I have been teaching Latin for almost 20 years.
I spend about 4 hours a day grading Latin and Greek homework.
Want to know what trips up all of my students?
If you know anything about Latin and Greek, you already know the answer.
My students constantly trip up on the Latin and Greek endings.
Once a month, usually once a week, someone sends this question: “Mr. Thomas. How do I learn all of the complicated endings? Is there a way to practice?”
In the past, I have told students to memorize the endings. I have told students to write the endings down. I have told students to keep the endings on a chart nearby while they read. And, I have spent hours correcting their homework.
I have a new answer to the “ending” question.
Over the holidays, I sat down with a good friend of mine. He happens to be a programmer, app developer, and (get this) a former Latin teacher. What are the odds?
Turns out his students were asking the same questions. “Mr. Rietz. How do I learn all of the complicated endings? Is there a way to practice?”
He had a different answer. Instead of telling students to memorize the endings, instead of telling students to write the endings down, instead of telling students to keep the endings on a chart nearby while they read and, instead of spending hours correcting their homework, he developed an app.
Check this out: http://linguachet.com/.
I have a new answer to the question. Now, when students ask, “Mr. Thomas. How do I learn all of the complicated endings? Is there a way to practice?”, I will send them to Linguachet.
You are not going to believe what this thing can do.
- It tracks your progress.
- It keeps track of your grade.
- It highlights your mistakes.
- It has a built-in dictionary in case you do not know the word in Latin, and best of all,
- It removes me from the equation.
I used to tell students they would hear from me within 24 hours. These days, it is anywhere from 48 to 72 hours. I am slowing down. There is only so much I can do.
Unfortunately, when studying a language, you need instant feedback. I cannot do that. Even when I was operating at my best, I could not do that.
Linguachet can. All you have to do is watch the introductory video, log in and start practicing.
Instant feedback. Instant improvement. Instant understanding.
Seriously. If you are learning Latin, this is the best tool I have found this year.
If you are in one of my online Latin classes, you are welcome to start using it now. Sign up here: http://linguachet.com/
If you are in my Lingua Latina class, use the code: 3AC434
If you are in my Henle Latin class, use the code: 3AC43C
