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Tangible Benefits of the Study of Latin: A Review of Research
Abstract
ABSTRACT This article examines the linguistic benefits of Latin in light of recent research which seems to document the relevance of Latin in building English vocabulary and reading skills. Evidence is cited from eight educational projects in which an experimental group of students taking Latin, and a control group not taking Latin, were pretested, posttested, and compared with regard to English verbal skills. In each case, the Latin students showed significant gains over the control group. Other studies supporting these findings are cited, as well as projects presently being conducted. These studies yield important pedagogical implications: (1) Educational administrators and curriculum specialists should consider the significance of Latin in improving language skills; (2) The language profession should assume the responsibility of disseminating information about this research; and (3) Responsible educators should combat the tendency to ignore research data for budgetary or other reasons.
... Haag and Stern (2000) showed that German students learning Latin as the FFL were superior on some indicators of German competencies compared to students who did not learn Latin or only learned Latin as the SFL. Accordingly, other studies demonstrated a positive effect of learning Latin on students' proficiency in other languages (Barber, 1985;Masciantonio, 1977). ...
... This contrast effect might even be enhanced for the relations between English and Latin, given that English and Latin do not only differ in their origin but also in that English is an active (spoken) and Latin is a passive (nonspoken) language. However, regarding the relation between English and Latin, one might also presume an assimilation effect given the facilitating aspect of Latin learning for learning other languages including English (Barber, 1985;Masciantonio, 1977). ...
This study extended the internal/external reference model to multiple languages including students’ language of instruction, first foreign language, and second foreign language. We examined whether social and dimensional comparisons play similar roles in the formation of students’ self-concept related to different languages and whether dimensional comparisons result in contrast or assimilation effects. All students had German as the language of instruction and English as the first foreign language. Students were divided into a subsample (N = 487) learning French as a second foreign language and a subsample (N = 481) learning Latin. Invariance tests demonstrated that the achievement–self-concept relations were similar across the subsamples, but interesting group differences became apparent when analyzing the French and Latin subsamples separately.
... Similarly, the number of assigned books read and the enrollment in courses that include extensive reading requirements such as a college course in English (CollegeBoard, 2014) have been found to be correlated with significant improvements in reading comprehension performance (Bohr, 1994;Bray, Pascarella, & Pierson, 2004). Enrollment in foreign language courses have been shown to correlate with improved English vocabulary knowledge by providing cognates (Cunningham & Graham, 2000;Masciantonio, 1977), and have been linked to specific gains in reading comprehension assessment performance during college (Bohr, 1994). ...
... This type of training is similar to the instruction methods for improving GRE-Quant performance described in training textbooks (Goodman et al., 2007;Lurie et al., 2009). Additionally, the opportunity to train on practice problems with known solutions may allow more direct feedback on accuracy and adequacy of current performance than may be available in a reading and writing course, as the proposed methods for improving GRE-Verbal performance are indirect through the use of cognates (Cunningham & Graham, 2000;Masciantonio, 1977) and the acquisition of reading comprehension skills through reading and analyzing course material (Bohr, 1994;Bray et al., 2004). Direct practice for reading comprehension performance might involve reading short passages and answering a series of questions about that passage based on the content and purpose of the passage, but this methodology is likely rarely practiced in the courses that emphasize reading and writing at the college level. ...
