Latin in the Lower Grades

By: Angie McNichols

When families enroll at CCA, a pivotal question often arises: "Why should my child learn Latin?" The answer becomes clear when we look back through history. Nearly half of English vocabulary is derived from Latin, making this ancient language foundational to mastering English. Latin is the mother tongue of Western Civilization, influencing government, law, theology, and modern sciences. Incorporating Latin in education enriches students' vocabulary and enhances their understanding of the world.

Learning Latin offers remarkable benefits. It fosters a strong grasp of grammar and instills an organized mindset, helping students feel more confident in their abilities. As students delve into Latin, they develop keen attention to detail and learn that precision matters. This study cultivates patience and self-discipline and builds confidence in learning—qualities that significantly enhance problem-solving skills and critical thinking.

With all these benefits in mind, CCA students are excited to begin learning Latin in second grade. They are ready and willing to learn another language. A slower-paced, incremental, grammar-first approach introduces Latin progressively through the lower-grade years. Students progress through Prima Latina, Latina Christiana, and First Form Latin before entering upper school. Students are not the only ones who enjoy diving into Latin; our teachers enjoy teaching and learning it as well. Teaching and learning Latin can be challenging, but many teachers at our school who initially feel daunted by the subject often discover that it becomes their favorite topic to teach.

Here are some reflections from a few of our students and teachers:

Senior Luke Mullins: “Latin helps me understand the meaning of words that I am not familiar with.”

Second grader Willow Pursell: “It's fun to learn Latin because it is where so many English words come from.”

Fourth grade teacher Mandy Bryant: “I have enjoyed teaching third and fourth graders Latin because it’s exciting to learn a new language with young learners. They might be intimidated at first, but they soon blossom and quickly gain confidence. The students start recognizing Latin words in the books they are reading for enjoyment.”

“Ad altoira tendo”

I strive toward higher things.