(National Standards in Foreign Language Education Project, 1996). © Copyright 1997

American Classical League All rights reserved

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Permission is routinely granted for educational and classroom use contigent upon appropriate credit being given to the American Classical League.

by the language profession in developing foreign language standards. The standards include suggestions from the volunteer reviewers and

language educators in the field. While four national modern language groups wrote the proposal and the Federal government funded it, the

project was very much a product of the entire language profession. From the beginning those who formed the policy for the project and those

who crafted the standards considered classical languages to be part of the effort. The following statement comes from the “Statement of Philosophy”

communicate successfully in a pluralistic American society and abroad. This imperative envisions a future in which ALL students will develop

and maintain proficiency in English and at least one other language, modern or classical.” Classicists held positions on the board of directors

and the task force of the project.

curriculum for all students and languages. While broad goals establish the framework for the language program, content standards describe

what students need to know and do in a language. The language profession believes the standards are world class, yet realistic and

attainable by most students. Language educators realize that the generic standards will have to be made language specific. The ACL/APA Task

Force on Standards for Classical Language Learning has in this document adapted the standards to the learning of classical languages.

With this publication in hand, curriculum specialists and school classicists can begin the process of translating the standards into curriculum.

These voluntary standards for classical language learning provide the impetus for the development of state foreign language frameworks and

local curriculum guides. The task force believes the standards for classical language learning will become an especially valuable resource

for states and local schools that do not have specialists in classics or funds to devote to Latin and Greek for curriculum development. It is clear that

the standards. Finally, the standards should promote articulation in classical language programs from school to school and school to college.

has proposed standards; now we trust that classicists will review and revise them, and then promote, implement, and assess them, fully

realizing that the standards will never be set in concrete.

education. We are traditional, the inheritors of Periclean Athens of the 5th century B.C. and of Augustan Rome at beginning of the first millennium

of this era; but we are innovative, timely and practical, prepared to enter a new millennium. Our appeal does not depend on political or

economic interests, but rather on educational beliefs that do not go out of style.

There are an estimated half million students in Latin classes in the United States today. Ancient Greek is standard in leading colleges and universities

in the country; the more recent addition of courses in classical civilization, etymology, and mythology has increased the vitality of

Greek and Latin as staples in the college curriculum. Continuing interest in Greco-Roman culture is paralleled by the continued vigor of Latin

language study, in part, from the recognition that the study of Latin can be a very effective aid in improving language skills in English and in the

subsequent learning of other foreign languages. As a corollary of Latin's resurgence, there is a growing need for a new generation of Latin

teachers.

The persistent popularity of Latin in the last two decades has also brought forth a spirited array of creative, exciting, and more effective

teaching materials. Latin classrooms are increasingly lively and engaging. Students learn to read with an emphasis on authentic materials from

the ancient world: its literature, graffiti, coins, and inscriptions. Students make connections from their reading to the other subjects they are

studying in school and to the communities that surround them. They examine the products and practices of ancient peoples in the light of their

own experiences and are challenged to make comparisons.

Latin has come to the elementary and middle schools. Latin is, in fact, for all students. Thousands of young people from inner-city schools, often

in impoverished areas, have boosted their chances for academic success through model Latin programs, such as those begun in the 1960s and

1970s in Washington, D.C., Detroit, Los Angeles, and Philadelphia. The continuing development of innovative programs, materials, and methods

ensures the survival of classical language programs in the next century—and millennium.

their institutions. The ancient Greeks and Romans, breaking barriers of time and place, have communicated their message through the ages and

continue to communicate to the modern world; we, in turn, communicate more clearly to each other in word, in practice, and in product as a result

of that contact.

culture, connections, comparisons, and communities. Each goal is one strand in a fabric that must be woven into curriculum development

at the state, district, and local levels.

are neither prescriptive nor exhaustive. Intermediate and advanced students are expected to exhibit the progress indicators of the lower

levels as well as the progress indicators of their own level. What is a beginning, intermediate, or advanced student? If Latin or

Greek is taught continuously from the early grades, it would be reasonable to assume that a beginning student might demonstrate progress

indicated by the beginning sample progress indicators by grade 6 or 8. Students who study Latin or Greek every day in grades 7 and 8 should

be able to demonstrate the beginning progress indicators by the end of grade 8. Level I high school students may demonstrate beginning status

by the end of their Level I course. Intermediate students may demonstrate their progress at the end of a Level III course. Advanced students

may demonstrate their progress at the end of an Advanced Placement Course. Such designations as Level I, II, and III place learning in a timeframe

and organize it into courses that standards of excellence seek to avoid. Course and curricula are products of the district and school. In

the scheme presented here, the progress of students in terms of standards of excellence, or proficiency, is the factor to be measured, not time.

we expect our students to know and be able to do; it is our message to legislators, educators, boards of education, communities, parents, and

students; it is a guide for state curriculum frameworks; at the district level it is a guide for curriculum development. It is important to understand

that this document is not meant to be a classroom tool. It is not a curriculum for a Latin or Greek course; it is not a guide for daily lesson planning.

frameworks provide a curricular and programmatic context. District curriculum guides further define course content in a coordinated sequence. Lesson plans translate

curriculum into meaningful and creative activities for the individual classroom.

Foreign                Classical                

Language            Language       

Standards           Standards     

the sounds of commerce, the speeches of politicians, the noise of gossip. The recitation of poetry published the sounds of an active literature. To

hear these sounds, to imitate those cadences in the classroom, to practice writing words and ideas in the ancient language enhance the ability to

read. The second standard of the communication goal emphasizes the importance of oral skills, listening, and writing as tools to improve

reading.

• Students read words, phrases, and simple sentences and associate them with pictures, and/or other words, phrases and simple sentences.

• Students demonstrate reading comprehension by answering simple questions in Latin, Greek, or English about short passages of Latin or Greek.

• Students demonstrate a knowledge of vocabulary, basic inflectional systems, and syntax appropriate to their reading level.

• Students read and understand passages of Latin or Greek composed for acquisition of content and language skills.

• Students read and understand, with appropriate assistance, passages of Latin or Greek adapted from the original authors.

• Students read and understand short unadapted passages of Latin or Greek when provided with appropriate assistance.

• Students demonstrate reading comprehension by interpreting the meaning of passages they read.

• Students recognize some figures of speech and features of style of the authors they read.

• Students demonstrate a knowledge of vocabulary, inflectional systems, and syntax appropriate to their reading level.

• Students read and understand prose and poetry of selected authors with appropriate assistance.

• Students interpret the meaning of the passages they read.

• Students recognize, explain, and interpret content and features of style and meter of the authors they read.

• Students demonstrate a knowledge of vocabulary, inflectional systems, and syntax appropriate to the authors they read.

• Students recognize and reproduce the sounds of Latin or Greek.

• Students respond appropriately to simple questions, statements, commands, or non-verbal stimuli.

• Students sing songs in Latin or Greek.

• Students write simple phrases and sentences in Latin or Greek.

• Students read Latin or Greek aloud with accurate pronunciation, meaningful phrase grouping,

and appropriate voice inflection, by imitating the models they have heard.

• Students respond appropriately to questions, statements, commands, or other stimuli.

• Students write phrases and sentences in Latin or Greek.

• Students read Latin or Greek prose and poetry aloud with attention to such features as metrical structure, meaningful phrase grouping, and

appropriate voice inflection.

• Students respond appropriately to more complex spoken and written Latin or Greek.

• Students write passages of connected sentences in Latin or Greek.

an understanding of their culture. The focus in Goal 2 is on the ability of students to hear (i.e., read) and see (in physical remains) the message of

the Greeks or Romans. Their daily life, education, politics, history, philosophy, and religious practices tell students about their perspectives,

revealed both in their literary products and in remaining artifacts.  Literature, as well as non-literary writing, is key to an understanding of

culture; it is a product of the culture and a primary source for understanding ancient practices.

• Students demonstrate a basic knowledge of the daily life of the ancient Greeks or Romans.

• Students demonstrate knowledge of some famous Greeks or Romans and of selected facts of history and geography of the ancient world.

