Memoria Press ~ Latina Christiana I

Salvete, 
I was given the opportunity to review Latina Christiana I Complete Set by Memoria Press. This course is geared towards 3rd grade and up. This curriculum is part of Memoria Press's Classical Trivium Core Series. Memoria Press courses teach "church" Latin rather than "classical" Latin. The set includes:

• Student Book
• Teacher Manual
• Pronunciation CD which also includes Prayers and Songs
• Instructional DVD's
• Flashcards

Upon receiving the curriculum, I was a bit nervous. I do not have a Latin language background so starting this program felt a bit like jumping feet first into a pool of cold water. I was quickly relieved when I began reading the teachers manual and the first sentence said, "This grammar overview is designed for the teacher who has no background in Latin." Right away I knew that we were going to be okay.  

In Latina Christiana I ~ Introduction to Christian Latin, students will:

• learn the first two declensions 
• pronounce, spell and translate 200 Latin words
• learn 25 Latin sayings
• learn two prayers
• learn three songs
• learn grammar
• learn derivatives
• history and geography 

Each lesson is broken down into five sections:

1. Opening
2. Latin Saying
3. Word Study
4. Derivatives
5. Grammar

My 9th grader she did not take the suggested 5 days to complete a lesson. My daughter used the first day to watch the lesson on DVD and work on the Latin Saying and the New Vocabulary. The second day she completed the rest of the lesson. The third and forth days she reviewed grammar forms and the vocabulary, cumulatively. 

There are 25 lessons, 5 review lessons, a quiz after each lesson and a test after every 5 lessons. 

The added history and geography complemented this curriculum and is also very applicable. Understanding the history and culture of Rome and the Middle Ages, the eras when Latin was the dominant language, helps the student associate the language with the times. I absolutely love that Memoria Press combines the language with the history. The combination of history and language establishes a better understanding of the study of Latin. The first thirteen stories of Famous Men of Rome are included in Latina Christiana I.

How we used the curriculum
My 9th grade daughter stepped up to the plate to learn Latin. Using the teacher's manual, I also worked through some of the curriculum. Both my daughter and I were quite impressed by how well the curriculum broke down the lectures in easy, understandable terms. Latin grammar is very logical. 

My 9th Grader's Thoughts
She was excited when I told her about Latina Christiana I. She has not started a foreign language for high school credit yet so we decided that this would be a great option. She is enthusiastic about learning Latin and embraces the curriculum. It is not everyday that your teenager says that they enjoy their schoolwork. My daughter does not particularly like to read nor does she enjoy studying history, so this study will be a great asset for her. We know that avid readers have a more extensive vocabulary and that reading improves grammar. The history that can be gleaned from this curriculum is a huge plus.  Since memorization is a huge part of learning Latin, this will be one of my daughter's biggest challenges. 

My Thoughts
Wow, wow, wow!!!!! I am absolutely impressed with this curriculum. It is amazing. The only aspect of reviewing this curriculum that made me sad was the fact that I haven't discovered it until now. Even though this curriculum was for my child, I studied it along with her. I have learned so much from Latina Christiana I. I enjoyed the teacher and her ability to explain and enunciate the Latin so that it was clear and easy to understand. The pace with which she teaches, is perfect. I will definitely be continuing on with Latina Christiana II. This curriculum is inspiring. I have already looked into purchasing Prima Latina for my younger children. I would highly recommend this curriculum to EVERY homeschooler. Not only will your child learn Latin but they will have a better understanding of English grammar and word meanings. I am so very thankful to Memoria Press for providing an amazing curriculum such as Latina Christiana I for homeschoolers. I will definitely be using this curriculum with my younger children in the future. Gracias tibia ago (thank you) for reading my review. 

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