Picta Dicta makes Learning Latin FUN and Enjoyable! (review)

I received a FREE copy of this product through the HOMESCHOOL REVIEW CREW in exchange for my honest review.  I was not required to write a positive review nor was I compensated in any other way.  All opinions I have expressed are my own or those of my family.  I am disclosing this in accordance with the FTC Regulations.



As you know, Miss Grace has developed a 'thing' about Latin, so when I heard about this new company, and their unique approach to Latin education, I had to check them out"


 Roman Roads Media is a company whose goal is to provide homeschoolers with quality classical Christian curriculum, that is not only affordable, but offers a flexibility most programs don't offer! They use video technology to bring new life to classical programs, like learning Latin via their Picta Dicta Vocabulary Builder and other Latin programs, Fitting Worlds Rhetoric, Old Western Culture, Logic and Grammar of Poetry

Listen to their approach:

After a bit of discussion and thought for the upcoming school year, we decided that using one of their Picta Dicta line of Latin programs might be a great continuing intro class to Latin for Miss Grace. There are 3 different programs under this line: 
- Picta Dicta Natural World - for elementary student, over 400 nouns from nature - Picta Dicta Ancient World- for jr high and up students, over 500 vocabulary words and concepts from Ancient history
and the one we picked:

Picta Dicta Vocabulary Builder is designed for junior high and up students as well, and features a vocabulary of over 1000 Latin words, including verbs, adjectives, prepositions, and nouns. This was a primary reason for picking this course, as I wanted her to get more than just words, which she had gotten in her first Latin preview course- I wanted her to start sinking into the grammar part of the language, to see if it is the one she wants to really take for her foreign language high school requirements. the second reason I picked it, is the program's unique video approach is to use pictures, sounds and contextual meaning together to offer students a deeper understanding of the words they are learning. For kids with right to left brain issues, like dyslexics, this is perfect, as it helps to provide a way for their brains to retain the words better! Plus it has different levels of difficulty, so the course can grow with her, so to speak. 

Let's walk through how the program works first, and then we'll share our review of it:

As you can see the student dashboard is very simple to use and navigate. Which is very important to both of us, as Miss Grace is doing so much independent learning this year, as she edges to that routine for high school. By being able to pick her next assignment, she is in control of what she is learning.
I love how the program uses fables as a primary reading source, as they are such an important part of learning about the Roman culture and their thought process. I love it when programs provide areas of study other than just the one they are teaching! By offering a look into Roman culture and history, via the readings, the program really helps to supplement your child's Ancient Civ lessons! Plus for those with kids who need to work on reading and comprehension, you also have that element included! Score!

Miss Grace really gets INTO this program, as you can see! She loves learning the words and then putting them into context with the English (and Spanish/French!) words she already knows. In fact going through the word screens, like the one below, takes her a lot longer than it should, as she's always stopping and telling me about each word, if I'm nearby (or if not, she'll call or come tell me, LOL). You have to love a program that gets your kid contextual thinking as well! She really likes the painted drawings versus pictures, as she says 'it fits the time period better, as they didn't have photographs back them'....ah the literal child, LOL

As a parent who did NOT take Latin, I really LOVE how the words are repeated, and how she can have the word spoken at any time. Plus having a test afterwords, lets me see how much she learned and took into long term memory, and how the course is working for her. Seeing how she is doing from the parents dashboard is a huge plus. I also like how I can see how LONG she is on the program, so I can tell if she rushed through, or took her time. That helps me know if she needs to go back through one of the sections, or not!

What we found with both of us working on the course is that I tend to 'decipher' a word more than she does, as I had 3 foreign language years, and that has been a huge help. But what I HAVE found is that her SPELLING is actually improving, as is her phonics deciphering, as she puts the puzzle pieces together and sees the roots of words in new ways. As this is a huge weak point for her, this is a great bonus for us! We both have also loved how the program can be accessed from any tablet or computer, so if we are away from home, she can get in some language work, in as little as 15 minutes. Now if we're waiting at the dentist office, she can work on her Latin vocabulary, instead of playing a mindless game (yes, we get to be the 'weird' family in the lobby, LOL)!

The price for the program is really excellent, when you consider HOW much it offers your student, besides a foreign language program! You can get Picta Dicta Vocabulary Builder for 14 months (not the normal 12 months!) at the $79 price, and if you want to add another student, it's only another $15. That combined price point, makes it a very family friendly program, allowing for multiple siblings to learn at once! Be sure to check out our fellow reviewers, to see just how their multiple kids did on the program as well-just click on the image before to get those links:

 Roman Roads Media offers some great classical education programs, besides Picta Dicta! 
So be sure to check out their social media pages for more info on ALL of their great programs:
Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest  and Youtube.