• Students demonstrate a knowledge of the daily life and thought of the ancient Greeks or Romans, gained in part from the Latin or Greek texts

they read, and apply that knowledge to an understanding of Greek or Roman culture.

• Students demonstrate a knowledge of the people and facts of Greek or Roman history and political life, gained in part from the Latin or Greek

texts they read, and relate that knowledge to an understanding of Greek or Roman perspectives.

• Students demonstrate a broad knowledge of Greek or Roman history, customs, and private and political life, gained from their reading of

Latin or Greek authors, and use that knowledge in analyzing Greek or Roman culture.

• Students demonstrate knowledge of philosophy, religion, and the arts of the ancient Greeks or Romans, gained from their reading of Latin or

Greek authors, and relate that knowledge to an understanding of Greek or Roman perspectives.

• Students identify the principal Greek or Roman deities and heroes by their names, deeds, and spheres of influence.

• Students recognize basic architectural features and art forms of the Greeks or Romans.

• Students relate their reading of selected texts, literary and non-literary, adapted and unadapted, to an understanding of Greek or Roman culture.

• Students demonstrate a knowledge of architectural styles, art forms, and artifacts of the Greeks or Romans and use them in analyzing Greek

or Roman culture.

• Students demonstrate knowledge of an author, a genre, and/or a literary period gained from authentic materials and unadapted texts

in Latin or Greek and apply it to an understanding of Greek or Roman culture.

• Students demonstrate a knowledge of archaeological evidence, art forms, and artifacts of the Greeks or Romans and use it in analyzing

Greek or Roman culture.

core subject areas: English, mathematics, science, social studies and foreign languages. It also provides opportunities for interdisciplinary

experiences in all areas of the curriculum. In addition, students use their knowledge of Greek or Latin to acquire new information as they read

authentic works which may also relate to other subject areas.

• Students use their knowledge of Latin or Greek in understanding a specialized vocabulary in such fields as government and politics.

• Students recognize and use Roman numerals and the vocabulary associated with counting.

• Students recognize and make connections with Latin or Greek terminology in the sciences and technology.

• Students recognize and make connections with Latin or Greek terminology in the social sciences and history.

• Students demonstrate in their written and spoken vocabulary a knowledge of philosophical, legal, artistic, and musical terms associated

with Latin or Greek.

• Students demonstrate their knowledge of Latin or Greek terminology in the social sciences and history.

• Students acquire information about the Greco-Roman world by reading passages of Latin or Greek with a culturally authentic setting.

• Students recognize plots and themes of Greco-Roman myths in the literature of other cultures.

• Students demonstrate a knowledge of the geography of the ancient world and connect it to the modern world.

• Students acquire information about the Greco-Roman world by reading adapted or selected Latin or Greek sources.

• Students connect their knowledge of ancient history and social and political systems to events and systems in the modern world.

• Students connect their knowledge of the Latin or Greek language to their knowledge of literature and artistic achievement.

• Students acquire information about the Greco-Roman world by reading Latin or Greek literary and non-literary sources.

• Students transfer their knowledge of Latin or Greek literature to their understanding of world literature.

• Students demonstrate their knowledge of the influence of Greco-Roman mythology, history, social and political systems, and artistic

achievements on world cultures.

Greek language, students develop a greater understanding of the structure and vocabulary of English. By examining and analyzing the public

and private lives of the ancient Greeks and Romans, students acquire a perspective from which to examine and analyze their own culture more

objectively.

• Students demonstrate a basic knowledge of Latin and Greek roots, prefixes, and suffixes by recognizing them in English words of Latin

or Greek origin.

• Students understand some Latin or Greek phrases, mottoes, and abbreviations used in English.

• Students demonstrate an understanding of basic language patterns of English as they relate to the structure of Latin or Greek.

• Students demonstrate the relationship of Latin or Greek words to their derivatives and cognates in English.

• Students demonstrate an increased use of English words from or related to Latin or Greek.

• Students compare and contrast the language patterns and grammar of Latin or Greek to the structure and grammar of English.

• Students demonstrate the relationship of Latin or Greek words to their derivatives and cognates in English and apply some principles of

word building and word transfer.

• Students demonstrate an enhanced ability to read, write, understand, and speak English based on the vocabulary and grammar of Latin or

Greek.

• Students look at the architectural features of the buildings around them and recognize the Greco-Roman elements in them.

• Students compare and contrast aspects of their own public and private lives to those of the Greeks or Romans.

• Students compare the themes and heroes of classical mythology to the themes and heroes of their own folklore and culture.

• Students identify elements in their own art and literature that have their basis in the Greco-Roman world.

• Students reflect on classical influence on the political institutions, law, and history of their own culture.

• Students recognize in their reading of modern stories and literature the influence of the myths and literature of the ancient world.

• Students recognize the influence of Greco-Roman history, private and public life, art, and architecture on their own world and make comparisons

and draw conclusions based on that knowledge.

• Students compare and contrast elements of the literature, mythology, and philosophy of their own world with those of the ancient world.

to later life. Knowledge of Latin or Greek enables students to develop a full understanding and appreciation of classical influences in today’s

world as they encounter new language learning situations and other cultures. Students understand the link between classical languages and

certain professional fields through their specialized terminology. Understanding Greco-Roman culture provides students with a basis for interpreting

events of the modern world. The tools of technology and telecommunication provide links to the resources of the worldwide classical community.

• Students present and exchange information about their language experience to others in the school and in the community.

• Students recognize the influence of Latin or Greek on the specialized language of various professional fields and recognize its use in the media.

• Students combine the tools of technology with their classical language skills to communicate with other students in a global community.

• Students interact with community members who are involved in a variety of careers to understand how they have used their study of

classical languages.

• Students use their knowledge of Latin or Greek in communicating within the student and adult community of classical language learners.

• Students use their knowledge of Latin or Greek in learning other languages.

• Students recognize from their study of Greco-Roman culture that cultural diversity has been an integral feature of society from antiquity.

• Students share with others in schools and communities their understanding of cultural differences in the Greco-Roman world.

• Students compare the issues that reveal cultural differences in the ancient world with similar issues in modern cultures.

• Students combine the tools of technology with their knowledge of Greco-Roman culture to share cultural experiences.

• Students participate in the community of classical scholars in cultural events, contests, lectures, and scholarship.

• Students show evidence of connecting the past to the present by applying their knowledge of ancient cultures to their own thoughts

and actions.

separation, however, is nearly impossible, and, in fact, Goal 1 - Communication (i.e., the language strand) and Goal 2 - Culture (i.e., the cultural

strand) are woven through Goals 3, 4, and 5. In each case the language strand is the first standard (i.e., Standard 3.1, 4.1, and 5.1), and the cultural

strand is the second standard (i.e., Standard 3.2, 4.2, and 5.2).

This document leads naturally to the next step: curriculum development, which weaves together discrete elements, such as vocabulary,

grammar, and derivation, as well as literature, mythology, and daily life, into a fabric of creative design that fosters learning and works in the

classroom.

The scenarios that follow are snapshots of classroom lessons and activities that integrate the separate strands of communication, culture, connections,

comparisons, and communities. They are the final product in the process of translating standards to the classroom. They give life to the standards.

and classroom scenarios a firm fabric of curriculum development needs to be woven. The standards are basic; the scenarios present a product in

is already a part of current practice.  The following collection of 15 scenarios represents a selected sample of

scenes from today's Latin and Greek classrooms throughout the nation. Limited space and a desire to represent the diversity of exemplary

programs has prevented the inclusion of all of the many samples received from teaching colleagues. The scenarios are based in real classrooms; the

descriptions have been edited and reworked to illustrate the document.

a suburban public school, are making a presentation to their classmates, in a 90-minute blockscheduled

class. One, using a laser pointer, highlights details in a slide of a Greek vase, which

depicts a scene of Aeneas escaping from Troy with his father and his small son. He tells what is

known of the artist and identifies the figures in the painting, pointing out the attributes of the

divinities and the hero. His partner gives some background on the technique of Athenian black

figure vases. Next, both recall with the class the details of the story and ask how this episode relates

to the major themes of the epic. Then they give the class a handout they have prepared with the

special attention to the Greek vase. They invite the class to make a close comparison between the

words of Vergil's text and the artistic depiction on the slide, asking which is more detailed and

what significant differences there are.

