I received this question:

Let me clarify. You mean that if my homeschool student has gotten through Visual Latin 1 and 2, she can then use Lingua Latina for her third year Latin. Right? Starting with the first book? The one you use for First year Latin?

My daughter is doing very well with Visual Latin. She just finished Lesson 30 and has a 94% overall grade. She is going to now spend time reviewing all the charts and vocabulary learned for a final test (I am going to take portions of all your tests in VL1 to make my own); then I have assigned her translation of Cornelia for the remainder of the school year. She has been listening to the oral readings of the New Testament in Latin, and is practicing oral reading of Church prayers. What use to be her hardest class (we tried Henle) is now one of her top and it keeps proving itself to me as fantastic! 

I will consider signing her up for a class after she is finished VL2, at least for the ability to view your prerecorded classes. She really likes your technique of teaching…so do I. Thank you for all your contributions to the Church through your language knowledge by helping the homeschooling families.

God bless you! Happy Easter!

Here is my reply:

Good morning!

It’s all semantics really.  Lingua Latina by Hans Ørberg is a college textbook.  Yet, I think most high schools (which don’t use this book, by the way) would consider the entire book Latin 1 and Latin 2.  I believe the few colleges that use this book consider it Latin 1.  

Latin 3 is typically Caesar’s Gallic Wars, or the New Testament in Latin.  

Henle Latin breaks it down this way:

1. Henle Latin 1: Latin Grammar
2. Henle Latin 2: Caesar’s Gallic Wars and a little bit of the gospels.
3. Henle Latin 3: Cicero’s orations and a little bit of St. Paul.
4. Henle Latin 4: Vergil’s Aeneid.

Lingua Latina breaks it down this way:

1. Latin 1 and 2: Lingua Latina by Hans Ørberg.
2. Latin 3 and 4: Roma Aeterna by Hans Ørberg.

At Compass Classroom, we break it down this way:

Latin 1 and 2: Visual Latin 1 and 2, which includes readings from the Bible.  We also recommend various other readings like Cornelia and Lingua Latina.

It’s all a name game, but if you choose to read Lingua Latina (and I think everyone should), consider that reinforcement of Visual Latin 1 and 2.  I don’t think I would call it Latin 3.  

For Latin 3, I would recommend more advanced readings from the New Testament, or Caesar, or Cicero.  

I hope this all makes some sense.

Let me know if you need more help!

Have a happy Monday!

Dwane Thomas