This document is a rough attempt to organize works of Latin literature by their appropriateness for given levels of reading proficiency as they are defined by ACTFL. (Note: The term “appropriateness” here is an imperfect term used to describe the facility with which a reader can access a text through reading. For example, readers who are at the superior level of proficiency would find Cicero’s forensic speeches accessible— that is, they would be able to pick up such a speech cold and read it with depth, precision, and ease-- because according to ACTFL they are in possession of “command of the language that is supported by a broad vocabulary, an understanding of complex structures and knowledge of the target culture.” Readers at the advanced level, however, would find Cicero’s forensic speeches challenging (although not impossible) because their reading skills are characterized thus: “When familiar with the subject matter, Advanced-level readers are also able to derive some meaning from straightforward argumentative texts (e.g., recognizing the main argument)”. In this way, Cicero’s forensic speeches could be considered “more appropriate” for a Superior level reader than for an Advanced reader. This does not imply that Advanced (or any other level) readers should not attempt to read Cicero’s forensic works, but only that they should temper their expectations of reading comprehension and facility considering the gap between their current level of proficiency and the proficiency required to access the text with depth, precision, and ease.) The descriptions of the defining characteristics of texts at various levels and sublevels come (with few changes) from the 2012 ACTFL proficiency guidelines (English – Reading). Please note that, to my knowledge, these guidelines are created by learned committees and are not directly based on specific research in second language acquisition. Authors and works have been categorized according to the prevalence of characterizing features noted in the proficiency guidelines. It is likely that different works and different parts of different works by the same author could be placed in varying groups. Indeed, it would be useful for Latin teachers who teach students at the Novice and Intermediate levels to have a list of specific passages from authentic Latin texts which are truly appropriate for such students when provided with reasonable contextual and linguistic support. Note that ACTFL does not break Distinguished and Superior levels into High/Mid/Low. Deciding between classifying a text as “Distinguished” or “Superior” is particularly difficult and my designations on that front are the most likely to be inaccurate. ACTFL Proficiency Level Texts at this level are characterized by: Sublevel Texts at this sublevel are characterized by: Latin Authors & Works • • • Distinguished • • At least one of the following: a high level of abstraction, precision or uniqueness of vocabulary; density of information; cultural reference; or complexity of structure writing tailored to specific audiences as well as a number of historical, regional, and colloquial variations of the language texts that use highly precise, low-frequency vocabulary as well as complex rhetorical structures to convey subtle or highly specialized information a text containing obscure, precise vocabulary and phrases, puns, and rarified cultural references • • • • N/A N/A • • • • • • Apuleius Metamorphoses (precision or uniqueness of vocabulary, cultural reference, obscure vocabulary) Cicero’s philosophical works (high level of abstraction, complex rhetorical stuctures, subtle/highly specialized information) Horace (obscure, precise voc & phrases, rarified cultural references) Juvenal (obscure, precise voc & phrases, rarified cultural references) Lucan (rarified cultural references, complex rhetorical structures) Tacitus (complexity of structure, obscure, precise voc & phrases, rarified cultural references, complex rhetorical structures) Bucolics (obscure, precise voc & phrases, rarified cultural references) Georgics (obscure, precise voc & phrases, rarified cultural references) Statius (obscure, precise voc & phrases, rarified cultural references) Propertius (obscure, precise voc & phrases, rarified cultural references) Lucretius (high level of abstraction, complex rhetorical stuctures, subtle/highly specialized information) ACTFL Proficiency Level Texts at this level are characterized by: • • • Superior • • • Sublevel Texts at this sublevel are characterized by: • texts that use precise, often specialized vocabulary and complex grammatical structures. • texts feature argumentation, supported opinion, and hypothesis, and use abstract linguistic formulations as encountered in academic and professional reading. Such texts are typically reasoned and/or analytic and may frequently contain cultural references. Latin Authors & Works • • • N/A N/A • lengthy texts of a professional, academic or literary nature. • a reasoned, thoughtful argument about an abstract topic with cultural references • • precise and specialized vocabulary and complex grammatical structures Catullus (cultural references, literary, specialized vocabulary / complex grammatical structures) Cicero’s forensic speeches (argumentation, supported opinion, and hypothesis; reasoned / analytic; cultural reference) Ovid (cultural references, literary, specialized