Advice for teachers - Classical Greek - Victorian Curriculum and Assessment Authority

Advice for teachers - Classical Greek

Teaching and learning activities

Unit 2: Reading Classical Greek literature

Unit 2 Area of Study 1: Language acquisition

Outcome 1

Demonstrate knowledge of vocabulary and grammatical forms and rules used in Classical Greek literary text.

Examples of learning activities

Read extracts of Classical Greek literary text in class.
Identify and classify new vocabulary.
Memorise principal parts of new verbs.
Add new items to a vocabulary database.
Consolidate knowledge by completing crosswords and engaging in class quizzes.
Identify new grammatical forms and rules.
Complete exercises from a textbook and / or associated website.
Demonstrate knowledge of new grammatical forms under test conditions.
Parse sections of Classical Greek text.

Detailed example

Parse sections of Classical Greek literary text

Create a grid with four columns and an appropriate number of rows.
Enter the following headings for the columns: WORD, TYPE, FORM, FUNCTION.
Analyse the words in sentence order.

Example

τὸ ἐργαστήριον ἐλθόντες τὰ ἀνδράποδα ἀπεγράφοντο. ἐγὼ δὲ Πείσωνα μὲν ἠρώτων εἰ βούλοιτό με σῶσαι χρήματα λαβών.

WORD	TYPE	FORM	FUNCTION
ἠρώτων	-αω verb	1st person singular	direct statement, main verb
	ἐρωτάω	imperfect active
		indicative
εἰ	conjunction	NA	introducing subordinate clause
βούλοιτο	-ω verb irregular	3rd person singular	indirect question, historic sequence
	βούλομαι	present middle
		optative
με	1st person personal	accusative singular	direct object of σῶσαι
	pronoun ἐγώ
χρήματα	noun 3 neuter	accusative plural	direct object of λαβών
	χρῆμα χρήματος

Use the parsing grid to respond to questions in a class discussion format.

Unit 2 Area of Study 2: Comprehending Classical Greek literary text

Outcome 2

Demonstrate understanding of content and context in passages of Classical Greek literary text.

Examples of learning activities

Preview and review grammatical forms and rules featured in the Classical Greek literary text set for study.
Use lexical and grammatical resources to read the set text section by section.
Refer to exegetical resources to enhance understanding.
Develop a commentary explaining aspects of the socio-cultural and historical background of the set text.
Compare versions of the set text by professional translators.
Demonstrate understanding of the set text by translating it into accurate and fluent English, and by responding to questions on its content and context.
Apply acquired skills and knowledge to the comprehension of unseen Classical Greek literary text.

Detailed example

Compare two versions of a portion of the set text by professional translators

Example: Aristophanes Αχαρνης 1–42 translated by B. B. Rogers (1924) and by Alan H. Sommerstein (1979)

Read the target passage in Classical Greek.
Read the two translations referring closely to the Greek text.
Compare the translations in terms of accuracy and fluency, and their treatment of figurative, comical and technical language.
Compile a list of differences and similarities.
Discuss the merits of the two translations.
Translate the passage into fluent English.

Unit 2 Area of Study 3: Exploring ideas and techniques

Outcome 3

Identify and discuss the ideas contained in passages of Classical Greek literary text, and the techniques employed by the author to present them.

Examples of learning activities

Devise a profile of the author and his work(s).
Research and record characteristics of the literary genre of the work under study.
Create a timeline of the historical background relevant to the work.
Identify the author's purpose in writing the work.
Establish the major theme(s) of the work.
Read the set text with attention to the ideas contained in it.
Develop a mind map to represent the ideas encountered in the set text.
Identify literary techniques employed in the set text.
Use a range of exegetical resources to enhance understanding of ideas and techniques contained in the set text.
Add notes on ideas and techniques to a commentary on the set text.
Engage in class discussion on the merits of the ideas and techniques encountered in the set text.
Demonstrate understanding in written responses to questions on the ideas and techniques of the set text.

Detailed example

Develop a mind map of ideas in the set text

This can be done as an individual, group or class activity.

Read the set text and identify the ideas contained in it.
Devise or download a template for the mind map.
Categorise the ideas under headings such as themes, issues, motifs, concepts, opinions, assumptions.
Establish the author’s purpose as the central focus.
Record each idea with at least one key quotation from the text, supplemented by references to other occurrences.
Publish the end product on the class homepage.