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Latin in the UK

University of Cambridge School Classics Project

UK education system

• Age 3-4/5: Pre-school (15 hours per week funded)

• Age 4/5-11: Primary school (Reception + Years 1-6)

KS1 = Years 1 + 2 (Age 5-7)KS2 = Years 3 – 6 (Age 7-11)

• Age 11-18: Secondary school (Years 7-11)

KS3 = Years 7-9 (Age 11-14)KS4 = Years 10 + 11 (Age 14-16) GCSEKS5 = Years 12 + 13 (Age 16-18) A Level

• Age 18+: University

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UK National Statistics

UK Population 62,000,000

Year group size 750,000

Secondary schools 4,500

Students in a secondary school 1,000

Students in a school year group 150-200

Class sizes (Age 5-16) 25-30

Class sizes (Age 16-18) 1-20

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UK Latin Statistics

Year group size 750,000

Start Latin (age 11-14) 50,000 (6.5% of population)

Complete GCSE Latin (age 16) 11,500 (1.5% of population)

Complete A Level Latin (age 18) 1,500 (0.2% of population)

First year Latin at university 400 (<1% of starters)

Total studying Latin at any one time 120,000 – 140,000 students

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Typical school Latin department sizes

UK System Age Number of students

Year 7 11-12 0 0

Year 8 12-13 65 0

Year 9 13-14 43 0

Year 10 14-15 23 8

Year 11 15-16 21 9

Year 12 16-17 2 0

Year 13 17-18 4 0

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Rebuilding Latin in the UK1966 – 1999

Reconsidering the aims of Latin education

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Why did CSCP create a reading course?

• May 1960: Oxford and Cambridge Universities drop Latin for entry

• September 1960: Numbers studying Latin in UK collapse

• 1962: Nuffield education initiative established

• Mid 1960s: UK schools become comprehensive

• January 1966: School Classics Project formed

• develop materials and techniques which will accelerate and improve pupils' ability to read classical Latin literature and widen their knowledge of classical civilisation

• develop materials and courses for the non-linguistic study of Classics, with particular reference to widely varying levels of pupil ability

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Who are we?

School Classics Project Board (12)

Director (1)

Research Authoring Digital User Support Outreach

Dist. Learning

(8 + ~40)

University of Cambridge

Faculty of Education

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What is the purpose of language?

communicate?

socialise?

survival?

communicate ideas? desires? passion?

access others’ thoughts, ideas, passions?

challenge provincialism?

access other cultures?

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hospes, quod deico paullum est; asta ac pellege.

heic est sepulcrum hau pulcrum pulcrai feminae:

nomen parentes nominarunt Claudiam.

suom mareitum corde deilexit souo:

gnatos duos creavit: horum alterum

in terra linquit, alium sub terra locat.

sermone lepido, tum autem incessu commodo,

domum servavit. lanam fecit. dixi. abei.

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Caecilius est pater.

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Metella est mater. Quintus est filius. Lucia est filia.

Clemens est servus. Grumio est coquus. Cerberus est canis.

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Linguistic development: Si A=A

Caecilius est pater.

Metella est mater.

Quintus est filius.

Lucia est filia.

Clemens est servus.

Grumio est coquus.

Cerberus est canis.

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Cultural development: familia, dress, skin color

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Linguistic development: Si A=Q

Caecilius est in tablino.

Metella est in atrio.

Quintus est triclinio.

Lucia est in horto.

Clemens est in cubiculo.

Grumio est in culina.

Cerberus est in horto.

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Cultural development: rooms of the house

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Linguistic development: Sii AQV

pater est in tablino. pater in tablino scribit.

mater est in atrio. mater in atrio sedet.

filius est in triclinio. filius in triclinio bibit.

filia est in horto. filia in horto legit.

servus est in cubiculo. servus in cubiculo laborat.

coquus est in culina. coquus in culina laborat.

canis est in via. canis in via dormit.

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Beyond the word level

“Inflections and constructions are presented within these patterns in a

controlled and gradual sequence.

It is important that students should understand the form and function of

the words that make up a sentence or phrase, and equally important that

they should develop the habit of grouping words together and treating

the phrase or sentence as a single unit.

Language learning consists of forming habits as well as solving

problems.”

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Some basic principles

• Reading quickly depends on forming habits.

• Establish expectations, but prepare to challenge them later.

• Word order is important. Information flow left to right.

• Reading for meaning. Okay to switch to English or leave in Latin.

• Translation useful tool for assessment, not all important.

• Reading for meaning requires understanding of Roman culture.

• Readings must be set in authentic Roman context.

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Cultural consolidation: who does what, and where?

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Reading: language, culture, plot

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A=A Metella est mater.

A=Q mater est in atrio.

AQV Metella in atrio sedet.

AV Cerberus intrat.

Q as X (preposition + noun) in atrio

ABV amicus Caecilium salutat.

ABQV coquus cibum in mensa videt.

AQQV coquus in tricilinio magnifice cenat.

Q as I (invariable) magnifice

VA respondet Pantagathus.

Q as X ad portum

aA magnus leo

A = a x 2 Melissa est docta et pulchra.

bB magnum fustem

Bb cenam optimam

Rebuilding Latin in the UK1999 – 2015+

Use of digital technology

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UK schools offering Latin in 1999

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1999 % of pop.

Total number of schools offering Latin 650

State comprehensive schools 100 92%

State selective schools 110 1%

Independent schools 440 7%

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What is a non-specialist teacher?

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UK schools offering Latin

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1999 2015

Total number of schools offering Latin 650 1,125

State comprehensive schools 100 558

State grammar schools 110 118

Independent schools 440 449

Latin exam entries 1988 - 2014

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Supporting non-specialists – Specialists’ views

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Supporting non-specialists – their own views

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Key factors inrebuilding in UKLatin

• Reconsidering aims of Latin education

• Create resources (for specialists and non-specialists)

• Normalisation of examination assessment

• Train non-specialist and specialist teachers

• Market to schools

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