Trivium Pursuit » Latin

Visual Latin — Contest

LaurieBluedorn — Fri, 01 Oct 2010 23:27:47 +0000

We’ll be holding a contest next week. One person will win Lessons 1-10 of the new Visual Latin curriculum. In addition, every fan of Facebook Homeschooling with the Trivium will receive a coupon code for 25% off the introductory price for the whole curriculum.

More info later.

Win a Rosetta Stone Latin Curriculum

LaurieBluedorn — Wed, 13 May 2009 17:29:18 +0000

Contest to win the all new version 3 Rosetta Stone Homeschool LATIN program — other special Rosetta Stone offers, too.

Spurgeon and Latin

LaurieBluedorn — Thu, 15 Jan 2009 21:49:01 +0000

Learn to say “No” — it will be of more use to you than to be able to read Latin. Charles Haddon Spurgeon 1834-1892

Learning Latin

LaurieBluedorn — Tue, 14 Oct 2008 18:19:41 +0000

I have a question regarding the Artes Latinae Latin curriculum.

The publisher Bolchazy-Carducci claims, “Conventional techniques of Latin-to-English and English-to-Latin are used sparingly. Memorization of rules is minimized. In place of this there is a mass of drill materials including both paradigms and, more important, pattern practices which teach the structure in such varied ways that the learning seems effortless.”

It is my understanding that the study of Latin including translations is meant to be somewhat difficult as a mental exercise. I also thought rules, memorizations and chants were the focal point of Latin study in the grammar stage. Can you help clarify this for me and share the strengths of the program as you have used it?

Blessings,
Laura R (FL)

My guess is that this was written (in the 60′s) in response to the dominance of the deductive materials which most schools used back then. The author of Artes Latinae, Dr. Waldo E. Sweet, wanted to write something different, using a different approach, and he wrote this introduction to let people know his book wasn’t like the traditional deductive approach. But the problem is, he is wrong. There are plenty of Latin-to-English and English-to-Latin exercises in the text and in the graded reader. A student could, if he wanted to, spend as much time in the reader as in the textbook. It is my opinion, and I’ve got on my bookshelf nearly every Latin text available, that the amount of memorization required from Artes Latinae students is equal to the memorization required of any other Latin student.

I suppose he uses the term “effortless” simply as a selling point. My kids will tell you it wasn’t effortless. Latin is hard work, no matter which curriculum you use. In fact, it is my opinion that you can learn Latin, and learn it well, from nearly any Latin curriculum you might care to use. All the deductive materials are wonderful and very useful. The difference lies in the process of getting the Latin information into those little heads full of mush (as one person once said). The deductive materials will require more work from the parent than does Artes Latinae. The deductive materials introduce a concept in one large chunk, expecting the teacher to help the child digest it. Artes Latinae introduces concepts slowly over a period of time, and the book itself helps the child digest the material. In fact, for many families, Artes Latinae can be learned without a parent involved at all. Deductive materials can rarely be used without involvement of the parent.

Really, what it all boils down to is the motivation level of the parent and the student. If you have a poorly motivated family, there is no Latin curriculum which will work. If you have a highly motivated family, then most any Latin curriculum will work. What I love about Artes Latinae is that I, a plain average Mom who knew nothing about Latin, was able to learn Latin right along with our children. It was never effortless, but, on the other hand, neither was it overwhelming. I never had to consider giving up. We learned the grammar little by little, with the textbook acting as our teacher.

Laurie

Don Potter’s Latin Page

LaurieBluedorn — Sun, 13 Jul 2008 23:50:26 +0000

Dear Harvey,

I have started a Latin Page.

I just published an audio recording of Ephesians in Latin that Dr. Louis Tyler made to assist me in my personal Latin studies. He gave me permission to publish it for free download on my web site. I am thrilled to see my own Latin improving through reading of the Latin Bible.

I think you will really like some of the materials on my new Latin Page. There are several beginning books that are developed around reading the Biblical Text, which is much to my liking.

Don Potter

Artes Latinae Level One Version 2.0 DVD Now Available

Laurie Bluedorn — Wed, 27 Jun 2007 21:35:45 +0000

Artes Latinae Level One Version 2.0 DVD has arrived at Bolchazy-Carducci Publishers. This new version is Mac OS X-compatible and also runs on Windows XP, Windows 2000, and Windows Vista. You no longer need to have the disk in the drive to run the software. The interface is easier to use, too. It’s the same content from Dr. Waldo Sweet’s original program of study, but will now run on contemporary hardware for the modern Latin student. Level Two will be released later in the summer. Watch for an official release announcement coming soon.

Features New to Version 2.0

Artes Latinae Level One Version 2.0 DVD complete package includes:

All materials can be purchased individually. The cost for Artes Latinae Level One Version 2.0 DVD complete package is $297.00.

Artes Latinae forum

Artes Latinae blog

Current SAT score comparison

Advantages to using Latin

Latin Support Network

Homeschool conferences where you can view Artes Latinae

Artes Latinae v2.0 DVD demo

Artes Latinae — Your Choice: DVD or Traditional Book version

Technical Support

Artes Latinae FAQ

Evaluating the three pronunciations available

Recommendations

Drills to accompany Artes Latinae

The View from the College Admissions Office

Artes Latinae Course Coverage for School Credit

Artes Latinae Course Coverage for Level 1

Artes Latinae Course Coverage for Level 2

Course of Study after Artes Latinae

Artes Latinae

Laurie Bluedorn — Sun, 07 Jan 2007 17:32:56 +0000

The Latin curriculum Artes Latinae — both the traditional book format and the CD-ROM format — have gone up in price. In addition, a new CD-ROM version will be released some time this spring. This new version will be very similar to the old version, just spruced up a bit, and will now sell for $297. I have one complete set of the old CD-ROM version left and will sell this for $175. Please call and make a phone order if you would like to purchase this last set.

Learning Latin

Laurie Bluedorn — Sun, 10 Sep 2006 21:13:59 +0000

My daughter has been studying Latin using Artes Latinae now since last October. She uses the tapes, which have been quite helpful, however she is now on Unit 13 and has hit a roadblock. She does not do Latin everyday, as we were alternating with Logic. Anyway, what would be your recommendation at this point? Is this a normal place to get stuck? Thank you for any words of wisdom you can offer. D. L., Bowie, MD

Yes, it’s normal to get stuck. I suggest that Latin should be studied 4-5 days a week. More suggestions: go back a couple of lessons in Artes Latinae and review; join the Artes Latinae Yahoo Group and the Latin Teachers Yahoo Group and ask questions; use another deductive Latin textbook (from a used bookstore or borrowed, if possible) to clarify the problem; talk to someone who knows Latin (at you local college or university — they often love to help homeschoolers); call Bolchazy-Carducci (800-392-6453), the publisher of Artes Latinae – they maintain a list of people willing to answer questions. It’s in the process of figuring all this out that will teach her the most about Latin. Make sure she is keeping her notebook up-to-date.

Tu Quoque

Laurie Bluedorn — Thu, 27 Apr 2006 21:33:32 +0000

My 13-year-old son recently started using The Fallacy Detective and we are really enjoying going through it together. I am curious, however, what the correct pronunciation of Tu Quoque is–does it sound like “Too Coke” or something else? Not having studied Latin, I am unsure of my pronunciation and I want to be saying it correctly. I appreciate any help you can give me.

Julie Koehn