The London Literacy Through Latin Project
In September 2006, Lorna started piloting Latin on the KS2 literacy curriculum to large mixed-ability classes in inner city schools. She used a course which she developed specifically for this pilot scheme, that delivered Latin using activities and the myths of Ovid. The lesson plans were designed to support and enhance the national curriculum literacy strategies, and to provide an exciting, original and accessible introduction to Latin. Activities were varied and lively, examples including the use of jigsaw pieces to teach inflection, making spider webs to display how Latin and English words were connected, making road signs to teach imperatives, and inventing ancient menus to introduce vocabulary and aspects of ancient culture. The course also encouraged children to explore ancient myths in a variety of ways, from drama and story tellings to artistic reinterpretations.
The pilot proved to be very popular and successful, and as a result, from September 2007, twenty state primary and secondary schools started classes in Latin using the same course. From September 2008, state primary and secondary schools became involved in a range of inner London boroughs including Lambeth, Southwark, Brent, Tower Hamlets, Islington, Camden and Newham, as well as the schools continuing in Hackney. At this time The Iris Project began to run the scheme in conjunction with University College London and King's College London, and arranged for the students to received training from the King's College London Classics PGCE Department as part of the project.The participating schools expressed the importance of the role of Latin in helping support and enhance literacy skills.
Read more about this topic: The Iris Project
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