CSCP Online Conference 2020

ABSTRACTS AND TITLES

 

To return to the conference programme, please click here.

DAY ONE: Saturday 17th October

Session 1 (11:00-11:40)

 

1A. Modern Research for Classics Pedagogy

Julie Wilkinson & Grainne Cassidy

This session aims to outline some of the theory behind the concepts of Direct Instruction, Cognitive Load Theory and Retrieval Practice and how we can use them when teaching the CLC to set up routines at Key Stage 3 and 4 to support access, retention and relevance in an all-abilities Academy.

The session will:

explain how we construct and space grammatical and vocabulary starter activities and homework tasks to make the most of often limited curriculum time;

show how we are starting to use concepts of dual coding to enhance and simplify our PowerPoint presentations and worksheets to support our weakest students and any who struggle to focus;

demonstrate how we use a classroom Visualiser to help model best practice to support all abilities;

share how we are starting to use student voice to understand what modern students enjoy about Latin and need us to include to ensure it is their subject of choice at GCSE and A level.

 

1B. Exclusively inclusive: Teaching Classics to Children with SEND

Emily Rushton 

This session will focus on sharing good practice of how to make Classics more accessible for students with different SEND needs. As a SENDCO and Classics teacher for ages 4-18, I have noticed how the wonderful crossover between Latin and Classical Civilisation can be hugely accessible and enjoyable subjects for children with SEND, but also how the study of the ancient world can improve a student’s management and understanding of their own needs.

Using past examples and new ideas, we will be looking at ways to enhance lesson delivery of language learning, history and culture for students with cognition and learning needs, sensory impairments, speech and language needs and socio-emotional mental health needs. There will be lots of opportunities for participation and creative activities in the session, so be prepared to muck in!

 

Session 2 (13:30-14:10)

 

2A. Variety is the spice of life: engaging all pupils in Latin lessons

Anna Karsten

We will be looking at how we can incorporate a range of different learning activities in our lessons that will help engage all our pupils whatever their starting point, interests and background. We will look at both language and civilisation aspects of the course and consider a range of approaches that have learning at their heart.

 

 

2B. Perfect and Tense: stress and the Latin learner

Lisa Hay

The focus for this session is anxiety and the mental-wellbeing of students in the Latin classroom. Surveys suggest that mental health disorders are on the increase amongst young people in the UK, and that our students often feel stressed in the classroom. We will discuss some general strategies for inclusive teaching, as well as looking at how specific activities in a Latin lesson can be modified in order to better support anxious students, create a collaborative and supportive classroom, and promote academic risk-taking.

 

 

Session 3 (11:55-12:50)

 

3A. The Cambridge Latin Course: How to bring the Roman World to life 

Ben George & Katharine Rowe

The aim of our session is to share methods of using the Cambridge Latin Course to provide real ‘Roman’ experiences for our students. We will give examples of inclusive teaching methods that you can use in the classroom to allow students, irrespective of ability or background, a taste of what life for the Romans was like. From Walking Tours of ancient cities to full-blown banquets, the CLC offers a wealth of opportunities to teach Latin through lived experience. The ambition of teaching with props, costumes, food and tours is to immerse every student in Roman life and to encourage them to view every part of their Latin course as an opportunity to learn something new about the ancient world. We would like to host a discussion to develop further methods of teaching by means of experiences for students and steal all of your fantastic ideas for our own use.  

 

3B. Postcolonial Classics for Postcolonial Classrooms

Rob Hancock-Jones

In 2016, Donna Zuckerberg published an article on the Alt-Right’s use of Classics to support their ludicrous theory that white men are “morally and intellectually superior to all other races and genders”. The article was intended as a call to arms for the Classics Community to fight back against such rhetoric. Shortly after, inspired by Reni Eddo-Lodge’s 2017 book “Why I’m No Longer Talking to White People About Race” and spearheaded by two incredible teachers and a group of amazing students, my school (Townley Grammar School) initiated a project to “decolonise the curriculum”.  These events provided the impetus for some close reflection about the kind of Classics I had been teaching and the way I had been teaching it.  This session will focus on some of the key changes I have since made to my GCSE and A Level Classical Civilisation teaching, in order to better help my students to understand the diversity of the ancient world, focusing on themes such as race and ethnicity, migration, belonging, empire and classical reception.

 

Plenary Session (15:30-16:30)

 

A Modern CLC for Modern Students 

The CSCP Team

Despite the disruptions of 2020, work on the new edition of the CLC has continued. In our Saturday Plenary the team will share some of the principles behind this work and how a push for accessibility and diversity has shaped new material, including:

- new stories and characters

- reimagined cultural background sections

- the new language map of the series

- new ways of approaching About and Practising the Language

 

 

 

 

4A. Eduqas GCSE Latin Component 2: Latin Literature and Sources. Theme A: Travel by Land and Sea

Lisa Hay

This session is aimed at any teachers of Latin literature. Although the session will use texts from the Eduqas Travel by Land and Sea component, the focus will be on general teaching strategies and activities to support students tackling any GCSE literature course.

 

4B. Embracing the enquiry question: borrowing a historical approach to improve the teaching of the civilisation aspect of the CLC

Lottie Mortimer

One of the many benefits of teaching Latin using the Cambridge Latin Course is its integration of Roman culture throughout. However, after realising that I was demanding far more complex thinking from my Year 7s in their history lessons than in civilisation focused Latin lessons, I realised I needed to change how I was approaching this aspect of the CLC. Focussing on the difficult topic of Roman slavery in Stage 6 as a case study, I've been exploring how teaching with an 'enquiry question' can shape both student and teacher thinking about Roman civilisation.

 

Session 5 (13:30-14:10)

 

5A. Using Latin and Greek Etymology to Improve Whole School Literacy

Angela Dix

As set out in his influential book 'Closing the Vocabulary Gap', Alex Quigley identifies the ability to recognise 'tier two' and 'tier three' English vocabulary as pivotal to the academic achievement of students as they progress through the education system. Quigley also goes on to shine a light on the importance of Latin and Greek root words in pupil literacy, where drawing upon knowledge of etymology and morphology in the classroom can help pupils develop greater 'word consciousness'.

In this session, we will explore some key Latin and Greek root words that feature frequently in English and discuss strategies and resources to support the teaching of etymology across the curriculum, not only in English but also in History, Science, Geography, Maths and beyond. There will also be an opportunity to discuss how you can support your school to integrate the literacy benefits of Classical languages into all departments.

 

5B. Breaking silence: confronting sexual violence in Classical myths and stories 

Caroline Bristow

Sexual violence is a major feature of Classical myth and stories, and teaching material depicting sexual violence creates trepidation; if only out of concern for student well-being. Stories are, however, a mechanism by which we can explore difficult issues, process our feelings, and create appropriate social strategies. This session will explore the role of stories and narrative in human culture, before coming back to the Classics classroom and how we can better harness the power of stories to help students navigate issues of consent, respect, and trauma.

 

 

Keynote Session (14:30-15:30)

 

Ancient World Modern Lives

Dr Mai Musié

What can the ancient world teach those who are living in the 21st century? In the age of alternative truths and global interconnectivity, can the past reveal lessons for the future? In this talk, Dr Musié will use ancient evidence on imperialism, ethnicity, and identity as a way to tackle modern social and cultural questions and make a case that we are not so different from our ancient ancestors.