Latin in the UK
University of Cambridge School Classics Project
1
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
KS2 = Years 3 – 6
• Age 11-18:
Secondary school (Years 7-11)
KS3 = Years 7-9
KS4 = Years 10 + 11
KS5 = Years 12 + 13
• Age 18+:
(Age 5-7)
(Age 7-11)
(Age 11-14)
(Age 14-16)
(Age 16-18)
GCSE
A Level
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
Total studying Latin at any one time
120,000 – 140,000 students
(<1% of starters)
4
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
5
Rebuilding Latin in the UK
1966 – 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?
University of Cambridge
Faculty of Education
School Classics Project Board (12)
Director (1)
Research
Authoring
Digital
User Support
Outreach Dist. Learning
(8 + ~40)
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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.
Clemens est servus.
Quintus est filius.
Grumio est coquus.
Lucia est filia.
Cerberus est canis.
12
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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15
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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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19
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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
A=Q
AQV
AV
Q as X (preposition + noun)
Metella est mater.
mater est in atrio.
Metella in atrio sedet.
Cerberus intrat.
in atrio
ABV
ABQV
AQQV
Q as I (invariable)
amicus Caecilium salutat.
coquus cibum in mensa videt.
coquus in tricilinio magnifice cenat.
magnifice
VA
Q as X
aA
A=ax2
bB
Bb
respondet Pantagathus.
ad portum
magnus leo
Melissa est docta et pulchra.
magnum fustem
cenam optimam
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Rebuilding Latin in the UK
1999 – 2015+
Use of digital technology
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UK schools offering Latin in 1999
1999
Total number of schools offering Latin
% of pop.
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?
32
33
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UK schools offering Latin
1999
2015
650
1,125
State comprehensive schools
100
558
State grammar schools
110
118
Independent schools
440
449
Total number of schools offering Latin
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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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