The aim of this paper is to set out the results of the Developing and creating didactic proposals for Latin and Classical Culture (now DPLCC) course, which was financed and organised with the Spanish Ministry of Education, CEFIRE, during 2021.
The training programme is aimed at teachers and anyone qualified to teach classical languages. It has been divided into two parts: a theory and a practical section. The theory section entailed a review of some fundamental topics in language teaching. The practical section involved the creation of a didactic proposal based on the element of water. The course counted a total of 34 participants; only 22 finished the theory section and 12 the practical section. From a practical perspective for participants, it was observed that various activities were effectively carried out. In particular, the trainees produced quality texts adapted to the required level. In addition, the proposed exercises are diverse and appropriate for the planned objectives. On the other hand, the graphic design, page layout and illustrations proposed did not have a particular focus on quality, indicating a lesser degree of technical and graphic preparation for producing materials that are also visually appealing to a younger audience. The study shows that trainees revisit and create new activities from scratch, always staying aligned with the chosen theme and the proposed educational level.
]]>During the school closures in the beginning of 2021 many students and teachers found themselves making use of new remote educational technology. The use of an online chat function and breakout rooms became routine. Using observations during lessons, anonymised chat logs and a student questionnaire it is shown that there are positive outcomes for student voice and inclusion when using these features. The possibility for integration of a chat function in the physical classroom, to benefit students who are more confident in messaging than speaking, is briefly considered although a proper study of this was not possible at the time.
]]>The aim of this contribution is to provide a new methodology regarding the use of photogrammetry and 3D modelling in the classroom. By means of a practicum taught at Complutense University of Madrid and a survey conducted afterwards, we show the different steps of the activity, as well as the reception of the students, who learnt to elaborate 3D figures.
]]>In November 2022, ChatGPT 3.5 was released on a public research preview, gaining notoriety for its ability to pull from a vast body of information to create coherent and digestible bodies of text that accurately respond to queries (OpenAI, 2022). It is able to recognise the grammar and vocabulary of ancient languages, translate passages, and compose texts at an alarmingly accurate and rapid rate. For teachers, this AI has had mixed reviews. Some fear its ability to produce well-written work effortlessly, while others are excited by its abilities to push the boundaries of current teaching practices. This paper explores how well ChatGPT explains grammatical concepts, parses inflected forms, and translates Classical Latin, Ancient Greek, and Classical Sanskrit. Overall, ChatGPT is rather good at working with Classical Latin and Sanskrit, but its abilities with Ancient Greek are deeply problematic. Although it is quite flawed at this time, ChatGPT, when used properly, could become a useful a tool for ancient language study. With proper guiding phrases, students could use this AI to practise vocabulary, check their translations, and rephrase grammatical concepts.
]]>Every textbook has its strengths, and each its own quirks and idiosyncrasies. Apart from any pedagogical concerns about the old Cambridge Latin Course textbook series, for example, was the question of how it represented problematic aspects of the ancient world, such as the role of women and the institution of slavery (see Hunt, 2016). The de Romanis Latin course (Radice et al., 2020a and 2020b), which we use at my school at Key Stage 3, takes a much more detached approach to the teaching of Roman culture, presenting its reading exercises as individual stories grouped around each chapter's centralised theme rather than as a narrative told from the perspective of one group of fictionalised characters. But difficult subjects still arise and need to be handled sensitively by the teacher – particularly given the age group (11–14) the textbook is aimed at. This paper shows one way in which this might be achieved.
]]>The incorporation of Plato into the current OCR Classical Civilisation A Level syllabus, as part of the Love and Relationships topic (LR) presents a challenge for the classroom teacher. While the specification makes study of Plato mandatory the content description in practice effectively relegates the topic to the side-lines. Having described this problem the article goes on to suggest how Plato's ideas can be taught within the framework of the existing specification in a pupil-friendly manner which is true to the spirit of Plato's own philosophical practice.
]]>We do not possess, nor are we ever likely to possess, any autograph of a Greek or Latin literary text from antiquity. We do not always apprise our students of this fact. This article seeks to explain why we possess only copies of the texts, often adapted for one reason or another and at many stages removed from the autographs. It also explains why certain kinds of originals cannot by their nature be copied or adapted, and are lost to us as soon as they are created. Non-literary texts too, written on durable materials other than papyri and parchment, do not, for various reasons, always constitute autographs, or autographs that we and our students can have ready access to.
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