BETT Awards shortlist for Digital Content (Secondary Other),Cambridge Latin Course Book,Cambridge University Press/Cambridge School Classics Project
If you have used it in the classroom let us know by posting your comments.
This e-Learning resource is designed for use by students, non-specialist teachers and specialist teachers alike. Five courses through the activities allow students and teachers to follow built in lesson plans if desired and detailed help and explanation is provided in Notes for non-specialist teachers and for students learning independently.
What made this resource so special in the eyes of the judging panel?
10 comments:
I have to declare an interest - I am on the CD-ROM publicising these materials!
I am a teacher of modern languages - not a classics teacher - who believes that there is a place for the study of classics in the modern curriculum. History, culture, study of English - it's all there.
You have to try out these materials to see how fantastic they are! There is hardly a pupil anywhere in the ability range who would not be enthralled by the interactive nature of the tasks. The characters in the family at the centre of the story really come to life. And guesss what happens when Vesuvius explodes! What about the poor dog?!!!
There's no laborious translation from English into Latin, but plenty of other stuff to make them think.
Go on, give it a try!
Elizabeth
We have just returned to the Cambridge Latin Course after some years away with a more traditional course, and the DVD (along with the CLC website) was the main reason for our return. With a projector in the classroom we can show pupils language exercises, and videos of experts introducing the historical topics of each stage, but most amazing are the videos of the stories in the textbook being acted out in Latin, with or without subtitles. The DVD genuinely is an immense support to classroom teaching. There is also a huge amount of extra worksheet-style material to help prepare more traditional lessons. The interface is very smooth and well-designed. We can't wait for the DVD for Book 2!
Chris Lord, Chigwell School, Essex.
A wonderfully incongruous juxtaposition of modern technology and ancient language!
The video clips of Pompeii are beautiful and those of Latin dialogues being brought to life are a reminder to pupils that this is a language that was used by ordinary people. Pupils can choose whether to watch them with subtitles or not. In fact, the great variety of interactive activities encourages a wide ability range to learn and enjoy - differentiation in action.
I have also used it successfully with pupils who have started to learn Latin some months after the course has started and they have been able to catch up with their peers. Highly motivating, exciting and a very effective use of modern technology.
We have used the CLC for many years and now this new DVD resource has added a whole new dimension in delivering the subject effectively. The stimulating coverage of the 'background' topics and the various ways the linguistic material is presented have enhanced the pupils' experience. Pupils and teachers appreciate the variety on offer and I keep being asked, 'When is Book II coming?'
Peter James
Port Regis School
We have found this resource invaluable in many ways. With curriculum time for minority subjects like Classics being slashed year on year, the DVD has enabled us to cover complex and detailed material quickly. It has helped us to appeal to a media-savvy generation of students who might otherwise not give Classics the opportunity to show them that it is a rich and hugely varied subject to study. It has reduced preparation time for teaching staff who might otherwise have to create their own computer resources to inspire students. Perhaps most importantly, it is not prescriptive in terms of how it must be used and thus provides for differentiation: the same material can be presented to students in a variety of different ways, providing more or less support as their needs dictate. The students love it!
Jessica Ashby,
George Abbot School
I have introduced Latin into primary schools in the London Borough of Newham through the CLC course. Gifted & Talented Co-ordinators learn alongside their pupils. The DVD and the book have brought the language to life.
We recently did a survey of experiences with a selection of our Latin students and they were particularly positive about the CLC course, the website and the electronic resource. As a teacher, I find the dramatised versions of the stories help to bring the text versions to life and the interactive grammar activities have increased the engagement of the students. The in depth background information videos have been really helpful and I can't wait for the book 2 DVD to come out.
Catherine Marshall
Mill Hill County High School
have been using the resources from the first pilot version to the finished article and would strongly recommend to anyone - not just for teaching Latin but for anyone with an interest in the ancient world. The presentaion is professional, the content stimulating and the visuals most attractive.Most of all, it is user friendly for both teachers and students alike.At last resource which proves that there is more to ICT in the classroom than yet another boring powerpoint - nobody will yawn when this is being used. A real educational tool and a grreat boost for Latin
Truly, after a generation the CLC has grown to full maturity: Not only do we see dramatisations of characters which we have long imagined, but clearly devolved grammatical explanations, means of extending vocabulary that were not possible before the age of the computer. The exploration of Roman life goes well beyond the book's, making the DVD vital - not just an add-on. My school has gone over to interactive whiteboards in every room (as well as possessing three computer suites), so use of computing programs and presentations is our primary form of display communication, for which the CLC DVD takes a prominent place. It easily fits in with traditional teaching techniques: we play many classroom games with the computer, which I am sure the authors did not intend. But I can also enable any student not choosing Latin on the timetable to learn in their own time, as well as use it for own-pace-learning in class. The ease, flexibility and cross-referencing are a paragon of the genre. The on-line stored play lists means that I can teach without getting out of bed - well, potentially. I'm glad also to say that there were mercifully few bugs in the first version. Roll on book II! But finally, the program is so flexible that one can teach Latin either intuitively or grammatically rigorously - or both!
This is a fabulous resource. I'm a modern languages teacher morphing into a Latin teacher. I don't know of any MFL resource as good as the CLC DVD is for teaching Latin. It is fun. I love the acted-out dialogues with the introductions by the ACTUAL family of Caecilius! Pupils are stunned at being able to practise their Latin in such a modern format. Go, CLC! I hope you win!
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