by Anastasia Papageorgiou

Learning Greek Virtually; Is It All Greek To Me?

by Anastasia Papageorgiou, Elementary School Faculty

Reflecting on the school year that has just come to an end, I have realized that despite all the challenges faced, still new horizons opened that took us through a new learning journey. During the current school year, I had the opportunity to design and teach two courses for the ACS Athens Virtual School: Modern Greek for Beginners I (in Spring) and Modern Greek for Beginners II (in Summer).

These courses are for beginners who have little or no knowledge of Greek. Most of my students were Greek Americans. They were introduced to the Greek alphabet and learned to read and write in Greek. Through simple texts and various dialogues, they built their vocabulary skills and were able to communicate in daily situations. For example, they learnt how to introduce themselves, ask and provide information, count in Greek, go shopping, order at a restaurant, etc. I strongly believe that learning a new language can also be accomplished through various fun activities: educational videos, listening activities or many online educational games that were created for further enrichment and consolidation of the Greek vocabulary and extra practice of basic grammatical phenomena.

My students were very eager to learn Greek or, if they had some knowledge, to further practice all areas of the language. But why is it so important, especially, in a virtual environment? ◉ The Greek language is fundamental to our culture; it is a live connection to homeland, which helps students maintain and preserve their Greek identity. It is very important to feel connected to their roots and feel apart of a larger community. Furthermore, through these two courses, students had the chance to learn more about Modern Greek culture and the way of life.

◉ Students were able to read Greek books and familiarize themselves with Greek literature.

◉ Students could communicate much better with their family and friends in Greece or with the

Greek American community in the States.

◉ They had a better understanding of the English words which derive from the Greek language.

Who knows, maybe one day, they could be living in Greece!

Despite the pandemic and the new reality, this did not stop our students’ desire to learn! Through the ACS Virtual, we managed to “build virtual bridges”, both between the two countries and between the students who participated. It has been a valuable opportunity for communicating, connecting, sharing, and learning. Above all, this virtual learning experience enabled our students to embark on the journey of discovering Greece.