follows a reading on the CD, which might be Adeste Fideles at Christmas, the Pledge of Allegiance, Scripture, or something from ancient Roman writings.
DD did one of the readings, The Lord’s Prayer in Latin, at our Ancient Rome Becoming History Presentation last year.
In Book II these become translations. We are always surprised at how much easier these are than we first feared!
After our bookwork for the chapter is complete, we do a worksheet, helping us to review every concept taught in the chapter.
Following every other chapter is a test.
With my own copies of the textbook, notebook, worksheets, and tests, I work and follow along with my daughter.
LRTEG is so well laid out, that if we ever forget how to use a part of speech in Latin, we can easily look it up in the table of contents from our textbooks.
Here is my Latin, all spread out, with the answer key to my left, the textbook in front of me, and the vocabulary cards to my right. I do this a couple of times a week, while I am popping up and down doing other things around the house or classroom.
