About ICL
Who We Are
The Association of Classical Christian Schools commissioned the Institute for Classical Languages in 2020 to help classical Christian schools improve their Latin programs.
Relatively few resources exist for Latin teachers, but we believe that teaching Latin in grade school has innumerable benefits. That’s why we are here to help schools, especially classical Christian schools, teach Latin so that their students reap the full benefits of a classical education. We understand that many schools don’t have the resources to hire expert Latin teachers or the experience to build a strong Latin program from scratch, so we aim to help schools make the best program they can. We hope to add resources for classical and Koine/NT Greek in the near future, with the possibility of other languages including Hebrew and Anglo-Saxon.
Mixed Methodology
Latin teaching tends to be polarized into two methodologies: the natural method (comprehensible input) and the grammar-translation method (chanting endings systematically and translation). But in the centuries that produced the most successful formal Latin education, students were taught to speak, write, and read Latin as well as analyze it grammatically and translate it into their native tongue (or sometimes even into ancient Greek).
The vision of the ICL is to bring this robust mixed methodology back to the teaching of ancient languages–not merely because we believe it produces better readers of ancient texts, but because we believe it produces better readers in general, better thinkers, better problem-solvers, and better communicators.
Litterarum Lumen Accedat
This moto comes from Cicero’s Pro Archia. It means “let the light of literature approach.”
What We Do
Universal Latin Exam
The ULE is a new kind of Latin test that evaluates student’s knowledge of Latin grammar and syntax. The test is completely independent of curriculum, yet it accurately compares students across the country in their actual knowledge of the Latin language. How is this possible? We produce a unique test for each classroom based on what material the teacher reports covering. Students are then compared objectively to others in their grade across the US by the number of questions they answered correctly or incorrectly. Click here for more information.
Events and Contests
Tournament of Laurels
We are pleased to announce the Tournament of Laurels, a national event for classical language students to enjoy four days of competition and merriment celebrating the classical languages of Latin and Greek. See here for more details.
BIDVVM
Covenant Classical School in Ft.Worth, Texas is hosting their 6th BIDVVM LATINVM & GRAECVM for ages 12+ January 26-27. Intended for students and teachers alike, Latin tracks are available for various levels of spoken ability: Beginner, Intermediate, Advanced. We are excited to have a beginner Greek (Attic/Koine) For more info and registration see this flyer.
Latin Practicum at Repairing the Ruins
More information about the annual Latin Practicum at the ACCS Repairing the Ruins Summer Conference will be coming soon. You can also check and sign up for updates at RepairingTheRuins.org.
Video and Blog Resources
Show sample lessons to demonstrate different teaching techniques, explain various grammatical concepts and the best way to handle them, and answer the most common questions from Latin teachers.
Keep in Touch
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