The Library Corner Book Review
Picta Dicta Latin Primer
Review by Donna Seidman
As educators around the world adapted to remote learning , one company was already at work creating a fully-integrated online platform for teaching Latin . By the time of its release in fall 2020 , its value for both students and teachers was immediately applicable to distance learning during the
COVID-19 pandemic .
Picta Dicta Latin Primer ( Volumes I and II ) is an introduction to Latin written for students in grades three through six . Lessons are delivered in both digital and print format . Exercises can be completed individually in a paper workbook or on a digital device , as well as projected in the classroom and completed as a class activity . These activities smoothly transition from in-person to remote instruction .
Over the course of the 2019-2020 school year , I was able to test aspects of the Picta
Dicta online platform as an official beta tester . The author of the Picta Dicta program worked to create a solid foundation in Latin grammar in a concrete way that appeals to upper elementaryaged children . For educators , the program ’ s design makes it accessible to varied levels of technological and pedagogical
experience .
In recent years , my school , Trinity Classical Academy , was in need of a strong textbook series to guide students as they began their education in Latin . In our search , we placed a high value on equal engagement with grammar and vocabulary , as well as stories
P R I M A | 4 0 and auditory examples that allowed students to imitate the sounds of the Latin language . As I became familiar with Picta Dicta , it seemed this series would suit our
needs .
Our school purchased licenses for the Picta
Dicta program , which was a comparable cost to the consumable workbooks we used in the past . We began the transition to Picta Dicta in fall 2020 , knowing that , being in Los Angeles County , we ought to be prepared for any number of school scenarios ( and be able to pivot with little notice ). Picta Dicta has allowed for that flexibility . What I was not ready for were the incredible positive changes to our Grammar School Latin program almost
immediately .
Positive Change students recognized and retained vocabulary with greater accuracy pronunciation and recitation were confident and accurate students recognized noun cases and recited them perfectly assessments were entirely in Latin
( vocabula and sententiae ) greater Latin output than ever before students were speaking Latin on the
playground ! older students using traditional textbooks were amazed at younger siblings ’ understanding and output