Merry Christmas!

Gaudete! Hodie Christus natus est! (Rejoice! Today Christ is born!)

Felicem Diem Christi Natalem Omnibus Exopto! (Merry Christmas to All!)

Joyful Latin Learning!

Are you reading Justin Schwamm's Joyful Latin Learning blog? If you aren't, you really ought to be! This is an interactive web project with the aim of building a collaborative and "joyful learning community" focused on Latin and the Roman Empire. Building on the principles of Paideia and the Trivium, as well as integrating the two main pedagogical approaches to Latin, Joyful Latin Learning aims to create and share content and stories with a wide online audience.

Teaching Classical Languages: A New Online Electronic Journal

We have just received an exciting new announcement from John Gruber-Miller, professor of Classical and Modern Languages at Cornell College and the author of When Dead Tongues Speak: Teaching Beginning Greek and Latin.

Teaching Classical Languages is a peer-reviewed electronic journal dedicated to exploring how we teach (and how we learn) Latin and Greek. It is meant for all who teach Latin and Greek, graduate students, coordinators, and administrators. Teaching Classical Languages is the successor of CPL Online and is sponsored by the Classical Association of the Middle West and South.

The mission of Teaching Classical Languages is to provide accessible, high quality research that offers Latin and Greek teachers immediate classroom applicability and long-term theoretical approaches that can help them become better teachers. As an electronic journal, Teaching Classical Languages has a unique global outreach. It offers authors and readers a multimedia format that more fully illustrates the topics discussed, and provides hypermedia links to related information and websites.

The first issue offers innovative articles about social networking in the Latin classroom, using music in beginning Greek, and core vocabulary in beginning Greek textbooks. All three articles take advantage of online publication, offering screen shots, audio of the songs, handouts for the classroom, or appendices that list the common core vocabulary in two popular Greek textbooks.

Andrew Reinhard, "Social Networking in Latin Class: A How-To Guide"

Georgia L. Irby-Massie, "'That Ain't Workin'; That's the Way You Do It': Teaching Greek through Popular Music"

Rachael Clark, "Greek Vocabulary in Popular Textbooks"

Teaching Classical Languages welcomes articles offering innovative practice and methods, advocating new theoretical approaches, or reporting on empirical research in teaching and learning Latin and Greek. Please take a moment to take a tour through the new journal and spread the word.

Take a Trip to Pompeii Without Leaving Home

BBC News reports "Ancient City of Pompeii Added to Google Street View."

Saint Nicholas and the Legenda Aurea

Advent is upon us and it's time to start thinking toward Christmas!

Blessed Jacobus de Voragine, a medieval archbishop and biographer, chronicled a number of stories about the saints in a book entitled the Legenda Aurea ("The Golden Legend") , including the biography of a certain Sanctus Nicolaus, whose story you can read, in Latin, on the Latin Library website. The feast day of St. Nicholas is December 6th and in some European countries this is the day that children wake up to find gifts and sweets left in their shoes . De Voragine also recorded the story of Sancta Lucia, whose feast day is December 13th, another joyful holiday celebrated in many European countries with parties, angel costumes, candles and sweets.

If you'd prefer, you can read two English versions of the St. Nicholas story from the Legenda Aurea:

http://weber.ucsd.edu/~dkjordan/scriptorium/Nicholas.html

http://www.fordham.edu/halsall/basis/goldenlegend/

First Sunday in Advent, Forty Years of Vernacular Language

An interesting article in the New York Times this weekend, entitled "Latin Mass Appeal," commemorating the 40th anniversary of the reforms of Vatican II, which brought the vernacular to the Mass, replacing Latin. Since 1969, Roman Catholic churches have celebrated Mass in the languages of the people of the parish. This op-ed explains some of the history behind the transition from Latin to modern languages, as well as the desire of many, surprisingly young traditionalists and conservatives who wish to return to the use of Latin in the Mass.

Latin Centered Curriculum

Memoria Press has set up a new Latin-Centered Curriculum online community for Classical homeschoolers who follow the dictum multum, non multa.

Conventiculum: Rusticatio Virginiana 2010

Details are now available for Rusticatio Virginiana 2010! The Rusticatio is a week of total immersion in the Latin language, designed for participants at all levels of experience in conversational Latin. It will take place July 18-24, 2010.

Complete information and registration forms are available for download at SALVI (Septentrionale Americanum Latinitatis Vivae Institutum: The North American Institute for Living Latin Studies).

Classical Association of New England Newsletter: CANEns

Visit the Classical Association of New England's website to download the most recent issue of their newsletter, CANEns! Just click on the 'canens' button!

Save Classics at Michigan State University!

The Classics Department at Michigan State is under threat of closure!

Please see David Meadow's excellent commentary at Rogue Classicism, to find out what you can do to help save the Classics at this land-grant university. Then, please consider signing an on-line petition in support of MSU Classics. At the time of this blog posting, there are only 401 signatures.

More News About Latin From Across the Pond!

More news today from the United Kingdom!

The Daily Mail is reporting, "Latin in Classroom Comeback As 60 Primary Schools Make Ancient Language Compulsory." According to the article, at one point, only 100 comprehensive schools (similar to American public high schools) offered Latin. Now, one in six of all secondary level schools in the UK provide for instruction in Latin.

It's obvious that the efforts of the Cambridge Schools Classics Project and the Iris Project are making a significant impact on Classics education in Britain!

Latin Inspires, Enthuses!

See Dr. Lorna Robinson's commentary in today's Independent (UK): "Dr. Lorna Robinson: 'Latin Inspires and Enthuses Children." Dr. Robinson directs the Iris Project, a British charity promoting Classics in schools, especially government-funded schools and schools in urban areas.

Edited to add: A companion article, "Haud Mea Culpa, Domina," in the same paper reports on a new initiative to bring Latin into British state primary schools and offers some conversational Latin as well. (American teachers dealing with No Child Left Behind legislation will certainly be able to sympathize with their British colleagues and find useful the translation for "Where does my school come in the league tables?")

Remembering the Veterans,

Read "Back From War, But Not Really Home" (New York Times, November 8, 2009) by Caroline Alexander for a wonderful op-ed reflecting this week on the sacrifice of veterans which also weaves in the ancient story of Odysseus. According to Ms. Alexander, from the songs of the ancients, we learn that it is the duty of civilians to pass on the stories of the deaths of soldiers in battle and of their returns home. It's not so difficult (though, of course, quite painful) to memorialize those who fall, but she also show how we can learn from Homer how to commemorate those who return.

Also, see previous blog entries relevant to Veteran's Day (US) and Remembrance Sunday (UK):

"Soap Operas and Sophocles: Post Traumatic Stress Disorder and Healing"

"What the Ancient Greeks Have to Teach Us About Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder"

Conventiculum Dickinsoniense July 5 -10, 2010!

From Christopher Francese
Associate Professor of Classical Studies
Dickinson College (Carlisle, PA)

Hear ye, hear ye, all of ye looking for a great summer experience in active Latin . . . .

Conventiculum Dickinsoniense July 5 -10, 2010!

The Conventiculum Dickinsoniense is a new total immersion seminar in active Latin. It is specifically designed for all cultivators of Latin who wish to gain some ability to express themselves ex-tempore in correct Latin.