Previous research has indicated positive relations between a curricular emphasis during college and improvements in GRE performance for content that matches that emphasis. However, measurement issues and a lack of a theoretical approach have contributed to a lack of precision and detail in the estimates of the relation between college experiences and performance for relevant content. In the current study, we hypothesized that differences in training between students majoring in math related majors and students majoring in reading and writing related majors would be differentially related to the size of the changes on GRE performance. Further, we hypothesized the gender gap in GRE-Quant performance would be reduced when the higher likelihood of males majoring in math related majors was modelled. The expert performance approach was used to develop three path models (including curricular emphasis, college grade performance, previous performance on the SAT, and gender) to compare the effects of the relation of a curricular emphasis in math on GRE-Quant performance to the effects of the relation of an emphasis in reading and writing on GRE-Verbal performance. The results indicated support for our predictions that a math course emphasis was related to larger GRE performance gains and that gender differences in curricular emphasis during college partially mediated the large gender gap in GRE-Quant performance. Additionally, higher grade performance average was found to positively predict GRE performance with college experiences and previous performance statistically controlled. Implications for the relation between training accrued during college courses and changes in GRE performance are discussed.
... This policy was detrimental to the enrollment of students of color in language courses because many of the students in the remedial reading classes were African American, a fact about which the administrators and teachers were aware (Glynn, 2007). Such practices clearly have a negative impact on students' access to and enrollment in world language study, and may be short-sighted given the connections between a threshold level of world language study and an ability to outperform students in mathematics, reading, and writing (Armstrong & Rogers, 1997;Masciantonio, 1977;Rafferty, 1986). Students have also been able to achieve increased academic success even when they have struggled academically in the past (Curtain & Dahlberg, 2010) and have enhanced their literacy skills (Garfinkel & Tabor, 1991) due to language study. ...
... The arguments in favor of language learning for individual achievement (Armstrong & Rogers, 1997;Masciantonio, 1977;Rafferty, 1986), professional opportunities (Bagnato, 2005;New American Economy, 2017), and a globalized worldview (Jackson & Malone, 2009;Modern Language Association, 2012) are unquestionable. But how do we ensure that all U.S. students have access to learn a language other than English? ...
In this paper, we draw on the current literature to argue that access to world language
study for students from minoritized groups, students from under-resourced schools,
and students with disabilities is a significant social justice issue. This inequitable access
is exacerbated by three key issues: the devaluation of students’ languages and cultures
in schools; the elitist nature of language study; and the one-sided nature of the curriculum.
However, in response, we offer four concrete suggestions, at the classroom, school/
district, and policy levels, that can disrupt these historic trends and ensure that all
students have access to advanced study of world languages and cultures.
Keywords: world language education, minoritized students, access, social justice
... While other research indicates that students' self-concept improves in a second language-learning environment (Masciantonio, 1977; Wright & Taylor, 1995). This study examines African-American students' experiences in a partial French immersion setting and in a regular education setting focusing on the perceptions and interactions of African-American students, their teachers and their peers and includes. ...
... TO THE EDUCATIONAL RESOURCES INFORMATION CENTER (ERIC) why immersion would be more beneficial to these students. Masciantonio (1977) found that students' self-concept improves in a second language-learning environment. Wright & Taylor (1995) discovered that a child's self-esteem and collective self-esteem improves more when studying a heritage language, than a second-language and much more than when studying an assimilating language. ...
Studies in the French immersion context have found that African-American students reap additional academic benefits in that context (Holobow, Genesee & Lambert,1987; Caldas & Boudreaux,1999), but few studies have been done to explain why immersion would be more beneficial to these students. Ogbu (1999) shows the connection between African-American parents and student dialect beliefs, attitudes, and school behavior in regular education. While other research indicates that students' self-concept improves in a second language-learning environment (Masciantonio,1977; Wright& Taylor,1995). This study examines African-American students' experiences in a partial French immersion setting and in a regular education setting focusing on the perceptions and interactions of African-American students, their teachers and their peers, and includes parental support.
Using field observations, interviews, and questionnaires,this cross-comparative case study found that while overall students' self-concept was better in regular education,African-American girls benefited immensely in terms of self-concept, their peers' perception of them, and the extended interactions they had with the teacher. Further, African-American students in the regular education classroom, while having a high self-concept, were perceived negatively or not at all by their peers,often had negative interactions with the teacher, and were not included in extended interactions with the teacher.
