Should my child study Latin?

We hear lots of good reasons for learning Latin in school as early as possible, linguistic reasons, cognitive reasons, cultural heritage reasons, and we hear or know that it does cost precious time and effort to learn it. How beneficial is Latin really and for which children is it worth the effort? This article sets out to support parents in their decision process highlighting the advantages and the type of learner who will actually benefit from studying this ancient language, which is no longer spoken.

What does research tell us?

Research consistently shows that students who studied Latin achieve higher mean SAT scores (scholastic aptitude test for college admission). Studies in English and German found that (former) Latin students showed a significantly better reading comprehension and enhanced vocabulary in their mother tongue. But also math scores are higher. All of these talk about statistical averages which differ significantly between Latin students and those who had not studied any Latin.

This does not mean that high scores cannot be achieved without Latin, it just means that Latin students are more likely to achieve high scores.

Why do Latin students score better?

A critical question to challenge these results is: Do they score higher because of the Latin experience or do they choose Latin because they are smart and therefore opt for a challenging subject? The relation between Latin and good results could also be moderated by other factors, like parents who deliberately choose and support the best education for their children, and are on top of their learning progress.

While all of these explanations may be true to some extent, there is no doubt about the positive training effects Latin can provide.

Linguistic benefits:

Latin increases the consciousness and understanding of grammar and grammatical structures, which provides a solid foundation for learning other languages and helps to better understand and use the native language by becoming aware of similarities and differences. Latin further enhances vocabulary: technical terms in almost all languages, more than 90% of Roman languages (Italian, Spanish, Romanian, Portuguese, French), more than 50% of the English words are derived from Latin, Germanic and Slavic languages are strongly influenced by Latin. Prefixes and suffixes stem from Latin roots, and their knowledge can provide a key to a better understanding of the native as well as other languages. This includes foreign languages which have been learned earlier. Latin provides a cognitive approach and method for all language learning.

Cognitive benefits:

As mentioned earlier the reading comprehension of complex texts increases, which is an important skill for further academic study. Translating from Latin is a job which requires analytical skills, discrimination skills, problem solving and creativity, skills, which are also useful for understanding and solving math problem. Contrary to English Latin is parsimonious with words, and uses a wide variety of grammatical forms and sentence structures to differentiate and enrich meanings of words. Understanding such complex grammar requires and trains taking different perspectives to interpret grammar and context as well as the ability to abstract and logical thinking and creative combination while working with great precision.

Cultural benefits:

Latin and its literature is European cultural heritage, and thus the cultural heritage or “corporate identity” of the whole Western world. North and Latin America Latin studies can enhance the understanding of the cultural roots of the early settlers. In general Latin writings give a deeper insight into humanistic values, life, religion and history in ancient Rome, and thoughts and topics which are still relevant today, like the art of public speaking, the importance of happiness or the administration of a big empire. In school reality this ideal learning objective may not always be fully achieved, depending on the curriculum, teacher and age of student.

Which children will not benefit from studying Latin?

Translating and understanding Latin texts requires concentration, persistence, accuracy, and sometimes frustration tolerance. Compared to modern, spoken languages it is quite an academic task. The beauty and the benefits of this ancient “dead” language will not easily reveal itself to students who do not aim for an academic education, but who want to see quick results.

Which children will benefit from studying Latin?

Latin is beneficial for those who can focus on one thing intensively or enjoy reading big books, love doing puzzles, chess or logical games, can work for themselves, are curious to understand details, are interested in math or science or who want to prepare for university. Students who tend to be calm, thinkers rather than big speakers, or struggling with listening comprehension and production of modern languages may also appreciate Latin. Latin classes are held in the local language and don’t require students to speak or write the language or understand the spoken word. For some university majors a Latin test or degree is an entry requirement, in some countries more than in others.

When should your child start to study Latin?

While some cognitive and linguistic benefits can be realized within a year, most of them, and especially the cultural ones, will only bear fruits if Latin is studied long enough to be able to read the ancient authors in Latin, which means starting early. However, the same argument is true for the modern languages: the earlier our children start learning them, the better their pronunciation and ease of conversation will be. Ideally children will start with their first foreign language in pre-school or elementary school, then there will be no conflict with starting Latin in grade 5 or 6.

Conclusion

Studying Latin will bring linguistic, cognitive and cultural benefits to those who look for these benefits. They are, however, academic in nature , and “book smart” children will appreciate them more and benefit more than “street smart” kids who prefer practical tasks and want to get going. Latin is not like fast food, easy to swallow and providing instant pleasure but instead it will require effort and deliver a delayed gratification. No quick gain but a long term investment.