A wide range of people can benefit from the seminar: professors in universities, teachers in secondary schools, graduate students, undergraduates and other lovers of Latin, provided that anyone who considers applying has a solid understanding of the grammatical essentials of the Latin language. A minimum requirement is knowledge of Latin grammar and the ability to read a Latin text of average complexity, even if using a dictionary often. No previous experience in speaking Latin is necessary.

Sessions will be aimed exclusively at developing ability in speaking, understanding others speaking, reading and discussing texts in the target language. After the first evening, Latin will be the exclusive language used in the seminar. Participants will be involved in intensive activity each day from morning until early evening (with breaks for lunch, etc., of course), and will discuss themes ranging from topics in books, literature and art to the routines and activities of daily life. The seminar will illustrate not only how active Latin can be useful for teachers, but also how cultivating an active facility in Latin can benefit any cultivator of Latin who wishes to acquire a more instinctive command of the language and a more intimate relationship with Latin writings.

Moderators:
Prof. Milena Minkova, University of Kentucky
Prof. Terence Tunberg, University of Kentucky

Conventiculum Dickinsoniense can accept a maximum number of 40 participants. Deadline for applications in May 1, 2010. The participation fee for each participant will $300. The fee includes lodging in a single room in campus housing, and two meals (breakfast and lunch) per day, as well as the opening dinner, and a special cookout at the Dickinson farm for one night. That also covers the facilities fee, which allows access to the gym, fitness center, and the library, as well as internet access. The $300 fee does not include the cost of dinners (except for the opening dinner and the cookout at the Dickinson farm), and does not include the cost of travel to and from the seminar. Dinners can easily be had at restaurants within walking distance from campus.

For more information and application instructions write to:
Professor Terence Tunberg
email: terence.tunberg@gmail.com

Edited to Add...The Dickinson Latin Camp and The Conventiculum Dickinsoniense will be held back to back, which makes it even easier for those of you who would like to attend both!!!

Two Classics Programs, Different Outlooks

The Chicago Flame, which serves the University of Illinois at Chicago campus, asks in its current edition, "Will the Classics Department Survive?" According to the article, the department is in a period of "transition" and faces the loss of both the Greek and Latin major courses.

Meanwhile, The Hawk, the student newspaper of St. Joseph's University, a Catholic Jesuit school in Philadelphia, today sings the praises of their Classics department in "Keeping it Classy: Classics Majors Experience a Unique, Intimate Program."

Post-Bulletin Teacher of the Month

Ellen Sassenberg, who teaches Latin at Mayo High School in Rochester, Minnesota, has been named the Post-Bulletin teacher of the month.

Belated Halloween

Unfortunately, this comes a bit late for this year's holiday, but for those of you who are still in the Halloween spirit, or for those of you who are hyperorganized and already planning for next year, Archaeology magazine recently ran a series of online feature articles centered around "the archaeology of Halloween, witches and witchcraft, creatures of the night, and ancient curses and magic." Archaeology is an official publication of the Archaeological Institute of America.

Look Up Latin Words and Make the World a Better Place!

It used to be that Latin students and teachers could only dream of owning a copy of A Latin Dictionary: Founded on Andrews' Edition of Freund's Latin Dictionary: Revised, Enlarged, and in Great Part Rewritten by Charlton T. Lewis, Ph.D. and Charles Short, LL.D. Retailing at $240, this authoritative reference has been out of reach for most poor but proud Classicists, who have had to make do with a school or departmental copy.

Now, Latin students and teachers can consult Lewis and Short whenever they want! And they don't have to carry around a five pound book either!

Latin teacher and entrepreneur Clint Hagen of A Third Way Technologies (a3w) has created a wonderful new version of this Latin dictionary, Glossa, which has both web-based and desktop capabilities! And it's free (thanks to a Creative Commons license), though the author does ask that you consider making a charitable donation to one of his favorite worthy causes, if you find the software useful.

The content of the dictionary is in the public domain, having been published in 1879, but until recently only available as a rather unwieldy tome! Web 2.0 has led to the creation of Glossa, as well as other virtual versions of this venerable reference (notably Lexidium for the iPhone/iPod Touch).

According to A3W's homepage, "Glossa combines a unique interface with a commitment to full exploration of a Latin word's possible meanings. The type-ahead suggest feature allows words to be found easily as you type, and the database gives you full definitions of words, including examples from Latin literature and etymologies. The sidebar shows you where you are in the dictionary, giving you the ten words before the current entry and the ten words after." This is a wonderful feature, building in the look and feel of a traditional dictionary, while adapting it to modern technology!

You can even hyperlink to dictionary entries, which I think will definitely also prove quite useful!

magnĭfĭcē! (the adverbial form of magnĭfĭcus, courtesy of Glossa!) Well done, A3W! (Glossa even supplies macrons and breves!)

Visit A Third Way Technologies and try it out for yourself!

Latin Teacher Named WGN Teacher of the Month October 2009

Erin Flynn of Lincoln Way Centeral High School is the WGN Television Teacher of the Month for October 2009!

 

Cambridge School Classics Project Update

The Cambridge School Classics Project Stage Activities continue to be unavailable, but it sounds as if they will be back in mid-November, albeit with a small fee for schools and home users who wish to use the online resources. Schools will be charged a modest per annum fee ($30 per school) plus a small user fee ($2) for each student, enabling students and staff to access the Cambridge activities from home and school. Homeschooling families will pay a $10 charge per user per year. For full details see the Stage Activities site.

Martha Stewart as Medusa!

Today's Martha Stewart show features the domestic goddess as Medusa, surrounded by living "marble" statues, costumed as mythological gods and goddesses! Lots of Classical references, colonnades and statuary! Actress Blake Lively appears as Egyptian empress Cleopatra.

Also check out the very cool "Hippocrates Bust Candle" craft.

Thanks to Linda F for the alert!

The Canadian Opposition Party Leader Does Not Speak Latin

Just in case you were wondering...

From The Canadian Press via Yahoo:

"Mea Culpa: Latin Press Release from Liberals No Magnum Opus"

Second Annual Terence Awards Announcement

Details of the Second Annual Terence Award competition have been released. The Terence Award bestows cash awards and book vouchers to those junior high, high school, and university students whose videos are deemed to most convey Classics in a way that is informative, entertaining, or both. Last year the contest was open only to those living in the U.S., but this year a category of "Foreign Film" has been added for non-US citizens living outside of the US and its Territories.

Prizes are awarded in the following categories:

• Best Picture, Junior Prize (junior high, high school, or homeschool student(s) ages 11–18 at the time the film was created)
• Best Picture, Senior Prize (college or university students aged 18+ at the time the film was created)
• Best Foreign Film Prize (all levels, students who are non-US citizens living outside of the United States and its Territories at the time the film was created)

The Best Picture and Best Foreign Film prizes recognize excellence in student filmmaking which include exceptional creativity, superb writing, acting, and production of a movie with Classical themes including, but not limited to history, mythology, and/or culture. Movies may be set in any time period (past, present, future, or a combination thereof) and can be live-action, animated (including machinima), or a mix of live action and animation. The use of Latin and/or Greek is encouraged, but not required. Subtitles may be used.

