The ABC Technique for Reinforcing Declensional Endings

Because English marks grammatical relationships primarily through word order, declensions can be confounding to some students. Below I outline a technique I have developed for first-semester Latin. It is easily incorporated into most curricula, takes little time, and can be adapted to various teaching styles. Most importantly, it helps find those students who need additional assistance (even if they've not yet realized it).By stripping vocabulary from the sentences, students are forced to focus on form rather than word meaning. When used to supplement other pedagogical approaches, this technique can reveal that declensions have a purpose which transcends torment.