Transitioning Between School- and University-Level Latin Learning: a Scottish Perspective by Emma Buckley, Alice König and Ana Kotarcic

Transitioning between School- and University-Level Latin Learning: A Scottish Perspective by Emma Buckley, Alice König and Ana Kotarcic

The Latin department at the inevitably small, our aim was to gain as Introduction University of St Andrews has been comprehensive a picture as possible, working to address this challenge for focusing not just on quantitative data Students are arriving to study Latin at some time, and in the autumn of 2012 the (e.g. diagnostic tests and university exam university with an increasingly diverse authors of this article embarked on a performance) but also qualitative range of qualifications (including no three-year research project to examine aspects: teachers’ and students’ Latin at all). This is something to more systematically the different perceptions and expectations. Our celebrate. University Classics educational backgrounds of students research was structured around the departments want students from from the major English (AS/A Level), following areas: different educational backgrounds; and Scottish (Higher/Advanced Higher), we want a wide range of qualification European (International Baccalaureate) authorities to continue to offer students 1) A review of school syllabi and an and North American (Advanced the chance to start learning Latin at analysis of past examination papers Placement) school systems. As a Scottish school. This diversity is being and marking schemes university department, part of our brief exacerbated, however, by an increasingly was to look particularly closely into the stark differential in the content and 2) Teacher questionnaires (obtaining experience of Scottish students, but our rigour of these various qualifications; and information about teaching methods findings have implications for the that presents challenges for universities and expectations) teaching of Latin in universities across the aiming to integrate students quickly and UK and beyond. Our objective was not acclimatise them to university-style 3) Student questionnaires (obtaining simply to detect the main linguistic learning. Classes in all subjects have more information about experience, strengths and weaknesses of our various and less knowledgeable students learning self-perception of linguistic strengths cohorts of students but also more side-by-side; but the dynamics of a Latin and weaknesses, and expectations systematically to pinpoint the ‘gaps’ language class mean that gaps in about university study) between the school and university knowledge and differences in experience Latin-learning experience, with a view to become publicly visible very quickly. This 4) Diagnostic tests (testing linguistic offering more targeted support. The is thus a social problem as much as it is an competence at the beginning of year 1) following article presents a synopsis of academic one, and it is particularly acute the work we have done, concentrating in during that important period of 5) University coursework and exam particular on the group of students who transition, the first year of university results for Latin modules across all began first-year ‘Advanced Latin’ in study. This trend is not exclusive to the four years of study 2013-4. teaching of Latin but has also been a recurring theme of discussion within There was a marked consistency in Modern Languages too, particularly in results over the three years of the project, Scottish universities where the Methodology but considerations of space mean that we percentage of non-A Level students is focus here on the second year results (the higher than is generally the case south of With the caveat that our sample (classes academic year 2013/14), which represent the border. with a maximum of 40 students) was on a smaller scale our overall findings.