vocabulary / complex grammatical structures) Quintilian (argumentation, supported opinion, and hypothesis; reasoned / analytic; cultural reference) Sallust (complex grammatical structures, argumentation, supported opinion; cultural reference) The Aeneid (cultural references, literary, specialized vocabulary / complex grammatical structures) Livy (complex grammatical structures, argumentation, supported opinion; cultural reference) Terence (cultural reference, literary) Plautus (cultural reference, literary, archaic language) ACTFL Proficiency Level Texts at this level are characterized by: • authentic narrative and descriptive texts • texts that have a clear and predictable structure. • prose is uncomplicated and the subject matter pertains to real-world topics of general interest • Advanced multi-paragraph text with subject matter that is concrete and likely to be of general interest. • a text that reports the facts in a straightforward and predictable manner. • The author uses general vocabulary although there are occasionally words and phrases for which the readers may need to use contextual clues to derive meaning Sublevel Texts at this sublevel are characterized by: • conventional narrative and descriptive texts of any length as well as more complex factual material. • • conventional narrative and descriptive texts, such as expanded descriptions of persons, places, and things and narrations about past, present, and future events. • High • Mid no evidence of author’s voice that the readers need to understand. These texts reflect the standard linguistic conventions of the written form of the language in such a way that readers can predict what they are going to read. • These texts predominantly contain high-frequency vocabulary and structures. • conventional narrative and descriptive texts with a clear underlying structure • These texts predominantly contain high-frequency vocabulary and structures. Low • Latin Authors & Works • • • Caesar DBG (high) (conventional narrative / descriptive text with more complex factual material e.g. military and ethnographic terminology) Nepos (high) (conventional narrative / descriptive text with more complex factual material e.g. military and ethnographic terminology) Cato (high) (conventional narrative / descriptive text with more complex factual material e.g. technical & agricultural terminology) Augustus’ Res Gestae (mid) (high frequency voc and structures, narrative/descriptive text, standard linguistic conventions) Fabulae Faciles (mid) high frequency voc and structures, narrative/descriptive text, standard linguistic conventions) ACTFL Proficiency Level Texts at this level are characterized by: • • • • • Intermediate • • simple, predictable, loosely connected texts the format of the text is familiar, such as in a weather report or a social announcement texts that convey basic information such as that found in announcements, notices, and online bulletin boards and forums. texts are non-complex and have a predictable pattern of presentation. The discourse is minimally connected and primarily organized in individual sentences and strings of sentences containing predominantly high-frequency vocabulary messages found in highly familiar, everyday contexts. short, non-complex texts that convey basic information and deal with personal and social topics to which the reader brings personal interest or knowledge. Sublevel Texts at this sublevel are characterized by: • short, non-complex texts that convey basic information and deal with personal and social topics to which the reader brings personal interest or knowledge. • short, non-complex texts that convey basic information and deal with basic personal and social topics to which the reader brings personal interest or knowledge, although some misunderstandings may occur. • the simplest connected texts dealing with a limited number of personal and social needs, although there may be frequent misunderstandings. High Mid Low Latin Authors & Works • Some of the modern CI novellas (short, non complex, high frequency vocabulary, basic information, personal interest, predictable pattern of presentation, primarily individual sentences and strings of sentences) ACTFL Proficiency Level Texts at this level are characterized by: Sublevel Texts at this sublevel are characterized by: • key words and cognates, as well as formulaic phrases across a range of highly contextualized texts. • predictable language and messages such as those found on train schedules, roadmaps, and street signs. • short, non-complex texts that convey basic information for which there is contextual or extralinguistic support. • the letters or symbols of an alphabetic or syllabic writing system or a limited number of characters in a character-based language. • highly contextualized words and phrases including cognates and borrowed words • a limited number of letters, symbols or characters. • high-frequency words and/or phrases when strongly supported by context. High • • Novice • key words and cognates, as well as formulaic phrases that are highly contextualized. highly predictable texts in which the topic or context is very familiar, such as a hotel bill, a credit card receipt or a weather map. a highly predictable, loosely organized text with limited cohesion. Mid Low Latin Authors & Works • Simple TPRS stories? The simplest of the modern CI novellas?
