Greek

[amyarens]

Question regarding new Greek alphabet book -- the description says 5th or 6th grade. If I remember corrrectly HLS studies Greek beginning in the 7th grade, so if we plan to follow the same schedule, which grade would you recommend we study the alphabet? Will there be some other pre-First Form study guide that you will eventually recommend for 6th grade, or should we just wait until 6th grade to do the alphabet book? Thanks!

[pschaeffer]

We have started doing the Greek Alphabet Book in 6th grade at HLS. The teachers are really happy with it because when the students come in to 7th grade they don't have to spend any time with the alphabet, allowing them to jump straight into the forms.

We don't have anything else planned as a prep course for First Form Greek.

Paul

[EllieCove]

On the subject of Greek, we loved the alphabet book, are now just over half-way through Elementary Greek year one, by Christine Gatchell – which was recommended when I called MP wondering where to go next. Is there any estimate on when First Form Greek will be ready? We are itchy for it :-)

[pschaeffer]

We are working hard on First Form Greek and are hoping that it will be ready by January.

[EllieCove]

Thanks Paul! Now I have another question. I know that my children will be close to, or will have, completed Elementary Greek year two by January. So at that point, will First Form Greek still be the next appropriate level? Or should we simply move on to EG's year three? (and in that case, where would we go after that? Hmmm ...) Are there plans to build a four-form series for Greek, just as with Latin? (If so, I might try to slow them down, so we can be closer to MP's production schedule, but .... They really love Greek and I tend not to like holding them back when they're ready for something, progressing nicely, enjoying it &c.)

[mtcougar832]

I'm also wondering how much the full Greek course will cover and how many grades it will span. It seems at Highlands Latin School Greek is in 7th & 8th grade. Are students able to start translating/texts after that? In HLS do they read the NT? Classic Greek authors? Homer?

I'm glad it will be out soon, we are already loving First Form Latin.

[pschaeffer]

Our plan is to do a First Form Greek and a Second Form Greek. Both books will not give an exhaustive Greek grammar, but will give a very good base.

Right now at Highlands we require Greek only in 7th and 8th grades. We used a prototype of First Form Greek and complemented it with Crosby and Schaeffer's "An Introduction to Greek". Greek is optional for them once they get into high school and in their freshman year they translate some of the Gospels and in their sophomore year they will be translating Xenophon.

It must be noted that our students are able to do so well because they already have several years of Latin under their belts.

As for transitioning from Gatchell's program, I think going into First Form after Gatchell's Year Two would be appropriate. First Form takes Greek at a much quicker pace--it assumes the student knows the alphabet and is familiar with grammar and inflected forms from Latin.

Where should you go after Second Form? That is something we will have to discuss. Obviously to have a very good handle on Greek, some systematic study after Second Form will be necessary but I hesitate to recommend Crosby and Schaeffer because it has no answer key or teacher guide. We use it because it is a good text and our teachers are very familiar with Greek.

I hope I answered all the curiosities out there!

Paul

[EllieCove]

Paul, again, thank you so much!

It sounds like things will be working out well in terms of my children's readiness, and MP's publication plans! We love our language studies: this is exciting.

My Calli and Joshua will be completing First Form Latin and beginning Second Form within the next few weeks, (and my plan is to take them through Fourth Form, and then to Henle II), so they're well-set in terms of the Latin complementing the Greek. We'll want to go beyond Second Form Greek for sure: y'all will just have to create the next level! :-) in your bountiful spare time :-)