Shout-Out Reviews are unaffiliated, uncommissioned reviews I write about homeschool products I have used and loved with many children for many years.
Song School Latin has been kid-tested and mom-approved in our homeschool over the past 10 years. We have used both levels three times. Now the only problem is that I don’t have any more kids to grow into it, and yet I can’t bear the thought of giving it away. (This is not like me, I throw out almost everything, which is why I don’t have any copies of the workbooks to show you…but I can’t let go of the other materials.)
Song School Latin is one of those rare resources you can pull out again and again over the years as your children grow and the next little one is ready to begin their adventure with the Latin language. The best part is you will never get tired of the program. That’s how it is when a program is beautiful. In fact, the big kids will be sneaking in to watch the lessons with their younger siblings and accidentally getting some long-term review!
Video Instruction
This feature was very helpful to me over the years since I went into teaching my kids Latin without having any background in the subject myself. It is also relaxing to just pop in a video and sit and learn with the kids. The short video lesson is designed very well and is engaging for kids. Although we have officially done the program at least three times in our homeschool the videos have been probably all been watched at least 5 or 6 times because sometimes the kids just ask to go back through them for fun, in their free time. Product Win!!!
The Songs
In case you hadn’t guessed, Song School Latin comes with songs. If there is anything about the program I love more than the video instruction it is the songs. They are a step above the usual learning song. (I mean, I refuse to listen to badly composed, awkwardly-worded music just so my kids can learn. If you have ever browsed Youtube for learning songs I know you know what I mean.)
These songs are wonderfully composed, fun to listen to, easy to sing along with and a great tool for helping your children practice vocabulary in a fun way.
The Workbook
The workbook contains helpful reinforcement of concepts, the text to the songs, and activities. The activities are age-appropriate. I think every workbook publisher could learn something by studying how these workbooks are put together. Each page is well laid out and engaging. There is not too much information crammed onto a page and the activities can be completed in a short amount of time.
The Teacher’s Edition
Here you will find plenty of guidance, not only easy answer keys but also great activities to practice vocabulary in fun and engaging ways with your kids. Games like Simeon Says, which require no prep or extra materials and get the kids moving, giggling, and having fun, which is the fastest way to learn any subject.
(Simeon is an adorable monkey from the video’s each video lesson ends with a cartoon/paper-puppet story which is continuing from week to week.)
Sometimes there is a story for the teacher to read included in the lesson with Latin words that have been learned so far in the program woven into the story.
The Logistics Of Song School Latin
The program is designed so that you can easily guide your child through 4 or 5 new Latin words each week. You start the week out with the video lesson, then listen to the song every day for review. The workbook pages can be completed in 2 or 3 days, depending on how much you want to break them up. You can look over the Teacher’s Edition to get ideas of short activities you can do each day as additional vocabulary reinforcement. Or use some of the extra’s mentioned below.
Every six lessons is a review lesson and there is a comprehensive review at the end of the book.
Time: How Long Does it Take Each Day?
You can complete this program in only an hour a week, setting aside a 20-minute lesson 3-days a week. Of course, if you want to study Latin 5-days a week there are plenty of suggestions which lend themselves well to repetition in addition to card games, board games, and online games, lapbooks, and extra video’s.
The Card Game
Money Match is included if you buy the complete set (which I highly recommend). These thick, full-color cards can be used to play several card games such as memory. Or you can keep them out on a table for the week to use for quick vocab review. Play a card game once a week to add another day to your lessons. All words that are studied in the book are also in the deck. It is quite large and I often separated out the ones we were currently working with to make it easy to grab what we needed.
You can also play with several chapters together during review week. Keep aside words your child is still struggling to remember so you can see which words to reinforce quickly.
The Board Game & Online Extra’s
The board game, Jungle Jump, is a printable found in the online extras package. This package contains online games, quizzes, lap books, coloring pages, and videos.
This used to be a separate purchase but is now included if you purchase the Song School Latin Complete Package. (According to their product page.)
Why We Love It So Much
Song School Latin is one of those rare gems of curriculum that has woven its way into my heart. Why?
- Because it is well-planned.
- It is developmentally appropriate.
- It does not talk down to kids.
- It is fun.
- It teaches with repetition, which kids need, but keeps that repetition fun & interesting.
- It makes us laugh.
- It is pleasing to the eyes and ears.
- It is multi-sensory.
