UCL - Begining Latin

[FLTR1760]

[30h + 30h] 5 credits

This course is taught in the 1st semester.

Teacher(s): Alain Meurant

Language: French

Level: First

Aims
Main themes
Content and teaching methods
Other information (prerequisite, evaluation (assessment methods), course materials recommended readings, ...)

Aims

This course is meant for "complete beginners" whose knowledge of Latin is deemed insufficient to take the course "Latin: langue et textes." By the end of the course, the students should have mastered the essential aspects of the language (lexicon, morphology, and syntax) required for reading Latin authors: they should be able to understand and translate simple texts. The students who finish this course should be prepared to take a reading course.

Main themes

The course is made up of two intertwined aspects that are addressed simultaneously: the teaching of the regular morphology and of the main structures particular to Latin; the application of this theoretical part to a selection of Latin sentences and to the commented reading of short extracts from Classical authors. An overview of the course is distributed and explained at the beginning of the academic year. The method to be followed can be described as follows: 1) a lecture course (30 hours): theoretical and progressive presentation of Latin grammatical structures; 2) small group tutorials (30 hours): the analysis and translation of a selection of sentences and of texts with the aid of the appropriate material. Pedagogical undertakings assisted by the computer ("Itinera eletronica") should ensure an interactive guidance to the students' learning. We shall attempt to form homogenous groups; 3) personal work, a significant part of the course (40 hours): for the students to organize their class-notes and prepare the work suggested by the teaching team.

Content and teaching methods

In this course, studients will discover the regular morphology and the main structures particular to Latin. This theorical part applies to a selection of Latin sentences and to the commented reading of short extracts from classical authors.

Other information (prerequisite, evaluation (assessment methods), course materials recommended readings, ...)

Pre-requisites:
None in Latin

Assessment:
Basically continuous: regular assessments allow the progressive evaluation of each student in basic knowledge acquisition. From the first weeks of the course, these assessment will address the mastery of a basic lexical and morphological knowledge. Active comprehension of the language will be gradually integrated through the translation of simple sentences and texts. This assessment may be written, but may also be based on the interventions of students in small group activities. It will require regular collaboration between the members of the teaching team.
A written exam will be organized at the end of the semester.

Course holder:
4 people, two of which are student tutors.