LATIN 101 - 102
2002 - 2003
Virginia Hellenga, Instructor
Lecturer in Classics
Department of Classics
Monmouth College
Office phone 309 457 2332
Galesburg home 309 343-8957
House in woods 309 734-8758
E-mail virginia@monm.edu
Elementary Latin
Wallace Hall 114
M·TU·W·TH/F 8:00 - 8:50a.m.
A background in Latin is a great benefit to the study of the sciences, medicine, law, and many other professional fields, and certainly expands your English vocabulary and improves your comprehension and use of English grammar. Your work in Latin will help you in writing papers, studying, and expressing yourself beautifully.
The aim of Latin 101 - 102 is to learn basic reading and writing skills in Latin as quickly and as thoroughly as possible. At the end of two terms of Elementary Latin, a student should know the fundamentals of Latin grammar, have a basic Latin vocabulary, and be able to read a Latin text with the help of a dictionary. Speaking and listening skills in Latin will be encouraged in order to assist the development of reading and writing Latin.
These courses are primarily directed towards students desiring to meet the requirements for graduation under the foreign language component of the monmouth College General Education requirements. Elementary Latin can also fulfill partial requirements for a major in Latin or Classics.
The Monmouth College catalogue gives the following description of courses that meet the Language requirement:
The creation and use of language is the most significant achievement of human beings, for our ability to organize our understanding in verbal symbols and to communicate sets us apart from all other life forms. The symbols of our language make possible at many different levels of meaning and allow us to translate our private experience into universal terms.... A sure understanding of language is the foundation of all knowledge, and the ability to use verbal symbols effectively is the most important of all skills.
This component provides that every student have experience with a second language. The study of a foreign language allows students to see that their native language often reflects cultural needs and interests at the same time that it shares many basic patterns with other languages.
Texts for Latin 101:
WHEELOCK’S LATIN (6th Edition), Frederic M. Wheelock
Richard A. LaFleur, Revision Editor
harpercollins college outline, HarperPerennial (NY, 2000)
38 LATIN STORIES Designed to Accompany Frederic M. Wheelock’s Latin
Anne H. Groton and James M. May
Bolchazy-Carducci Publishers, Inc. (Wauconda, IL, 1986)
BOOK OF ROOTS: a full study of our families of words
Duane Beeler
Chicago: Union Representative, 1988
TRAUPMAN NEW COLLEGE LATIN & ENGLISH DICTIONARY, Revised
John Traupman, (Bantam, 1995)
Instructor:
Virginia Hellenga, Lecturer in Classics
115 A Wallace Hall, office next to Capron Room
Office Hours:
Tues. and Wed., 9:00 am - 9:50 am,
when I am in my office, or by appointment
Tutoring:
Latin tutors will be available several hours a week to help students individually with class assignments. Working with the tutors also does them a favor, because it gives them the opportunity to explain concepts clearly, as well as review basics of Latin.
Class Goals and Format:
Class meets on Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday and either Thursday or Friday from 8:00 a.m. until 8:50 a.m. in Wallace Hall 114. We will divide the class into smaller groups, so you will meet with your group either Thursday or Friday.
For most of the semester, we will meet each Monday at 8:00 am in the Trotter Computerized Classroom, lower level of Wallace Hall, to use interactive websites and other web resources to enhance your learning of Latin.
There will be daily assignments from the textbooks. In addition, there will be a number of supplementary readings in Latin, including familiar fairy tales translated into Latin, as well as music, videos, songs, games, and simple conversational Latin.
For most students, Elementary Latin is a two-semester experience. You will not really have a full sense of the Latin language until the end of second semester.
Summary of Grading:
Class Participation 10%
Quizzes 20%
Homework 20%
Acting out Mythological Stories 5%
Tests (including final) 45%
Requirements:
I. Participation (10%) and attendance policy
Learning another language is a lot easier in a group, but only if everyone in the group is working together. This kind of course requires daily attention. You cannot study only before tests and quizzes. You must attend class faithfully and be prepared every day. Attendance at all meetings of the class is required.
A student with more than THREE unexcused absences may drop one grade point on the final semester grade for each absence over three. For example, with four unexcused absences, an 83 would become an 82; with five unexcused absences, and 83 would become an 81; etc.
Active participation by all students in the class is very important. You are expected to ask questions, volunteer answers, and recite when called upon. Class participation will count 10% of the final grade.
II. Quizzes (20%)
There will be frequent quizzes lasting about ten minutes. A certain number of low quiz grades will be dropped.
If you take all of the quizzes, you will be exempted from taking the last test before the final. Quiz average will be 20% of the final grade.
III. Homework (20%)
Written homework will be assigned daily. Creative projects [Art, Creative Writing, etc.] will be counted in the homework grade. Homework will count 20% of the final grade.
IV. Acting out Mythological Stories (5%)
You will have the opportunity to act out the stories you translate, using your sense of fun, creativity and imagination in entertaining and relaxed class presentations. Your participation in acting out stories will count as 5% of your final grade.
V. Tests (45%)
There will be at least four major tests. The dates for the first tests will be announced in class at least one week in advance. These tests will demonstrate your understanding of the grammar and assignments. Missing a test is considered a serious lapse. Students who do not present an acceptable explanation IN ADVANCE of a test or a valid medical excuse will be permitted to take a make-up, but will suffer a penalty of one letter grade. The average of these tests, including the final exam, will be 45% of the final grade.
The Final Exam is on Monday December 9 at 1:00 pm
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Honesty and Plagiarism:
Students are encouraged to do their homework together. All other class work, especially quizzes and tests, must be the student’s own work. Plagiarism, i.e., copying someone else’s work without giving credit, is to be avoided. Such copying—from a book, another classmate’s paper, or any other source—is dishonest. Any student submitting plagiarized work will receive a failing grade for that assignment. If two papers with identical or nearly identical work are submitted by different students, both papers will receive a failing grade.
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Caveat:
This syllabus is subject to revision by the instructor, provided that written or verbal notice is given in class.
August 27, 2002