The Journal of Classics Teaching 18 (35) p.54-64 © The Classical Association 2017. This is an Open Access article, distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives licence (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/), which permits Downloaded54 from https://www.cambridge.org/corenon-commercial re-use, distribution,. IP address: and170.106.202.58 reproduction, on 26in anySep 2021medium, at 15:27:34 provided, subject the originalto the Cambridge work is unalteredCore terms and of use, is properly available atcited. The written https://www.cambridge.org/core/termspermission of Cambridge. https://doi.org/10.1017/S2058631017000083 University Press must be obtained for commercial re-use or in order to create a derivative work. four IB exams, two Advanced Higher ancient world and incorporating 10-12 School Syllabi and Assessments exams and five Higher exams (2013), with different sources, worth 20% of the final one exam from each type of qualification grade). Before discussing the analysis, it is helpful (2016) for comparative analysis.2 One major difference between the A to contextualise the major educational Scrutinising not just the syllabi but also Level and IB papers and the Higher/ systems our students come from: past papers and marking schemes, we paid Advanced Higher is that the Scottish special attention to the following areas: examination does not explicitly test 1) A Level Latin is ordinarily sat by pupils understanding of the set-text with a in the final year of secondary school a) Type of exams and exam questions translation element (contrast A Level, (aged 18). It is usually one of a three- where 30% of the exam requires set-text or four-subject one-year course of b) The knowledge of grammar translation; and the IB, where students secondary school study (changing to a (morphology and syntax) required must also translate short extracts from the two-year linear course from 2018). It set-text). requires 360 hours of ‘guided learning’. c) The knowledge of vocabulary required ‘Language papers’ focus on unseen Typically a set text prescription of 300 translation from Latin to English and lines of verse plus prose equivalent is d) The marking scheme optionally, for A Level only, translation set; language assessment is worth 50% from English to Latin (in 2013 as an of the final grade. Comparison of these categories alternative to further translation of reveals telling divergences in the unseen Latin; in 2016 as an alternative to 2) IB (Higher Level) Latin is part of a ‘philosophy’ of language teaching and answering comprehension questions on broad scheme of study for students testing and levels of linguistic unseen passages). IB exams set passages aged 16-19, which narrows in the final competence expected across A Levels, IB, from original works, unadapted, whilst A year to the study of three or four Higher and Advanced Higher. Level offers passages adapted or abridged subjects. It requires 240 hours of from the original (though this changes ‘guided learning’.1 A set-text A. Types of exams and exam questions from 2018 onwards, when A Level exams prescription of c.450 lines of verse will also feature passages from original plus prose equivalent was set in 2013 In all systems exam papers fall into two works). IB and A Level offer some and of c. 500-550 lines from 2016. broad categories: ‘literary interpretation’- contextual help with a preliminary rubric Language assessment is worth 35% of based papers (including commentaries in English. In 2013, at Advanced Higher the final grade. and mini-essay questions) on prescribed level, the approach is very similar to A set-texts, and ‘language’ papers (incl. Level; at Higher, passages adapted from 3) ‘Highers’ Latin is a Scottish level 6 unseens and prose composition). the original are interspersed with an qualification taken by pupils aged 16-17, ‘Literary Interpretation’ (or explanatory guiding rubric in English. At normally as part of a five-subject course ‘Appreciation’) is based on prescribed A Level excerpts for translation from of study, and is traditionally the last (and therefore prepared) texts. In 2013, Latin to English are adapted from/based qualification required before entrance students of the A Level, Advanced on prose writers (e.g. Livy, Cicero, Tacitus) to university. It requires 240 hours of Higher and Higher qualifications were and range from 6 to 14 lines; students ‘guided learning’. Language assessment expected to answer exam questions choosing to do prose composition are is worth 40% of the final grade. Instead relating to both prose and verse; in IB no asked to translate 5 individual sentences of continuous prose a more varied distinction is made between prose and into Latin. In IB exams the student is selection of prose and verse is offered verse, but students must study two sets of offered the choice between translating an for the ‘set text’, amounting to approx. texts grouped by ‘genre.’ This means that original excerpt from prose (e.g. Cicero) 220 lines of verse plus prose equivalent. IB students are not necessarily tested in or poetry (e.g. Ovid), and the passages for both prose and verse. According to the translation are between 5 and 20 lines 4) ‘Advanced Higher’ Latin is an optional new curriculum effective from 2018 long. Whilst Advanced Higher exams qualification (Scottish level 7), taken by onwards, A Level exams will adopt the require students to translate passages pupils who have completed Highers same format as IB exams. from both prose (e.g. Livy) and verse and chosen to stay on at school for an A Level, IB and Higher/Advanced (e.g. Virgil), Higher exams only ask for extra year. It is normally part of a Higher require students to comment on translations of prose. Both A Level and three-subject course of study. It matters of content and comprehension, IB exams are 1 hour 30 minutes long requires 320 hours of ‘guided style and language, and to translate and (from 2018 onwards, A Level exams will learning’. Set texts offer a range of scan excerpts (almost exclusively in last 1 hour 45 minutes); the Higher authors in verse and prose (approx. hexameters). In addition, both Advanced ‘unseen’ paper is 45 mins, the Advanced 440 lines of verse or prose equivalent). Higher and IB set coursework (at Higher 1 hour 35 mins. Language assessment is worth 30% of Advanced Higher, a 3000-word the final grade. dissertation on an aspect of Latin B. Grammar language, literature or the Roman world, Choosing randomly, we selected the comprising 35% of the overall grade; in All systems require students to be familiar years 2013 and 2016 for analysis, our IB, a ‘research dossier’ comprising a with the entirety of the morphological sample comprising eight A Level exams, research question on any aspect of the system of Latin. However, differences