• Best Use of Latin in a Film Prize (all levels, Classical, Medieval, Vulgate, etc.)
• Best Use of Greek in a Film Prize (all levels, Homeric, Classical, or Koine)

The Best Use of Latin/Greek prizes celebrate excellence and creativity in the integration of Latin and/or Greek into a student-created film. To be eligible for these prizes, the films must contain Latin/Greek subtitles and/or Latin/Greek spoken dialogue or narration.

A single film can win both a Best Picture prize and a Best Use of Latin/Greek prize. The Best Foreign Film prize-winner is also eligible to win Best Picture (Junior) or Best Picture (Senior).

Winners will also have their videos featured on the eClassics homepage for one month, and will be designated as a Terence Award-winner for all time.

The grant to fund cash prizes for the Best Picture winners (Junior and Senior) and Best Foreign Film is made through Excellence Through Classics (ETC, a standing committee of the American Classical League for the promotion and support of Elementary, Middle School and Introductory Classics Programs). Winners of Best Use of Latin/Greek will receive vouchers for free books from Bolchazy-Carducci.

Winners will be announced at the American Classical League Summer Institute on June 27, 2010, and will be simultaneously posted on eClassics and on various Classics discussion lists.

To obtain full details on the contest rules and how how to enter please contact Andrew Reinhard, Director of eLearning at Bolchazy-Carducci, at areinhard@bolchazy.com.

The deadline for submissions is May 30, 2010. Videos may be entered either electronically or by postal mail. Late submissions will not be considered. Submissions cannot be returned.

There is no entry submission fee.

Legible Latin

Legible Latin is a Latin dictionary and text reader software package written by Thomas McCarthy and available from Perlingua Language Tools. With it, you can analyze text for reading. Seven well-known texts come with Legible Latin (Caesar, Cicero, Sallust, Vergil, Livy, the Gospels and the Gesta Romanorum) or you can paste in your own text or retrieve it from an online source. The program also includes a "macronizer" for adding macrons to Latin text. The dictionary utilized by Legible Latin is based upon Whitaker's Words, but you can also look up words through the program's interface with dictionaries on the internet (via the Perseus Project or a dictionary of your own choosing). Legible Latin is free and comes in all three flavors, Windows/Mac/Linux. Legible Latin is produced by the same company that brought you SightWords.

C.I.C.E.R.O.

C.I.C.E.R.O. is an acronym that used to stand for for Certamen in Concordiam Europam Regionum Omnium ("A Competition to Promote Harmony in All Areas of Europe") but due to the expansion beyond Europe into Tunisia and Australia (see the breaking news regarding this development on the ARLT Weblog), C.I.C.E.R.O has now gone international and the acronym now stands for Certamen in Concordiam Europam Regionumque Orbis ("A Competition to Promote Harmony in All Areas of Europe and the World".) The C.I.C.E.R.O. competition is a challenging translation competition for "Sixth Form Classicists." (To translate this for Americans, students in the European "Sixth Form" would be high school juniors and seniors stateside.)

Visit the official C.I.C.E.R.O. site to find out more about this competition, which has the patronage of of the Secretary General of the Council of Europe. Do be aware that the site hasn't been updated to reflect the international status of the competition yet. For the latest breaking news, you will want to visit the CiceroCertamen Channel on Youtube.

Learning Latin Lasts a Long Time

A retiree reminisces about what he learned in Latin class over sixty years ago in "Storytelling: Learning from Year of Latin Lasted a Lifetime" (The Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, October 28, 2009)

One More Deadline! Coming Soon!

Applications for the The Classical Association of the Middle West and South's 2009 Translation Contest are due this Friday, October 30, 2009.

(The unofficial word is that they will likely forgive you if you get your registration in a day or two late...)

View a list of other Classical contests!

Make that Deadline This Year!

APPROACHING DEADLINES

There's Still Time!

Association foR Latin Teaching

Latin Reading Contest
(United Kingdom-only, I assume. I didn't notice a deadline.)
http://arltblog.wordpress.com/2009/10/24/arlt-reading-competition-2010/

Edited to Add another Contest... Applications for the The Classical Association of the Middle West and South's 2009 Translation Contest are due this Friday, October 30, 2009. (The unofficial word is that they will likely forgive you if you get your registration in a day or two late...)

Golden Sponge Stick Mystery Story Writing Contest
http://flavias.blogspot.com/2009/08/golden-sponge-stick-comp-09.html
Open internationally this year, still open for entries, but the December 10, 2010 entry deadline is approaching.

Phaedrus Latin Contest
http://www.phaedruslatincontest.org/index.php
Entries due March 1, 2010, but you need to sign your students up before the end of 2009 calendar year.

National Mythology Exam
http://www.etclassics.org/nme.html
Deadline: January 15, 2010

Classical Literacy Exam
No Latin required, but will include some memorized phrases and mottoes.
http://abqlatin.com/classical-literacy-exam
Deadline: January 15, 2010

National Latin Exam

http://www.nle.org
Deadline: January 16, 2010

National Greek Exam

http://nge.aclclassics.org

Deadline: January 19, 2010

Medusa Myth Exam
http://www.medusaexam.cjb.net/
Deadline: February 13, 2010

Exploratory Latin Exam
http://www.etclassics.org/ele.html
Exams may be administered at any point between October 1, 2009 and April 1, 2010. Teachers must return completed exams within one week after each administration. Results from all exams, regardless of administration date, will be sent in May 2010.

LINKS TO LAST YEAR'S CONTESTS

Already awarded in 2009

Awaiting New Announcements for 2010

ACL Poster Contest
http://www.aclclassics.org/Institute/2009/Poster.aspx

Bernice Fox Writing Contest
http://department.monm.edu/classics/Department/FoxContest

Updated to Add the C.I.C.E.R.O. competition

http://www.ciceroeuropa.eu/

http://www.youtube.com/user/cicerocertamen

and the Terence Awards sponsored by Bolchazy-Carducci

http://eclassics.ning.com/profiles/blogs/first-annual-terence-awards

The Death of Language

Interesting feature story on the BBC4 Radio website entitled "The Death of Language?" I was fascinated to read about the rebirth of the Hebrew language in this article.

Peregrinatio and Tarheel Reader

Visit Peregrinatio, Anna Peregrina's new blog where she is currently providing details and links about the online books that she has created using Tarheel Reader. Her books review vocabulary from the Cambridge Latin Course. She'll continue to update her blog as she creates more mini-book reviews and activities. (Latin currently leads all languages, except English in the foreign languages section with over 300 online books!)

I'm sure Anna Peregrina will think of other things to add to her blog too!

All Those Latin Endings!

Many people are aware of Paul Diederich's Word Frequency count and the Whitaker's Words dictionary web applet that has been built upon it. Diederich also did an Ending Frequency, which includes a list of Eighteen Common Endings as well as a set of Rules Governing Variable Endings, plus The Twenty Two Rare Endings and some Penultimate Signs. If you are having trouble getting all those inflections straight in your head, you might want to take a look at The Frquency of Latin Words and Their Endings.

