National Latin Exam

Description: The five-week National Latin Exam preparatory course is a weekly online class for those students who will be taking the National Latin Exam in Spring 2021 and want to score well on this exam. The NLE not only includes skill-level appropriate Latin grammar, vocabulary, and syntax but also Roman culture and life, mythology, history, geography, oral Latin, derivatives, mottos, reading comprehension, etc. Students will study each subject(s) week by week via use of slideshows and class interaction as well as independent reading, study, and practice exams. Students need to take the exam that best reflects their current level of Latin study. If there are any questions as to which level of the NLE should be taken, students or parents should confer with either their Latin teacher or with Memoria Press.  

The NLE renamed its exams this year. Updated levels:

• Introductory Latin Exam (same name)
• Beginning Latin Exam (formerly Level 1)
• Intermediate Latin Exam (formerly Level 2)
• Intermediate Latin Reading Comprehension Exam (formerly Level 3)
• Advanced Latin Prose Exam (formerly Latin 3/4 Prose)
• Advanced Latin Poetry Exam (formerly Latin 3/4 Poetry)
• Advanced Latin Reading Comprehension Exam (formerly Level 5/6)

See nle.org for more information. 

Memoria Press Recommendations for Starting the NLE:

• First Form Latin: Do not take the NLE.
• Second Form Latin: Grades 3 - 5: do not take the NLE; grades 6+ Introductory Latin Exam
• Third Form Latin: Introductory Latin Exam for students in grades 6-8, Beginning Latin Exam for students in grades 9-12
• Fourth Form Latin: Beginning Latin Exam for students in grades 7-8, Beginning Latin Exam or Intermediate Latin Exam for students in grades 9-12; if students opt to take Intermediate Latin Exam in Fourth Form then there is some independent work that needs to be completed
• Henle Units 1-5: Introductory Latin Exam for all students regardless of grade
• Henle Units 6-14: Beginning Latin Exam for students regardless of grade
• Henle Latin II (Caesar): Intermediate Latin Exam or Intermediate Latin Reading Comprehension Exam
• Henle Latin III (Cicero): Intermediate Latin Reading Comprehension Exam or Advanced Latin Prose Exam
• AP Latin: Advanced Latin Prose Exam or Advanced Latin Poetry Exam; or Advanced Latin Reading Comprehension Exam

*These suggestions are for those beginning to take the National Latin Exam. If a student has previously taken an exam, they should continue on to the next level the following year. Contact us if you have concerns due to poor performance in previous years.

Dates: Students will register on their own to take the NLE, either online or proctored by an eligible party. Test administration dates are:

• Early Administration Week I: February 22 - February 26, 2021
• Early Administration Week II: March 1 - March 5, 2021
• Regular Administration: March 8 - March 12, 2021

Required Materials: The appropriate NLE Guide by Memoria Press. Students taking NLE Level 3 will use the Level 2 Guide but will also need to purchase To Be A Roman. Students will also need a USB headset microphone (built-in microphones also work).