Latin lessons improve literacy

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Latin lessons improve literacy, says MSP

THE traditionalists have been going on about it ad nauseam. Now the campaign to bring back Latin into classrooms is finally gaining strength. Picture: Jane Barlow

"'The downside is that Latin is very boringly taught and it turns pupils off'"
By EDDIE BARNES
POLITICAL EDITOR
THE traditionalists have been going on about it ad nauseam. Now the campaign to bring back Latin into classrooms is finally gaining strength.
Tens of thousands of Scottish school pupils are failing to master basic English literacy skills, leading one MSP to suggest compulsory Latin lessons are the way forward.

Independent MSP Margo MacDonald, who was taught Latin at school herself, is to spearhead a campaign to highlight the benefits the classical language can have in improving basic English.

Studies in the US appear to show that, after just five months study of Latin, pupils who took the course were a full year ahead of fellow children who had not.

It is claimed that, as the root language for most western European tongues, Latin improves pupils' understanding of grammar and extends vocabulary, boosting their ability to read and write.

Latin is still on the curriculum in Scotland, but it is little taught, with around 200 state school pupils across the country taking a Latin Higher. However, headteachers also agree that, if extended, it could improve standards.

It comes as research showed recently that one in five Scots struggle with basic paperwork in their jobs.

MacDonald said: "We have got to be as imaginative as possible in terms of teaching our own language.

"The standards of grammar at the moment are dreadful. The BBC this morning said that cloud is increasing - clouds don't increase. I have been surprised by the poor standards of grammar and syntax on the BBC. I know this makes me sound like Mrs Pernickety from The Grange circa 1958, but somebody needs to tackle this."

She added: "I was lucky enough to be taught Latin and French and English at the same time, and the interlocking of the languages and grammar and the roots of words firstly improved my own grasp of grammar, but secondly gave me a facility to learn a variety of European languages."

Kirkcaldy High, a state school, has chosen to promote Latin, and now has more than 100 pupils learning the language. Teachers say it both improves their English skills and helps develop their basic understanding of European languages.

Latin is also being offered at some primary schools in England, where it is being studied for its effect on literacy.

Dr Peter Jones, a former professor of classics at Newcastle University and spokesman for the Joint Association of Classics Teachers, said: "Latin is a wonderful means of introducing children to the way languages work.

"It is a meta-language and therefore it is bound to have spin-off effects on the understanding of English and of Romance
languages like French and Italian."

Dr Jones referred to a study in Indianapolis in the 1970s which compared the standards of a group of 12-year-olds who studied Latin with those who did not.

After five months' study, the group which studied Latin were found to be one year ahead in reading and languages and eight months ahead on word knowledge. The study even found that pupils who studied Latin had improved marks in maths.

Educationalists in Scotland said they too supported the campaign, but pointed out the practical problems. Bill McGregor, of the Headteachers Association of Scotland, said: "Speaking as somebody who benefited from a classical education, I can well appreciate the benefit it has given to me. The downside is that Latin is very boringly taught and it turns pupils off."

A Scottish Government spokesperson said: "Scotland does not have a statutory curriculum."

The full article contains 587 words and appeared in Scotland On Sunday newspaper.