Teaching The Latin Language In High School

Latin was the language of the Roman Empire. All of the Romance languages, including French, Spanish, Portuguese, and Italian, are directly descended from this native tongue. Our own English language is heavily influenced by roots from the Latin Language (as many as 80 percent of our language can be traced to Latin). Today, Ecclesiastical Latin is the official language of the Roman Catholic Church and the Vatican. With so much influence on our own language coming from Latin, it is surprising that students are not encouraged to study it in high school and college. Though considered a "dead language", Latin education can actually help students improve English grammar, as well as provide a historical foundation for their educations.

Today, Latin is taught primarily for the purpose of translating ancient literature. It is not really taught conversationally. Proficiency in Latin is achieved in reading and translating. Often, students that study Latin in college are majors in Classical Studies, wherein they study all aspects of Ancient Greek and Roman history and Culture, or they are pre-Law or pre-Medicine students. Having a knowledge of the Latin language has obvious benefits for Law and Medical students in that they will be better able to learn technical terminology, most of which is comprised of Latin words and phrases. Classical studies majors often go on to earn Master's degrees and Doctoral degrees either in Art History or Archaeology, where knowledge of the Latin language helps them in their research, or they often devote their graduate studies to the language itself, where they can go on to teach Latin in high schools or earn a place as a professor of Classics at a college or University.

Teaching the Latin language in high school can be challenging. Most students take foreign languages to satisfy requirements for graduation, not for the enjoyment of learning a new language. And they often take "easier" language such as Spanish or French. And since Latin is not taught conversationally, learning it can be considered a boring series of memorization or vocabulary words and noun and verb endings. It is important for the Latin teacher to make learning the language for those students that do decide to tackle it interesting and not just a matter of memorizing verb conjugations and noun declension charts. There are several ways in which success in teaching Latin in high school can be achieved.

Using modern technology to teach an ancient language might seem unlikely. But, there are many resources available online to assist the Latin teacher in his or her pursuits. Many websites offer charts, tutorials, and games to not only help the teacher, but to help engage the students. Learning Latin can be made easier using technology, while allowing the students to use the Internet as a means of education. Students today are all but required to use the Internet academically, and eventually professionally. Combining learning Latin with learning Internet skills is a perfect way to bridge the gap between ancient and modern.

Another way to make learning the Latin language interesting is by incorporating Roman history and Mythology into the subject. By bringing history and myth into the study of the Latin language, students will understand the origins of the language, as well as understand the impact the language and the history of Rome has had on our modern world. Games can be played and plays can be put on, utilizing Roman mythological stories and literature, and students can learn everything from Roman military strategy to Roman engineering to Roman cooking to how Roman people dressed.

As a high school Latin teacher, it can be frustrating that the language is misunderstood and under-appreciated. But, by using modern technology and creative teaching methods, The "dead" Latin language can be brought to life, and students will learn not only the language, but have a clearer understanding of English grammar, as well as a foundation that will open up their options as they enter college.

Listed below are more articles related to the above article from the "Languages" article category.

People interested in the above article "Teaching The Latin Language In High School" are also interested in the related articles listed below:

Speaking Spanish - 7 Words Everyone Ought To Know and Use With Caution

When speaking Spanish a lot is gained in the pronunciation and context. Quite inadvertently innocent English people often use swear words or ask for something they don’t really want. Here are a few blunders to watch out for when talking to Spanish speaking people.

Does the Long Tail Work for ESL?

It was in 2004 that Chris Anderson coined the phrase The Long Tail, which contrary to some people’s expectations has nothing to do with the dog’s anatomy. Actually, it is an entirely new economic model for the media and entertainment industries. In a nutshell, the Long Tail theory claims that infinite online ‘shelf space’ and relatively easy access to potential users make it economically feasible to provide content for niche interest groups.

Polish Translation: Breaking Language Barriers

As businesses thrive and communities mingle to share mutual interests, there crops up one problem. The problem of understanding each other’s language. Most of us would suggest that use of English as the formal language is the answer. But there are few nations who believe in using their mother language for all informal and formal dealings. Poland is one such country where the Polish language is used for interactions of all kinds.

History Of Spanish Language

Spanish language largely spoken by the natives of Spain originated from 'Vulgar Latin' or popular Latin which covers the popular dialects and sociolects of the Latin language. It also drew influences from the language 'Basque' which is spoken by people who live north of Spain and some even from 'Arabic' which is from the southern Iberian Peninsula.

EFL in Malta

Malta has fast become one of Europe's premier EFL destinations, as the island's ties with the English language, coupled with its fantastic natural resources have made this an attractive location for agents and private students alike. With its rich history of been visited, and often invaded by empires throughout the ages, Malta, as a nation, has learned well the importance of resilience, communication, and adaption to new cultures, and cultural influences.

Learning Basic English Is Easy

Of all the languages in the world why has English become the desired form of global communication? Maybe it is because English at its most basic level is extremely easy to learn.

Are You Getting the Language Translation Service You Deserve?

Companies providing language translation service are getting more and more attention today. As the competition in the business landscape is getting fierce, business owners can no longer afford to ignore the global market. Sadly, however, many of these business owners who regularly acquire the help of translation companies don't really know if they are getting the service they deserve. These owners believe that a translation company that knows their required language is already enough, not knowing that what they are doing is highly dangerous.