The LATIN Road FAQs

For what age is the study designed?

It is designed to begin as early as 11-12 years old. Most students using my curriculum are between 11years and 16 years. It was my intention that students finish their Latin study before they entered high school so they could use the valuable skills in their high school subjects. So teaching the 3 volumes between 11 years and 14 years is optimum. I have taught a few bright 10-year-old students, but it depends on the student, his language arts skills and his willingness to work. Those already in high school who have a strong background in English grammar being taught by a teacher with a strong English grammar background should be able to finish my curriculum in 2 years - Volume I in a semester, Volume II in a semester, and Volume III in one year. Often, students who finish The LATIN Road by high school are prepared to take foreign languages classes on a junior college level.

Is this a Latin language study or an English grammar study?

This is first and foremost a Latin language study. When a student finishes all three years of study he is able to work through any Latin translations he desires - histories, the Latin Vulgate Bible, philosophies, etc. But because I do not assume the student knows English grammar, there is a full English grammar program built into it. In other words I make English grammar explanations before the related Latin explanations so that I can be sure a student can translate between Latin and English at any given time. Most high school Latin texts assume students have a good understanding of English grammar when they begin Latin and do not show the relationships between the languages. These texts want you to memorize details of Latin and leave you or your Latin teacher to relate the languages. Both languages have some similarities but also some striking differences. I do not make you figure them out on your own.

Do we need to do another grammar study while studying Latin?

No, I found that we actually do more English grammar application in the three years of The LATIN Road than most high school English curricula. In fact, our Latin students have to pay better attention to many difficult English sentence structures to be able to translate between English and Latin and therefore learn the details of both languages well. You may find concepts and structures taught in a different order than an English text, but your students will have all the skills they need for college when they finish Volume III.

How long does each lesson take each day?

Each lesson averages about 50-60 minutes each day. This includes about 25-30 minutes of guiding students via the textbook and DVDs through drilling, correcting, and explaining. Then all go apart to do about 25-30 minutes of written work.

How teacher-intensive is this study?

This study has been designed for parents/teachers with no Latin background. I have not assumed you know the language, and so I have done all the preparation work for you. You do not have to decide how to teach each chapter, guess at pronunciation and translations, wonder if your answers are correct, make charts and vocabulary cards, make up quizzes and tests, etc. This has all been done for you - all you have to do is follow along and learn with your students. The lesson plans will tell you what to do in the textbook each day and the video presentations will show you the process of translating. You do all the work your students do so that you can direct them through the study and help answer their questions. So your time commitment is the same as the student’s. Having said that, with The LATIN Road Curriculum Set and DVD's, motivated high school students can learn independently.

What credits do we get on our transcripts for this study?

I have been careful to give you the equivalent of 2 years of high school Latin in this 3-year study so that can be listed in their transcript. High school students normally learn all the Latin structures and grammar along with a substantial vocabulary in the first two years. After that, any additional time spent in Latin classes is devoted to working through translations and adding to their vocabulary. Some schools and homeschool programs have also given English grammar credit to those who have completed Volume III.