Via Facilis: Mastering Latin and Understanding Language, is an introductory Latin text for students from grade 6 through college. VF presumes no prior critical analysis of language. VF employs both traditional grammatical deductive and reading-based inductive pedagogies in a hybrid method. VF begins the learning of Latin through English, which the students know and scrutinize, however subconsciously. Once the students are actively aware both of the basic elements of the English sentence, and of their composition and arrangement therein, they turn their focus to Latin. VF helps students develop sensitivity to the structure of Latin: how its sentences build and change. The keystone of VF is Building Blocks. Each chapter's Building Blocks require students to continually revisit the same words, an aid to vocabulary acquisition. Revisitation calls attention to word order. The various permutations from block to block enable students to see Latin's flexibility. Students can read original Latin with real comprehension at an early stage because of their solid grasp of the morphology and syntax of the language fostered by a keen awareness of how the Latin sentence builds. Finally, students develop a consciousness of the fundamental workings and idiosyncracies not just of English, but of language in general. | Via Facilis by Richard Gilder, Paperback | Indigo Chapters