[Agor] Fwd: Primary School Latin

[marko marincic]

povezava:
http://www.politeia.co.uk/p116.pdf
<http://www.politeia.co.uk/p116.pdf>

-------- Original Message --------
Subject: 	Primary School Latin
Date: 	Mon, 14 Jun 2010 08:13:13 +0100
From: 	Peter Jones <pvjones at FRIENDS-CLASSICS.DEMON.CO.UK>
Reply-To: 	Peter Jones <pvjones at FRIENDS-CLASSICS.DEMON.CO.UK>
To: 	CLASSICISTS at liverpool.ac.uk



The think-tank Politeia has today issued a press release and pamphlet
(written by Christopher Pelling and Llewelyn Morgan) arguing that Latin
should not be debarred from fulfilling the foreign language requirement
in primary schools (currently, it is).
I append the release here; to read the pamphlet, click on the 'Latin for
Language Learners' link near the bottom.
Peter Jones


*POLITEIA *

*22 Queen Anne’s Gate, London SW1H 9AA*

*Email: info at politeia.co.uk Telephone: 0207 799 5034*

*www.politeia.co.uk*<http://www.politeia.co.uk>**



	

*PRESS RELEASE PRESS RELEASE PRESS RELEASE *

* *

* *


*Publication: Monday 13^th June *

* *

*Allow Latin for Language Learners! Writers, public figures and primary
teachers endorse plea by Oxford Classicists to Education Secretary in
Politeia pamphlet. Michael Gove urged to reverse Labour’s discrimination
against Latin in the primary curriculum*

*/ /*

The Education ministers have now confirmed they will drop Labour’s new
primary curriculum. But already, the plan for /modern/ foreign language
teaching has been brought in by the back door. Whatever the general pros
and cons of this plan, it has one alarming feature: it vetoes Latin.
Politeia’s new pamphlet,/ Latin for Language Learners: Opening
Opportunity for Primary Pupils/, urges the Secretary of State to reverse
the /status quo. /The call is endorsed by a group of distinguished
writers and public figures, including the playwright Tom Stoppard and
Ian Hislop, editor of /Private Eye/, as well as by primary teachers from
some of London’s inner city schools.

The authors, Professor Christopher Pelling and Dr Llewelyn Morgan,*
explain the academic and educational advantages of learning Latin. It
helps with written and spoken English and with foreign languages. It
improves the skills needed for maths and other subjects. It helps to
overcome social disadvantage, and it provides the cultural background
needed to understand the literary and historical heritage neglected by
the dumbed-down curriculum of today’s schools. Teaching materials are
readily available (some of the details are given in the pamphlet) and in
London the Iris Project has brought Latin teaching to a number of inner
city primary schools, whilst in Oxford the Faculty offers free Latin
teaching to local schools.

Detailed research from the US bears out statistically that the academic
standards of pupils learning Latin are higher than for their peers who
did not learn Latin. In particular, learning Latin:

- Improves standards in reading, comprehension and vocabulary.

- Improves maths and logical thinking.

- Leads to higher than average scores in standard tests.

- Helps the acquisition of other foreign languages.

The authors also show that Latin will fit the official remit for
primary-school foreign-language teaching, and that its teaching and
assessment could be presented under the approved headings of ‘Literacy’,
‘Oracy’ and ‘Intercultural Understanding’.

As the Secretary of State prepares for the next announcement on the
primary curriculum, the authors urge that the government /allows/ Latin
to have the same official support as already given to modern foreign
languages in primary schools. *In particular, the DfE veto on Latin
should be removed and official guidance changed to give Latin the same
support as given to other foreign languages. In any future measures or
guidance, Latin should be treated on a par with other foreign languages.*

**Christopher Pelling is Regius Professor of Greek at Oxford and Dr
Llewelyn Morgan is Fellow and Tutor in Classics at Brasenose College,
Oxford*

Enquiries to Politeia on 0207 799 5034 or by email to
press at politeia.co.uk<mailto:press at politeia.co.uk>

The authors can be contacted at the following addresses: Professor
Christopher Pelling chris.pelling at classics.ox.ac.uk
<mailto:chris.pelling at classics.ox.ac.uk>

Dr Llewelyn Morgan llewelyn.morgan at bnc.ox.ac.uk
<mailto:llewelyn.morgan at bnc.ox.ac.uk>, Sheila Lawlor sheila_lawlor at yahoo.com

*/Latin for Language Learners: Opening opportunity for primary pupils/*
is available online from Politeia at http://www.politeia.co.uk/p116.pdf

Hard copies are available to journalists on request from
press at politeia.co.uk<mailto:press at politeia.co.uk>

Messages to the list are archived at http://listserv.liv.ac.uk/archives/classicists.html

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