Downloaded from https://www.cambridge.org/coreTransitioning. IP address: 170.106.202.58 between School-, on and26 Sep University-Level 2021 at 15:27:34 Latin, subject Learning: to the A Cambridge Scottish Perspective Core terms of use, available at 55 https://www.cambridge.org/core/terms. https://doi.org/10.1017/S2058631017000083 begin to emerge when we consider which (+accusative): for, to’).3 From 2015 requires more precision on the part of the linguistic elements are in practice tested, onwards, Advanced Higher also requires student, ensuring that students must be and how the mark scheme penalises (or less basic vocabulary memorisation: a equally competent in both areas to gain fails to penalise) lack of accuracy in the complete wordlist is supplied and the good marks. From 2016, however, the recognition of vocabulary, grammatical unseen passage is interspersed with marking scheme has been altered, constructions, and syntax. linking English. allowing for more generous marking of The syntactical constructions found inaccurate translation (and now in translation and prose composition D. Marking Scheme resembling the A Level marking scheme sections of A Level and IB exams are: more closely). Ablative Absolute (ablativus absolutus); AcI A close look at the individual marking (accusativus cum infinitivo); direct and schemes sheds further light on the degree indirect statements (including indirect of competence students need to display questions with subjunctive); subordinate in each exam. While marking schemes are Conclusion ut (consecutive and final) and cum (causal similar with regard to literary and circumstantial) clauses with the interpretation/appreciation questions, Focusing on ‘language’ elements of subjunctive mood; conditional, relative, there is quite large variation in weighting assessment alone, there is a clear and fear clauses (e.g. timere ne + subj.); and afforded to linguistic competence within gradation in the Latin competence the gerund/gerundive (e.g. conciliandi or the four systems. required for each system. The IB paper peritus + gerund). Most of these In A Level language exams, sentences offers the most difficult linguistic constructions are governed by the are split into equally weighted sub- challenge: it expects students to read consecutio temporum and require the student sections, eligible for a number of points more original Latin in the set-text element to recognise temporal relations between adjusted according to the quality of of the course; and in its unseen clauses. translation. In unseen translation, the examination it is singular in testing with In comparison to A Level and IB emphasis is almost exclusively on the original continuous Latin, allowing exams, syntactical constructions conveyance of meaning: whilst faulty candidates to use dictionaries, and paying occurring in Advanced Higher and translations of syntactical constructions close attention not just to ‘meaning’ but Higher exams are less diverse. They are: will be penalised, marking conventions to accurate translation in its mark-scheme. Ablative Absolute; AcI; direct statements; still allow for a student to receive a good (We should bear in mind however that imperatives; subordinate ut (consecutive) mark solely by conveying the intended ‘language’ accounts for only 35% of the and cum (circumstantial) clauses with the meaning. A different picture arises in overall mark.) In comparison, A Level subjunctive mood; relative clauses; and prose composition where the focus of offers less sophisticated passages for the gerund. Here too, the consecutio marking is on the accuracy of testing and has more accommodating temporum plays a role, but is not exploited morphology and syntax. The syllabus mark-schemes (though we should note as much as in A Level and IB exams. effective from 2018 is more precise, that IB and A Level seem to be allowing markers to award up to five converging in their approach now). The C. Vocabulary points with each point representing one clear outlier however is Higher (and also category of mistake. These categories Advanced Higher from 2015), whose The amount of vocabulary glossed varies range from ‘accurate translation with one approach is markedly different not only in considerably between the four systems. A slight error allowed’ to ‘little recognisable offering significantly more ‘steering’ Level (which provides a prescribed relation or meaning in Latin’. guidance in English but also in requiring wordlist for memorisation) glosses At Advanced Higher and Higher the no memorisation of vocabulary. In terms between 8 and 17 words, half of which same process of subdivision is applied to of ‘set-text’ reading too, there is a clear are personal names; the specimen paper sentences. Students may be awarded difference in approach between the for the syllabus effective from 2018 two-thirds of the available marks for the Scottish and other systems: Advanced onwards indicates that this number is to conveyance of the ‘essential idea’, and Higher and Higher offer a selection of be reduced to below 10 words, most of gain full marks for a ‘highly satisfactory’ relatively small chunks of continuous which are names. IB features either no translation. The focus here, even more so Latin from a wide range of prose and vocabulary aid or up to two words. than at A Level, is on the communication verse authors and never explicitly test However, unlike A Level students, IB of meaning and only secondarily on strict set-text translation: the other systems candidates are allowed to use a dictionary. grammatical accuracy. require more extended continuous For Higher and Advanced Higher, no set The marking convention for unseen reading, and test translation of the wordlist for memorisation is provided, translation in IB exams is much more prescribed text. School teachers we have though students are encouraged to rigorous for exams taken before 2016. talked to express increasing concern compile their own wordlists throughout Simple words (mostly non-inflective about this widening differential, and the year. Before 2015, Advanced Higher forms such as prepositions, conjunctions teachers working within the Higher and glossed between 12 and 16 words, and etc.) are judged by the correctness of Advanced Higher systems are clearly Higher glossed every single item of meaning only, whilst words requiring frustrated by what they perceive as an vocabulary (including the most basic understanding of accidence are marked ongoing diminution in the rigour and items, e.g. et, non, facio, and offered explicit on both meaning and grammatical ambition of their syllabi and assessment grammatical guidance, e.g. ‘ad accuracy. This approach to marking requirements. While there has been some

