Why teaching Latin
is important
“There are countless benefits to studying Latin—indeed, it is no wonder that Latin has been a required subject in academies for centuries!”
Many parents did not have Latin offered as a language in their academic experience. Therefore, they sometimes wonder why Latin programs are taught in classical academies. Please read on to discover some of the reasons we value teaching a classical Latin curriculum at Arise Classical Academy.
The benefits of a classical education Latin curriculum
Students of Latin have a better grasp of English and a stronger connection to a shared Western heritage. Their appreciation for other cultures deepens, and they have better SAT scores.
Studying Latin helps students have a better grasp of English
Learning Latin has significant educational virtue as an ongoing practice in linguistic puzzle-solving. Developing this skill set allows students to become close, thoughtful readers and English writers. Many scholars believe Latin programs also hone mental faculties, cultivating careful analysis and attention.
Studying Latin provides a stronger connection to a shared Western heritage.
Latin was the language used by theologians and philosophers for the majority of Western history. Learning Latin allows students to engage with works fundamental to the Western canon without having to rely on potentially inaccurate or misleading translations. Engaging with a classical Latin curriculum will enable students to truly engage with a work as it is meant to be read. If you had the chance to sit down with Augustine, wouldn’t you want to be able to converse in his chosen language? Students of Latin will experience the impact of a culture-shaping language.
Studying Latin helps students have a greater and deeper appreciation for other cultures
There is good, beauty, and truth in studying languages. When one studies grammar, expressions, slang, pronunciation, word order, and the culture of a language, one travels to other places. Latin also allows students to travel to other times, experiencing the fascinating cultures of Ancient Rome and its empire, a significant part of the birth of Western civilization and literature.
Studying Latin yields practical advantages such as advanced vocabulary knowledge and high SAT scores.
Around 60% of the entries in any English dictionary derive from Latin, so the student of a Latin program develops and increases their vocabulary tremendously. Latin is present in law (legal terms), in biology (all those words high school students need to learn in anatomy), in chemistry (understanding better the names and symbols of the elements in the Periodic Table), in institutional mottos (colleges, the military, and the states), in everyday sayings (per capita, caveat, mea culpa, MO, etc, per se, bona fide). Studying a classical Latin curriculum also helps with the learning of the Romance languages (Portuguese, Spanish, Italian, French, and Romanian). Because Latin is a case-based language, it also helps with the learning of other case-based languages, such as German.
Arise Classical Academy is proud to be a classical Latin academy. If you have any questions about our Latin program, please call us at +1 (412) 600-3579.