After their ten-minute presentation, the next team explains its slide until all nine have been

presented. At the next class meeting, Ms. Gushman invites discussion comparing the different

media, the different approaches to the conceptualization of the scenes, and their relative effectiveness.

Students are encouraged to choose their favorites and justify their preferences.

Each team was responsible for one slide, which they researched by using the following tools

in their media center:

1. Slides (provided by the teacher) and slide viewers

2. The Paratext Vergil Reference CD-ROM, containing the Latin text, notes and translation;

a manual of mythology; quotations; word lists; search capabilities

The students spend one 90-minute block period in the media center, a week to meet on their own

with their teams and prepare the presentation on their assigned slide, another block period in the

presentations, and about twenty minutes in a wrap-up discussion.

Reflection

1.1 Students read passages from the Aeneid depicted in the art works.

2.2 Students examine products of ancient artists and note how these artists interpreted the scenes from the Aeneid that they are

currently reading .

1.1 Students read, understand, and interpret Latin or Greek.

2.2 Students demonstrate an understanding of the perspectives

of Greek or Roman culture as revealed in the products

of the Greeks or Romans.

3.1 Students reinforce and further their knowledge of other

disciplines through their study of classical languages.

5.1 Students use their knowledge of Latin or Greek in a multilingual

world.

3.1 Students use knowledge of the Aeneid to understand the works of art, and vice versa.

5.1 Students use the tools of technology to participate in the community of classical scholars to gain and share knowledge.

This assignment proves especially valuable for its interdisciplinary nature, allowing

students to research art techniques and topics in the history of art. Besides introducing students

words is required for their correlations.

Using CD-ROM and Internet technology provides a valuable tool for future academic and

personal projects. Further use of this sort of technology is applicable to archaeological, geographical,

historical or political topics related to many Latin texts. Classical literature has inspired

countless art works. A natural follow-up to this activity would be a visit to an art gallery to view

ancient (and/or modern) sculpture or painting on ancient themes.

parts from previous games they have played.  Students share what they already know about

teacher fills in further information about this unusual dog. Students then look at a constellation

Pompeii. The class learns the location of the mosaic, its purpose, and the meaning of the Latin

phrase in the design. In the course of discussing the phrase, students will notice the difference in

1.1 Students read, understand, and interpret Latin or Greek.

1.2 Students use orally, listen to, and write Latin or Greek as part of the language learning process.

2.2 Students demonstrate an understanding of the perspectives of Greek or Roman culture as revealed in the products

of the Greeks or Romans.

3.1 Students reinforce and further their knowledge of other disciplines through their study of classical languages.

4.1 Students recognize and use elements of the Latin or Greek language to increase knowledge of their own language.

4.2 Students compare and contrast their own culture with that of the Greek or Roman world.

according to Mrs. Gascoyne. "But that doesn't make sense," says Sara. Mrs. Gascoyne asks Sara

to tell the class that she sees the dog. Sara says, "I see the dog." Then Mrs. Gascoyne asks her to

tell the class that the dog sees her. "The dog sees me," says Sara. "Sara, why did you call yourself

students get it.

Students talk about how people today would call public attention to the presence of a watch

dog by putting a sign in the window. The next day the class reviews the lesson by listing on chart

in small groups, students fashion mobiles that illustrate the vocabulary and phrases learned in the

lesson. They end the lesson by singing a bilingual song about their dog named B-I-N-G-O. But,

Reflection

1.1 Students read and understand Latin words and phrases that include canis, the Latin word for dog.

1.2 Students hear, pronounce, sing, and write the Latin words and phrases that include canis and words for numbers and body

parts.

2.2 Students expand their knowledge of mythology through the story of Cerberus and understand how Roman houses might be

guarded by watch dogs and how people were warned of their presence; they see the Cave canem mosaic from Pompeii.

3.1 Students learn about the use of the Latin word canis in scientific names and constellations.

4.1 Students recognize and use English words that are related by derivation to the Latin word canis .

4.2 Students compare and contrast the use of watchdogs and how attention is directed to their presence today even as it was in

ancient Roman times.

Third graders are eager to learn and share what they know. The theme that they are

studying runs through all their subject areas. In this class Latin is the medium for learning about

animals, a part of the current interdisciplinary theme for the whole school. The content of the Latin

class merges into the regular third grade classroom lessons in science and language arts.

The lesson builds on previously learned vocabulary and language structures and from the

content of the world that inner city children bring to school. Students are encouraged to talk and

share and to discover things on their own—to search for the stars, to make sense out of a language

that uses two forms of the word for the same thing, to meet a dog with three heads, to make a mobile

and feel the Latin words in their fingers, to sing an old song with new words.

classical geography in the early weeks of their Latin I class. Mrs. Bower first points out the

major cities, provinces, rivers, lakes, seas, and other geographical features on a wall map of the

Roman world at the time of Trajan. She identifies each one in complete Latin sentences, which the

students repeat after her. Students earn points by giving answers in Latin to a series of questions

After this oral exercise the teacher leads a discussion in English on Carthage and the

effect which its location had on Rome. This leads to a review of the students’ prior knowledge

of Hannibal and his trek across the Alps, which the students located earlier in

the lesson. The teacher adds a mythological dimension to this discussion by narrating

briefly the story of Dido and Aeneas. Students then receive blank maps and a

list of the locations just discussed in class. They proceed to locate and write a short sentence in

Latin about each item. The students then read each other’s work.

Reflection

1.1 Students read each other’s short Latin sentences about geographical locations.

1.2 Students listen to Latin questions on geographical locations and respond to them in Latin.

2.2 Students learn classical geography and relate that knowledge to history and myth.

3.2 Students connect their knowledge of classical geography to that of the modern world.

4.1 Students understand noun/adjective and subject/verb agreement in both Latin and English.

4.2 Students compare the nomenclature of classical geography to that of North America.

5.2 Students compare the geographical interdependence of the ancient world to modern examples.

This activity could be used throughout the year and in successive courses at increasing

levels of complexity. It may be especially suitable for introducing new units or new authors.

Students learn correct pronunciation and noun/adjective and subject/verb agreement as well as

geography and reinforce their knowledge through speaking and writing Latin. They also point

out obvious similarities in the nomenclature of classical and modern geography and thus build a

storehouse of geographical and linguistic information. In addition to assessing the students’ work

in the Latin discussion session, a written or oral test on the entire map lesson might be given the

following day.

1.1 Students read, understand, and interpret Latin or Greek.

1.2 Students use orally, listen to, and write Latin or Greek as part of the language learning process.

2.2 Students demonstrate an understanding of the perspectives of Greek or Roman culture as revealed in the products

of the Greeks or Romans.

3.2 Students expand their knowledge through the reading of Latin or Greek and the study of ancient culture.

4.1 Students recognize and use elements of the Latin or Greek language to increase knowledge of their own language.

4.2 Students compare and contrast their own culture with that of the Greco-Roman world.

5.2 Students use their knowledge of Greco-Roman culture in a world of diverse cultures.

town in Connecticut, students learn the Greek alphabet. They are learning the words for the

letters by chanting them after the teacher who has grouped the alphabet into six groups of

four letters: alpha, beta, gamma, delta . . .  epsilon, zeta, eta, theta . . .iota, kappa, lambda,

mu . . . etc.). The students learn the chant quickly and echo back and forth in the fashion

of a football cheer. The teacher turns to the board and writes each letter, first upper case,

then lower case, as the students slowly prompt him with their chant, to accommodate the teacher's writing on the board. Students then see, in

Greek, some words that have been taken from the Greek into Latin and then English. Examples

of the etymology of the words, and they use a Greek/English dictionary to discover meanings and

changes that occur in the transformation from Greek to English. They keep a notebook to record

what they have found. Then they practice their own skill by writing sample Greek alphabets as

they quietly chant to themselves and check the letters with the sample on the board. In subsequent

translate into English, and discuss. In a subsequent class, the students review and practice

counting in Latin from one through ten. They write the words and Roman numerals, write the

corresponding numbers in Greek, and compare them. The teacher explains that in antiquity, and

to some extent in modern times, the Greeks used the letters of the alphabet as numbers. The

students discover and discuss other ways in which Greek and Latin number words and symbols

are used today in mathematics and sciences.