Downloaded56 from https://www.cambridge.org/core. IPTransitioning address: 170.106.202.58 between School-, on 26 andSep University-Level2021 at 15:27:34, Latinsubject Learning: to the Cambridge A Scottish Core Perspective terms of use, available at https://www.cambridge.org/core/terms. https://doi.org/10.1017/S2058631017000083 opportunity to collaborate in curriculum prominently in these questionnaire respondents from all cohorts, namely the design with the qualification authority responses, and serves as a useful challenge of bringing an abstract responsible for A Level Latin (OCR), reminder that differences between command of grammar and vocabulary representatives from the SQA students’ Latin language-learning together with the study of original texts. (responsible for Higher and Advanced experiences are not simply down to This expectation was encouraging, in so Higher Latin) have proved worryingly differences between the syllabi that they far as it suggested that students across the unwilling to engage with or even listen to have been following. board clearly recognised that applying school teachers and university lecturers. If Less predictable (to us, as university linguistic knowledge to reading and the current trend is to be addressed, there lecturers) was the fact that a significant analysing texts independently would needs to be a partnership between number of respondents were quite require special attention and effort on practitioners and qualifications unclear about what university-level Latin their part, given the limited experience authorities, with both parties being courses expect of first year students. In they had in doing these activities at open-minded about the latest research fact, a very small minority suggested that school. and willing to engage in dialogue with that since very few if any of their pupils We also ran much shorter each other. went on to study Classics/Latin at questionnaires for students to fill in at the university, there was little call for them to end of their first year, combining analysis know what happens in first-year of these with the data from institutional university-level Latin classes. Conversely, module feedback forms. Two recurring School Teacher Questionnaires many university colleagues have only trends are particularly noteworthy. While limited awareness of the preparation the incoming questionnaire responses Syllabus and assessment patterns do not which most entry-level students currently revealed some insecurity amongst a wide tell the whole story, of course. To gain a receive. This underlines the need for even spread of students about their own clearer understanding of how these greater communication between school language competence and their ability to courses are delivered, we sent and university Latin teachers, in both keep up, the end-of-year questionnaire questionnaires to different types of directions. responses painted a more confident and schools (state and independent), to settled picture. Perhaps unsurprisingly, teachers delivering a range of there was a sense that by the end of the qualifications. We asked about pedagogic year students had adapted to the practices (e.g. how much class and Student Questionnaires expectations of the course and felt less homework time they prioritised for hesitant about being able to meet them. grammar teaching/revision, unseen In their first week at St Andrews, three The concerns that remained tended to translation, vocabulary learning; which successive cohorts of students were given revolve around ‘structural’ issues (library textbooks they used, etc.), and about the a detailed questionnaire covering their provision/deadlines etc.), and not about expectations teachers had of University- educational background, their sense of the intellectual challenges of university- level Latin language teaching. their own linguistic strengths and level work or their ability to manage it. Predictably, there was huge variation weaknesses, and their expectations of On the other hand, we noted a slight shift (both at a personal and at an institutional Latin study at university. from industrious intentions to a stronger level) in approaches to Latin language Even within the same qualification sense that problems/difficulties stemmed teaching: some teachers teach type, participating students had clearly more from institutional issues than from unashamedly to syllabus (‘there’s no had hugely varied experiences of Latin individual circumstances. There was gerundive in the assessment, so I won’t language-learning, resulting in different notably less emphasis on the need for teach it in class’), and some passionately levels of confidence in different areas. on-going independent effort: a eschew that approach in favour of a Encouragingly, though, the majority of misapprehension, and a reminder that our more rounded model: ‘I teach them what students felt that school had prepared students need to be challenged as well as I think they need to know, and that goes them adequately both for their school- supported if they are to continue making beyond what they will be tested on.’ level qualifications and for studying Latin progress. There was also huge variation in the at university. No recurring issues arose balance and spread of activities consistently within any one cohort about prioritised for class-work and homework, specific areas of Latin language work, even within the same qualifications. Some with the exception of a prominent and Diagnostic Test Data (2013–4) teachers clearly spend the majority of repeated concern articulated by Advanced their time on set text translations and/or Higher and Higher students that they did Students also sat a diagnostic test in literary discussion; some on unseen not have enough memorised vocabulary their first week of study, comprising translations (while some do very little of ‘in the bank’. The areas in which they four parts: a) vocabulary, b) verb parsing, that); some on grammar exercises; some thought they would need particular c) declension of adjectives and pronouns, on comprehension exercises; some support during their first year at university and d) a gap text asking students to enter regularly test vocabulary, some never do. were evenly spread between all the correct morpho-syntactical form of Variation in teaching approaches is possibilities, ranging from support with the word indicated in brackets. The aim inevitable across all disciplines and not a literary analysis to revision of grammar. of this test was to compare students’ problem in itself; but it came across very One general anxiety was articulated by competence in each of these areas with

With one exception in A Levels, this close look at the results by category vocabulary (Voc), orange verbs (Verbs), test result showed Higher and Advanced reveals a more complex picture. Diagram grey adjectives and pronouns (A/P) and Higher pupils performing significantly 2 shows the results obtained in each yellow the gap test (Syntax), and with less well than A Level and IB pupils. Yet a component, with blue showing qualification types indicated below:

