Classical Greek

By the end of Level 8, students use their knowledge of vocabulary, grammar and textual cues to identify and interpret information in Classical Greek texts, such as narratives, about the daily life and attitudes of the ancient Greeks. They interpret grammatical structures such as inflected forms; identify linguistic features such as striking word choice, for example, θηρίον δεινόν, Ἀθήνη γλαυκῶπις; infer meaning from textual cues such as headings, images or captions; and describe social and cultural practices embedded in Classical Greek words, such as γυμνάσιον, πανήγυρις, σπονδή, πομπή. They convey information and ideas about ancient Greek society and culture, in oral, written or digital forms, using Classical Greek as appropriate, for example, a news report in English about a historical...

By the end of Level 8, students use their knowledge of vocabulary, grammar and textual cues to identify and interpret information in Classical Greek texts, such as narratives, about the daily life and attitudes of the ancient Greeks. They interpret grammatical structures such as inflected forms; identify linguistic features such as striking word choice, for example, θηρίον δεινόν, Ἀθήνη γλαυκῶπις; infer meaning from textual cues such as headings, images or captions; and describe social and cultural practices embedded in Classical Greek words, such as γυμνάσιον, πανήγυρις, σπονδή, πομπή. They convey information and ideas about ancient Greek society and culture, in oral, written or digital forms, using Classical Greek as appropriate, for example, a news report in English about a historical event such as the Battle of Marathon, or a digital poster about family life in ancient Greece with annotations in Classical Greek, such as πατήρ, μήτηρ, υἱός, θυγάτηρ. They share their responses to Classical Greek texts, such-as stories, myths and plays, by expressing their feelings and ideas about characters, events, actions, settings and themes. They read aloud or recite Classical Greek texts, such as stories, dialogues, poems or speeches, or perform texts in Classical Greek, such as short plays, to entertain an audience, conveying meaning effectively by using appropriate phrasing and voice inflection.

Students translate Classical Greek texts accurately into Standard English, applying their knowledge of vocabulary, including roots and derivatives, linguistic cues, culture, and accidence and syntax, including number, gender and case of nouns, pronouns and adjectives, for example, οὐδὲν κακὸν ἀμιγὲς καλοῦ, conjugation and tense, such as present and future tenses of verbs, for example, γράφω/γράψω, βάλλω/βαλῶ, δέχομαι/δέξομαι, and conventions of sentence structure. They explain the relative effectiveness of different translations of the same text, and identify the features of a successful translation.

Students identify Classical Greek sound–script relationships and use restored pronunciation when reading aloud, such as for diphthongs, double consonants and aspirated consonants, for example, εἴσοδος, ξένος, χάρις. They identify the structure and features of different texts in Classical Greek, such as narratives or short plays, and explain how these elements contribute to an audience's response to the text. They describe how the Greek language spread with the expansion of the ancient Greek world, and influenced other languages during the Classical period. They explain how Classical Greek has influenced and continues to influence English vocabulary, by identifying derivatives, for example, theory, dilemma, category, paragraph, and words that are used in modern English, for example, nemesis, catharsis, criterion, anathema.

Students give examples of how particular language use reflects the lifestyles, ideas, feelings and attitudes of Greeks in the Classical period, and identify connections between ancient and modern values, pursuits, citizenship, literature, the arts and architecture. They share their reactions to and assumptions about the language and culture of ancient Greek society, identifying similarities or differences to their own language and culture. They describe how learning Classical Greek impacts on their own approaches to learning and on their understanding of their own heritage, values and culture.

By the end of Level 10, students analyse a range of Classical Greek texts to obtain information and ideas about ancient Greek society and culture. They use vocabulary, grammar and textual cues to analyse and interpret language use and cultural references in Classical Greek texts, such as poetry, plays or narratives, for example, by deducing the meaning of complex sentence structures, such as those with subordinate clauses or indirect speech, for example, ὁ ἄγγελος λέγει ὅτι οἱ πολέμιοι προσέρχονται, and explaining the impact of word order on emphasis and tone, for example, ὁ δὲ ἀνεξέταστος βίος οὐ βιωτὸς ἀνθρώπῳ, ἓν οἶδα ὃτι οὐδὲν οἶδα, πρῶτον μὲν γάρ, and implicit values, concepts and assumptions embedded in language use, for example, ἀριστεία, μίασμα. They convey their interpretations...