Reflection

1.1 Students begin to read words and sentences of ancient Greek.

1.2 Students learn the Greek writing system.

3.1 Students learn that some languages use different alphabets, and they observe the use of Greek and Latin in mathematics and

science.

4.1 Students practice the Greek alphabet with English derivatives, and they observe interconnections of Greek, Latin, and English.

This lesson, with variations, can be carried out in one class period or several as a filler and

a break from the regular routine. The lesson uses an oral technique as an introduction to writing

and provides a quick way to learn the alphabet with a rousing drill. The lesson opens the door to

reading short phrases of authentic ancient Greek. At more advanced levels the students could be

given Greek phrases and sentences which parallel passages from the Latin authors they are

a separate class next year).

1.1 Students read, understand, and interpret Latin or Greek.

1.2 Students use orally, listen to, and write Latin or Greek as

part of the language learning process.

3.1 Students reinforce and further their knowledge of other

disciplines through their study of classical languages.

4.1 Students recognize and use elements of the Latin or

Greek language to increase knowledge of their own

language.

Each pair has been allotted an ailment. The patients must be able to explain and write what their

of time, go through the proper motions of healing, using simple phrases in Greek. At the end of

each three-minute scenario, the doctor must either pronounce the patient cured or recommend

a visit to Asklepios at Epidauros, again in Greek. Both patient and doctor will also

give a list of Greek words they have used which have English derivatives.

While half of the class is engaged in this activity, the other half of the class is preparing

Epidauros is described. A simplified dialogue based on the original has been provided

by the teacher. Students who do not have the dialogue of a character will form the chorus

and recite the unadapted original.

This activity requires two class periods as well as some homework. Students are provided

with a translation of the play, which they read in preparation, along with scenarios from an

dialogues to the class. As a follow-up, slides of Epidauros, Cos, and Pergamum, and artifacts

relating to Greek medical practice, are shown. In addition, students discuss the topic of comedy

and its role in Greek society, along with the questions that this activity inevitably raises: Why was

healing considered an appropriate topic for comedy, and how do you, living in the world of

visiting a healing sanctuary?

Reflection

1.1 Students read and interpret modified texts on Greek medicine.

1.2 Students recite and comprehend medical findings.

2.1 Students investigate the details of Greek medicine.

2.2 Students discuss the attitude of the Greeks to medical science.

4.1 Students relate Greek medical terminology to such terminolgy in English.

Cooperative learning and presenting its results in a culturally "authentic" format involve

students in the feel of Greek medicine and comedy. A similar dialogue activity could be used in

a discussion among Athenian generals to decide how to pursue the war with the Persians, or to

create a conversation between Pericles and other generals about the relative strengths of Athens

and Sparta.

1.1 Students read, understand, and interpret Latin or Greek.

1.2 Students use orally, listen to, and write Latin or Greek as

part of the language learning process.

2.1 Students demonstrate an understanding of the perspectives

of Greek or Roman culture as revealed in the practices

of the Greeks or Romans.

2.2 Students demonstrate an understanding of the perspectives

of Greek or Roman culture as revealed in the products

of the Greeks or Romans.

4.1 Students recognize and use elements of the Latin or Greek

language to increase knowledge of their own language.

translating the passage, they write about 15 sentences from Latin into English and 10 sentences

from English into Latin with vocabulary previously learned but with syntax based in part on the

Latin narrative. This lesson is part of a carefully coordinated progression to the reading of Caesar

in the fourth term. Quantity of vocabulary is considered less important than its being well

understood, not only semantically but syntactically. Each of the few new vocabulary

items allows a review of basic paradigms:

students with a new option in syntax, the relative adjective clause, which they compare

Students consult their teacher’s own handbook on the World Wide Web as a resource for

constructing their sentences: Some Rules of the Road for the Art of Translating Latin (<http://

academy.exeter.edu:80/~awooley>).

Reflection

1.1. Students read and understand an adapted passage of Latin, demonstrating a knowledge of vocabulary, basic inflectional

systems, and syntax.

1.2 Students read a passage of Latin aloud with accurate pronunciation and phrase grouping, and they write sentences in Latin

reflecting the syntax learned from their reading.

2.1 Students read and analyze a passage of Latin that narrates a famous Greek myth.

4.1 Students compare the Latin and English use of the verb and the construction of complex sentences in both languages.

This is a comprehensive presentation of Latin verb syntax. Students learn how the verb’s

primacy binds it to all the other words in the sentence or clause. The sentences for translation (in

both directions) give practice in the linking verb, intransitive action verbs, transitive verbs, verbs

complemented with dative, genitive, or ablative, and verbs with accusative direct object and

objective complement.

The lesson has six steps: 1) Reading aloud a Latin text; 2) translating Latin sentences; 3)

writing Latin sentences; 4) reviewing previous vocabulary, grammar and syntax; 5) analyzing

new syntax; 6) reviewing the initial text. This general approach could be applied to many lessons

at any level.

1.1. Students read, understand, and interpret Latin or Greek.

1.2. Students use orally, listen to, and write Latin or Greek as

part of the language learning process.

2.1 Students demonstrate an understanding of the perspectives

of Greek or Roman culture as revealed in the practices

of the Greeks or Romans.

4.1 Students recognize and use elements of the Latin or Greek

language to increase knowledge of their own language.

1.1 Students read, understand, and interpret Latin or Greek.

2.2 Students demonstrate an understanding of the perspectives

of Greek or Roman culture as revealed in the products

of the Greeks or Romans.

3.2 Students expand their knowledge through the reading of

Latin or Greek and the study of ancient culture.

4.2 Students compare and contrast their own culture with that

of the Greco-Roman world.

5.2 Students use their knowledge of Latin or Greek in a

multilingual world.

suburban public school near New York City, are involved in a lively discussion about

whether Dido could have acted differently and avoided the tragedy that ended her life. On the

previous day, Mrs. Haukeland took her class to see the musical “Miss Saigon,” whose plot is very

falls in love with a proud but vulnerable woman; a pseudo-wedding is held; ghosts

visit and warn in both stories; and both end in abandonment, curses, and suicide. Both

heroes, Aeneas and the young American soldier, Chris, unwittingly bring death to the

women they love.  One student suggests that it is the war that is to blame: war always disrupts; rules of

civilization no longer apply. Another suggests that Dido, and her counterpart, the beautiful young

Vietnamese Kim, had to be sacrificed for “the greater good.” Mrs. Haukeland asks how the greater

good which Vergil envisions differs from America’s in the chaotic aftermath of the Vietnam war.

The discussion moves on to “culture clash.” Is it possible that neither of these couples had

even the smallest chance of a lasting relationship because of the wide divergence in the perspectives

and values of their different cultures? The students, in general, reject this suggestion, but one

stories result from viewpoints that are inflexible and insulated. Another student suggests that

these first encounters with “the other” often result in tragedy, but sometimes pave the way for

subsequent understanding. The discussion passes quickly on to questions of conscience, honor,

a woman’s role in a relationship, and Fate—was the outcome inevitable from the beginning?

Before seeing the play, Mrs. Haukeland’s class reviewed the plot, characters, and conflicts

five weeks. Knowing the details from Vergil’s story so well has enabled them to draw these

numerous comparisons with the Broadway play and to produce such a spirited discussion. Mrs.

Haukeland concludes their colloquium with a comment about timelessness and the reason that

the classics are called classics.

Reflection

1.1 Students read Book IV of Vergil’s Aeneid in Latin.

2.2 Students demonstrate an understanding of Roman perspectives through the reading of Book IV of the Aeneid.

3.2 Students recognize the influence of Latin literature on the artistic achievements of the modern world.

4.2 Students compare the themes and heroes of the Aeneid with those of their own culture.

5.2 Students recognize from their study of the Aeneid that cultural diversity has been an integral feature of society from antiquity.

importance of music in the students’ lives by considering Vergil's poetry in the light of its musical

elements. The comparison of the two works enables students to view problems created by war and

the ensuing collision of cultural values in a personal context. The students' emotional response to

the living characters on stage affects their reactions to Dido and Aeneas’ anguished parting.

