LATN 271-001: Introduction to Reading Latin Fall Semester 2026 Dr. Jacqueline Long MWF 9:20am-10:10am Crown 572

Elements of Success - practice some of the Learning Activities most days and look for the ways different pieces of knowlege connect

• Your active learning drives our shared momentum.
• Ensure you are familiar with the concepts and patterns presented in the identified sections of Keller & Russell, PowerPoint decks, and Panopto videos in the Sakai site: read, practice a little to get the feel, re-state, check back, and identify areas for further practice and questions.
  • Keller & Russell composed their text to present Latin vocabulary, forms, and syntax to new learners of the language. Their organization of topics can differ greatly from other textbooks with the same basic purpose: you may find some connections made differently from what you've seen before. It's not a problem. Latin evolved as a living language long before its patterns started to be traced, grouped, and articulated. Bringing together your previous learning and different insights will help us all to extend and strengthen our understanding.
• Practice new and reviewed material: write out exercises from K&R's main text and Workbook as assigned; check your understanding; supplement with additional exercises; drill vocabulary and forms.
  • Vocabulary resources of particular value include Keller & Russell's Vocabulary Notes - keyed to their chapters, but reaching far beyond.
  • Also valuable: Dickinson College Commentaries Latin Core Vocabulary - one thousand words used the most commonly in Classical Latin texts. The section "Why Core Vocabulary" offers explanation. Scroll down on the Core Vocabulary home-page.
  • Self-monitor to build proficiency customized to your own needs: as you read and work on exercises, flag unfamiliar words. Give them priority for memorization according to their frequency-rating. Practice periodically but steadily. Generating forms is a good way to reinforce knowledge.
• Ask questions in class and in the appropriate Discussion Forum in the Sakai site - questions and answers are expected parts of your Participation score.
• Answer questions in class and in the appropriate Discussion Forum in the Sakai site - questions and answers are expected parts of your Participation score.
• Class meetings are your opportunity to confirm, extend, and polish your learning through discussing one another's further questions and answers, and carrying our practice further - questions and answers are expected parts of your Participation score.
• Write out homework as assigned: it demonstrates your learning and practice.
• Write out short quizzes as scheduled, usually at two-week intervals: they demonstrate your progress and consolidate your retention.
• Write out midterm and final exams: they confirm your progress and consolidate your retention at mid-semester and the end of term.
• Especially when we discuss new grammatical concepts or ones you find counter-intuitive, pin down a working understanding, then come back to it later and make sure it still makes sense. If a concept stops making sense (and some will: they do it to all of us occasionally), ask questions.
• Think about one another's questions and how best they can be answered. Use the Forums to work together on review and new material. Both articulating your questions and offering your own answers give you valuable practice thinking about how language works to make meaning. It's a social enterprise. As you come to the same work from different backgrounds, you are one another's first & best resources. Just never outsource your thinking: make sure your understanding keeps on working for you.
• Consult with your instructor as needed.

Textbooks and resources tied to this class

• Andrew Keller and Stephanie Russell, Learn to Read Latin, 2nd edn., textbook + workbook Part II (Yale UP 2015)
• John A. Stevens, ed., Ciceronis Somnium Scipionis, Bryn Mawn Commentaries (Hackett Publishing Company for Bryn Mawr College 2002)
• Latin Core Vocabulary, ed. Christopher Francese, Dickinson College Commentaries (see further Core Vocabulary Introduction, 2021)
• Concepts for the Study of Latin (follow the links), J. Long
• Guide to pronouncing Classical Latin, J. Long
• Substantive Grid, J. Long
• Verb Grid, J. Long
• Synopsis Grid, J. Long

Review and Re-activation	M 8/24: Re-joining threads W 8/26: Nouns Review: K&R §§ 1-4, 55, 84-85 F 8/28: Regular Verbs: Indicative, Infinitive, & Imperative Review: K&R §§ 5-9, 22-24, 30-33, 40-42, 50-54, 75-76 M 8/31: Important Irregular Verbs: Indicative, Infinitive, & Imperative Review: K&R §§ 10, 11, 21, 43, 119, 120, 126 W 9/2: Adjectives & Pronouns Review: K&R §§ 17-20, 38-39, 44-46, 56, 77-81, 86, 110-112 F 9/4: Short quiz and Infinitives Review: K&R §§ 12, 13, 28, 31, 52, 105-108, 120 M 9/7: Labor Day: no classes W 9/9: Participles Review: K&R §§ 50, 53, 95-100 F 9/11: Subjunctives, to start Review: K&R §§ 64-70, 115 M 9/14: Purpose, Command, and Characteristic Review: K&R §§ 87-89, 94 W 9/16: Subordinate Clauses in Indirect Discourse, Questions, Doubts, and cum-Clauses Review: K&R §§ 109, 116, 117, 118 F 9/18: Short quiz & Conditions Review: K&R §§ 49, 71
Extending Foundations	M 9/21: Gerunds & Gerundives K&R § 123 W 9/23: Assorted Temporal & Causal Clauses K&R § 124 F 9/25: Relatives & Correlatives Review as useful: K&R §§ 78, 79, 89, 94; add § 125 M 9/28: fio, Constructions of Extent, Price, & Value, and Bonus Adverbs K&R §§ 126-131 W 9/30: Consolidation Exercises, Reading, Review F 10/2: Midterm Exam M-T 10/5-6: Mid-Semester Break: no classes W 10/7: Continuous Readings K&R Ch. 13 F 10/9: Indefinites K&R § 132 M 10/12: Results K&R §§ 133-134 W 10/14: Substantive Clauses K&R §§ 135-136 F 10/16: Short quiz, Continuous Readings K&R Ch. 14 M 10/19: Impersonal Verbs of Necessity, Permission, & Propriety; Genitive of Characteristic K&R §§ 137-138 W 10/21: Fear & Prevention K&R §§ 139-140 F 10/23: Impersonal Verbs of Emotion & Interest K&R § 141 M 10/26: Reflection, Attraction, and the Supine K&R §§ 142-144 W 10/28: Accusative of Respect, Accusative with Middle Verbs, Historical Infinitive K&R §§ 145-147 F 10/30: Short quiz, Continuous Readings K&R Ch. 15
More Extended Reading	Texts and Resources Keller & Russell, Longer & Continuous Readings Cicero, Somnium Scipionis Substantive Hunt Grid Verb Hunt Grid Specific assignments will follow the pace of the class's growth in mastery If we find we need more texts, we'll find them Dates of short quizzes and other departures from routine F 11/13: Short quiz W-Sa 11/25-28: Thanksgiving break: no classes W 12/2: Short quiz
Study Day: no exams begin before 4:15pm	W 12/9, 9:00am-4:15pm
Final examination	Sa 12/12, 1:00pm - 3:00pm: see Loyola's Final Exam Schedule

Revised 22 August 2026 by jlong1@luc.edu http://www.luc.edu/classicalstudies/