The Saturnalia Solution

A columnist for the Bangor Daily News advises recent graduates and other job seekers to keep a positive attitude during their search for employment, explaining how "[getting] a grip on a little ancient history" can help them feel less alone and more upbeat about their plight. Read "Jobless? Party in the Spirit of Rome" (10 October 2009) by Rosemary Herbert.

Practice Your Declensions!

The Latin Library has a simple online quizlet for practicing the five Latin declensions.

North American Institute for Living Latin Studies Online

SALVI, the website for the Septentrionale Americanum Latinitatis Vivae Institutum, otherwise known as the North American Institute for Living Latin Studies, is back online again. The new website includes added features, including a resources page, information about the annual Rusticatio, and a community page.

Appreciating Ecclesiastical Latin!

If you have an interest in Ecclesiastical or Church Latin and Latin grammar, you'll enjoy visiting the Latin Appreciation Workshop blog. There are many links to Latin prayers, chants and music. This a great example of a small group of interested people getting together to learn some Latin for fun and enrichment.

Message from Reginald Foster

Those of you who have taken Latin courses from Fr. Reginald Foster in Rome will be happy to hear from him. For many years, Fr. Foster served as the Pope's Latinist and also conducted summer courses for Latin teachers and graduate students in Rome. He sends his greetings in both Latin and English via YouTube!

Twenty Years of Pompeiiana! Nine Years to Go!

Andrew Reinhard has just announced that 20 volumes of Pompeiiana Newsletter have been placed online so far! Nine volumes remain to be placed online!

For those of you who are too young to remember, the Pompeiiana Newsletter was published for Latin students by Bernard Barcio from 1974 through 2003. Much of the material in the newsletter was contributed by its readers. All 229 issues of these treasured Latin comics, stories, games, and articles are being made freely available to all on the Pompeiiana Blog.

Andrew has been adding one issue per day, so keep checking back to enjoy Pompeiiana once again or for the first time!

Useful Conversational Greek for the Classroom!

Many Latin teachers have found that introducing conversational Latin into their classrooms is not only fun and motivational for their students, but also helps them learn the language faster and better. Now Ancient Greek teachers and students can get in on the conversation too with some simple classroom expressions in Attic Greek from the University of New Mexico.

Math, Science, History and Latin connection

Science Daily is reporting that "buried coins may hold key to solving mystery of ancient Roman population." (6 October 2009) In a fascinating story, a biologist and a historian have concluded that ancient Rome was not as populated as previously believed. Read the article at Science Daily to see this fascinating connection between mathematics, science, numismatic history and Latin.

Latin for Children

Evan Millner has added a new component to the Latinum course, entitled Latin for Children, which offers short lessons (typically one minute maximum) introducing Latin through the Direct method , which is also sometimes called the Natural method or Immersion method. These lessons utilize flash animation and audio language.

(Find out more about Latin language teaching methodologies.)

Another Cool Classics Tool!

Poeta Ex Machina is a cool tool that allows you to listen to Latin poetry chanted, creating mp3s from any text in any meter. Not surprisingly, it was created by Lee Butterman, who also designed NoDictionaries, a wonderful online vocabulary engine which helps users increase their reading fluency! You'll need to provide the scanned meter (directions here). You can toggle macrons and elisions in the passage if you'd like to view them as the Poeta recites.

For those of you just beginning Latin, it is possible to enter just one word in order to hear its proper pronunciation.

Nero's Rotating Dining Hall Uncovered!

The New York Times AP news wire is reporting "Nero's Rotating Banquet Hall Unveiled in Rome." (29 September 2009). Archaeologists believe that this is the rotating dining room described by Suetonius in his Life of Nero.

Vast Hoard of Anglo Saxon Gold Treasure Unearthed in England

An unemployed treasure hunter with a used metal detector has discovered an incredible trove of gold and silver treasure buried in a field in central England.

Visit msnbc.com for Breaking News, World News, and News about the Economy

You can see more pictures of this unbelievable discovery at the BBC News site as well as the National Geographic, as well as on the photo-sharing site Flickr. (Thanks to Terrence Lockyer for pointing out the Flickr set!)

One piece bears a Latin inscription reading "Rise up O Lord, and may thy enemies be dispersed and those who hate thee.")

More stories on this find, which reference the inscription:

"A New Angle on the Saxons" (TimesOnline, 27 September 2009)

"Staffordshire Hoard: Experts Wept at Sight of Anglo-Saxon Gold" (TimesOnline, 25 September 2009)

followed by this wonderful letter in response: "Why Education Must Be a National Treasure: The Danger Posed by Poor Latinity Was Recognized by King Alfred...so why not our Government?" from Paul Gazzoli, of the Department of Anglo-Saxon, Norse and Celtic at the University of Cambridge.

North Carolina is For Classicists in the Summer of 2010!

North Carolina is for Classicists in the Summer of 2010!

The American Classical League (ACL) has announced the details for the ACL Institute 2010. The 63rd Annual Institute and 87th Annual Meeting will be held at Wake Forest University, Winston-Salem, North Carolina from Saturday, June 26th, 2010, to Monday, June 28, 2010. The theme is "Peace and War: Tu regere imperio populos, Romane, memento (Hae tibi erunt artes.), pacique imponere morem, parcere subiectis et debellare superbos."

(from Vergil's Aeneid, Book VI, lines 851-3).

There will be pre-institute workshops on Friday June 25th and Saturday, June 26th.

To get more information about the ACL Institute 2010, please see the Call for Pre-Institute Workshops and Call for Institute Papers and Workshops at the American Classical League website.

For Classical Christian school teachers, the Association of Classical and Christian Schools (ACCS) will hold their 2010 ACCS Annual Conference from June 17 through June 18th in Durham, North Carolina at the Sheraton Imperial Hotel and Convention Center.

Iris Magazine September 2009 Issue Available

Lorna Robinson, director of The Iris Project, based in Oxford, UK, announces that the Autumn 2009 issue of Iris magazine is now available. This issue examines the influences and interpretations of epic and includes the following features:

• Iris chat: Margaret George, author of Helen of Troy
  
• Home Thoughts from Abroad: Virgil's Aeneid
• 1000 Years Before Homer: The epic of Gilgamesh
  
• Masters of War: Epic battles on film
  
• A Marriage of Minds: Arabic and Classical epic
  
• News feature: A Mosaic for the London Olympics 2012
  
• Travelogue: Ephesus

Additional articles focus on outreach, news, reviews, quizzes, puzzles, translation, fiction, and advice. To find out how to order a copy of Iris magazine, visit The Iris Project website. The Iris Project is a registered charity in the United Kingdom that promotes Classical education for students in state-funded schools and in urban settings.

Hadrian's Wall Country in England

There's a wonderful article, accompanied by a visual interactive feature, in the October 2009 Smithsonian Magazine, "Trekking Hadrian's Wall." Follow Andrew Curry's east-to-west adventure along the 84 mile long trail.

If you haven't been fortunate enough to visit northern England, along the border with Scotland, you'll certainly be tempted to book a visit after reading Curry's article.

Be sure to visit the official Hadrian's Wall Country website as well, where you can read about the history of Hadrian's Wall and browse the incredible photographic and video libraries, as well as plan a visit.