The central questions of life—love vs. duty, self vs. society, destiny vs. action—are asked

by both works. Each one provokes illuminations and responses in its own way. This kind of lesson

goes far beyond the classroom and is very successful in creating a deeper personal involvement

in the Latin literature that students read in class. The insights into Roman perspectives that

provide the substance for this kind of discussion can only be gleaned from a careful reading of

Vergil's text.

This type of comparative activity can be implemented with reinterpretations of ancient

language; they are from an inner city background; English is their second language. They

eagerly look forward to the Latin lessons each week that assist them in building connections

between their native language and English through the study of Latin. As Ms. Marston circulates

throughout the class, the students watch her hold up picture cards depicting members of a Roman

family involved in various activities. They listen to her describe what is happening in the

in eager anticipation of reciting.   After students have demonstrated their

understanding of the action verbs, they see an overhead transparency with three headings

written across the top: Latin, Spanish, and English. Students discuss the word meanings

under each heading and suggest additional derivatives in both Spanish and English. They see

the connections that join their native language, their second language, and Latin. Students use

sentence strips to compose their own descriptive statements in Latin and come, in turn, to the front

of the class and hold up their sentences. As students are called upon to read the sentences aloud

in Latin, another student holds up the corresponding picture. Ms. Marsten explains the role of

each family member depicted on the picture cards, and the students spend a few minutes

comparing these roles to those in their own families. At the end of the lesson, students record their

vocabulary notes onto a replica of the overhead transparency and work in small groups to expand

their list of derivatives. Since this lesson is part of a unit of lessons on food and dining habits of

the ancient Romans, students then work on a “playlet” centering on a Roman family at a dinner,

which they are preparing to present to their parents during a school assembly.

Reflection

1.1 Students read and understand simple Latin sentences.

1.2 Students repeat simple Latin phrases and respond to simple questions in Latin.

2..1 Students learn about the role of specific family members in a Roman family.

4.1 Students recognize words in Spanish and English that are derived from Latin.

4.2 Students compare the role of the members of their own families with those of the Roman family.

5.1 Students present their "playlet" at a school assembly for parents.

The activities included in this lesson involve student use of all four modalities: listening,

speaking, reading, and writing. Because comparisons are made to English and Spanish, Latin

becomes a vehicle for students to strengthen both their native and second language skills. The

main focus of the program, however, is on learning the Latin language and Roman culture. Here

this happens in a broad context that can enrich a student's entire academic program and sharpen

life's skills.

1.1 Students read, understand, and interpret Latin or Greek.

1.2 Students use orally, listen to, and write Latin or Greek as part

of the language learning process.

2.1 Students demonstrate an understanding of the perspectives

of Greek or Roman culture as revealed in the practices of

the Greeks or Romans.

4.1 Students recognize and use elements of the Latin or Greek

language to increase knowledge of their own language.

4.2 Students compare and contrast their own culture with that

of the Greco-Roman world.

5.1 Students use their knowledge of Latin or Greek in a multilingual

world.

,

audio distance learning classroom encompassing twenty-four states in the continental United States. Early in the

school year the Latin class reads a passage in Latin from their textbook depicting a typical Roman

family’s visit to the market.  They read the dialogue between the father, mother, and shop keeper

and practice reading the Latin out loud, trying to comprehend the Latin. They are then presented with a video dramatization

produced by the distance learning teaching staff in which elaborate costuming, sets, and

props to simulate a market experience have been incorporated. Students then work with a partner

on the Latin conversation given in their book. The teacher calls on students at different schools

to read the conversation on the air while the other students listen. The discussion broadens to

include trade, goods, money, clothing, roles of family members, numbers, derivatives, a comparison

of cultures and shopping practices. Over a two-day period students write a Latin conversation

that a family visiting the market might use to buy goods. A handout is provided with formulaic

conversation and guidelines for the project. The students are required to write a conversation in

Latin using the language skills and vocabulary they are working on at the time. They also research

and design a background for their set and gather props. The students perform their skit and record

it on a video tape that they send to the teacher. The teacher evaluates the tapes and then plays the

skits for the other students to view during class. Students continue to practice their aural

comprehension while they watch classmates enact these Roman scenes.

Reflection

1.1 Students read a simple Latin passage from their text.

1.2 Students read a dialogue out loud and comprehend the oral Latin. Students write a simple Latin skit.

2.1 Students learn and role-play a Roman market day.

4.1 Students recognize English words derived from the vocabulary being used.

4.2 Students compare and contrast their own shopping experiences with ancient marketing practices.

The basic activity of developing a dialogue and producing a skit can be used in a variety

of cultural studies at all levels of Latin instruction, in both regular classroom and distance learning

situations. It can be set at a variety of sites throughout the Roman world, thereby giving access

to other cultures of the region. At upper levels peer editing can be incorporated into the final

evaluation of the project. At all levels students become more efficient at integrating language,

vocabulary, and cultural content through this type of activity. Most students thrive when given

creative license within a structure of language and culture, rather than relying on predetermined,

non-integrated textbook exercises.

1.1 Students read, understand, and interpret Latin or Greek.

1.2 Students use orally, listen to, and write Latin or Greek as part of the language

learning process.

2.1 Students demonstrate an understanding of the perspectives of Greek or

Roman culture as revealed in the practices of the Greeks or Romans.

4.1 Students recognize and use elements of the Latin or Greek language to

increase knowledge of their own language.

4.2 Students compare and contrast their own culture with that of the Greco-

Roman world.

1.1 Students read, understand, and interpret Latin or Greek.

1.2 Students use orally, listen to, and write Latin or Greek as part of the language learning process.

4.1 Students recognize and use elements of the Latin or Greek language to increase knowledge of their own

language.

5.1 Students use their knowledge of Latin or Greek in a multi-lingual world.

School, an urban private school in Austin, Texas. They have learned nouns in five cases and

have met the personal pronouns in the first and second persons. This week’s lesson focuses on the

students determine their meaning from the context. The teacher then presents the full declension

of the pronoun for students to learn. Students chant the paradigm together and practice reading

Latin sentences containing the pronoun forms. They discuss why the Romans often do not use this

pronoun as the subject of the sentence, and they determine when they might want to use it. They

compare the Latin with the English use of the subject pronoun. Then the students are instructed

to write a poem in Latin entitled “The Ten Best Things About . . . (their dog, their best friend, a

use two or more case forms of the pronoun in their poems. Students supplement the vocabulary

that they know by consulting English-Latin dictionaries. Students submit rough copies

for their teacher’s comments and then spend time in the computer lab, typing their poems

onto a disk. Students read each other's poems in the lab and help to proofread for errors. Final

copies of the poems are illustrated and submitted for publication in the school’s literary magazine,

which features works in English, Spanish, and Latin.

Reflection

1.1 Students read simple Latin sentences containing is, ea, id.

1.2 Students recite and comprehend oral Latin. Students write simple Latin poems.

4.1 Students compare the forms and use of pronouns in Latin and English.

5.1 Students share their Latin poems with their school community.

This activity could be used at any level. Other pronouns or grammar points could be

emphasized as well. The activity could be modified for different themes or holidays, such as

“Things that I am thankful for” at Thanksgiving. A peer editing component could be added before

the teacher gives feedback. Students could look for correct case forms and other required elements

based on a peer-review guide supplied by the teacher. If a school does not have a literary

magazine, students could create their own magazine or make posters with illustrations to hang in

the school’s halls. If the school sends home a parent newsletter, sample poems and translations

could be included there. This activity is a good skill-builder since, in addition to providing a

in subject/verb and noun/adjective agreement.

game. The activity stimulates responses in Latin to who killed Caesar, where, with what, and

when. They explore a variety of other situations that result from the initial question. Students also

the plan for a Roman house and record the Latin names of the rooms on flash cards, which

they arrange properly within a model of the Roman house. Next, students review the use of

student. Students are divided into four equal groups. Students shuffle and distribute the person

cards, place cards, and weapon cards to the four groups, reserving one from each as the solution

cards. Upon entry into a particular room, a team makes its accusation by stating in Latin who killed

Caesar in that room and with what weapon. After questioning another team for possible solution

cards, the team may begin moving to another room or make a final accusation and recommend a

course of action.

