Teaching Classical Languages

The latest issue of the journal Teaching Classical Languages, edited by John Gruber-Miller of Cornell College, has now been made available for download.

Articles in this issue include:

• Rebecca Harrison, "Exercises for Developing Prediction Skills in Reading Latin Sentences" (describes more than 20 field tested exercises to help beginning and intermediate students become more efficient readers of Latin)
• Peter Anderson & Mark Beckwith, "Form-Focused Teaching for the Intermediate Latin Student" ( introduces teachers to form-focused instruction, a pedagogy that integrates grammar instruction within a communicative context)
  
• Albert Watanabe, "The 2010 College Greek Exam" (an analysis of students' strengths and weaknesses on the 2010 College Greek Exam)

Happy Pi Day 2011!

Happy Pi Day 2011! Enjoy it while listening to the Pi Symphony and perhaps having a piece of pie as well!



For more information about the origin of Pi Day, see this previous Latinteach post.

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.

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."

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.

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.

More on Power, Ambition, Glory, and the Benefits of a Classical Education

Tim O'Reilly, one of the foremost technology writers of the 21st century and the originator of the term "Web 2.0," was one of the individuals interviewed in a recent Forbes Magazine special report entitled "Power, Ambition, Glory." Mr. O'Reilly received his undergraduate degree in Greek and Latin Classics and is clearly not living a life of genteel poverty, despite having majored in the so-called "dead languages!"

Mr. O'Reilly clearly feels that his Classical education has had a profound effect upon his business career and his life. Since the Forbes report included only a very brief excerpt of his answers to their questions, he has published the entire interview, "The Benefits of a Classical Education," on his blog.

Beatum Festum Diem Paschalem!

Happy Easter!

You can read Pope Benedict XVI's Easter Greeting in many different languages on the Urbi et Orbi ("To the City and World") page at the Official Vatican website. The 2009 message in Latin is "Resurrectio Domini, spes nostra," which is translated, "The Resurrection of our Lord, our hope."

The Vatican's Liturgical Calendar page has a selection of Easter Music, much of it in Latin, which you can enjoy. You'll also find links to past Holy Weeks, along with the Easter Greetings from past years.

Today's Albany Times-Union (New York) has a wonderful feature entitled Enduring Symbol (April 12, 2009) about the different types of Christian crosses. In this article, you can read about the different types of crosses and view some very lovely images. On some of the crosses, you'll see IHS, which are taken from the first three letters of the name of Jesus (Ιηςυσ) in Greek. Other crosses include the Chi Ro, (X Ρ) which are the first two letters of Christ (Χριςτοσ), also from the Greek alphabet.

Excellence Through Classics for Elementary and Middle School Students

The Excellence Through Classics Committee of the American Classical League has created a new Yahoo email discussion group, ETClassics to focus discussion and ideas on teaching Classics to middle school and elementary school students. This new list is dedicated to exploring methodologies, activities, and theories that can be applied to Classics-related courses at the middle school and elementary levels.

Topics will include articulation of Latin and Greek through the grades, activities for mythology, culture, and language acquisition, language and general teaching methodologies, Classics promotion, and general teaching support for and from peers.

The goal of this group is open sharing of ideas and thoughts related to teaching the Classics in the lower grades.

If you are interested in joining ETC: Classics in Middle and Elementary, please use the following address: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/etclassics/join

Classics and the International year of Astronomy 2009

Today is the first day of the International Year of Astronomy 2009. IYA2009 is being coordinated by the International Astronomical Union and promoted by UNESCO (the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization). According to the official website, the aim of IYA2009 is to promote "worldwide interest, especially among young people, in astronomy and science under the central theme 'The Universe, Yours to Discover.'"

Teachers of Latin and Greek can help students make connections between Classics and astronomy by emphasizing:

• the contributions made by ancient, medieval and Renaissance scientists, who wrote about their discoveries in Greek and Latin (eg., the Greek astronomers Archimedes, Democritus, Hipparchus, Pythagoras and Thales, just to name a few. Also, Galileo Galilei's Siderius Nuncius and Johannes Kepler's Astronomia Nova, both written in Latin and published 400 years ago).
  
• the mythological origins of the names of the planets and constellations (eg. Orion, Draco, Andromeda, Canis Major, etc.) and the allusions and references made to these in literature throughout the centuries.
  
• the Latin and Greek etymological roots of the scientific and technological terminology used by astronomers. An understanding of technological terminology enables scientists to speak and write about what they are studying with precision and accuracy.
  

The US National Node for IYA2009 has a wealth of projects, videos, photographs, ideas, resources and links that are definitely worth checking out. Classics teachers will be particularly interested in the Projects Related to Arts, Culture and Society. (For example, see the Deanspace blog, where an astronomer from the Cincinnati Observatory writes a weekly article about mythology and the constellations.)

Coincidentally, the most recent issue of Prima, the print newsletter for Excellence Through Classics has a wonderful article entitled Starry, Starry Night: Latin Class Makes Connections with Constellations, in which Sherri Madden of the Master's Academy (Charlotte, NC) describes a Stargazing Night that her Latin students recently enjoyed. ETC is a standing committee of the American Classical League.

