A Note about the Songs..

Many Latin teachers have discovered the benefit of using songs to help students remember endings.  On this page are the lyrics to the songs I use.  I wrote a few but many I borrowed/ stole from other teachers.  I have credited the authors wherever possible.  The book that I have used most often, Ecce Romani, introduces the case endings across declensions rather than all in one declension. Therefore  these songs are designed so that students can recognize different case endings across first and second and in accusative case, across third declension as well.

Regardless of what text you are using,   I find this makes so much more logical sense than memorizing the chart as a declension of endings.  Students when translating will first need to find nominative endings, then accusative. It is much more helpful if they are grouped together by case rather than declension in their memory. Otherwise, they have to run through each declension and pick out the nominative/ accusative or whatever they are looking for as they go up and down the lists.  I've heard students do this.  It's quite impressive when they can, but it takes a while. If you are following a grammar oriented text such as Jenny's or Latin for Americans,  I would suggest that you use these songs to help students more quickly recognize the endings by case rather than declension. 

When teaching these songs,  I find it useful in many cases to play a short clip of the original. They can all be found on Youtube. Don't assume that students will just know the tune.  Even the traditional Christmas songs are not familiar to all students. You will then need to sing it to them with the new lyrics and then conduct them all together.  Classes vary a lot in terms of their enjoyment of singing.  Some will sing these songs constantly in and out of class.  Other students will groan and roll their eyes at you.  Regardless,  the songs really do help and the entertainment value breaks up the class makes Latin memorable and unique.