- With one or two exceptions, Highers - In the final section, where active syllabus places no real stress on the and Advanced Highers were the knowledge and understanding of memorisation of a basic vocubulary. But weakest in the vocabulary section. This syntax was tested, the results were it is also important to note that a result correlates with the anxiety most varied and indicate a shift in the significant minority of A Level and IB expressed in student questionnaires pattern so far established: despite the students lack fairly basic language and the lack of emphasis on fact that the highest results were competence, and further that a significant vocabulary learning in the syllabus. achieved by A Level students, the majority who scored highly in the overall scores obtained in the syntax preliminary (memory-based) sections of - The A Level and IB cohorts also section are much more level between the diagnostic test did not cope so well in outstripped Highers and Advanced the four cohorts. sections testing more active engagement Highers students in the ‘Verbs’ with and understanding of Latin. category. It may be a statement of the obvious - In the ‘Adjective and Pronoun’ section that Highers and Advanced Highers will Higher and Advanced Higher students perform less well than their A Levels and First Year Students’ Data (2013–4) produced low scores again, but there IB peers at the point of entering was also much greater variation in university, since on average they have The data we have looked at so far records performance at IB and A Level. received fewer teaching hours and their the linguistic experience and competence

Downloaded58 from https://www.cambridge.org/core. IPTransitioning address: 170.106.202.58 between School-, on 26 andSep University-Level2021 at 15:27:34, Latinsubject Learning: to the Cambridge A Scottish Core Perspective terms of use, available at https://www.cambridge.org/core/terms. https://doi.org/10.1017/S2058631017000083 of our Latin students up to their first week St Andrews students are required to comprising 60%, tests both translation at university. But we wanted to see whether complete two modules (coded LT1003 and literary criticism of the set texts. the picture changed during the first year of and LT1004). Both consist of the Latin study, and over subsequent years, and following assessments: i) two ‘literary to find out whether the data could offer a criticisms’, of one prose and one verse Literary Criticism more informed picture about the kinds of set-text; ii) two language tests, one support we need to offer our students in ‘unseen translation’ and one ‘grammar, Diagram 3 shows the overall results in the the first week, the first year, and over a morphology and syntax’. These first semester module LT1003 four-year period. components are equally weighted and (LT2003Y2) in comparison with In their first year of ‘Advanced’ account for 40% of the marks. In the diagnostic test results (DT2), with (as opposed to ‘Beginners’) Latin study, addition, an end-of-semester exam, qualification type indicated below:

Strikingly, there is now no gap between Analysis of the individual criticism components (on Catullus, LC1 the overall LT1003 performances of Higher components of LT1003 provides further Cat, and Cicero, LC2 Cic), mapped and Advanced Higher students, while A detail. Diagram 4 shows students’ against their diagnostic test results Level and IB still show wide variation. performance in the module’s two literary (DT2):

Even though some variation in criticism assessments than they did in the second semester module LT1004. Diagram performance between the two literary diagnostic test, where linguistic 5 shows the overall results obtained in the criticism tasks is visible, with few competence was the focus. The tendency second semester literary criticism exceptions, students of all cohorts for students to perform comparatively well component (LT2004Y2), mapped against achieved higher results in the literary in literary criticism is confirmed in the diagnostic test results (DT2):

A significant minority of students IB peers. These results demonstrate clearly students were explicitly not required to obtained worse results, relatively speaking, in that knowledge in the abstract and ability to translate in normal ‘set-text’ fashion. the language components of the first apply that knowledge to ‘real’ Latin do not Instead, each hour of teaching was devoted semester module than in the diagnostic test: necessarily correlate. to a specific linguistic topic, with a a fact especially true of A Level students, cumulative structure allowing students to whose school qualification put most Introducing the Linguistic Structures element see connections between linguistic emphasis on ‘unseen’ translation. Highers phenomena. As pre-preparation, students and Advanced Highers on the other hand In response to the findings of the first year were tasked with revision of the linguistic showed significant improvement in their of the SELF project, in which a clear gap topic in question, before searching for language performance when compared to between students’ engagement with abstract examples of that topic within a specific the diagnostic test result (though their grammar and active Latin was already passage of Pro Archia. Once in class, brief results are still in the bottom half of the noticeable, we decided to introduce a revision of the topic in question was language test). Strikingly, and as we saw too ‘linguistic structures’ class (LS), in which our followed by an in-depth analysis and in the diagnostic test, when it came to the aim was deliberately to break the normal discussion within the passage prepared more ‘active’ component of Latin student experience of ‘set-text’ preparation independently. Over the course of the assessment (unseen translation), Highers and to connect ‘theoretical’ knowledge semester, students were also asked to ‘read and Advanced Highers did as well as, and in more obviously with close reading. Focusing backwards’ or ‘re-read’, identifying more some cases better than, their A Level and on a selection from Cicero’s Pro Archia, complex clauses in chapters they had

