Are you
thinking . . .
no time for
Latin in the Middle School?
too
much pressure to teach core skills?
can’t
afford anything that doesn’t raise testing
scores?
You may want to consider the facts and think
again!
Adding Latin to your curriculum doesn’t take
away time from teaching required skills:
It can be a very effective and engaging way
to teach them!
Learning Latin . . .
- strengthens basic English skills in
vocabulary and reading comprehension
- focuses on grammar which leads to
improved English writing and communication
- increases cultural awareness and makes
cultural connections
- encourages critical thinking and
comparative analysis
- introduces students to a rich source of
mythology, literature and history
AND Latin presents material REQUIRED
in Language Arts and Social Studies
Standards in Grades 6-8.
The value of Latin is immediate. Past studies
have shown that younger students made big gains
after exposure to Latin:
1) Remedial English students ended the
year 5 months ahead of others with no
foreign language instruction and 4 months
ahead of those taught French and Spanish.
(District of Columbia)
2) Students taught Latin 15 minutes a day
for one year scored ONE FULL YEAR HIGHER on
the Iowa Vocabulary subtest than the control
group. (Philadelphia)
3) Sixth graders in Indianapolis, who
studied Latin for 30 minutes a day, after
the first 5 months had made gains over
control groups of
- 1 full year in both reading and
language
- 9 months in math problem solving
- 7 months in social studies
- 5 months in science
- 4 months in spelling
In her article “Lively Latin Boosts English
Skills and Reinforces Core Subjects,” Virginia
Barrett offers several cogent observations:
Studying Latin vocabulary brings students
in contact “with word roots, prefixes and
suffixes which constitute 60% of all English
words and 90% of those over two syllables
long. Students acquire the building blocks
of English……. Evidence [has shown] dramatic
improvement in student reading scores on
standardized tests nationwide, especially of
Black and Hispanic students in urban
schools.”
Barrett notes that students can also relate
more easily to many terms they are asked to
learn in geography, biology, astronomy, math,
civics and social studies. Most English grammar
terms are borrowed from Latin, too. In fact,
hundreds of Latin words are still commonly used
today with virtually no change in spelling or
meaning!
The Roman Empire was expansive in both
territory and influence. It was also a
multi-ethnic, multi-racial society. Thus
students can relate many aspects of Roman
society to their modern world. Barrett adds:
“Children of all ethnic backgrounds [can]
gain access to a classical tradition shared
by North and South Americans, Eastern and
Western Europeans, and many third world
nations.”
Click here to request a FREE packet “ Carpe
Diem! Resources for Starting a Middle School
Latin program” which offers facts, figures and
textbook options for a new Latin program.
Click here to find a qualified Latin
instructor.
Click here to find teaching materials and
resources
Click here to
locate state and local support organizations.
[Contributed by Katie Robinson, Chair, NCLG
Committee for Latin in the Middle School
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