By the end of Level 10, students analyse a range of Classical Greek texts to obtain information and ideas about ancient Greek society and culture. They use vocabulary, grammar and textual cues to analyse and interpret language use and cultural references in Classical Greek texts, such as poetry, plays or narratives, for example, by deducing the meaning of complex sentence structures, such as those with subordinate clauses or indirect speech, for example, ὁ ἄγγελος λέγει ὅτι οἱ πολέμιοι προσέρχονται, and explaining the impact of word order on emphasis and tone, for example, ὁ δὲ ἀνεξέταστος βίος οὐ βιωτὸς ἀνθρώπῳ, ἓν οἶδα ὃτι οὐδὲν οἶδα, πρῶτον μὲν γάρ, and implicit values, concepts and assumptions embedded in language use, for example, ἀριστεία, μίασμα. They convey their interpretations of information and ideas about ancient Greek society and culture, in oral, written or digital forms, such as role-plays or debates in English about how cultural attitudes are conveyed in Classical Greek texts, or a digital presentation of an archaeological site, using simple sentences in Classical Greek, for example, τὸ μαντεῖον τῶν Δελφῶν. They share their responses to Classical Greek texts, such as narratives, dialogues, plays, poems or letters, by describing themes, values and literary features, such as plot development and characterisation, and expressing and justifying their opinions with support from the text. They read aloud, recite or perform Classical Greek texts, such as oratory, history, drama or poetry, to entertain different audiences, conveying meaning and emotion effectively by using appropriate phrasing and voice inflection.

Students translate a range of texts that incorporate complex sentence structures and extensive vocabulary, from Classical Greek into Standard English that represents the style and purpose of the texts, applying their knowledge of roots, cognates and derivatives to infer the meaning of unfamiliar vocabulary, and using dictionaries to select the appropriate meaning of words. They analyse how the language is used in grammatically complex sentences, including subordinate clauses, non-finite verb forms, pronoun forms, mood and voice, such as case usage of nouns, pronouns and adjectives, for example, τούτων τῶν ἀνθρώπων, τὰ μείζονα κακά, perfect and pluperfect conjugations, for example, λέλοιπα/ἐλελοίπη, subjunctive and optative moods, for example, μὴ κρύψῃς τὴν μάστιγα δοῦλε, ὁ δεσπότης ἠρώτησε τὶς λύσειε τοὺς βοῦς, and passive voice, for example, ὁ ἳππος ἐλύθη, τῷ οἰστῷ βληθείς. They evaluate the effectiveness of different translations of the same Classical Greek text, and identify strategies for successful translations.

Students apply the principles of pronunciation for the reading of Classical Greek texts. They identify the structure and organisation of different text types in Classical Greek, such as prose and verse, and explain how they relate to context, purpose and audience. They explain the role of Classical Greek in facilitating the spread of Greek civilisation and culture across the Mediterranean world, and the contribution of Classical Greek to the enrichment of English through the transfer of specialist vocabulary, for example, antithesis, ellipsis, euphemism, hyperbole, abstract concepts, for example, enthusiasm, patriotism, democracy, idiosyncrasy, and the coining of vocabulary for new technology and new discoveries, for example, thermodynamics, epigenomics.

Students describe ancient Greek values, attitudes and beliefs that are embedded in particular language use, such as μέτρον and κλέος. They explain how the ancient Greek world has influenced social, political and legal structures, philosophy, literature, the arts, and medical and scientific practices in the modern world. They share reactions to and assumptions about the language, culture and values of ancient Greek society, explaining how these relate to their own language and culture. They compare ways of communicating and living in the ancient world with those of the modern world, and explain how learning Classical Greek influences their own ways of thinking and viewing the world.