Spoken Latin Webinars Quickly Approaching

Bolchazy-Carducci will be presenting two Webinars featuring Milena Minkova and Terence Tunberg in September 2009.

The first webinar is "Training Techniques for Spoken Latin Expression," webcasting September 23, 2009 from 6-8 PM Eastern. Tunberg and Minkova maintain that active use of Latin can help all students and teachers, whether the teacher prefers a more inductive, reading-oriented approach to teaching Latin, or a more analytical and grammatical approach. Participants in this webinar will explore a range of activities involving spoken Latin designed for learners at various levels ranging from beginners to the advanced.

The second webinar is “Virtual Conventiculum," to be held September 30th, 2009, 6-8PM Eastern. This webinar is designed for people who have had some previous experience in spoken Latin and have acquired at least a moderate ability to express themselves orally in the language. Activities will be focused on enhancing vocabulary relating to various spheres of daily life, as well as discussion of short Latin texts in Latin. The Virtual Conventiculum will be conducted entirely in Latin.

Tuition for each webinar is $99.00. RSVP to 847.526.4344 or online at http://www.bolchazy.com/webinars.html.

Class-size is limited to 20 participants on a first-come, first-served basis.

Latin in the News!

A few recent newspaper articles about the Latin language and Roman culture:

"Why Learn Latin? To Better Understand Harry Potter," The Herald-Mail, September 18, 2009

"Latin on the Increase at Winchester School," Hampshire Chronicle, September 18, 2009

"Ben Hur Spectacular Premiers in London," Yahoo News, September 16, 2009

Ancient Rome and America Exhibit, Philadelphia Spring 2010

If you will be anywhere near Philadelphia in Spring 2010, make plans to visit the National Constitution Center. As part of its focus upon "important moments and iconic figures that changed history," the National Constitution Center will be presenting an exhibit entitled Ancient Rome and America in Spring 2010. According to the Center's press release, this will be a 6,000 square foot exhibition and will include a large number of artifacts from the Republican and Imperial periods. Connections will be made between the founding fathers of the American government and the Roman Republic, as well as the continuing influence of the Romans upon our modern world.

Connect the Classics with Science!

Here's a great project for those of you who would like to show the connection between the study of Latin, Greek, and the Classics with the modern world of science! Check out this fabulous printable star wheel project from Sky and Telescope magazine!

Dickinson Summer 2010 Workshop

Summer 2009 is over and it's time to think about what you'll be doing in Summer 2010!

The Dickinson Summer 2010 Workshop

Participants will read selections from De orbe novo by the Italian humanist Peter Martyr of Angleria (1457-1526), the most important early account of Columbus' voyages to the new world. This work was originally written in Latin, and was complete by 1501. Martyr did not travel to the new world himself, but did interview Columbus and his shipmates, as well as other players in the events. His Latin is not difficult, and the spare and straightforward style of this work could best be compared among classical works to Caesar's commentaries.

Given the topic this year, a special invitation is extended to teachers and scholars interested in early contacts between Europe and the Americas who would like to read De Orbe Novo in the original.

INSTRUCTORS: Prof. Christopher Francese and Prof. Meghan Reedy, both of the Dickinson College Department of Classical Studies

TO APPLY: please contact Mrs. Barbara McDonald (see contact information at http://latincamp.wetpaint.com/) by the application deadline May 1, 2010.

FEE: The fee for 2010 is $300, due in a check made out to Dickinson College, by the fee deadline June 1, 2010. Please send it to Mrs. Barbara McDonald, Department of Classical Studies, Dickinson College, Carlisle, PA 17013. (The full cost is about twice that, but the workshop is subsidized by the Roberts Fund for Classical Studies.)

MORE INFORMATION: http://latincamp.wetpaint.com/

Colonial American Latin Curriculum

Cheever's Accidence was an elementary Latin grammar, studied by students at Boston Latin School in the early colonial period. According to John A. Nietz, in his book The Evolution of American Secondary School Textbooks, students also studied forms and syntax in more depth in Lily's Latin Grammar, practiced spoken Latin from Corderius' Colloquies and read Aesop's Fables in Latin. You can find a copy of Cheever's Accidence at the Stepping Heavenward blog.

View some sample curricula from the early American period.

The Classics Department at Holy Cross College has an extensive website, Latin in Early America, describing how the Classics were taught in the 17th and 18th centuries in America.

Free Latin for the New Millennium Webinar Coming Soon

Bolchazy-Carducci will be presenting a free Latin for the New Millennium Webinar on September 17, 6-8 p.m. Eastern Standard Time, with information about both volumes of their new Latin curriculum,. which combines both a grammar-based and reading-based approach.

Memoria Press First Form Latin

Memoria Press has just published a new Latin curriculum, First Form Latin. Known for their adherence to "grammar-first" principles, this program will eventually add a DVD component as well. A follow-up volume, Second Form Latin, is planned as well. See sample pages from their student textbook and workbook as well as the teacher's manual, plus examine a sample First Form Recitation at Memoria Press.

Golden Sponge Stick Competition 2009

The prestigious Golden Sponge Stick competition, inspired by the Caroline Lawrence Roman Mysteries series, is a fiction-writing contest for primary and secondary level students (with three age categories). Each student who enters writes a short story or a mystery/detective story/thriller of 1500 words or less, set in Rome or during Roman times, which displays some historical research or knowledge of Roman daily life in the story. Previously this competition was only open to students in the United Kingdom, where the Roman Mysteries novels were originally published, but this year the contest has been opened internationally. The winning entry will receive, of course, a golden sponge-stick!

Full details about this contest, as well as writing tips, are available at Flavia Gemina's (aka Caroline Lawrence) Roman Mysteries Blog. Get those pencils sharpened!

Methodological Considerations for Learning Latin

Evan Millner, creator of the Latinum Course, a complete multi-level audio course for Classical Latin, based upon the 19th century textbook "A Practical Grammar of the Latin Language for Speaking and Writing Latin," has a few tips for those of you who wish to learn this ancient language. He's outlined some of the considerations that you need to keep in mind when studying a new language in his brief article "A Learning Methodology for Latin." He also has written a couple articles about an interesting technique, based upon an ancient Roman method, the Method of Loci, for remembering and internalizing the declensions and conjugations, important concepts of Latin grammar.

Classical Literacy Exam

News of a new competition, the Classical Literacy Exam, sponsored by the Albuquerque Academy Latin Honor Society, was recently carried in Torch, the official quarterly magazine of the National Junior Classical League. The Classical Literacy Exam is open to students everywhere and will require no specialized knowledge of the Latin language. Exam topics include Classical mythology, history, culture, some vocabulary derivatives, Latin phrases and abbreviations, and literature. The main emphasis is on Roman civilization, but there will be a few questions about Greek civilization and culture (eg. terms such as agora, Parthenon, and Acropolis on Level I and some brief philosophical references on Level II and III.)

According to Hugh Himwich, who is directing this new initiative, the guiding principle is "to include everything that an educated person should know about the Classical world, even if they unfortunately have never had a Latin class." Of course, if they have studied Latin, "the CLE will be a reward and a delight." There are three levels to the examination.

