Monday, September 06, 2010
New Advanced Placement Latin Resource for Caesar
Christopher Francese, a professor in the Department of Classical Studies, Dickinson College, and a student helper have created a wiki-based commentary on the AP Caesar Latin selections. Based on older school editions, it also includes some digital enhancements (some vocabulary and mp3 audio, maps and tools).
Calling All Latin Poets!
VATES, the occasional journal of contemporary Latin poetry, is looking for contributions of original Latin verse. Electronically published and available free to anyone with an interest in new Latin poetry, VATES needs your submissions in order to continue its mission of promoting the reading and writing of new Latin verse.
Sunday, September 05, 2010
Tuesday, August 24, 2010
Get out that papyrus and sharpen those quills!
It's time for the 201o Golden Sponge on a Stick Competition! If you are a student, fancy yourself the next Caroline Lawrence, Lindsey Davis or Stephen Saylor, and think that you can write a great story set in Ancient Rome, then get busy and get writing! Of course, you should probably read the rules first, so surf on over to the Roman Mysteries blog where you can get all the official details necessary to win that sought after sponge!!!
Give Yourself a Competitive Edge with Latin!
Aiming to attend an Ivy League school? Selective colleges and universities take notice of high school Latin scholars, according to Bloomberg News in Lingua Latina Introitum in. Vniversitatem Harvard Multo Faciliorem Reddit ("The Latin language renders an easier entrance into Harvard University"). Though study of the Classics is no guarantee of admission, it can give some candidates an edge.
Wednesday, August 18, 2010
Reaping a "Total Latin Harvest"
Lou Bolchazy on reconciling viewpoints regarding the perceived conflicts between literature/culture/history; grammar-oriented pedagogy method; oral/conversational method; and reading method in our Latin curricula:
"I believe that all four themes are desiderata in our teaching method. There is no conflict among them. Living in an increasingly global and multi-cultural community, we must know each other's history of ideas, beliefs, and culture to have the respect, empathy, and sympathy for other people. By reading an original passage, we learn all these things to a degree, and that is the humanistic value. When we come across an unknown word or an unknown syntactical-grammatical point in a reading, that is the time to teach the grammar and vocabulary, and to reinforce the vocabulary and grammar by means of transpositional exercises. Teachers and students can indulge in oral Latin drills and exercises to understand the word and its connotation, and using the materials in the original reading itself. (So far we have not deviated from good pedagogy-because we are learning grammar and culture, and reading passages, all in the original language.) The question is: how best to learn this grammar and vocabulary? By talking about it and doing drills in it, which are not connected to the original reading? That I do not recommend. Oral exercises based on the original reading allow students to review vocabulary and to practice the grammar they just learned. You can call it fusion or amalgamation of all these four desiderata, to be learned almost simultaneously.
Let's not forget to get beyond the borders of antique Latin language, culture, or conversational ability; we should move towards including post-classical Latin as well. Thus we will expand our horizons, increase our literacy, enjoy a total Latin harvest, be exposed to more forms of Latin communication, and project higher perceived value of Latin curriculum.)"
Free Latin Fable Books for Everyone!
Euge! Laura Gibbs has just released her new book Mille Fabulae et Una: 1001 Aesop's Fables in Latin. You can get your very own copy in Adobe Acrobat PDF format right now -- for free -- by visiting Millefabulae, where you will also find online indexes and other useful ancillary materials. The typography of the book is clean and simple, and looks great on the iPhone, iPad and Android. If you have a smartphone or handheld device that is capable of reading PDF files, download a copy, go grab yourself a cup of coffee or tea, and start reading!
For those of you who prefer reading a book the old-fashioned way, and love the idea of a brimming bookshelf, but don't feel like splurging on printer ink (the book is 440 pages long!) Mille Fabulae et Una is available in paperback on Lulu.com for only $19.95. However, Laura encourages you to download as many gratis copies as you like and to let your friends know where to get their own free copy too!
Read Laura's Overview on her blog for more information.
Monday, August 16, 2010
New Issue of "Teaching Classical Languages" Now Online
The Classical Association of the Middle West and South (CAMWS) has just announced that the new issue of their online journal Teaching Classical Languages has been published for immediate download at their official website.
Articles in this issue include:
Articles in this issue include:
- "From Literal to Literary: A Translation Project for Latin Poetry Classes" by Marcia Lindgren, Life Blumberg, and Joshua Langseth
- "Building Ties Between College and High School Latin Programs" by Ariana Traill, Francesca Tataranni, Laurie Jolicoeur, and Krisanna Zusman
- and a Special Section, "Perspectives on the new Standards for Latin Teacher PreparationPerspectives" by Ronnie Ancona, Erik Collins, Cathy Daugherty, Cory Holec, Ken Kitchell, Robert Patrick, and Lee Pearcy.
The editors of TCL are currently welcoming articles "offering innovative practice and methods, new theoretical approaches, or reporting on empirical research in teaching and learning Latin and Greek."
Wednesday, August 04, 2010
Back After a Hiatus
It's August and time to get back to blogging!
Professor Terence Tunberg has just written to announce a wonderful new documentary, presented entirely in Latin and available on Youtube, which chronicles the highlights of Conventiculum 2010. This is must-see TV for everyone who loves Latin!
Monday, April 05, 2010
Standards for Latin Teacher Preparation
The American Classical League has just announced that the newly published ACL-APA Standards for Latin Teacher Preparation document is now available for free on its website.