Downloaded60 from https://www.cambridge.org/core. IPTransitioning address: 170.106.202.58 between School-, on 26 andSep University-Level2021 at 15:27:34, Latinsubject Learning: to the Cambridge A Scottish Core Perspective terms of use, available at https://www.cambridge.org/core/terms. https://doi.org/10.1017/S2058631017000083 previously covered. We hoped that this 3. A genuinely ‘in-depth’ reading of the While we cannot gauge precisely how approach would have the following benefits: set-text, through repeated re-engagement, effective the new linguistic structures introducing students to methods of course is – it is, after all, just one 1. A ‘level playing field’, with all students independent revision and inculcating element of the Latin-learning reading a new text and learning a the importance of an ‘in-depth’ experience we offer at St Andrews – we method of analysis probably fresh approach to reading primary texts. do see signs that the clear gap between to all. ‘literary’ and ‘linguistic’ competence is 4. A way to enthuse students to engage narrowing, as the results of LT1004 2. The opportunity for all students to more deeply with the structure of the show. Diagram 7 compares diagnostic learn a coherent and consistent text as a fundamental (rather than test results (DT2) with linguistic method of ‘active application’ of separate) feature of exploring structures results (LT1004Y2 LS) and abstract grammar to real Latin. ‘literary’ issues. unseen test results (LT1004Y2 Unseen):

The stand-out cohort here is that of linguistic structures test in a way that grammar and active knowledge of Latin Higher and Advanced Higher students, they were not for the diagnostic test, noticeable at the beginning of the year whose performance in the linguistic and these students have had one year to and at the end of the first semester is structures test at the end of year 1 is work on vocabulary and grammar skills. increasingly narrow. strikingly higher than performance on Even so, there seems to be a clear This is further visible when entry (A Level and IB students tend to knock-on effect for all students, with comparing the overall language results of perform at a similar level to their (barring a few exceptions) a closer the first- and second-semester modules, diagnostic test entry scores). Partly this correlation between performance in as in diagram 8 (first semester = can be explained by preparation: this ‘language’ and unseen translation: the LT1003Y2 Lang av, blue; second cohort has been prepared for the clear gap between abstract/theoretical semester = LT1004 Lang av, orange):

As can be seen, there is overall less Advanced Higher groups in particular are second semester (see also diagram 9, variation in students’ performance in the now scoring in the mid-range or top range where second-semester linguistic language component at the end of the of overall language results, but for the structures results – LT1004Y2 LS – are second semester than there was at the end most part students from all cohorts are compared with first-semester language of the first semester. Higher and improving on their language scores in the results – LT1003Y2 LT Lang):

This is clearly a small sample, but experience emerging as one of the biggest were also more accurate in defining areas results from other years (2012-2015) factors for students’ successful acquisition of weakness (for example identifying reflect the same trend. There must be at and consolidation of new linguistic skills. complex morphology and syntax as least the suspicion, then, that A-level priorities for revision; asking for more students find it particularly hard to unseen practice); and though they often acclimatise to a largely independent Second, Third and Fourth Year Data asked for more support in the form of learning experience, and that university contact hours with tutors, there was teachers need to be more aware of the Students were also asked to complete greater recognition that they could work particular need this cohort might have for questionnaires at the beginning of their on weaknesses independently. Third and help and guidance in independent second, third and fourth years which fourth year respondents were even more learning. It remains the case that students concentrated on how they felt language positive, with the vast majority rating with Higher or Advanced Higher Latin competence and confidence had changed their linguistic competence now as ‘good’, need particular kinds of linguistic over the course of their degree. We found and asserting reasonable confidence in support, especially towards the start of that while students of all cohorts often their ability to read extended and their university studies; but the results at worried that they were getting worse at complex Latin in the original on their the end of the first year complicate the Latin during their first year, by the start own and to interpret texts with some simple picture provided by the analysis of the second year the vast majority felt degree of sophistication. of syllabus type alone, with the capacity to that their linguistic competence had While Highers/Advanced Highers adapt to the independent learning advanced, at least a little. Second years students felt particularly anxious at the