Contact the exam sponsor to be put on the mailing list to receive an application and study guide. The target for administering the exam is the first week in February (but there is some flexibility for schools that need an alternative date.) Award certificates will be sent in March as well as school book awards for outstanding participation and achievement.

Teachers will grade their own tests and send the results to the CLE headquarters.

According to the advertisement in the Torch, the cost for the exam is fifty cents per student. The format is fill-in-the-blank with the term that matches the definition. The application deadline is January 15, 2010.

The Classical Literacy Exam website is currently under construction and more information is forthcoming soon, so keep checking back for complete details to be posted in the next few weeks.

Dual Source Vocabulary Tool

For those of you interested in Latin word frequency, Laura Gibbs points out that James Dee of the University of Illinois at Chicago has created A Dual-Source Database of Word Frequencies in Latin. Many of you are aware of Gonzalez Lodge's The Vocabulary of High School Latin and Paul. B. Diederich's The Frequency of Latin Words and their Endings, two often-consulted statistical counts of Latin vocabulary and morphological end forms. Professor Dee's database combines the two and provides the result in Excel spreadsheet form and plain text.

Teaching Latin Efficiently

Thomas M. Hayes shares a fascinating article on his wiki, Ut Discamus Omnes, entitled "Skinning the Latin Cat." This is a fascinating discussion regarding the two concepts of "disambiguation" and "economy" in teaching Latin morphology, which is a very fancy way of saying "Which endings do we concentrate most of our energy teaching to our students so that they can read and understand Latin efficiently and quickly?" Hayes compares the huge collection of grammatical endings in Latin to a big hardware store full of tools, some that are more likely to be used than others. It's a fascinating article and he discusses some experimentation he has done in the classroom as well as the ramifications of an approach that considers the "bottom line" when teaching forms.

Nicole Curry Named Philadelphia Magazine's 2009 Best of Philly Schools Teacher!

Philadelphia magazine has named Phoenixville Latin Teacher Nicole Curry as its 2009 Best of Philly Schools teacher! Nicole combines a wacky sense of humor with some serious curriculum, Macte virtute esto! ("Well done! Bless you for your excellence!")

Read more about Nicole at Phillymag.com and see a picture of her dressed in a toga!

Winged Sandals Returns!

Winged Sandals, which was on hiatus for some time, appears to have returned! Winged Sandals is an educational Greek mythology website produced by ABC, the Australian Broadcasting Corporation, in partnership with The University of Melbourne's Centre for Classics and Archaeology. Greatly missed by many Latin and Classics teachers, Winged Sandals features stories about the ancient Greek deities, online games, ideas and templates for offline activities, a "who's-who" database, historical background, animations, and downloadable "goodies" like wallpapers, e-cards, and screensavers.

Bringing Latin Home

Latin is not only enjoying a resurgence in public and private schools across the United States. Many families are choosing to teach their children Latin as a homeschooling subject. Heather Duncan, a homeschooling mom and freelance contributor to the Knoxville News Sentinel writes this week about the growing popularity of Latin among her friends. She also interviews a homeschool co-op educator who teaches nearly 100 Latin students each week! Read more in "Latin A Growing Subject At Home."

Cambridge School Classics Project Down

Latin teachers on the various lists and forums have been reporting that the free web-based Cambridge Latin Course activities on the Cambridge School Classics Project have been made "temporarily unavailable" to a lack of funding to support the site. Efforts are underway to find a solution.

Meanwhile, if you are looking for alternative, interactive websites where students can find Latin quizzes and activities, Richard Popek has compiled a significant number of activities at the Quia website, specifically keyed to Cambridge:

Unit 1: http://www.quia.com/pages/4editionunit1clc.html

Unit 2: http://www.quia.com/pages/4editionunit2clc.html

Unit 3: http://www.quia.com/pages/4editionunit3clc.html

Unit 4: http://www.quia.com/pages/4editionunit4clc.html

Also check out these additional sites:

• Quia Shared Latin Activities You can search for activities based upon specific textbooks by doing a keyword search. Nearly 3000 activities have been created!!!
• Flashcard Exchange: Latin Also tagged for search, with many textbooks represented.
• Wheelock's Latin Exercises 40 chapters worth of activities from the University of Victoria
• Magic Words Based upon vocabulary from the Cambridge Latin Course. Similar to refrigerator magnets! Located at Andrew Wilson's Classics' Pages. Also try Wordsquare Challenge. If you spend some time looking through the thousands of pages at Andrew's site, you'll find lots of cool stuff!
• Minimus Games Some Flash games based upon Barbara Bell's Minimus!
• Alvares' Experimental Javascripted Teach Yourself Some Latin Noun and verb drills, with accompanying vocabulary list, not keyed to any specific textbook in particular.
• Laura Gibbs' Latin Crosswords and Roman Sudoko Laura has too many wonderful resources to mention here, so check her Daily Roundup.
• Kentucky Educational Television Ideas for games that can be played without a computer. (Imagine!)
• Latin Per Ludos Illustra More ideas for enjoying language, without a computer!
• Ology World Mythology games and activities based upon the popular "Ology" series of books.
• Transparent Language has a few online sampler games too.
• FlashDash Latin from Classical Academic Press

Find more at the Latinteach Quizzes and Games Resource page.

Latin Teaching Methods at Montclair State University in NJ

Montclair State University's Department of Classics and General Humanities will be offering a course in Latin Teaching Methods this coming Fall 2009 semester on Thursdays from 4:00-6:30 PM on the campus in Upper Montclair, New Jersey. The course number is LATN 419-01 and the instructor is Timothy Renner. This course carries 3 undergraduate credits.

For more information, please contact Professor Renner at rennert@mail.montclair.edu or Jean Alvares, Department Chair at the Montclair State University Department of Classics.

MakeBeliefsComix and Macrons!

MakeBeliefsComix, designed by comic author Bill Zimmerman, is a fun and interactive site where people of all ages can have fun designing and creating their own comic strips! Teachers can create lesson plans in which students create their own cartoons. For those who need some inspiration to get started, Mr. Zimmerman has 21 fun suggestions for using MakeBeliefsComix in the classroom and he also maintains Bill'z Treasure Chest, a writing prompt blog.

MakeBeliefsComix is used by teachers of English as a Second Language, as well as Latin, French, Portuguese, German, Spanish, and Italian classes. There is support for special characters in these languages and the site hopes to add more languages. Many special education teachers also use the site to create stories for students on the autism spectrum, to encourage the use of language and to teach social navigation.

Latin teachers will be especially happy to know that their students can use macrons in the comics that they create!

An Important Question!

There's a wonderful entry today on Kristina Chew's We Go With Him Blog entitled "What does it take to be a(n autism) teacher?" While it's not necessarily about teaching Latin or Greek, though it does include reflections of Professor Chew's experiences as a beginning and developing Classics teacher. What does it take to ignite the learning spark in students? A very worthy question (for Latin and special education teachers and everyone else) as the school year begins!

Classis, Autumn 2009, Volume XVI, No. 3 on the Teaching of Latin

Thanks to Karen Moore's Latin Alive! blog for pointing this journal out!