Professor Ronnie Ancona, Vice President of the American Philological Association comments, "This is a valuable document for anyone teaching, planning to teach, or training those to teach Latin. It was written by a joint task force from ACL and APA. There will be a Plenary Session on the Standards at the ACL Institute this summer. We hope to also have a session on them at APA in San Antonio."
The Standards describes "the knowledge, skills, and understanding" of the beginning Latin teacher (a professional with 2 years or less experience in the classroom) in the areas of Content Knowledge, Pedagogical Knowledge and Skill, as well as Professional Development. The document is 22 pages, including a table of contents, and is quite readable.
The American Classical League has other reports available on its website, including the Standards for Classical Language Learning (referenced in the Standards for Latin Teacher Preparation) and the Report for State Certification Requirements for Teachers of Latin from the Joint Committee on Classics in American Education, a committee of the American Philological Association and the American Classical Association.
Tuesday, March 23, 2010
Bestiaria Latina: Zoo
Take a virtual field trip to a Latin language zoo! Laura Gibbs has done it again, creating an online bestiary of animals. Each entry in this menagerie includes the Latin name of the animal, alternative terminology, a photo, plus links to Latin language stories and proverbs! You can even add a Latin Zoo widget to your blog or website!
Wednesday, March 17, 2010
London Mayor Wants More Latin in State Schools in England
A couple more articles about Boris Johnson's call for a resurgence of Latin in English state schools:
BBC News, March 17, 2010
Yahoo News/Reuters, March 17, 2010
Daily Telegraph, March 17, 2010
The Guardian (UK), March 17, 2010
London Evening Standard, March 17, 2010
Mr. Johnson studied Latin and the Classics as a student and is a graduate of Eton College secondary school and Balliol College, University of Oxford. A product of private education, he is a critic of Latin being reserved for tuition-based schools only.
Tuesday, March 16, 2010
Latin in the News
It's March and so it's not surprising to see a lot of stories about the Latin language in the news. We have just commemorated the Ides of March (which took place on March 15) and we're gearing up for Rome's birthday on April 21st.
Here's a round-up of recent news stories:
Australian students compete in European CICERO Latin Competition
North Shore Times
North Shore Times
March 16, 2010
Taunton Daily Gazette
March 15, 2010
March 15, 2010
Latin teacher Pamela Koleszar takes proactive measures to keep her Latin program active.
Evansville Courier and Press
March 16, 2010
Interview with the Colorado Intermediate Level Latin Speaker Film Contest Winner
The Daily Camera
March 13, 2010
March 13, 2010
Hadrian's Wall Illuminated in a "Line of Light"
Over 1000 volunteers lit beacons along Hadrian's Wall to celebrate British Tourism Week. You can see a video and read the story at the BBC News website: "Volunteers Illuminate Hadrian's Wall 'Line of Light."
Monday, March 15, 2010
The Mayor of London Defends the Teaching of Latin in England
Boris Johnson, the Mayor of London, wants to "weep with rage" over the disparagement of Latin and Classics education by Edward Michael Balls, Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families in Britain.
Sunday, March 14, 2010
Pompeiiana, a Rich Resource for All Latin Teachers and Students
Andrew Reinhard, Director of eLearning for Bolchazy-Carducci Publishers, recently announced the completion of the Pompeiiana Newsletter blog project. The Pompeiiana Newsletter was a publication for Latin students which enjoyed a nearly twenty year press run, with 229 issues released betwee the years 1974 to 2003. Material published in the newsletter included both Latin and English language comics, stories, games, and articles. As a gift to the Classics community, Bolchazy-Carducci has digitized all the extant issues of Pompeiiana Newsletter and made them available for all to enjoy in Adobe Acrobat format (.pdf) at the Pompeiiana Newsletter Blog.
Saturday, March 13, 2010
Classics and Careers
Three timely articles for aspiring students of the Classicson the Psychology Today Career Transitions blog!
Sunday, February 28, 2010
National Latin Teacher Recruitment Week
It's that time of year again! National Latin Teacher Recruitment Week is here! NLTRW runs from March 1-5. The National Committee for Latin and Greek has created an eight-minute video that you may wish to share with your students. You can click on the link below to watch it via YouTube or you can download it from the Promote Latin website to show offline.
Saturday, February 20, 2010
In Memoriam, Hans Oerberg 1920-2010
Sad news from Focus Publishing:
I am very sad to announce the death of my beloved father, Hans Henning Orberg. He passed away peacefully, without pains and surrounded by his children on the 17th of February.
Although very weak and disabled in his last month, he was very happy that he managed to finish his "Ars Amatoria" and see it published. He also leaves this world with peace in his mind, confident that his children will carry on his publishing firm, Domus Latina.
The funeral will take place Wednesday the 24th of February at 2 pm in the church of Grenaa: Grenaa Kirke, Torvet 12, 8500 Grenaa, Denmark.
We would be grateful if you would pass on the sad news to friends and customers that you know of and who are not in the mailing list above.
Yours sincerely
Anders Orberg
Tuesday, February 09, 2010
Latin Vs. English, the Liveliness Factor
By popular demand, Claude Pavur has posted his chart De Linguae Latinae Vivacitate, demonstrating the continuing relevance and vitality of the ancient language, on the St. Louis Latin Teaching Materials website.
Also noted, his version (singable!) of the Star Spangled Banner in Latin!
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