... Although the results of the aforementioned study must be interpreted with caution because of the lack of controls for pretreatment abilities and motivation, they suggest, along with a number of more recent studies (Masciantonio, 1977;Mavrogenes, 1979;Offenberg, 1971), that learning Latin has a positive influence on English vocabulary development. Masciantonio (1977) cited various examples of programs across the United States in which students who were studying Latin had excelled in tests of English vocabulary, verbal ability, and reading comprehension. ...
... Although the results of the aforementioned study must be interpreted with caution because of the lack of controls for pretreatment abilities and motivation, they suggest, along with a number of more recent studies (Masciantonio, 1977;Mavrogenes, 1979;Offenberg, 1971), that learning Latin has a positive influence on English vocabulary development. Masciantonio (1977) cited various examples of programs across the United States in which students who were studying Latin had excelled in tests of English vocabulary, verbal ability, and reading comprehension. In particular, two studies in Washington, DC (one with 1,132 children, the other with 220 adults) compared the English vocabulary scores of participants who had various backgrounds in foreign language learning. ...
Effects of Spanish immersion on children's native English vocabulary were studied. Matched on grade, sex, and verbal scores on a 4th-grade Cognitive Abilities Test (CAT), 30 5th- and 6th-grade immersion students and 30 English monolinguals did 60 consecutive Peabody Picture Vocabulary Test (PPVT) items. They also did a 20-item Spanish–English Cognate Test (SECT), similar to PPVT, on recognizing low-frequency English words with high-frequency Spanish cognates. The CAT and conventionally scored PPVT revealed comparable verbal ability between groups, but on 60 consecutive PPVT items, immersion did better than control (
p = .002) because of cognates. On SECT, immersion significantly outperformed control (
p
... When reference is made to this debate, either its existence is mentioned in passing as general context, or a specific part of the debate is zoomed in on, such as the outcome of a particular research study or educational project. For instance, research on the impact of studying CLs (e.g., Masciantonio, 1977) can indeed be seen as a response to the criticism that CL education is useless, saying for example that it improves native language ability, just like educational equity projects (e.g., Holmes-Henderson et al., 2018) can be seen as a response to the criticism that CL education is an elitist affair, saying for example that minority groups perhaps benefit the most from it. ...
The value of classical language education is subject to a fierce dispute, waged continuously and internationally. While some dismiss Classics as useless or elitist, others herald its extraordinary formative value and the many benefits that await pupils. This article aims to give a novel overview of the public debate regarding classical language education, which is defined as follows: the controversy about the instruction of Latin and/or Ancient Greek at the secondary educational level, as it emerges from Western traditional media in the twentieth and twenty-first centuries. The reader is provided with historical insight into this debate that many classicists find themselves in the middle of, as well as with a logical and coherent framework of the various arguments pro and contra. The arguments are embedded in the history of classical language education, classified into categories, analysed and discussed at length. The classification of arguments hinges on the two main lines of criticism towards the study of classical languages, which are inspired by egalitarianism and utilitarianism respectively. As a backdrop to the analysis, we rely on the sociolinguistic theory of language ideology. The general conclusions of this paper are that the value of classical language education is indeed a highly ideologically charged matter, and that the surrounding public debate has known a remarkably high level of continuity.
... Language Learning 00:0, xxxx 2024, pp. 1-31 advantages in first language skills remained present when Latin students were compared to pupils who studied a different foreign language (e.g., French, English or Spanish; Carlisle & Liberman, 1989;Fromchuck, 1984;Haag & Stern, 2000;Masciantonio, 1977). In sum, the majority of the literature seems to be in agreement about the beneficial effect of studying Latin on first language proficiency, with only slight differences in the observed effect sizes (Bracke & Bradshaw, 2020). ...
