Latin's Not so Tough!

Foreign_languageGrades 1–12

About This Curriculum

A gentle, self-teaching Latin curriculum designed for early elementary through high school students, featuring six progressive levels that start with alphabet and pronunciation, build vocabulary, and advance to grammar, translation and sentence construction.

What makes it unique: Designed to make Latin accessible to very young students (as soon as they can read and write) with a gentle, non-intimidating approach that delays complex grammar until students have mastered basic vocabulary and pronunciation.

Latin's Not So Tough!: Gentle Self-Teaching Curriculum for Young Learners

This is a six-level, self-teaching Latin curriculum designed for elementary through high school students that emphasizes gradual progression from alphabet and pronunciation through grammar and translation. The program uses a workbook-based approach with extensive vocabulary memorization and delayed grammar instruction to make Latin accessible to very young learners.

Best for

Young elementary students (grades 1-6) in homeschool settings where parents want a gentle, self-directed introduction to Latin vocabulary and basic grammar structures

Evaluation Criteria

2 strengths · 4 concerns · 1 neutral

Direct InstructionStrength

The curriculum facilitates direct instruction through structured lessons with clear explanations and systematic skill building.

Reviews describe 'very large print, instructions on letter formation' and note that 'explanations of grammatical constructions and usage are much more frequent' in Level Four, with 'paradigm charts' provided

Retrieval PracticeStrength

The curriculum incorporates extensive retrieval practice through flashcards and continuous vocabulary review throughout lessons.

Each level includes 'flashcard pages that are essential to the program' and 'vocabulary is continually reviewed through subsequent lessons,' with some levels having '48 pages of review out of over 200 total pages'

Teacher TrainingConcern

Teacher support is minimal, with basic answer keys provided but limited pedagogical guidance for instructors.

Reviews note 'there's no real teacher support in the course materials' and while 'instructor experience would help with later levels,' the program is designed as 'self-teaching' with only 'answer keys' and 'full text keys with teaching explanations'

Cultural KnowledgeConcern

Cultural content appears minimal, with limited evidence of systematic cultural instruction beyond some Biblical Latin texts in upper levels.

Level Five includes 'simple translation exercises from the Latin Vulgate version of the Bible,' but no other cultural content is mentioned in the reviews

Comprehensible InputConcern

The curriculum provides limited comprehensible input, focusing primarily on isolated vocabulary words and translation exercises rather than meaningful Latin text exposure.

Reviews note that vocabulary is 'presented in isolation rather than in sentences' and there are 'no reading assignments, only vocabulary and grammatical instruction followed by exercises'

Speaking Listening BalanceConcern

The curriculum heavily emphasizes reading and writing skills with minimal attention to speaking and listening development.

Reviews describe it as focused on 'translation rather than reading' with workbook activities like 'circle matching words, fill in the blanks, matching exercises,' and pronunciation CDs are mentioned only as optional support materials

Explicit GrammarNeutral

Grammar instruction is explicitly provided but significantly delayed, with an inductive approach that avoids traditional paradigms until later levels.

Level Three 'avoids grammatical vocabulary' and uses an 'inductive grammar approach, avoiding traditional paradigms and chants,' with systematic grammar beginning in Level Four covering 'five declensions and four verb conjugations'

Sources: cathyduffyreviews.com, homeschoollatinhelp.com