A discussion following the activity focuses on the differences that exist between ancient

and modern houses. Discussion can also center on the character of Caesar and the reasons that he

was targeted for destruction.

Reflection

1.1 Students use Latin to determine who is Caesar’s killer.

1.2 Students formulate and understand a traditional Latin grammatical construction.

2.2 Students develop an understanding of the traditional Roman domus.

4.2 Students see and recognize the similarities and differences between modern and ancient homes. Students compare historical

events of the ancient and modern worlds.

This activity integrates historical content with language use; it integrates communication

and culture; it centers on a major historical character. The formulaic structure of the game allows

addition to proper formation and use of Latin infinitives with subject in the accusative case; and

it requires the student to exercise judgment in supplying the appropriate infinitive. The activity

stimulates the student to respond in Latin and to listen to oral responses from team members and

This activity is also appropriate for a first year class where the teacher may change the

indirect statement formula to a simple direct question. The cultural dimension of this activity can

The students may also explore another character from Roman history or mythology who would

stimulate questions and discussion on the character and associated history. Other readings to

support these changes would then be incorporated into the lesson.

1.1 Students read, understand, and interpret Latin or Greek.

1.2 Students use orally, listen to, and write Latin or Greek as

part of the language learning process.

2.2 Students demonstrate an understanding of the perspectives

of Greek or Roman culture as revealed in the products

of the Greeks or Romans.

4.2 Students compare and contrast their own culture with that

of the Greco-Roman world.

the questions are repeated with students questioning students.

After all students have responded to questions, the teacher gives out an exercise that requires them to ask and answer questions in writing.

On the worksheet are pictures of characters with empty dialogue balloons. The students write appropriate questions and answers in the

balloons. Later the students listen to and read a story containing dialogues that reinforce the new pronouns and verb endings.

Finally, students use the new pronoun and verb forms in Latin sentences of their own.

Reflection

1.1 Students read simple sentences and stories containing first and second person pronouns as subjects.

1.2 Students make “I” and “you” statements and ask “you” questions orally. Students write Latin sentences containing first and

second person pronouns and verb forms.

2.2 Students employ props representative of everyday items used by the Romans and discuss their cultural significance.

This is a high interest activity because of the use of props and the level of student involvement. Students hear and speak Latin and become

accustomed to patterns before they see words in writing. After written exercises, students are able to draw conclusions about pronoun

and verb forms and to apply their knowledge to further readings and to their own Latin composition. Culture is embedded in the lesson

by the use of culturally authentic props and by reference to common Roman occupations.

1.1 Students read, understand, and interpret Latin or Greek.

1.2 Students use orally, listen to, and write Latin or Greek as

part of the language learning process.

2.2 Students demonstrate an understanding of the perspectives

of Greek or Roman culture as revealed in the products

of the Greeks or Romans.

The students group themselves into groups of 3 or 4 students to write their own dramas in English and Latin. Different types of

drama are represented by the several groups. Each group must write five sentences in Latin, which become part of their drama. The students identify all grammatical aspects of the sentences they write. They spend a day writing and correcting their Latin sentences for accurate vocabulary, grammar and syntax. The teacher checks the content and mechanics of all the Latin sentences before the performance.

Each group rehearses and then presents its miniature drama to the entire class. Students prepare costumes and props for their performances. They even provide cushions for their

audience and spray scented water into the air of their "theater." They gloss on the blackboard Latin words not known to the entire class.

Reflection

1.1 Students read Latin passages on Roman drama.

1.2 Students write Latin sentences to incorporate into their drama.

2.2 Students experience Roman culture by performing comedy.

3.1 Students compare Roman comedy to Shakespearean comedy.

4.2 Students compare modern entertainment to Roman comedy.

The goal of the lesson is to immerse seventh graders in reading Latin, to have them use the

language actively in a culturally authentic situation, to help them experience an understanding of

Roman drama and its influence, and to make comparisons of Roman drama to Elizabethan and

modern comedy.

The teacher assesses the students in terms of the content of the written script, the accuracyof

their Latin, oral and written, their use of the dramatic form, and their performance.

1.1 Students read, understand, and interpret Latin or Greek.

1.2 Students use orally, listen to, and write Latin or Greek as part of the language learning process.

2.2 Students demonstrate an understanding of the perspectives of Greek or Roman culture as revealed in the products of the

Greeks or Romans.

3.1 Students reinforce and further their knowledge of other disciplines through their study of classical languages.

4.2 Students compare and contrast their own culture with that of the Greco-Roman world.

Students discuss thoroughly the Roman political system, how elections were held, and what political campaigns were like. Students then prepare

to reenact the election of 63 BC. Cicero presided over this election, and one of the two consular seats was hotly contested by the lawyer Sulpicius and the general

Murena. Students discuss the different personalities and qualifications of these two men and the general state of affairs in the Roman world, and

they compare them to modern American elections, campaigns, and candidates. Students receive instruction on Latin commands, greetings, questions, and responses.

Simple sentence constructions are reviewed. Then every student receives a personal “voter profile” with name, occupation, family background, ties to candidates, and other pertinent

information. Two students, chosen by the teacher to portray the candidates, write campaign speeches and learn how to respond in character to questions from the voters. The remaining students work in groups to produce Latin campaign posters to decorate the room and hall on election day. Latin slogans are checked for historical and linguistic accuracy. Election events can last one to three hours (longer versions include Roman lunch and victory games sponsored by the winner). Students dress in Roman attire. "Cicero" conducts the opening ceremonies.

After the candidates are introduced, they give their speeches, answer questions from the voters, give rebuttals, and mill among voters for a little handshaking. Finally, after all voters file

past the voting boxes and cast their tokens, Cicero congratulates the winner who is acclaimed by the "voters."

Reflection

1.1 Students read and understand Latin slogans on campaign posters. More advanced students read background materials in

Latin, such as Cicero’s Ep.ad Fam. 4.1, 4.2, 4.5, 4.6, 4.12, Att. 1.1, Pro Murena, 9th Philippic, De pet. cons.; Catullus’ poems

49, 52, and 93.

1.2 Students and teachers use Latin commands, greetings and simple sentences and write Latin campaign slogans on posters.

2.1 Students demonstrate knowledge of the political life of the Romans.

4.2 Students read information on Roman campaigning and compare those practices with modern campaigns.

Staging a mock Roman election can be an exciting learning experience, complete with historical characters, priests, centurions, and forum campaigning. It also allows students with

different talents to shine. Students discuss and write essays comparing modern and ancient campaigning. They write essays discussing their “Roman” family background and political ties and why they chose to vote for or against a candidate. Did they follow or break with family traditions? By introducing unadapted text and activities that use more Latin and less English, this scenario, originally created for beginning students, becomes appropriate for intermediate or advanced students.

1.1 Students read, understand, and interpret Latin or

Greek.

1.2 Students use orally, listen to, and write Latin or

Greek as part of the language learning process.

2.1 Students demonstrate an understanding of the perspectives

of Greek or Roman culture as revealed in

the practices of the Greeks or Romans.

4.2 Students compare and contrast their own culture

with that of the Greco-Roman world.

II and III students in William Hall High School, in a suburban Connecticut town, discuss the use of Latin in the Middle Ages, how it developed

through the years, and to what extent it reflected both common and formal speech.  Students draw on their studies in a course in World Civilization

to contribute to the discussion of the culture of the medieval period, especially as it continues, amplifies, or challenges the structures put in place in the late Roman empire.

Students, in pairs, read the Latin text which describes a group of sea-faring monks unwittingly camping out on the back of a whale, and

the unexpected consequences that follow. They first read out loud in Latin, skim silently looking for the main idea, generate a list of cognates, as well as a list of problem words which will be needed to render the passage into good English. Students translate the first half of the text into English as accurately as possible and try to

Reflection

1.1 Students read and understand an unadapted passage of medieval Latin.

2.1 Students observe the culture of some sea-faring monks at sea.

3.2 Students recognize the continuity of cultures as exemplified in the literatures of the ancient and medieval worlds.

4.2 Students learn how a basic theme, sea narrative, is changed and reshaped to reflect the age and culture that is retelling it.