Downloaded62 from https://www.cambridge.org/core. IPTransitioning address: 170.106.202.58 between School-, on 26 andSep University-Level2021 at 15:27:34, Latinsubject Learning: to the Cambridge A Scottish Core Perspective terms of use, available at https://www.cambridge.org/core/terms. https://doi.org/10.1017/S2058631017000083 beginning of year 1, their worries had making the successful transition from Perhaps the more surprising largely dissipated by the start of the second school to degree-level learning. Perhaps the conclusion that this report has drawn is year, and their questionnaire responses most reassuring general conclusion to be that while our largest group of incoming offer the same kind of responses as other drawn – and one that should be students – ex A Level – can show very cohorts. The data bear this out. While the emphasised to all students, from whatever good levels of linguistic competence in the students we have focused on (entering background, on entry to university – is that abstract, this competence does not extend 2013-4) have not yet graduated, historically regardless of ‘where you come from’, if to confidence in translating large amounts those Higher and Advanced Higher you are engaged, attend classes regularly, of original Latin independently, or in students (particularly the latter cohort) who consolidate the language tuition you sophisticated literary analysis (arguably a have continued with Latin through to the receive at university in your own time and consequence of narrow mark-schemes in end of their degree have tended to graduate work hard at translating your set-texts the literary analysis papers, the fact that A with the same range of final degree results independently (with support from teaching Level students are not currently required to as students from other educational staff), our study proves that you will tackle substantial essay questions, and the backgrounds. (The four-year degree that is succeed and indeed that there is no barrier way in which many are now conditioned to typical of Scottish universities may be a to graduating with the highest class of ‘work to the test’). It remains to be seen helpful factor here.) That said, our retention degree. what effect the new OCR A Level, to be rates for Higher and Advanced Higher That said, it is clear that some taught from 2016 and to be first examined students across the degree course tend cohorts of students arrive better prepared in 2018, will have, but at first glance the (worryingly) to be slightly lower than for than others. As a Scottish university, it is revisions to this syllabus seem largely to other students (but comparable with our our particular duty to make sure that the have been directed at increasing the ‘rigour’ retention rates for students starting Latin traditional Scottish path to university – via of the language elements of the course, from scratch at St Andrews); Higher and a Highers qualification achieved at age while if anything set-text prescription Advanced Higher students are marginally 17 – remains open to students who wish quantities seem to have shrunk. And while more likely to switch out of Latin modules to study at St Andrews. This report has students most often worry about their over the course of their degree than their shown that at present (owing to knowledge of grammar in the abstract, counterparts with other school-level Latin successive changes within the Highers what they find most difficult in practice is qualifications. curriculum and assessment policies) these the (largely independent) set-text students are relatively ill-prepared in translation and analysis. School pupils have terms of linguistic competence for been memorising their set-text Conclusions and directions courses which demand from the very prescriptions for decades, but given that beginning the independent translation of our study has shown that many receive for travel? large amounts of continuous Latin prose very dedicated translation help from or verse, and which assess language skills teachers at school (e.g., literal translations Educational philosophy and government via (among other things) unseen dictated by the teacher, or translation policy rarely stand still, as the references to assessments. This is a problem for those guided by individually-numbered-word) it changes made in Scotland (with the new students wherever they go on to study, is no wonder that the experience of ‘Curriculum for Excellence’), England (the and therefore a challenge for Classics translating original Latin largely alone is a much vaunted return of ‘rigour’ at A Level departments across the UK and beyond. shock. This is a trend for school teachers from 2018), and even the changes currently One solution (tried out by us and by particularly to reflect upon, in the context being made to the IB within this article colleagues in other university of course of the increasing pressures have shown. Moreover, the changes in departments) is to advise this cohort of which they are under (in some qualification rules on admission policies in the higher students to follow the ‘Beginners’ rather systems even more than others) to ‘get the education sector, with a trend to welcome than ‘Advanced’ route on entry; but this is right results’ for their students. greater numbers of overseas students from a very demoralising move for students Our findings underline how important an ever-widening range of countries and who have been studying Latin at school it is that colleagues teaching Latin at the removal of caps on student numbers, for a number of years already and university across the whole of the UK (and will no doubt continue to broaden the something that we at St Andrews work indeed all around the world, not just in range of experience and educational hard to avoid where possible. While our Scotland) are aware of how much the backgrounds of the students we welcome data show that Highers students can educational background and experience of to embark on degrees in Latin (including ‘catch up’ relatively quickly (and indeed all our students has changed, in terms of those who choose to learn Latin from have been prepared well for literary learning environments as well as syllabus scratch at university). The aim of this study analysis and appreciation, elements that and assessment patterns. Without has emphatically not been to ‘judge’ become more and more important over compromising on our end-goals, we need various Latin school-level qualifications, the course of most Latin degrees in the to reflect regularly on the expectations that make ivory-tower proclamations about the UK system), it is clearly incumbent on the we have of incoming students and on the state of Latin today, or advocate for any SQA to listen more carefully to the expectations that we communicate to particular philosophy of language learning. concerns being voiced by school teachers them. On a practical level, that might Rather, our aim has been to gain a better and university lecturers, so that Higher involve (for instance) offering more understanding of where our students are and Advanced Higher students do not concrete guidance on the business of coming from, and what help they need in continue to be let down in the future. translating alone as well as the setting of

