As the demands of the language have increased for all pupils as the term has progressed, so have their efforts in trying to meet those demands.
This started in Year 4 when rudimentary phrases were encountered within the cultural and historical backdrop of Minimus – the mouse who lived at Vindolanda on Hadrian’s Wall. Topics looked at thus far are the family and household, food, school and a shopping expedition to Eboracum. The Military Machine comes next!
Year 5 are getting to grips with the basic structure of a Latin sentence. GRiT (the Golden Rules in Translating) will stand them in good stead for whatever level they attain throughout their study of the language.
Year 6 and 7 are, of course, preparing for their mid-term exams. Most pupils have digested the notion that there just isn’t any getting away from the fact that Verb Conjugations, Noun Declensions and other Grammar just have to be learned, and Vocabulary too – it is so much easier if one has the tools to do the job! These are part of the process in getting used to what comes later on.
The Scholarship Season is starting. Now 8PB have mastered almost all the required Grammar, some exciting Syntax and Constructions are looming. This is fantastic because it is a step closer to experiencing how Latin really expresses itself, usually with an economical and lucid turn of phrase. 8DB and 8K are consolidating what they have done with an eye to progressing to the next level, if appropriate.
Rome wasn’t built in a day – Lente, Lente Ad Infinitum.