Studying Latin in secondary education is still widespread in Europe and believed to result in cognitive benefits, even beyond the linguistic domain. In this study we explored the relation between such study and later academic achievement in higher education (N = 1,898). First, we demonstrated that Latin students exhibit increased levels of study achievement in higher education, particularly in study programs other than those covering science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM). Second, we explored where the instruction of Latin was a significant predictor in models of academic achievement, explaining incremental variance over 21 other cognitive, attitudinal, and demographic variables. Latin instruction was included as a variable in the prediction models in 42% of the programs (mainly in the non-STEM ones), but the incremental predictive validity was substantial only in the linguistic programs. Our results highlight how the study of Latin can be a valuable predictor of academic achievement in other study fields.
... It is a substantial body of research nonetheless, which may be taken as suggestive evidence. Numerous American studies found a positive effect of Latin instruction on English word knowledge (see for example Masciantonio, 1977), with both Latin-derived words and words of Anglo-Saxon or other origin (e.g., Gilliland, 1922). English reading ability was found to be positively impacted by Latin instruction as well: One report on a second language program even noted more progress and higher absolute levels after one year of Latin than after four years of French or Spanish (Mavrogenes, 1977, p. 270). ...
Psychology is one of the seven hub sciences, which involves great responsibility for psychologists but also great opportunities for both psychologists and other scholars; that was the theme of the 17th European Congress of Psychology organized by the Slovenian Psychologists’ Association. This article contains a detailed example of how psychology functions as a hub science today. The research topic finds its origin in the seemingly unrelated discipline of classics. Latin and Ancient Greek have been taught in Europe for centuries, and even today there are many pupils in secondary education who study them. This custom does not go uncriticized, as the classical languages are often perceived as irrelevant in the modern world. Classicists have therefore been forced, and continue to be forced, to defend the very existence of their discipline. One of the arguments they have adduced, is that the study of classical languages has a beneficial impact on pupils’ linguistic and general cognitive abilities. This claim is closely related to the general issue of transfer of learning which has long preoccupied philosophers and psychologists. The only way to verify such a claim, is to resort to a psychological approach. This article presents the first fully elaborated theoretical framework for the cognitive impact of classical language education, which paves the way for sound and rigorous research on this topic. The framework starts from cognitive transfer as a central construct and goes on to combine insights from various psychological and non-psychological literatures. As such, a fruitful interaction comes about: Not only does psychology contribute to classical language impact research, the latter will also enrich cognitive psychology and psycholinguistics by broaching new terrain.
... Students that identified as bilingual were also found to have developed better reading skills (D'Angiulli et al., 2001;Díaz, 1982;District of Columbia Public Schools, 1971;Garfinkel & Tabor, 1991). Language learners were found to be able to transfer skills learned in one language to another (Cunningham & Graham, 2000;Masciantonio, 1977), were more linguistically aware (Demont, 2001), and benefited regardless of background or socioeconomic status (Holobow et al., 1987). Learning a second language can also contribute to improvements in cognitive abilities (Bamford & Mizokawa, 1991;Barik & Swain, 1976;Landry, 1973;Samuels & Griffore, 1979;Stewart, 2005;Weatherford, 1986), with even more evidence of these improvements if you are bilingual (Ben-Zeev, 1977a, 1977bDuncan & Avila, 1979;Ginsburg & Mccoy, 1981;Hakuta, 1985;Ricciardelli, 1993). ...
Learning a new language is an incredibly valuable asset for which the benefits have been clearly presented. However, our educational institutions struggle to provide the opportunities that enable our students to achieve a meaningful level of fluency and proficiency. While there have been other approaches to bridge this discrepancy, Mistoria leverages the affordances of Second Language Acquisition Theory, Games for Learning, and Learning Analytics to realize a compelling and effective means of learning another language. With a rich narrative, adaptive dialogue system, constructive feedback, and meaningful interactions with characters, Mistoria can serve as a unique solution to the issues in language learning. This document serves to provide a compilation of tools, strategies, and design iterations that have culminated in a comprehensive solution to support second language acquisition. Mistoria is a launching point to rekindle the interest and overcome the barriers of foreign language learning for students.