Downloaded from https://www.cambridge.org/coreTransitioning. IP address: 170.106.202.58 between School-, on and26 Sep University-Level 2021 at 15:27:34 Latin, subject Learning: to the A Cambridge Scottish Perspective Core terms of use, available at 63 https://www.cambridge.org/core/terms. https://doi.org/10.1017/S2058631017000083 realistic set-text prescriptions (offering Ana Kotarcic has recently more guided use of, e.g., hyperlinked texts Acknowledgements completed her PhD in Classics at can turn reliance on published translations This project was funded by the Univer- and internet resources into a learning the University of St Andrews, where sity of St Andrews’ Strategic Enhance- opportunity rather than a problem). At St she taught Latin language on ment of Learning Fund (SELF). It was Andrews we have also attempted to put in undergraduate modules. She also also generously supported by the School place some specific measures in both our taught Ancient Greek, French and of Classics at St Andrews, with active teaching and assessment practices to help German to IB pupils at St Leonards involvement from many St Andrews col- with this difficult transition. In addition to School in St Andrews. leagues. Particular mention should be the linguistic structures course described made of Jason König, Nikoletta Manioti, above, we offer extra dedicated language Roger Rees, Irene Paulton and Jonathan classes to those students who score most McDougall-Bagnall; and, of course, the poorly on the diagnostic test which all of Sources consulted many undergraduate students who sat our first years now sit, and early indications diagnostic tests and completed question- are that this is having a beneficial effect. We All syllabi, past papers and assessment naires for us. During our research we continue to experiment with the Latin criteria for A Level, Higher and Advanced corresponded regularly with colleagues learning experience; our resident Language Higher were consulted on the official teaching Latin in other UK Classics Teaching Officer, Dr Juan Coderch, has websites: departments, and particularly with col- also instituted the use of spoken Latin, a For A Levels: http://www.ocr.org.uk/ leagues at the Universities of Edinburgh technique which enhances familiarity with qualifications/as-a-level-gce-classics-latin- and Glasgow; especial thanks are due many aspects of the language and which h039-h439/ accessed 25.05.2016. to Prof. Catherine Steel and Drs Gavin (in its relative unfamiliarity for the majority Kelly and Calum Maciver. We are grate- For Highers: http://www.sqa.org.uk/ of students) also serves as a useful ful to the many school teachers north sqa/47907.html accessed 25.06.2016. classroom leveller. and south of the border who have taken While the communications that For Advanced Highers: http://www.sqa. an interest, answered queries, filled university teachers develop with their org.uk/sqa/48455.html accessed in questionnaires and attended work- students are of the utmost importance, 25.05.2016. shops; particularly to Edmund Faulkes, there are other important dialogues to be The IB syllabus, past papers and assessment Carlijn Findlater, Andrew Lang, Wendy had, as we have tried to stress. Most of criteria were made available by Andrew Main, Alan Milligan, Charlie Nicholls, the outreach activities that take place Lang, Head of the Classics Department, St George Pounder and Jennifer Shearer. between universities and schools focus on Leonards School, St. Andrews. We would also like to thank Jan Stipek, literary or historical topics; the relatively Curriculum Manager for the group 2 IB small numbers of language students Diploma programme, who helped with (compared with those studying Ancient research information; and Alex Orgee, 1Standard Level IB Latin may be studied as History and Classical Civilisation) leave in charge of the OCR Classics Consulta- one of six subjects (150 hours ‘guided Latin language work sidelined in this tive Forum, who allowed us to distribute learning’): since entrants to St Andrews context. More sharing of best practice normally possess the Higher Level Latin IB, questionnaires and consult with teachers between school and university teachers in our analysis is limited to this qualification. and lecturers during policy meetings relation to Latin language learning (via 2013-2016. 2 student-based events and teacher-focused We have not included the American (AP) system in this study, because of significant workshops and inset days) would filter differences in teaching (students may take a productively through to students both in range of AP and non-AP courses throughout their final years at school and at the start Emma Buckley is Lecturer in their high-school years) and assessment of their university studies; it would also Latin and Classical Studies at the methods (for AP, 50% of the final mark is valuably increase visible support for this University of St Andrews. As a achieved via ‘multiple-choice’ assessment, threatened subject, and for the teachers graduate student at Cambridge marked by computer, and 50% via ‘free response’ answers on two set text authors: from who campaign for its continued existence (2001–2005), she also taught Latin 2013, Virgil and Caesar. The ‘free response’ in school-level curricula. We have been at New Hall School, Chelmsford, section allocates 40% to an essay-response to heartened by some of the conversations and Hills Road Sixth Form the set-texts; 30% to literal translation of the we have had with qualifications College. set-texts; 30% to comprehension questions and authorities over the course of this project, Alice König is Lecturer in Latin linguistic analysis of the set texts). but deeply concerned by others. It and Classical Studies at the 3There is some evidence that memorisation is behoves school and university Latin University of St Andrews. As a teachers to join forces with increasing required of accidence: e.g. principal parts of graduate student at Cambridge verbs are given, and meanings of pronouns (is, frequency to communicate our shared (1999–2003), she co-ran an earlier ea, id; hic, haec, hoc) are glossed but not declined. hopes and concerns to those involved at research project into the teaching all levels in shaping the future of Latin 4All other student backgrounds have been of Latin unseen translation. syllabi and assessment in schools. grouped together under ‘other’.

Downloaded64 from https://www.cambridge.org/core. IPTransitioning address: 170.106.202.58 between School-, on 26 andSep University-Level2021 at 15:27:34, Latinsubject Learning: to the Cambridge A Scottish Core Perspective terms of use, available at https://www.cambridge.org/core/terms. https://doi.org/10.1017/S2058631017000083