5.1 Students learn about and reflect upon the development of the Romance languages from Latin.

5.2 Students read an exciting story by a first-rate story teller, whose authentic Latin is accessible to second year students.

Medieval texts provide a variety of material accessible and exciting for the intermediate Latin student.

Here students learn that Latin is a communicative vehicle that survived the classical

period and that good Latin literature continued to be produced well into the Renaissance.

Cooperative learning is a good strategy for extensive reading and for engaging students in the

acquisition of content as well as language skills. The lesson may be expanded to a short sequence

of lessons or a unit as long as three weeks.

1.1 Students read, understand, and interpret Latin or Greek.

2.1 Students demonstrate an understanding of the perspectives

of Greek or Roman culture as revealed in the practices

of the Greeks or Romans.

3.2 Students expand their knowledge through the reading of

Latin or Greek and the study of ancient culture.

4.2 Students compare and contrast their own culture with that

of the Greco-Roman world.

5.1 Students use their knowledge of Latin or Greek in a multilingual

world.

5.2 Students use their knowledge of Greco-Roman culture in a

world of diverse cultures.

For students and teachers of classical languages, authentic materials are the products of the ancient world. For students of Latin and Greek,

unadapted literature is the most important authentic material. All the remains of the classical world contribute to our knowledge of their

practices, their perspectives, their culture: literature, non-literary records, artifacts, art, architecture, and all the things that archaeologists unearth.

(see Frequently asked Question 8, p. 43)

Elementary students, if Latin or Greek is taught continuously from the early grades, may be expected to demonstrate progress indicated by the

beginning sample progress indicators by grade 6 or 8 (perhaps even by grade 4 if they begin a well coordinated program in kindergarten).

Middle school students who study Latin or Greek every day in grades 7 and 8 should demonstrate beginning progress indicators by the end of

grade 8. High school students should demonstrate beginning status by the end of their Level I course, intermediate status by the end of a Level

III course, and advanced status by the end of a Level V or Advanced Placement Course. Such designations as Level I, II, and III place learning

in a time frame that standards of excellence seek to avoid. In the scheme presented here, the progress of students in terms of standards of excellence

or proficiency is the factor to be measured, not time.

The most culturally authentic materials are those the Romans used, read, saw, and touched. Because these materials are rare or inaccessible to

most students, it is necessary to create materials that approximate what was known in the ancient world, e.g., a story in Latin about a Roman

child’s day in school. Although comprehension of an unadapted text is the ultimate goal, that is not often attainable by a beginning 7th grader.

If the emphasis in created materials is culturally authentic, students learn culture at the same time that they are learning language.

State frameworks provide a curricular and programmatic context. District curriculum further defines course content in a coordinated sequence.

Course curriculum is a teacher’s outline for a specific course of study (e.g., Latin I, Latin in grade 7, exploratory Latin for 10 weeks).

Lesson plans translate curriculum into meaningful and creative activitiesfor the individual classroom. The standards are meant as a guide to

curriculum development, not a substitute for it. Curricula vary according to teaching style, learning style, the teacher’s philosophy of teaching

and learning, students’ ability, textbooks used, and available resources. Curricula designed to achieve the standards should vary in many ways:

in specific lesson plans, in types of drill, and in choice of authors and literary works.

Many states have chosen the word “framework” to title their documents guiding curriculum development at the district and local level.

The standards are organized within five goal areas that make up classical language education: communication, culture, connections, comparisons,

strand that must be woven into the fabric of curriculum development at the state, district, and local levels.

Some states are producing curriculum guides with more detailed models as supplements to their frameworks for curriculum development. These

See "Beginning / Intermediate / Advanced," p. 38 and "Frequently Asked Questions," p. 43.

Greek and Latin literature ranges at least from the 8th century B.C. through the classical periods of Greece and Rome, the Byzantine and

Middle Ages, the Renaissance, and even into the present age. Epic, lyric, tragic and comic drama, satire, history, biography, oratory, philosophy,

scientific, agricultural, and medical treatises, even the novel are among the genres read by students of Latin and Greek. This wealth of literature

provides a broad base for choosing authors or genre. In addition, nonliterary Latin and Greek provide a storehouse of authentic material to

read: graffiti, inscriptions, coins, curse tablets. Caesar, Cicero, and Vergil have long been standard fare for high school students; they continue to

language that will enable them, at the most advanced level, to read any author of Latin or Greek.

The oral use of Latin or Greek includes reading or reciting Latin or Greek texts aloud (with proper attention to metrical structure, if the passage is

poetry), asking and responding to questions, making statements, issuing and responding to commands. The word “speak,” a more natural

substitute for “use orally,” has been avoided in order not to imply that “conversation” is an important part of the standard.

A progress indicator gives a quick picture of what a student who has mastered a standard knows and can do in a specific situation. Under each

standard are sample progress indicators for beginning, intermediate, and advanced students. The sample progress indicators are neither

prescriptive nor exhaustive. Intermediate and advanced students are expected to exhibit the progress indicators of the lower levels as well as

the progress indicators of their own level.

Reading includes all of the following: reading aloud, paraphrasing content, analyzing grammar and syntax, interpreting meaning, and

translating. All of these skills cannot be demonstrated simultaneously, and good pedagogy would elicit practice and assessment of the separate

skills for different and specific purposes. Reading that employs all methods needed for an accurate interpretation of the original text is, in

the broadest sense, philology.

A scenario is a picture in words of student performance in a classroom situation. It is a fully developed segment of curriculum, is articulated in

standards.

Translations are versions of a text in another language. They can range from close adherence to the original syntax to a free interpretation of

Standards for Classical Language Learning uses writing to mean any of the following: taking dictation, translating from English into Latin or Greek,

by the National Standards in Foreign Language Education Collaborative Project. The joint effort of the American Classical League, the American

Philological Association, and regional classical organizations has been endorsed and commended by our modern language colleagues. They

are engaged in a similar activity within their professional organizations.  The language specific standards documents are meant to be companion

documents to the national foreign language standards.

A. 2. No; the standards as published here are voluntary. They are intended to serve as a model for state and local policy makers and

curriculum developers as they consider the role of classical languages in their schools. The standards propose a model to implement students'

progress in reading classical languages and in achieving the five goals:  communication, culture, connections, comparisons, and communities.

A. 3. These standards have been developed with each goal relying heavily on the basic goal of reading the classical language. Reading Latin

or Greek (Goal 1, Standard 1) permeates the other four goals. By reading the classical language students become immersed in the culture (Goal 2),

make connections (Goal 3) and comparisons (Goal 4), and understand content. Translations can be a teaching device to measure comprehension;

they can also be high art, demanding an expert command of English and Latin. ( See “Frequently Asked Questions,” 6, p. 42.)

and move more comfortably in the communities (Goal 5) of the world.

Unlike the national standards for foreign language learning, the classical

language standards stress the prime importance and value of reading.

A. 4. As school districts develop curriculum from the standards, they

select the appropriate authors to be studied in their own schools. (See

"Literature" in the "Glossary," p. 39.)

A. 5. Grammar (morphology and syntax) is an important tool for

understanding meaning. Students need tools and strategies to read with

comprehension. Because each state, county, district, and teacher will

choose the tools of instruction appropriate for its own students, curriculum

guides and course outlines that are written as a subsequent step in

the process of curriculum development will determine what items of

grammar should be included to meet specific instructional needs. Grammar

is addressed directly in Standard 1.1 and is implied throughout the

standards. Each learning scenario needs to include the tools of grammar

necessary to accomplish it.

A. 6. Reading and understanding Latin or Greek is Standard 1.1. There

are many ways of determining what a student reads and understands.

Translation into English is one of them. The standards for classical

language learning do not mandate method; they are not textbook bound.

Individual districts, textbook selection, an individual teacher’s creativity,

students’ learning styles, and specific situations will determine

where and how much translation into English is appropriate. Translating

is an artful skill; sometimes what passes as a “literal translation” from

Latin or Greek into English is not English at all.

