Is all we're going to do read translate?

[Melinda Burke]

Of course not...But what else can we do in an upper level class to keep it academically relevant and interesting?

[RJ]

I hope this question sparks loads of interest and discussion.

Let us take as read that teachers are immersing students in rudimentary oral Latin in the first two years: “Salve, quid agis?”
“Licetne mihi ire ad latrinam?”
“Habesne hodie librum?”
“Eugepae, vestes tuae mihi placent!”
“Semper ubi sub ubi.” (Just checking that you’re still with me.)

I enjoy asking my juniors and seniors to summarize in Latin, orally and in writing, what they have read. A great book for ideas is Minkova and Tunberg’s Readings and Exercises in Latin Prose Composition. I also invite them to bring in news articles from the many Latin news websites we are lucky to have and should use UNSPARINGLY. Students who are passionate about the Climate Crisis, Genocide in Darfur, natural disasters across the globe, etc., relish the chance to discuss these issues and opine.

And to put it bluntly, seniors love kindergarten games. Oh, I said it. They enjoy Simon Says, Prisoner (works great with Cicero), and charades. I even have a cute story about a recent grad who successfully won Pictionary with a drawing of Sinon from the Aeneid. The secret was in the fillets…and the huge wooden horse next to him.

Often, I need to remind myself that GAMES and FUN are not to be eschewed. We know that the key to language learning is access in various contexts. If the suggestions above are too puerile, why not assign the students to translate into Latin the titles of their three (classroom appropriate) favorite songs of the moment? Or have your students collaborate on a vicipaedia [sic] article about your school or home town?

At the end of a hard-slog selection, I sometimes like to reward my students and MYSELF with reading a little Harrius Potter, Tela Charlottae, Virent Ova Viret Perna, Winnie ille Pu, or a few of the more…er…vivid Martial selections. Students DO feel rewarded both intellectually and emotionally. Why play Seven Up when you can visit Seussville? Also, an INDESPENSIBLE book for Latin teachers is “Tonight They All Dance” (this is an unpaid endorsement) by Sacre and Smets (ISBN 0865164401). These haiku are as beautiful as they are accessible: perfect warm-ups or cool-downs for any upper-level lesson plan.

Melinda, I hope these ideas are useful. The fun of Latin teaching is the creativity we bring to the class. Indeed, we must ALWAYS be having fun: it’s infectious. I, personally, teach and enjoy Latin for NO greater reason than Smets’ Haicu LXV: “Usa speculo/ labra fuco dum linit/ perlustrat omnes.” Awesome.