Latin
A Level

The aims of Latin teaching in Years 12 and 13

Year 7's Trip to Mérida: Stop in Trujillo

The purpose of the Latin A-level course is to provide an understanding of some of the elements of Classical civilisation, literature and language which have had a great influence on our own, to fire imagination and to deepen and develop experience by considering a wide range of issues, such as aesthetic, ethical, linguistic, political, religious and social questions. The course should provide a satisfying experience in itself and also a sound basis for further study.

Subject special skills

1. understanding of passages (prepared and unprepared) written by Latin authors in the original language and demonstration of knowledge and comprehension of:
   • a wide range of vocabulary, morphology and syntax in context;
   • the differences between inflected and uninflected languages and the different ways in which ideas are expressed in English as compared with Latin.
2. understanding and appreciation of Latin prose and verse literature in the original language and a critical awareness of its meaning, the author's purposes and literary techniques, the literary, social and historical context(s) as appropriate.

The Course

The Year 12 and 13 course leads to the AS level Latin examination of OCR at the end of Year 12 and to the A2 at the end of Year 13. Unit exams can only be taken in May/June. AS Unit of Assessment 1 involves context and appreciation questions on one set text (longer - Cicero pro Milone) or on two set texts (shorter - Cicero pro Milone and Virgil Aeneid X). Unit of Assessment 2 has an essay question and two translation questions on the set books. Unit of Assessment 3 is unprepared translation (with a published vocabulary list).

A2 Unit of Assessment 4 involves context and appreciation questions on one set text (longer -Tacitus or Ovid or Virgil) or on two set texts (shorter - two of Tacitus, Ovid and Virgil ) Unit of Assessment 5 is unprepared translation of a verse passage (Ovid) and a prose passage (Caesar). Unit of Assessment 6 is a harder passage for comprehension, with some emphasis on linguistic knowledge. No vocabulary list is published for Units of Assessment 5 and 6.

A list of accidence, syntax and vocabulary required for Units of Assessment 3, 5 and 6 is provided by the board. Covering this, preparing the set-texts and doing wider reading form the major part of the two years' work. Some additional, non-examination work is done, such as on the early Greeks, philosophy or on Roman history, if there is time.

Lessons will often be used for covering work from more than one element of the syllabus.

Year 12 AS level

The first year of the VI form course is mostly aimed at covering all the grammar needed for AS (and A2). It is assumed that exams in three all AS units will be taken at the end of Year 12, but pupils may choose to leave one or more until the end of Year 13. At the start of the year there is an emphasis on accidence, starting with nouns, adjectives and pronouns, before moving on to verbs.

There should be considerable familiarity with this from GCSE work, but a more precise knowledge is needed, and additional information (e.g. irregular forms, rare tenses) is introduced.

Syntax is increasingly more important as the year advances than accidence. Again much has been covered, but more detail is introduced.

(In both these areas, having small groups allows the possibility of flexibility and adapting the material to the needs, strengths and weaknesses of individual pupils. It is not possible or desirable to give at the start of a year a detailed plan of studies.)

By the end of the year all accidence and all syntax needed will be covered.

Language work will be covered by photocopies in booklet form, rather than with any text book. Wilson's Latin Grammar is available as a grammar reference book. The Chamber's/Murray Latin-English Dictionary (ex-Smith's) is issued to all pupils. Unprepared translation and comprehension is practised with Unseens from Roman History, which contains both prose and verse passages. Vocabulary using the OCR AS list will be learnt, with emphasis on principal parts of verbs.

The main priority in literature is to read the AS set text work, Cicero pro Milone (and possibly Virgil's Aeneid X). As well as translation of these, there will be practice on comprehension and literary appreciation, and essay work has to done on one set text. If there is time as the year goes on, other poetry (Ovid from "Two Centuries of Roman Poetry") and other prose (Livy) will be read. It is hoped that all set text work should be completely finished by the start of the Summer Term, leaving time for revision of all aspects and practice of exam-type questions.

After the AS exams some work on A2 texts may be started.

Year 13 A2

Any final grammar points are covered quickly at the start of the year. From then on language work involves revision of syntax and accidence, vocabulary learning, practice of unprepared translation and comprehension. Unseens from Roman History continues to be used and photocopies of passages. Other, more difficult books are available for the more able pupils. One important feature is the revision of the OCR vocabulary list, including principal parts of verbs, and looking at other lists. Some general reading, particularly of Caesar and Ovid, is done to help with Unit of Assessment 5.

The set book work on one or two set texts will be done over the Autumn and Spring terms. It is hoped that all texts should be completely finished before the start of the Summer Term, leaving time for revision of all aspects and practice of exam-type questions.