Going to CHEA and languages ancient and modern

This weekend I got to spend a few hours at the CHEA convention in Long Beach. It was huge and overwhelming, but happily I had a kind friend there who was willing to take a good chunk of time out of her day to show me around.

I got to attend a session with Andrew Pudewa, who was insightful and hilarious (it didn’t matter that the subject of the lecture was spelling, because the theories he brought to the subject could be applied to any number of things) and got to wander ‘round the exhibition hall.

I came home dehydrated and exhausted, but after being very lazy on Sunday afternoon, I woke up this morning excited again about homeschooling. I think going to that convention reminded me of all the reasons I thought that homeschooling was a good idea: chief among them that my kids and I will get to read lots of really good books together.

(Okay, that’s not all there is too it, but that’s what I’m excited about right now.)

I’m also once again diving into figuring out how we’re going to start this adventure out. I know there’s lots that I don’t have to decide quite yet, but one of the things I’m pondering is whether it’s possible to teach not just two languages well, but three.

(I pause to quote from the excellent Sports Night:
Casey: I speak four languages –
Dan: You speak three languages.
Casey: I speak four.
Dan: You speak three languages: you speak French, Italian and Spanish.
Casey (drily): I dabble in a little English.)

English comes first, of course, and we’ll be working on reading and writing that this year. I’d also really like our children to learn Spanish. While I’d like them to be able to read and write it, even more than that I’d like them to be able to speak it and to understand it when they hear it. Given where we live, this is pretty important.

But I also am attracted to the idea of teaching the kids Latin. I’d be learning it too. In this case, while speaking it and understanding it when they hear it would be nice, reading and writing it would be the primary goal. Exactly the opposite of our priorities in learning Spanish.

Of course, Spanish and Latin are very related, so I’m hoping that the one would aid in learning the other. But are they so close there would be a lot of confusion? From reading The Bilingual Edge, I’m guessing that there wouldn’t be, especially if they were taught in different contexts and different ways.

I’d also probably start teaching Spanish in Kindergarten (well, before that, actually – we’re already working on it informally by reading Spanish picture books), and not start Latin till 3rd grade (after the kids have learned to read and write with some competence).

But does anyone have any experience with this? I know lots of my readers are experienced homeschooling moms, and I’d be really interested to hear if anyone has combined learning a modern language and an ancient language (while of course also promoting greater and greater mastery of English) and how you did it, and if you like it – or if you specifically have avoided doing so, and why. Thanks for any advice you can offer!

Peace of Christ to you,
Jessica Snell