Learning Latin & More – Free Recommended Resource

Caroline and I have thoroughly enjoyed learning with Dwane Thomas through the online video classes Word Up! and Visual Latin. (Both are available through Compass Classroom.) Our intention is to complete Visual Latin 1 and Visual Latin 2 by the end of next year. When you complete the full two-year course, you are able to read the New Testament in Latin.

I chose Visual Latin because Caroline loved Dwane as a teacher when we used Word Up! I knew his approach to Latin would probably resonate with her. He’s funny and has a quick wit which is very much to her (and my) liking. He clearly loves teaching and has a sincere desire to see his students succeed.

Today I want to recommend a free printable resource Dwane offers to subscribers at Dwane Thomas and also point out to you the tremendous language learning resources he has for homeschoolers.

(BTW… This is NOT a paid post. It’s just me sharing.)

If you subscribe to his free Saturday newsletter, you will receive a copy of his ebook called VIA: How to Learn Latin… And Almost Anything Else. Caroline and I read this out loud together last spring and discussed the various ideas Dwane shares about learning. It launched some great conversations about learning, tenacity, and Latin. The ebook is 110 printed pages and was published in 2015. There are a few tiny things that make it a little dated, but overall the information and ideas are timeless. If these topics are relevant to you at all, I highly recommend downloading the free copy and seeing if it will be helpful in your homeschool endeavors.

If you are considering studying Latin with your children, Dwane explains why he teaches it in the manner and order he does. He gets into a few of the controversies that rage in the Latin world and explains his perspective. (If you want his opinion of Henle Latin, here’s a post he wrote about it – Book Review No. 5: First Year Latin by Robert Henle. Spoiler – He’s not a big fan overall. ) Even though we had already started Visual Latin before I discovered his ebook, I found it helpful to understand some of the bigger questions and choices involved with Latin education. It also reaffirmed that I made the right choice for Caroline’s Latin materials.

In addition to the Visual Latin course, Dwane has an extensive offering of foreign languages on his own website (separate from Compass Classroom). In fact, if you purchase a monthly membership ($25) for your family and keep it for three uninterrupted years, you don’t have to pay again. You will have a lifetime membership. You can click over to see all the details.

I hope you find Dwane’s resources helpful for your family. I am so grateful for what he has added to Caroline’s education.