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How to Teach Latin to Children

Latin has the dubious honor of being known as a "dead language" and as a result, is rarely seen in the curriculum of elementary or high schools. But, Latin is also one of the foundations for the English language and teachers have begun to teach Latin to their students as a way of deepening their knowledge of the English language. By learning root words in Latin, students are able to instinctively derive the definitions of difficult words in English. If you're thinking about teaching Latin to your students there are ways to make the experience effective, fun and easy to grasp.

Instructions

    • 1

      Set up a group learning atmosphere. Whether you're experienced in Latin or not, your students will be much more receptive in an environment where the teacher is "learning" with them. Including yourself in small groups will create an atmosphere of positive peer pressure, because children are more familiar with the members of their groups. Because Latin is a highly regimented language, reciting words and rules as a group make children less self-conscious about delivering information.

    • 2

      Have the children make their own Latin dictionary. Learning involves delivering and receiving information, so try having your class make their own Latin dictionary. Make up a list of Latin words and meanings and assign each member of the class one or more letters, depending on the size of the class. Have them construct a page for each letter with the word at the top, the definition at the bottom and a picture in the center. Assemble the complete dictionary as a class.

    • 3

      Sing songs in Latin. Using music to teach Latin takes advantage of our natural ability to retain lyrics set to music and appeals to a child's sense of playfulness. You can begin by teaching rhythms and tunes, making no reference to words. Once the class knows the music patterns, slowly add words that match the music. According to Neurologist Frank Wilson, the structure of music is very similar to the structure of language, and music education helps exercise both sides of the brain.

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