Learn Latin in Three Steps
So, you're ready to do it: you're ready to finally commit to learning Latin, and you want to do it well. This is the place!
I have taught Latin over more than 20 years, to students of all ages, from a homeschool coop to the Yale Graduate School. As a professional Latin translator, I have done contract work for Yale University Press, Classical Academic Press, and Hollywood, and have published a book-length translation of a 13th century theology of the Eucharist. As a student of language, I have been privileged to work with truly outstanding teachers in several languages, including Father Reginald Foster, widely held to be the most accomplished Latinist of the last several generations.
All of these things play into the curriculum I have designed to prepare you to read Latin texts. My years of teaching have shown me the common pitfalls that students fall into over and over again, and the strategies that help them avoid them; my work as a translator has equipped me to know what will be most useful and important to focus on for the task of reading; and my own failures as a student have given me insight into the principles and practices that are conducive to efficient language learning.
This program, which requires no previous understanding of Latin, will teach you all of Latin grammar and prepare you for reading. Learners who take both courses will be able to begin the journey of reading Latin texts for themselves, and will be positioned to take the Reading Latin Practicum to strengthen their Latin.
There is a $200 discount for students who register for all three courses. You may select this option from the registration form for any course.
If you are unsure which course is right for you, check out my self-diagnostic tool.
Latin Morphology
$200
The goal of this course is to learn the many forms of Latin nouns, adjectives, and verbs in preparation for the study of Latin grammar. This is the course for the absolute beginner, or for those who still need to work on mastering Latin forms.
Tuesdays and Thursdays 7:00 - 8:00 pm CT
March 18 - April 17, 2025
$600
Foundations of Latin Grammar
$600
Following the path set out by the textbook Latin: An Intensive Course by Floyd L. Moreland and Rita M. Fleischer, students will be introduced to Latin syntax with an emphasis on historical development and usage. The language will be studied with an eye to being able to read all of its forms, classical, as well as Medieval, Renaissance, and subsequent usage. Our motto is that if it is in Latin, we ought to be able to read it.
This course requires a previous study of Latin morphology, and so is not for the absolute beginner.
Mondays and Thursdays 7:00-8:30 pm CT
August 7 - October 2, 2025
$600
Intermediate Latin Grammar
$600
This course aims to teach and drill the remaining core features of the Latin language, and serves both to complete the Latin Learning Track and as a great review for intermediate to advanced Latinists. By the end of the course, the student will have seen the breadth of Latin grammar, and all of its major components.
This course is for those who have completed Foundations of Latin Grammar or its equivalent, and for more advanced students looking for a rigorous grammar review. Most teachers and graduate students in the Humanities will fit here.
Mondays and Thursdays, 7:00-8:30 pm CT (*note that the end of Daylight Savings Time will be observed)
October 13 - December 11, 2025
$600
Self-Diagnostic Tool
Which course is right for you? Find yourself on the list below:
I have never studied Latin before.
You should start with Latin Morphology.
I have studied before, and I know a lot of my forms, but I'm still shaky on third declension.
You should start with Latin Morphology. The Foundations course assumes you can fairly quickly recognize all five declensions and verb forms.
I have studied Latin before, and I'm confident with my nouns, adjectives and verbs. I sometimes get tripped up on conditionals, and participles: I often am not sure how to translate them. I don't always notice indirect statement.
Foundations of Latin Grammar is right for you. You need to spend some more time in these fundamental structures that are among the most frequent in the language to make sure they're absolutely solid.
I have studied a good amount of Latin before, or have been teaching it for a long time, but reading still seems out of reach. I know my grammar isn't as solid as it should be, but I can't really put my finger on what's holding me back.
You're ready for Intermediate Latin Grammar. Chances are you don't know some of the more intricate aspects of grammar as well as you need to, and they are taking too much of your attention while you're trying to read. Strengthening that foundation will give you solid legs to stand on for reading.
I don't feel like I have much trouble reading, and my grammar feels pretty solid, but I'm just slow. I want to be able to read faster.
Turn to the Reading Latin Practicum and Sub Arboribus.
Still unsure where you belong? Schedule a 15 minute session with me to talk about it!
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Junius Johnson is one of the best professors I have ever encountered. He is deeply knowledgeable and qualified, but also uses humor and a sense of play to foster a collaborative and engaging learning environment — all while pushing his students to do and be their best. He equipped me with the essential skills of nuanced Latin translation, and perhaps just as importantly instilled in me a love for the language and appreciation for its historical development and contexts. More than a decade after studying with him, I continue to benefit from Professor Johnson’s instruction and in fact am currently translating a ninth-century text for publication.
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With humor, intelligent discussion, and deep insights, Junius Johnson gives you more than an overview or introduction to Latin, he inspires you to keep learning hard things while giving you a vision and much fuller picture of Latin.
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Junius has such a robust understanding of the language, and his passion is contagious. His approach invites parents, educators, and students to re-imagine how they think about Latin, moving from merely transactional to experiential. He’s also not afraid to address many of the “why” questions that all too often go unanswered. Highly recommend!
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Simply put, Junius Johnson is the best Latin teacher I have ever experienced in my many years of supervising education. He is a true scholar of the Latin language from the classical period to the neo-Latin present; he has success teaching every age and skill level. Junius is compassionate with those who are less gifted than he, but still manages to stretch his students in a friendly and inviting manner. I wholeheartedly recommend him to you as your teacher. Trust me, the encounter will be memorable.