The Autumn 2009 issue of Classis, the quarterly journal of the Association of Classical Christian Schools, Volume XVI, No. 3, is a special edition featuring articles focusing on the teaching of Latin.

The issue opens with an excerpt from Dorothy Sayer's "Lost Tools of Learning" followed by six articles on Latin pedagogy:

1) Latin: Training Skilled Communicators (Patch Blakey, ACCS)
2) Latin: Beyond the SAT Score (Peter H. Vande Brake, North Hills Classical Academy)
3) The Best Way to Improve Any Latin Class (Timothy L. Griffith, New St. Andrews College)
4) Latin III at Westminster Academy (Michael Johnson, Westminster Academy)
5) Interdisciplinary Measures: the Integration of Latin (Ginny Kent, Covenant Classical Christian School)
6) How 'Bout Them Apples (Eric Indgjerd, The Oaks: A Classical Christian Academy)

"The Best Way to Improve Any Latin Class" is particularly interesting: "The first and most important task of a Latin teacher is to learn Latin himself." Mr. Griffith gives suggestions for a program of study for Latin teachers which includes rigorous attention to grammar and vocabulary, daily reading, and attendance at a Conventiculum.

"How 'Bout Them Apples" sings the praises of Hans Oerberg's Lingua Latina Per Se Illustrata, as a text that enables teachers to teach and students to learn "Latin Latinly in the classroom." Mr. Indgjerd sympathizes with Dorothy Sayers, who grieved that classical Latin remained puzzling even after nearly two decades of study and suggests that if she had been able to use Oerberg's method, she would have found her studies more fruitful.

(Escondido Tutorial Service has the full text of Sayer's Lost Tools of Learning online.)

Exeunt Omnes! Platinum Members Only!

Stephen Colbert presented a special report on the Colbert Report last night. It was so special, it was broadcast for "Colbert Platinum members only." All other viewers were instructed to leave the room while the segment broadcast, with the instructions "Exeunt omnes!" (A stage direction meaning "All get out," or "Everyone leaves.")

The Colbert Report	Mon - Thurs 11:30pm / 10:30c
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Latin Gets a Brief Mention by Stephen Colbert, Again....

At the opening of the Colbert Report, Stephen Colbert complimented his wildly enthusiastic audience by proclaiming that "I gotta tell you... if the Roman Empire had you people, we'd all still be speaking Latin!"

The Colbert Report	Mon - Thurs 11:30pm / 10:30c
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Free Dickinson Workshop: Active Latin in the Classroom: Strategies for Beginning, Intermediate and Advanced Students

Milena Minkova and Terence Tunberg (University of Kentucky, Lexington) will be presenting a free Latin workshop at Dickinson College, Carlisle, Pennsylvania, USA on Saturday, November 7, 2009, 10:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.

"Active Latin in the Classroom: Strategies for Beginning, Intermediate and Advanced Students"

"Oral and written Latin expression can enrich the experience of learning Latin for students at any level. Our goal as classical language teachers is to impart the ability to read original texts written in those languages, and we maintain that judicious use of active Latin as a complement to reading serves that goal. We are also convinced that the active use of Latin can complement a wide variety of methodologies for teaching Latin now in use, including the inductive, reading-oriented approach, as well as the analytical, grammatical approach."

The presenters will offer some background material, and will address some of the theoretical questions which arise from teaching strategies that involve the active use of Latin. Moreover, participants in the workshop will take part in an extensive range of activities involving spoken and written expression, which any teacher can employ, and which are designed for various levels of students ranging from beginners to the advanced. As the “capstone” to these activities, the presenters will show how using active Latin complements and enhances the reading of Latin texts for those students who have reached the level where they can begin to read unadapted Latin works.

Prof. Tunberg has published extensively on the history of Latin prose styles from Cicero up to and including the Renaissance. He is also keenly interested in the practice of Latin prose composition in modern Latin study and has won prizes for original Latin prose in international competitions. He founded in the mid 1990s the Conventiculum Latinum, an annual summer immersion workshop in spoken Latin held on the campus of the University of Kentucky. Today the Conventiculum Latinum draws 60-70 people each year from many parts of North America and the world, and it is the largest and longest-running seminar for active Latin in North America.

Prof. Minkova is the author of The Personal Names of the Latin Inscriptions from Bulgaria (Peter Lang 2000), among other books. With Prof. Tunberg she has written Readings and Exercises in Latin Prose Composition (Focus, 2004); Reading Livy’s Rome. Selections from Livy, Books I-VI (Bolchazy-Carducci, 2005); Mater Anserina. Poems in Latin for Children (Focus, 2006); and Latin for the New Millenium, An Entirely New Introductory Course on the Latin Language (Bolchazy-Carducci, 2009).

The workshop is free of charge, but preregistration is required. For more information, or to register, please contact Mrs. Barbara McDonald (mcdonalb@dickinson.edu). Pennsylvania Act 48 credit is available.

Two Upcoming Active Latin Webinars

Bolchazy-Carducci will be presenting two Webinars featuring Milena Minkova and Terence Tunberg in September 2009.

The first webinar is "Training Techniques for Spoken Latin Expression," webcasting on September 23, 2009 from 6-8 PM Eastern. Tunberg and Minkova maintain that active use of Latin can help all students and teachers, whether the teacher prefers a more inductive, reading-oriented approach to teaching Latin, or a more analytical and grammatical approach. Participants in this webinar will explore a range of activities involving spoken Latin designed for learners at various levels ranging from beginners to the advanced.

The second webinar is “Virtual Conventiculum," to be held September 30th, 2009, 6-8PM Eastern. This webinar is designed for people who have had some previous experience in spoken Latin and have acquired at least a moderate ability to express themselves orally in the language. Activities will be focused on enhancing vocabulary relating to various spheres of daily life, as well as discussion of short Latin texts in Latin. The Virtual Conventiculum will be conducted entirely in Latin.

Tuition for each webinar is $99.00. RSVP to 847.526.4344 or online at http://www.bolchazy.com/webinars.html.

Class-size is limited to 20 participants on a first-come, first-served basis.

Latin for the New Millennium Webinar August 13th

Rose Williams will be hosting a one-hour webinar on Latin for the New Millennium, a two year introductory Latin series written by Milena Minkova and Terence Tunberg, on August 13th. Teachers who wish to find out more about Bolchazy-Carducci's new series may RSVP for the free online seminar by registering online. After registration, you should receive emailed instructions on how to join the meeting. Participants need a PC (running XP or Vista) or a Mac (with OS 10.3 or higher) as well as a high-speed internet connect (cable modem, DSL, or similar; dial-up is too slow and not recommended.)

Picturing Pompeii

Those of you who teach using the Cambridge Latin Course will love the Pompeii in Pictures website!

Minimus Webinar

Cambridge University Press has made Barbara Bell's Minimus Webinar, which was held last month, available for online viewing. You can watch it in streaming video or download it as in WMV format. Barbara talks about the impetus behind the writing of Minimus and the advent of and incredible popularity of the Minimus Latin Clubs in England. She also spends some time discussing the historically significant Vindolanda Tablets, which provided the inspiration for the setting and characters in the book.

