John sent this and basically cleverly answered his own question:
Ben,
I have a question for you and the blog members regarding the challenges facing teachers of obscure languages in establishing FVR libraries. For first year Latin students, comprehensible and compelling readings simply do not exist. I want to be one to change this, but it will take a long time. In the meantime, I am racking my brain about how to create a library that students can read from on their own. One idea I have is far from ideal, but it seems to me to be the only option. This is dual-language books. So I might take a very simple picture book, or an advanced kids’ reader with illustrations, and simply add Latin text to the pages. This way, students, even during the first semester of study, could pick up a book, any book, and learn something in/about Latin while they are looking at a book they are interested in. It is comprehensible input, it is chosen by students, and it is low anxiety, because the English is right there. I was wondering whether, in your opinion (and that of the blog members), this is a viable option for FVR when the alternative is to have no reading resources for year 1 and 2 students.
Thanks
John
My response is that yes, all we need is a kid’s book in English and then we have to go to the trouble of scotch taping the Latin or whatever language over the English. Instant Latin book. Instant library? No, it would take time, as John said, but hey, it’s a great way to solve a difficult problem.