I. Read the words outloud.
It's true that you will
never need to speak to an ancient Roman (unless you learn how to time-travel, in which case please bring me along).
However, don't underestimate the importance of pronunciation— it's crucial for understanding components of Latin, especially when you learn new endings to form plural nouns and verb tenses.
There's a reason we spend so much time chanting the words in class.
Don't just glaze over the words and make a "blah blah" sound in your head. Remember, the letters in Latin follow consistent rules (unlike in English). Review pronunciation rules
here.
II. Write the words down.
You don't necessarily need to make your own hand-written flashcards (it still would be a good idea!) but consider having someone else say the words or press the audio buttons while you write down both the Latin word and its English meaning.
III. Pay attention to parts of speech.
Terms are color-coded by parts of speech:
- Verbs
- Nouns & Pronouns
- Prepositions
- Adjectives
- Adverbs
- Conjunctions
- Interjections
You will need to provide dictionary information (the elements other than the head word) starting in Chapter 4 and beyond. Knowing a word's part of speech will help you recognize patterns and translate at a faster rate. Trust me.
IV. Draw nouns.
Who said studying has to be boring? Draw pictures of the nouns, and label them in Latin, of course. I am always happy to see students' creativity at work."
V. Act out verbs.
If you need a break from writing, give
kinesthetic learning a shot. Say a verb in Latin while acting it out.
VI. Pay extra attention to adverbs and conjunctions !
Students frequently miss these parts of speech on assessments because they are harder to visualize in comparison to nouns, adjectives, and verbs. Honestly, you might just need to chant and write them over and over until they stick.
VII. Beware of hindsight bias.
Often, students make the mistake of thinking that they know the English meanings of words when they really don't.
What happens is that students will flip over a card and
recognize the correct answer, but they don't truly
know the correct answer. Remember, vocabulary quizzes are
NOT multiple choice.
They require students to produce the correct answer in writing, not identify the correct answer from a set. So before you hastily flip over a card, make sure that you say or write your answer first. If your answer doesn't match the back of the card, you don't know it well enough.
VIII. Avoid meaningless memorization shortcuts.
Remembering that the Latin word for "to live" (
habitō, habitāre) starts with the letter "h" might help you on a quiz in the short term, but what about when you learn
habeō, habēre? Making sure you thoroughly know a word will pay off in the long run. This is one reason saying the word outloud is helpful. Account for every syllable and for every letter.
IX. Learn derivatives.
Derivatives are English words that come from Latin words. As it turns out, Latin isn't so dead after all!
Example: An
uninhabitable place is where nothing can
live. (
habitō, habitāre = to live)
The SPA Latin teachers have provided some English derivatives in small gray print on the back side of the cards. You can earn extra points on quizzes by providing these (with correct spelling).
n.b. Sometimes, words change meanings over time, so derivatives might not always be helpful.
For example, the English word "trade" comes from the Latin "tradō, tradere" which originally meant "to give," rather than "to exchange."
All derivatives provided on this site are "safe."
X. Study English to Latin.
You typically will only have to translate from Latin to English. However, if you study English to Latin, this will help ensure that you know the words really well. This is a more difficult skill that takes longer to achieve, even for Latin teachers.
