The GLA Takeaway
The Great Latin Adventure: a proven, user-friendly program for beginning Latin students, with plenty of support for beginning or experienced parent/teachers.
GLA makes an outstanding foundation for further Latin study, but offers something more as well: a solid takeaway even if you only study Latin for a few years. This is an unusual advantage in a program for younger beginners.
"Thank you for GLA! I recommend it to everyone with whom I talk about Latin."
Gail P., homeschooling Mom of several
Find out what language study can be. Author Katharine Birkett will launch you on your language journey—whatever your destination.
A cautionary tale
Many programs for Latin beginners focus primarily on what we could call grammar components, or Latin bits and pieces: paradigms and chants to learn the many Latin endings; vocabulary; maybe some grammar rules. This is valuable information, but it's primarily valuable for those who are going to go on in Latin study.
What happens if you start out with a program like this . . . don't find it interesting because there is so little translation, and the grammar facts seem to lack context . . . and decide Latin is not for you? What do you and your child have to show for your investment in time?
Not a great deal. The main value would lie in the vocabulary, which would be of some help if your child went on to study a Romance language. Otherwise, none of what you've learned in this type of program is particularly portable or transferable.
That's a sad story, and it doesn't have to be you.
The GLA difference
You can get much more than this out of your first few years of Latin study, and so can your child in grade 4, 5, 6 and up (and sometimes 3).
The Great Latin Adventure takes a special path through Latin grammar that maximizes the value of your Latin study time, even if GLA is all the Latin you ever do.
How? GLA majors on the central features of Latin as an inflected language. (In an inflected language, words change their form—usually their endings—to convey meaning.)
GLA covers the fascinating Latin noun system, in particular, with unusual depth for a program for younger beginners. Yet it does so incrementally and attainably, with enough repetition and review for mastery, built-in study sheets and quizzes, and more—GLA just works.
"You have the gift of clear explanations."
Elizabeth H., multilingual student and homeschool Mom
As a result . . .
GLA graduates know how an inflected language works. They've learned more than Latin bits and pieces—such as forms and chants unique to Latin—which are of limited value in studying the next language!
GLA graduates go on to Greek or other inflected languages and have a great advantage: they recognize familiar territory in the grammar of that new language, and they know how to tackle translation in that new language, because in GLA they learned what inflected languages have in common.
GLA graduates know how to translate in both directions, from and into Latin. This isn't common in programs for this age level; many Latin programs only teach translation from Latin. Learning to translate in both directions is a great advantage when moving on to any modern foreign language—where of course all work is in both directions! GLA supports translation into Latin with a special system that breaks down this important task into manageable parts.
GLA graduates have an enriched English vocabulary, too, and a budding interest in etymology. Comprehensive derivative worksheets are a very popular feature of the program. Beautifully written derivative sentences from a wholesome Christian worldview, "Word Detective" notes, and more, make these worksheets a hit with users.
"The derivative worksheets are simply unparalleled."
Karen K.-C., co-op founder
Latin was a great foundation for Katharine Birkett's own language journey: she majored in Russian at Princeton, and it was an easy transition from Latin. Later she tackled New Testament Greek on her own and once again had the inflected language advantage.
That's the GLA difference. The GLA graduate has learned portable skills for navigating a complex foreign language, plus a good dose of etymology. Knowing these things, your child will be ready for any number of language or linguistic challenges.
Go where you want to go next!
Why start Latin with a program that won't give you this kind of return if you switch from Latin to another language? Whatever amount of Latin you plan to study . . .
choose a program
that gives you a takeaway if you don't go all the way.
"Doing GLA has been accomplishing everything I was hoping it would."
Amy C., teaching Latin to herself before her children
Sounds great, but can we really do it?
Absolutely! GLA features:
- friendly, informal grammar lessons
- child-friendly pace with plenty of practice
- review chapters to consolidate mastery
- built-in vocabulary quizzes and tests—
- unique support for English-to-Latin translation
- worksheet format,
- fully-featured Teacher's Manual—
"The teaching notes are like having your own private Latin tutor alongside you as you teach!"
Amy O., co-op instructor
GLA's unique benefits are wrapped up in a child-friendly, teacher-friendly package that helps you learn to teach, even if you've never taught or studied Latin before.
Our standards in your service
The Great Latin Adventure went through years of pre-publication testing in multiple venues, plus rigorous proof-reading so that you would receive a tested and proven product. That's a commitment of ours: to "sweat the details" ourselves so that you can focus on learning and teaching.
Katharine Birkett has studied Latin, French, and Russian in intensive settings. She knows what's ahead in language study, and what a well-designed program can accomplish. Do you want someone to break down hard ideas into bite-sized pieces in simple, friendly language so that your child can succeed? Let Katharine serve your child with her love for language in
The Great Latin Adventure.
Why study Latin, anyway?
- English vocabulary enrichment
- a jump start on Romance languages,
- learning how an inflected language works,
- biting your child with the language bug,
- a much better grasp on what grammar is for,
- learning orderly thinking,
- access to valuable literature in Latin,
When are these benefits realized? The last—access to great literature—takes the longest. As for the rest, you can begin to realize these benefits within a few years of study, if you choose a program that supports your goals.
Read more about these benefits of Latin study.
Learn more
Take a chapter tour to see how it all works! Visit the
Latin curriculum page and the Latin FAQ page for lots more information. Read about us. Read reviews—see sidebar—or extended testimonials.
To order, click a cover thumbnail on this page, or visit our product list.
We offer logic, too
This page is about GLA—but don't miss our Logic program, Logic I: Tools for Thinking, by Norman M. Birkett!
"Many told me the changes they saw in their children. They learned more than just logic!"
Becky G., co-op teacher
Reaching us; and, your guarantee
Please feel free to contact us with your questions or comments. We'd like to know how we can help.
Your satisfaction is guaranteed with our 90-day unconditional guarantee. Hardly anyone returns GLA—but you have that assurance.
We look forward to hearing from you!
Place your order
To order, click a cover thumbnail on this page, or visit the product list.
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