Interested in hosting your own Constellation Party? The NASA AfterSchoolAstronomy website has a treasure trove of ideas!

Free Greek Mythology Course!

OpenUW, the University of Washington's Educational Outreach program, offers a free, online, non-credit Greek Mythology course. The course is based on a full-length for-credit distance-learning course entitled Greek and Roman Mythology. The free sample is, naturally, intended to entice you to consider signing up for the complete course.

Latin Decreases Violent Crime!

Boris Johnson, the Classically-educated old Etonian mayor of London, believes that a study of foreign languages -- specifically ancient Greek and Latin -- would decrease violent crime. See the full Telegraph.co.uk article, Boris Johnson, Mayor of London, Says to Teach Classics to Cut Knife Crime.

Classics Freebies from the Open University!

The Open University is a distance learning university based in the United Kingdom which awards both undergraduate and postgraduate degrees to students around the world. The Open University also offers free non-credit mini-courses through it's Learning Space. Several courses look like they may be of interest to readers of this blog:

• Getting Started on Classical Latin For students who have no experience whatsoever with Latin. You'll develop "an awareness of the links between English and Latin, an understanding of basic English grammar...and an awareness of the fundamentals of pronunciation in Latin." There's also a similar Greek mini-course!
  
• Introducing the Classical World "aims to get you started on exploring the Classical World by introducing you to the sources upon which you can build your knowledge and understanding" as well as "getting you started on an exploration of both time and space in the Classical World."
• Exploring a Romano-African City investigates the archaeology and history of a Roman North African City. The learner will learn to identify both indigenous and Roman identity and culture and study the development of Romano-African culture.
  
• The Roman Empire: Introducing Some Key Terms is a course "introducing key terms that are essential for understanding the Classical Roman world."

The Open University Classics Department also has a neat Interactive Latin Website for students who are learning Latin inflections -- noun, verb and adjective endings -- with vocabulary standard in most Latin courses.

The Classics Library

Hosted by the Classics Department at London's Francis Holland School, The Classics Library is an online resource especially designed for Latin, Greek and Classics teachers in the United Kingdom. Support materials are available for Classics teachers at Key Stages 2/3 (ages 7-14), GCSE (General Certificate of Secondary Education, ages 14-16) and A Levels (also known as Sixth Form, ages 16-18) as well as the Common Entrance exam (an age 11+ exam for placement in independent schools in the UK). Latin offerings on the Classics Library site include basic syntax at each level as well as prescribed vocabulary lists.

Technology in Rome -- in Situ and in the Lab!

The American Classical League and its Committee on Educational Computer Applications have just announced an exciting 2 week study tour and workshop in Rome and Campania to be held at the American University of Rome from July 20-August 3, 2008.

Entitled Rome: In Situ & In the Lab, this course (which may be taken for college or continuing education credit) is for teachers of Latin, Greek, the Classics and related disciplines. Participants will visit significant archaeological and museum sites and, in a computer laboratory, learn how to digitally record and use the resulting materials in the classroom and on the web. If you've always wanted to incorporate technology into your classroom, this sounds like a fabulous opportunity!

The instructors are Rob Latousek (Centaur Systems), Julian Morgan (J-PROGS) , Paul Gwynne (American University of Rome), and Cindy Caltagirone (Webmaster of the National Latin Exam and American Classical League websites).

Visit the American Classical League to find out more about the course, view an itinerary or download a registration form. You can also write roblatousek@yahoo.com or contact the American Classical League at 422 Wells Mill Dr., Oxford OH, 45056.

The deadline to register is January 15, 2008!

No Harry Potter Spoilers Here

My copy of Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows arrived in the mail today! I've only read a few chapters so far. On the one hand, I want to take my time enjoying the final book in the series. I don't want to read it too fast, because it really is quite likely the final book. On the other hand, I would really like to finish it before people really start talking about it. I can't stand it when people spoil a good story!

Those of you who have taken note of J.K. Rowling's literary and word play allusions to the classics will be interested to know that one of the quotations that she has chosen to preface her book with is taken from The Libation Bearers by the Greek playwright Aeschylus (translated by Robert Fagles.) The other quote is from William Penn. That's all I'm saying for now.

Teaching Roman History

The Romans is an outstanding free online resource based upon Antony Kamm's book, Introduction to the Romans, originally published by Routledge. Andrew Wilson, who also maintains the superb Classics Pages, did the work of transcribing and hyperlinking the pages. You may also recognize Andrew Wilson as the person who translated Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone into Ancient Greek!

The Romans website includes not only the text of the Kamm's book, but also photographs, original illustrations, timelines, and best of all, interactive activities and quizzes!

Harry Potter Kai He Tou Philosophou Litho

Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone has been translated into over 60 languages, including Ancient Greek and Classical Latin. (When it was translated into American English, the publishers even decided to change the title!)

To find out more about the Ancient Greek translation, you can visit Andrew Wilson's Classics Pages, where you will also find some vocabulary and notes to accompany your reading. If you want to know just why Andrew decided to translate Rowling's work, you should read this article from the Opinion Journal.