First Form Latin- Latin Curriculum for Grades 5+

Post author:Sharon
Post published:May 19, 2020
Post category:Curriculum and Resources / Electives / Homeschooling
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Disclaimer: I received a FREE copy of this product through the HOMESCHOOL REVIEW CREW in exchange for my honest review. I was not required to write a positive review nor was I compensated in any other way.

Learning Latin isn’t new to our family. We tend to follow a classical education style and Latin tends to be part of that. When my daughter was younger, she used a Latin curriculum by Memoria Press. We stopped for a while because our schedule got crazy! (I’m sure you can relate.) So when the Homeschool Review Crew needed reviewers for First Form Latin Complete Set by Memoria Press, I was very excited.

As I mentioned, my daughter had previously done Latin. My son had not. I was curious if First Form Latin would be a good fit for both of them. It was meant to be used with beginners in grades 5+. Would this Latin curriculum be too easy for my daughter because she had done a couple of years of it when she was younger? Would it be too hard for my son that had no background? Let me share my thoughts.

First Form Latin Complete Set by Memoria Press

When the box with First Form Latin arrived, my daughter was excited. She ripped open the box and started going through its contents. I can say I never thought I’d see a teenager act like this over getting Latin curriculum. She’s one of those weird homeschoolers, right?!

What Do You Get in the Latin Curriculum

I will say when Memoria Press says COMPLETE SET, they mean COMPLETE SET. Here is what you get:

Teacher Manual
Student Workbook
Student Textbook
Quizzes and Test Booklet
Answer Key for Quizzes and Tests
DVD Lessons
Pronunciation CD
Flashcards

You have EVERYTHING you need to teach Latin even if you have no clue how to teach it. Between the teacher manual, answer keys, and DVDs, you will be all set! No need to worry.

How We Used First Form Latin Curriculum In Our Homeschool

Since the set comes with only I student book, my son needed one. I had bought parts of First Form Latin last year at a used curriculum sale. So, I had a student book on hand. It is an older addition but similar enough to use without any problems.

Day 1- DVD Lessons

We decided to tackle one lesson a week. As a family, we sat down and watched the DVD lesson at the beginning of the week. The kids had their student textbooks with them to follow along with the teacher.

Honestly, I rely mostly on these DVDs to teach the kids. It works for my kids because the lessons are well presented and do much better than I could do.

However, the Teacher Manual does give guidance so parents can teach the lessons. The manual does a good job explaining the information. I know some people may prefer this. Myself, I like using the information in the Teacher Manual AND DVDs to help me help the kids.

Day 2 – 4- Workbook Exercises, CD, Flashcards

Once the kids have finished watching the lesson, I give them the next three days to work on the workbook exercises. They can be a little challenging and take some time to get through. The kids use their student textbooks to help them do their exercises.

At this time, the kids can also listen to the pronunciation CD to help them say the words correctly. This is also a good time for the kids to use the flashcards to practice their words.

My kids have not used the pronunciation CD. It is a good tool, but they forget about it. I do plan on adding it to our routine, though.

Day 5 – Oral Exercises and Quiz

On the fifth day, we pop in the DVD and do the oral exercises to finish off the lesson. The program actually recommends this order. It does work well.

After the kids have finished their oral exercises, they take a quiz. They take the quizzes because I want to know what they have learned and see if they still need help with something.

I like the student quizzes. They do a good job testing the kids over the information they need to know.

Our Thoughts on the Latin Curriculum

What do we think of the program? We enjoy it and will continue our Latin studies. I worried about how the program would work for each of my children and was pleasantly surprised it works for both of them.

My daughter is finishing 7th grade and has had previous Latin experience. She quickly remembered a lot of what she had learned in third and fourth grade. However, this program wasn’t too easy for her. Her past knowledge did help, though.

I was worried about my son. He is finishing 5th grade and has no Latin background. It is challenging, but he is learning the material. He said he wanted to keep learning Latin, so I don’t think it is too hard, or else he wouldn’t want to continue using it.

What we love:

The materials that come with First Form Latin Complete Set are wonderful. I especially love the DVDs. I never took Latin and so the DVDs do the teaching for me. It is a complete set so you have everything you need to help your kids learn Latin.

I would also like to add that the materials are all good quality materials. The books and flashcards are sturdy. They should hold up to the wear and tear they may go through with kids. I personally like the spiral bound teacher materials and student workbook. It makes using them easy.

Do I think it is worth the price? Yes. I would buy this complete set for myself.

First Form Latin teaches Christian Latin. Christian Latin is what most people are familiar with. It does sound better, too.

I know some secular homeschoolers have been turned off by the fact it is Christian Latin. I would not, though. Kids CAN learn Latin prayers if you want them, too. Sometimes there is some religious terminology mentioned. HOWEVER, it is not a religious program. We tend to use secular material in our homeschool and have no issues with the program.

Challenges:

The first thing that struck me is the grammar portion. I would caution anyone that has students that are not good with grammar to preview it first. The lessons start with teaching the imperfect tense. It is easy enough to learn if you’ve worked on verb conjugations, but I can see it may be challenging for some. It is something to keep in mind.

Overall, I feel First Form Latin the Complete Set provides a good Latin education. My family will continue to use it, and I encourage you to look into it, too.