In the Language Classroom
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Advice for New Teachers in the Yale Program
Some basics to keep in mind when teaching GREK and LATN at Yale. Drafted August 17, 2025. Before the Start of the Semester • The LPD will place book orders for you, and the Registrar will order your desk copy. If they have not arrived when you need them, let us know. • Familiarize yourself…
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How Prepared are In-Coming Freshman for Intermediate Latin?
By Joseph Meyer, Glastonbury High School, CT Esteemed Teaching Assistant! Picture it with me, if you will. It is the night before the first day of classes. You have picked out your most professorial outfit, maybe even something with elbow patches, or – for the more adventurous – billowy pirate sleeves. More importantly, you have…
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The Classroom Power Dynamic
Disclaimer: Power dynamics in an academic setting impact different people in different ways. Though I attempt to approach this topic from a place of empathy, at the end of the day I am still Dr. White Male and as such I also approach it from a position of privilege. I’ve done my best to take…
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The Flow
It’s not difficult to argue that the biggest initial hurdle that native speakers of English have to overcome when learning Latin or Greek is the case system. In my experience, the most common problem-areas are: (1) English, of course, does not (99.999% of the time) use case, so the concept is entirely unfamiliar; (2) formal…
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Repetition with Modification
When practicing new grammar, it is best to work with sentences that isolate that grammar with minimal distraction from, e.g., new vocabulary or other complicated grammar. Textbooks often do not adequately isolate the new grammar in their practice sentences, thus dividing the student’s attention. When our students complete a lesson, we want them to incorporate…
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Disabilities and Accommodations
Let’s start with the big picture. On average (at least at my current university), 10% of students have an academic disability and need accommodations. And that is surely not all the students who would benefit from them; in my first year of teaching full-time, I had discussions with four separate students who, for various reasons,…
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Not Having Every Answer
It is not at all uncommon to see the following anxiety expressed by a new instructor: My job is to have the answer to every single question that could possibly come up in class today; if I don’t, I’m not doing my job properly, I will immediately forfeit all authority in the classroom, and it…
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Learning & Testing Vocabulary
Learning vocabulary isn’t simply a matter of learning what roots mean. However, many or most of your students will assume it is. You need to be sure they know that vocabulary is both lexical and morphological. Take amō, amāre, amāvī, amātus. This string of words does not mean “I love.” Only amō means that, and…
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Mini Quizzes
More low stakes assignments (e.g. lots of quizzes, mini tests, etc.) are preferred to fewer high stakes assignments (e.g. one midterm and a final). No assignment should be worth more than 20% of one’s final grade. Low stakes assignments are preferred for a variety of reasons: • Less stress on the student (a single quiz…
Classics Teaching 