Why You Should Take Latin
Watch this video to let me introduce myself and see if Latin is the right choice for your foreign language class.
Studying Latin gives students many benefits that have been documented through research.
Is Latin the Right Language for You?
Classical Latin was the language of the ancient Romans and one of the world’s oldest languages. The Roman Empire stood for centuries and controlled nearly all of Europe. After the fall of the Roman Empire, Latin remained the language used at churches and universities across Europe. Many of Europe’s modern languages (Italian, French, Spanish, Portuguese, and Romanian) are direct descendants of Latin due to the conquest of the Roman Empire. In addition, as much as 75% of the English vocabulary are words derived from Latin.
You should take Latin if…
You want a top score on ACT and SAT college entrance tests.
Over twenty years of testing data nationwide has shown that Latin students continuously outscore their peers studying another foreign language or no language at all. Latin students’ strong critical thinking skills, knowledge of grammar and sentence mechanics, and vocabulary are behind these test scores.
You do not want to have to speak a foreign language.
Latin is considered a dead language, meaning that it is not anyone’s native language. As such, there is no spoken component of Latin class, but instead a focus on reading the language and understanding the rules of grammar.
You want to have an advantage in fields such as math, science, technology, medicine, and law.
Vocabulary and skills of critical thinking and analysis are strongly developed through the study of the Latin language. These are essential in any field of math, science, technology, medicine, or law. Research has concluded that the study of Latin develops the same advanced mental capacities as does the study of mathematics (VanTassel-Baska, 1987).
You want to build and strengthen skills of logic, critical thinking, and analysis.
While modern languages focus on four proficiencies of reading, writing, speaking, and understanding the language, the study of Latin requires that students employ higher order thinking skills, such as analysis, synthesis and evaluation while translating texts (Morgan, 1989).
You want to enrich your English vocabulary.
At least 60% of all English words are derived from Latin. This increases to roughly 75% when accounting for words found in scientific, medical, and technological fields. Knowledge of Latin vocabulary and practicing identifying Latin word roots in English words facilitates the ability to define previously unseen words without the use of a dictionary. Vocabulary skills are helpful on ACT and SAT exams and numerous studies have tied strong vocabulary skills to improved mental ability (Holmes & Keffer, 1995) (Smith, Smith, Taylor, & Hobby, 2005).
You want to build your knowledge of English grammar and syntax.
Knowledge of grammar and syntax is essential for reading Latin. Students who are successful in Latin gain a mastery of English grammar as a necessary foundation essential for learning the rules of grammar in another language. This will help students in their English classes for writing as well as on SAT and ACT exams
You want your college application to stand out to admissions officers.
Latin has always been regarded as an elite language and college admissions officers recognize the rigor that is inherent to the study of Latin. As with taking any advanced course, the study of Latin demonstrates a student’s willingness to challenge himself/herself and demonstrate his/her ability to master a difficult subject.
You want to learn about the cultures, history, and mythology at the heart of Western civilization.
The impact of the Classical Civilizations of ancient Greece and Rome cannot be overstated in the development of Western civilization. From the birth of philosophy and democracy to Classical literature, art, and architecture, we are the inheritors of the Classical tradition spanning thousands of years. The study of these civilizations equips students to better understand and appraise the modern world.
Look at what numerous colleges have said about why Latin is important and the benefits of learning it.