I have always wanted our boys (and me) to learn latin, but have been a little too intimidated with all the choices that are out there. So when the option came up for us to review Visual Latin I from Roman Roads Media, I was thrilled.
I was given a digital copy of Visual Latin I for the purpose of this review, which is currently on sale for $70. Roman Roads Media strive to make high quality, classical Christian curriculum affordable, accessible and flexible for everyone, especially the Christian homeschoolers.
Even though some people may consider Latin is a ‘dead’ language, learning it will open the door to many other languages and help you understand how other languages fit together. It also helps you learn and get better at other languages, especially the romance languages, as well as your own. Did you known that 90% of the English big words (multi-syllable) come from Latin.
Here is Dwane Thomas talking about why he thinks you should learn latin.
Visual Latin I contains lessons 1-30 and you can follow on with this with Visual Latin II which contains lessons 31-60. These video lessons are taught by veteran teacher, Dwane Thomas and are very easy to watch. There are three parts (A, B and C) per lesson with each part going for under 10 minutes. When you purchase Visual Latin I , you also receive worksheets that are to be completed after watching each part of the lesson. You will learn grammar concepts in part A, practice sentences in part B and learning to read the language in part C. Answer sheets are also included.
How did we go?
When we received Visual Latin I, I was not sure how our boys would enjoy learning this language. It is recommended for children in grades 4 and above, with the only prerequisite being the ability to read. Our oldest boy is in Grade 4 and even though our youngest is in grade 2 (and both can read), I got him to sit in and complete the lessons too. I am happy to say, both the boys enjoyed the video lessons and did really well with the written worksheets.
I like that you can watch the lessons when you choose, in the quiet of your own home, and review when necessary. I printed each worksheet as we went, though you can print them all at once if you prefer. We completed the three parts of 1 lesson per week, reviewing the worksheets on the days we didn’t watch the videos. I didn’t want to overwhelm our boys and wanted to make sure they were understanding it.
Our boys have enjoyed watching the short, but engaging videos and are looking forward to completing the rest of them. In the videos, Dwane stands near a blackboard and points to what he is teaching, so you can see and read the words as he is pronouncing them. Our boys found this and the screen words, really helped them.
What appealed to me was the small about of preparation that was needed and that the boys could work independently. They know how to use a computer and after I showed them where to find the videos, they were off. I also liked the way that I didn’t need to know the language to teach them, everything was in the videos. There is also quite a bit of Christian content in the videos, which we really enjoyed.
We were given the digital download version of Visual Latin I, though there are dvds available. As we have a big internet plan which is quite fast, this didn’t bother us and it didn’t really seem to take too long to download the videos. If you are worried about the downloading, the dvd version may be better for you.
Overall we have found these Latin lessons entertaining and straightforward. The humour that Dwane adds to his lessons, and his friendly and enthusiastic teaching style, is sure to help encourage your children to love and want to learn this amazing language. The time we have had with this program has been, and will continue to be a wonderful way to learn a new language.
Details At a Glance!!
Name: Roman Roads Media
Website: Roman Roads Media
Product: Visual Latin 1
Price: Visual Latin 1 Dvd is usually $100, but is currently on sale for $85
Visual Latin 1 Download is usually $100, but is currently on sale for $70
Ages: For Grades 4 and up
You can watch sample lessons on the Roman Roads Media website to see if this Visual Latin curriculum would be suitable for you and your children: Roman Roads Media Sample Lessons.
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