Visual Latin ~ Review

If you’re anything like me, when you think of teaching your children a foreign language, it makes you cringe.  Well, I recently had the opportunity to review a video based Latin course called Visual Latin.  I was very nervous and as those who know we well, know that I put it off, and put it off some more.  Once I finally decided to swallow my horse pill and pop the DVD in, I was pleasantly surprised.

Visual Latin was created by two dads whose wives homeschool their children. Dwane Thomas is the teacher and Thomas Purifoy, Jr. is the producer.  Dwane has been teaching Latin for 15 years.  He’s taught all sorts of students in all sorts of situations.  He and his wife have been homeschooling their five children for as long as their kids can remember.  Thomas enjoys creating curriculum. He and his company, Compass Cinema, have already produced the Modern Parables and Seek Social Justice series. His wife homeschool their three girls.

Visual Latin is recommended for ages 9 and up. It is available on DVD or can be downloaded onto your PC or iPod. There are two levels available; Level I and Level II. Level I consists of 30 lessons, while Level II currently consists of 10 lesson. Additional lessons will be available soon. For review purposes we were given lessons 1-10.

Each lesson is divided into 3 sections: Grammar, Sentence, and Reading. Each video is about 5-9 minutes.  The lessons are designed to have the student watch a video then complete corresponding worksheet(s).  Student watches Video A and then completes corresponding worksheet, watches Video B and then completes corresponding worksheet, then watches Video C and completes corresponding worksheet.

Here is the scope and sequence for Level I to give you an idea of what is taught in the first 30 lessons.

A. Why Study Latin?
B. Latin Then & Now
C. How To Learn a Language
D. Stuff You Should Know About Latin

1. Being Verbs Basics | To Be and Not to Be
2. Being Verbs Basics | Predicate Nominatives and Adjectives
3. Gender | Boy Words and Girl Words
4. Singular and Plural | E Pluribus Unum
5. Declensions | Meet the Cases
6. Adjectives Learn to Agree with Nouns
7. The Case Files | Nominative and Genitive
8. Counting to 10 in Latin
9. Active Verb Basics | Indicative Mood
10. The Case Files | Accusative
11. The Case Files | Vocative
12. Changing Your Moods | Imperative & Indicative
13. The Case Files | Ablative
14. Meet the Pronouns & Question Words
15. Pronouns | Relative
16. Accusing Prepositions of Accusative Case
17. Verbs | Active & Passive
18. The Case Files | Dative
19. Pronouns | 1st & 2nd Person Personal
20. Pronouns | 3rd Person Personal
21. Pronouns | Demonstratives: this, these
22. Pronouns | Demonstratives: that, those
23. Pronouns | Relative and Interrogative
24. Pronouns | Possessive
25. Nouns | 3rd Declension – Regular and i-stem
26. Verbs | Infinitives – Active and Passive
27. Verbs | Infinities – Ability, Negation & Indirect
28. Nouns | 3rd Declension – Neuter
29. Nouns | 4th Declension
30. Adjectives | Positive & Comparative

  

I feel Dwane is a superb teacher who truly knows how to engage the students. He is funny and teaches the basics in a fun and easy to understand manner. He talks directly to the students and occasionally he makes a mistake, but he either corrects himself right away or the correction will show up on the screen.

Visual Latin was a real hit in my house.  I fully intend on purchasing additional lessons on the future.  I must say I truly love that there is virtually no advanced planning needed from me and the lessons can be done independently if you want.  Simply put in the DVD or download the lesson, depending on whether you purchase the download or the DVDs, and begin. The only advance planning I had to do was print out the worksheets.

If you are thinking about adding a foreign language to your homeschool, I HIGHLY recommend Visual Latin.

Visual Latin can be purchased at the CompassStore. You can either purchase Level I, all 30 lessons on DVD for $80 currently (originally $90.)  Or you can opt for the budget friendly option and purchase 10 lessons at a time for $30 on DVD (or $25 as a download.)  Latin II, Lessons 31-40 is available on DVD for $30.00. (or $25 as a download.)

If you like to see for yourself what Visual Latin is like before making a purchase, you see a sample lesson and even download some Free Lessons (4 Intro Lessons and 2 Regular Lessons).

Here you can find information about using Visual Latin for high school credit.

Be sure to stop by the TOS Homeschool Crew Hub to read what my fellow crew members have to say about Visual Latin.

I'm a crew member with The Old Schoolhouse Homeschool Crew and I received Visual Latin, Lessons 1-10 on DVD free of cost in exchange for my honest review.