Latin HEAD OF DEPARTMENT: Mr A Chadwick EXAMINATION BOARD: OCR SPECIFICATION CODE: H443 ENTRY REQUIREMENTS: GCSE Latin Grade 7 WHY STUDY LATIN? “If you want to be loved, be lovable!”– Ovid. Latin is still considered the doyen of academic disciplines, still regarded as the pinnacle of intellectual achievement by universities and employers across the country. A student with a good grade at Latin A Level is automatically assumed to belong to the top one percent of a national academic cohort. Those who know, still value Latin extremely highly. Not only do students manage to read both literature and history in depth, but they do so in a language over two millennia old. This subject offers you the opportunity to study elements of the language and literature of the classical world, acquiring in the process some understanding of the culture, politics and social life of Rome at significant periods in its history. For those students who have already studied Latin, the A Level course enables them to deepen their knowledge of the language through the study of a range of prose and verse literature in Latin, and to understand the social and historical context in which these works were written. COURSE CONTENT The course is designed to develop their understanding of the Latin language and the related ancient literature, values and society. Students build their knowledge of vocabulary and linguistic structures through reading and studying prose and verse texts in Latin. Students study texts written by a range of prose authors and the verse unseen author to develop linguistic competence. Students study two Latin Prose Literature set texts in depth. Students also study additional literature #LOVEFREEMENS
in translation in order to understand the context from which the set texts have been taken. Students study two Latin Verse Literature set texts in depth. Students also study additional literature in translation in order to understand the context from which the set texts have been taken. COURSE ASSESSMENT Unit 1: Unseen Translation The unit is examined through a written paper which consists of a translation into English of an unseen passage of Latin. Unit 2: Comprehension or Prose Composition Students widen their knowledge of Latin language through comprehension practice or by translating Latin into English. Unit 3: Latin Verse Students read a book from Virgil's epic poem, the Aeneid in the original Latin. Unit 4: Latin Prose Students read Tacitus' account of intrigue in the imperial court of Rome in the original Latin. 24