Barbara discusses the teaching of Minimus and also tells the wonderful story of a class of students with special needs who have great success with the series!

She also answers a number of questions by viewers who participated in the webinar in July.

Phaedrus Latin Composition Contest Registration Open!

New Saint Andrew's College just announced open registration for the first Phaedrus Latin Composition Contest. The contest is open to high school students. Participating students submit a 100 to 200-word original fable, written in Latin, accompanied by an English translation. Submissions will be judged based upon accurate use of Latin vocabulary and forms of speech, creative use of subject matter and writing style. Visit the Official Phaedrus Latin Composition Contest website to find out more about entry guidelines, rules, deadlines and prizes.

Extreme Makeover at the Official Lindsey Davis Website!

The Official Lindsey Davis Website has just gone online with its new and improved design! Those of you who are fans of this historical novelist who has set many of her books in Ancient Rome will enjoy browsing all the features. It's beautifully arranged and easy to navigate!

Each of Davis' novels has its own page with covers, publication details, a plot summary, and reviews and many even include a very brief passage read by the author herself! Other sections include Lindsey's Page (an occasional blog), news, information about translations, audio,radio and film versions of the Falco novels, plus Lindsey's postbag and rants and all sorts of other fun stuff!

If you haven't read any of Lindsey Davis' novels, you'll probably want to start with Silver Pigs, the first Marcus Didius Falco book.

"Damn You, Carmina Burana!"

Jon Stewart of Comedy Central's "The Daily Show" demonstrates that any video played with "Carmina Burana" in the backround sounds menacing.

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Latin 2.0 Personal Learning Networks

As part of Bolchazy-Carducci Publishers' Summer Webinar Series for Latin Teachers, Laura Gibbs will be presenting "Latin 2.0: Personal Learning Networks" on Thursday, July 30, 6:00-8:00 p.m. Eastern Time.

Wondering what all the Web2.0 fuss is about? Curious about blogs, tweets, wikis, widgets and nings? This webinar will provide a hands-on introduction to the world of Web2.0 as it is changing the face of Classics, Latin, and Greek online. Participants will look at the the free, easy-to-use tools that allow educators to put content online without any specialized training: create a blog, build a wiki, share your photos and Powerpoints online - instantly, for free. Visit WebClassics.pbwiki.com to find out more, and help plan this webinar to make it more useful for you!

To register, please visit http://www.bolchazy.com/webinars.html. Tuition is $99.00 for the live, interactive session. If you have any questions about how webinars work, technical specs, and the like, please email Andrew Reinhard, Director of eLearning, Bolchazy Carducci.

Who Should Study Latin?

There are those who still believe that Latin is an incredibly difficult subject and only suitable for the academically talented.

However, many students with disabilities want to study Latin too and should be encouraged to try and given the tools to succeed! (Remember, everyone spoke Latin in ancient Rome, not just the intellectuals!) In the United States, everyone is entitled to a free and appropriate public education in the least restrictive environment (which is a placement made by a multidisciplinary team and could be a self-contained or mainstream classroom.) If you are a public school teacher and have a student with an individualized education plan, you have an important role that you must carry out and you are obligated to follow the provisions in that document.

Many students with learning disabilities are quite capable of learning a foreign language. Teachers may need to expand their repertoire of teaching strategies as well as learn about different types of accommodations and modifications, but of course, the result of this is a better-informed professional and a higher quality of teaching for every student.

"While beginning Latin teachers are not trained to diagnose learning disabilities, they should begin to find and use strategies that help students with common learning differences to succeed in their classes. When confronted with a particularly puzzling or unfamiliar case, the beginning Latin teacher should know where to turn (both at school and in the larger community) for assistance. Beginning teachers also need to be aware that some students' learning differences may manifest themselves for the first time when they begin to study another language. Like all teachers, they must be proficient at applying mandated accommodations for students with learning disabilities or differences." (Standards for Classical Teaching, Draft 1, page 13)

Here are some resources for teachers who want to learn more about teaching inclusively:

Latin for Students with Learning Disabilities, a detailed brochure from the Classical Association of the Middle West and South.

When Dead Tongues Speak: Teaching Beginning Greek and Latin See especially Chapter 3, "Latin For Students With Severe Learning Disabilities." However, the entire book is invaluable and well worth reading! (This book is readily obtainable from the publisher as well as Amazon.com, Barnes and Noble, and other large bookstores)

Here's a powerful story about the example of high standards set by a Latin teacher, Garry LeGates, who happens to be blind. When he first started looking for a teaching job, he initially had a difficult time obtaining a position. He recently retired after thirty years.

Althea Ashe wrote a chapter for Latin in the 21st Century (editor, Richard A. LaFleur) entitled "Latin for Special Needs Students: Meeting the Challenge of Students with Learning Disabilities." Read an archived story about Dr. Ashe in the Athens Online from Athens Daily News. (Order Latin in the 21st Century directly from the publisher; for some reason, online bookstore prices are significantly inflated for this title. It lists for about $35 from the publisher.)

Ginny Lindzey reveals a secret about teaching Latin on her blog: "Don't believe lines like this, that it's the easiest job and all the students are highly motivated." According to Ginny, "It's a lot of work." (At the same time, she also notes "there are rewards...there are definitely rewards...")

Read this blog entry by a dad whose wife is teaching their learning disabled son Latin. He has some interesting things to say about the power of motivation. Pretty informative blog too!

Also see Ronnie Ancona's article “Latin and a Dyslexic Student: An Experience in Teaching,”Classical World 76 (1982), 33-36. (Not available online.)

Recording for the Blind & Dyslexic has accessible audiobooks for students with documented visual impairment, dyslexia or learning disabilities, including a number of Latin textbooks: Ecce Romani Vols I-III (2005 and 2009 editions available); Latin for Americans, Vols 1-3; More Greek and Latin Roots: Teaching Vocabulary to Improve Reading Comprehension; Oxford Latin Course, Parts 1-3; Wheelocks Latin, 6th Ed., Revised; A Song of War Readings from Vergil's Aeneid; Cambridge Latin Course, Units 1-4; Wheelock's Latin Reader Selections from Latin Literature, 2nd Ed. There are also a number of books on Ancient Greek and Roman culture.

An excellent resource for audio books that are in the public domain (and free, with no restrictions) is Librivox, where you can find many Classically-themed materials: for example, Myths and Legends of Ancient Greece and Rome by E.M. Berens; Famous Men of Rome and Famous Men of Greece by John H. Haaren; Gibbon's History of the Decine and Fall of the Roman Empire; Bulfinch's Mythology. Plutarch's Lives and other titles of interest to Classics teachers are currently in production.

Hilary McColl maintains a comprehensive website devoted to modern foreign language learning and inclusion. Latin teachers are still likely to find much of value at her website, which explores the benefits of learning a second language and offers a number of suggestions for improving learning and teaching practices.

"Children with Autism: Strategies for Accessing the Curriculum, Modern Foreign Languages" is a document prepared by the Northwest Regional Special Education Needs Partnership in the United Kingdom.

Mobility International USA offers ideas on helping disabled students access foreign languages and also has a number of inclusive travel tips for going on overseas trips.