COURSES

Classical Languages
Overview
The Latin and Classical Greek AS and A2 courses
offer a rich blend of language and literature from the
ancient world. You will develop your linguistic skills
in order to understand and appreciate some of the
finest literature mankind has produced. This will take
you inside the minds of authors who were writing
two thousand years ago. Alongside this, you will
gain an understanding of the events, culture, and
attitudes of Rome and/or Greece at significant
periods in their history. The ways in which the
ancient world has shaped western civilisation and
the relationship between the classical and modern
worlds will be explored.
AS and A2 qualifications in Latin and Greek are
rightly regarded by universities and employers as
indications of intellectual ability. They also
demonstrate impressive breadth, as these courses
offer the chance to develop skills which are at
different times linguistic, analytical, empathetic,
logical, creative, and critical. These are skills which
will equip you for a very wide range of interesting
careers, such as the Foreign Office, journalism,
advertising, business, finance or the law. In particular
they will help you learn other languages quickly and
effectively. When the head of recruitment at Shell
was asked why he employed so many Classics
graduates, he replied, ‘Because they sell more oil.’
The main areas of study are Latin or Greek language,
and literature written by famous Roman or Classical
Greek authors.
This is an ideal course for an intellectual all-rounder,
as you will need:
• An analytical approach to language.
• Good vocabulary-learning skills.
• An enquiring mind.
• An enjoyment of literature.
• An appetite for the intellectual challenge
that these languages offer.
Our Classics tutors are passionate about their
subject and very approachable. Class sizes are usually
small, so the atmosphere is relaxed and pupils are
able to receive lots of individual attention. The
teaching focuses both on literary texts and a variety
of methods to develop language skills, using ICT
where appropriate. We have a well-stocked library of
Classics-related books and articles which pupils are
encouraged to use. The school library offers further
classical material.
Both AS and A2 are assessed by exams at the end of
the Lower Sixth and Upper Sixth years respectively.
The types of tasks in the AS and A2 exams are
developments of those in the GCSE exams:
translations; comprehension; analysis of style,
content and themes and contexts of literary texts.
Whenever possible, we enrich the experience of
learning Latin and Greek by organising trips to
classical sites at home and abroad, and to plays,
films and lectures.
Approach
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Millfield Sixth Form Courses 2014-2015