A. 7. Current Latin and Greek programs start at many places in grades

K-12 and in the college and university curriculum. We do not anticipate

that most programs will begin in kindergarten and extend through high

school and beyond. Sample progress indicators are described for beginning,

intermediate, and advanced classical language students regardless

of their age or grade level. Activities, of course, must be age-appropriate

and developmentally-appropriate to the student.

A. 8. Many innovative Latin programs have been developed since the

1960s that start Latin instruction in the early grades. New textbooks have

been created for schemes more diverse than high school Latin I and II.

Some states have mandated that foreign language instruction begin

below the high school level. An increasingly more common program

scheme is Latin in grades 7 and 8 that includes all the skills for entering

Latin II in grade 9. This scheme allows for Latin V in grade 12 and an

opportunity to use both of the separate Advanced Placement syllabi. In

this scheme the progress indicators would be appropriate as follows:

Beginning—grades 7 and 8 (Latin I); Intermediate—grades 9 and 10

(Latin II and III); Advanced—grades 11 and 12 (Latin IV and V, advanced

placement). Students' progress in terms of standards of excellence or

proficiency is the factor to be measured, not time. (See "Glossary,

Beginning / Intermediate / Advanced," p. 38.)

what students should know and be able to do at three points in their

development. State frameworks provide a curricular and programmatic

context. District curriculum further defines course content in a coordinated

sequence. Lesson plans translate curriculum into meaningful and

creative activities for the individual classroom.

A. 10. Curriculum, instruction, and assessment are all parts of a fabric

so tightly woven that the seams are barely detectable. Assessment is a

part of instruction; a good teacher is constantly evaluating and assessing

the student and the instruction. On the basis of the assessment, curriculum

is adjusted. An assessment may be as informal as noting a student’s

smile of recognition or as formal as an Advanced Placement examination.

The standards can serve as the basic blueprint for a final exam, as

the plan for a textbook, or as the foundation of curriculum. They can also

be the basis for state or national examinations.

force in the development of local, state, and national assessment tools.

Each local, state, or national examination measures achievement of

describes what is best in current classical language teaching and

learning, some current assessment tools may adequately assess what the

standards for classical language learning outline. All assessment tools,

local, state, and national, need to be reviewed in light of the standards.

A. 12. The ACL and APA hope to establish a team which will meet with

various classical associations across the country to assist and train

teachers and curriculum writers in the implementation of the standards.

A. 13. Standards of excellence are appropriate to students of all ages.

Progress indicators may be different for beginners of different ages, but

the standards will be the same. It may take four years for a middle school

student to demonstrate the progress indicators of a beginning student. It

may take one semester for a college student to demonstrate the same

beginning progress. It may take a high school student three years to

demonstrate intermediate progress. A university student may do it in

two semesters. Standards are not measured by time nor by a student’s

age; they are measured by progress, i.e., what a student knows or can do

at a specified point.

A. 14. Teachers new and experienced will need to know what their

colleagues deem to be the learning standards for their discipline. Standards

can guide curriculum development, as well as national, state, and

local testing. Teachers need to be aware of the latest developments in

their field; and teacher training programs in the Classics will need to

reflect what is happening, guide prospective teachers, and lead the field

in developing new teaching and learning strategies.

A. 15. No. Standards describe what students should know and be able

to do. If anything, they provide a base for student assessment. What a

student knows and can do is, in part, the result of a teacher's instruction.

Good teachers are aware of current pedagogical thinking and create an

atmosphere that fosters learning as described in the sample progress

indicators.

A. 16. When language instruction is appropriate to the ages, abilities, and

learning styles of students, ALL students can learn classical languages.

Model Latin programs in Philadelphia, Los Angeles, New York, Washington,

Detroit, and Kansas City, among others, led the way in experiments

to show that young students, students of many cultural backgrounds,

and students of differing abilities can make progress toward

learning a classical language and can demonstrate progress on the scale

in classical languages currently exist in prekindergarten through

graduate school; successful programs in classical languages currently

exist for the academically talented and for the physically and/or academically

challenged. Students study Latin and Greek whose native

languages are not English and whose cultural heritages are widely

diverse. Classical languages are for ALL students.

This resource, which includes a complete list of providers, is up-dated and published by

Scholars Press.

This work is the most recently published work on the state of the profession. Davis

describes the current situation of Latin and Greek programs in the United States, Canada,

and Britain at each level from elementary school through university and provides curricular

guidelines for high school Latin I and II. She appends a brief bibliography and list of

useful addresses.

Davis, S., G. Daugherty, D. Larick, J. Mikalson, and J. Miller. 1991. "Preparation and training for

This resource should be made available to every teacher and student of Classics at each

level. The book is divided into seventeen chapters in three sections: Bibliographical

Resources, Information Resources, and Organizations. See especially ch. 4: Topical

Bibliographies; ch. 5: Bibliographies of Individuals (i.e., individual Greek and Latin

authors); ch. 8: Specialized Dictionaries, Encyclopedias, and Handbooks (e.g., Art and

Archaeology, History, Literature, and Mythology); ch. 15: Internet Resources; and ch. 17:

Professional Associations and Societies. This resource also includes an Author/Title Index

and Subject Index.

This article provides some additional information supplemental to ch. 15 in the previous

entry.

Glenview, IL: Scott Foresman-Addison Wesley.

This is the first Latin methods and resource text to appear since the 1960s.

(14) 2.

March/April 71-77.

ancient lands. A Guide to CD ROMS (May/June 1996).

to providing a meticulously up-to-date and complete listing of available texts, Sebesta

provides a full directory of textbook publishers.

Arizona.

This work presents the current national standards for foreign language education in the

United States. The following works provide additional information:

Draper, J. 1993. "National standards in foreign language education: Answering the questions,"

D.C.: Education Week.

on the Teaching of Foreign Languages. Lincolnwood, IL: National Textbook Company.

ACL/NJCL National Latin Exam. c/o Jane Hall, Director. P.O. Box 95. Mt. Vernon, VA 22121.

American Classical League and Teaching Materials Resource Center. Miami University. Oxford,

OH 45056. c/o John A. Dutra, Director. Tel: 513-529-7741. Fax: 513-529-7742.

American Philological Association. John Marincola, Executive Director, 19 University Place,

Room 328, New York University, New York, NY 10003-4556. Tel: 212-998-3575, Fax: 212-

995-4814. e-mail: american.philological@nyu.edu

Archaeological Institute of America. 675 Commonwealth Ave., Boston, MA 02215.

Tel: 617-353-9361. Fax: 617-353-6550.

Classical Association of the Atlantic States. c/o Jerry Clack, Executive Director, Department of

Classics, Duquesne University, Pittsburgh, PA 15282-1704.

Tel: 412-396-6450. Fax: 412-396-5197.

Classical Association of New England. c/o Allan Wooley, Executive-Secretary, Dept. of Classical

Languages, Phillips Exeter Academy, Exeter, NH 03833.

Tel: 603-772-4311. Fax: 603-778-4384. e-mail: awooley@exeter.edu.

Classical Association of the Middle West and South. c/o Prof. Gregory N. Daugherty, Department

of Classics, Randolph-Macon College, P.O. Box 5005, Ashland, VA 23005.

Tel: 804-752-3732. Fax: 804-752-7231.

Classical Association of the Pacific Northwest. c/o Prof. Catherine M. Connors, Department of

Classics, Box 351110, University of Washington, Seattle, WA 98195.

Tel: 206-543-2267. Fax: 206-543-2266.

Committee for the Promotion of Greek. c/o Prof. Kenneth F. Kitchell, Jr., Department of Foreign

Languages, Prescott 222, Louisiana State University, Baton Rouge, LA 70808-5306.

Tel: 504-388-6616. Fax: 504-343-5623.

National Committee for Latin and Greek. c/o Virginia Barrett, Chair, 11371 Matinicius Ct,

Cypress, CA 90630.

Tel: 714-373-0588. Fax: 714-897-6681.

National Junior Classical League. Miami University, Oxford, OH 45056.

Tel: 513-529-7741. Fax: 513-529-7741.

Vergilian Society of America. c/o John Dutra, Executive Secretary, P.O. Box 817, Oxford, OH

45056.

Tel: 513-529-1482. Fax: 513-529-1516.