... Students that identified as bilingual were also found to have developed better reading skills (D'Angiulli et al., 2001;Díaz, 1982;District of Columbia Public Schools, 1971;Garfinkel & Tabor, 1991). Language learners were found to be able to transfer skills learned in one language to another (Cunningham & Graham, 2000;Masciantonio, 1977), were more linguistically aware (Demont, 2001), and benefited regardless of background or socioeconomic status (Holobow et al., 1987). Learning a second language can also contribute to improvements in cognitive abilities (Bamford & Mizokawa, 1991;Barik & Swain, 1976;Landry, 1973;Samuels & Griffore, 1979;Stewart, 2005;Weatherford, 1986), with even more evidence of these improvements if you are bilingual (Ben-Zeev, 1977a, 1977bDuncan & Avila, 1979;Ginsburg & Mccoy, 1981;Hakuta, 1985;Ricciardelli, 1993). ...
Learning a new language is an incredibly valuable asset for which the benefits have been clearly presented. However, our educational institutions struggle to provide the opportunities that enable our students to achieve a meaningful level of fluency and proficiency. While there have been other approaches to bridge this discrepancy, Mistoria leverages the affordances of Second Language Acquisition Theory, Games for Learning, and Learning Analytics to realize a compelling and effective means of learning another language. With a rich narrative, adaptive dialogue system, constructive feedback, and meaningful interactions with characters, Mistoria can serve as a unique solution to the issues in language learning. This document serves to provide a compilation of tools, strategies, and design iterations that have culminated in a comprehensive solution to support second language acquisition. Mistoria is a launching point to rekindle the interest and overcome the barriers of foreign language learning for students.
... Strong evidence also indicates that time spent on foreign language study helps to reinforce the core subject areas of reading, English language literacy, social studies and maths. Foreign language learners consistently outperform control groups in core subject areas on standardised tests, often in significant fashion (Armstrong & Rogers, 1997;Saunders, 1998;Masciantonio, 1977;Rafferty, 1986). In this research paper, all data are generated from under graduates of sciencerelated fields which usually entail a large degree of numeracy demands and mathematical logic. ...
The primary objective of this research paper is to examine the relationship between students’ English language proficiency skills and academic performance across unrelated subjects from a sample population totalling 2,026 students at a private university in the surrounding areas of Bangkok. Participants in this research study comprised first, second and third year students from four separate faculties: engineering, business administration, I.T and veterinary
science. This study collated English language assessment results and grade point average from all participants to analyse the correlation between the two performance-related variables via t-test significance testing (0.05) and Pearson’s correlation coefficient analysis. On the grounds of Spearman’s "g" factor theory of intelligence, this paper worked on the theory that higher English performance outcomes would naturally translate into higher GPA attainments.
The t-test results derived from quantitative data indicated that the means of the two sets of performance-related variables were significantly different (p <0.05). However, the correlation coefficient analysis revealed a highly positive relationship between English language proficiency and GPA attainments (r = 0.653), leading to the unequivocal observation that higher English proficiency levels were associated with higher standards of GPA across all measures; (1) year group, (2) gender, (3) faculty, and (4) the entire sample population.
Keywords: academic performance, attainment, language, proficiency
... Additionally, although there exists a corpus of research studies that has focused on the positive impact of world language programs in the elementary school arena (Armstrong & Rogers, 1997;Davis-Wiley & Miller, 2010, 2013and DiPietro, 1980;Garfinkel & Tabor, 1991;Rafferty, 1986;Saunders, 1998, Schuster, 2005Taylor & Lafayette, 2011), few empirical research studies conducted in recent years have focused specifically on the study of Latin in the elementary schools. Research from the 1970s, however, investigating Latin FLES (i.e., Foreign Language in the Elementary Schools) programs, reported overall gains in reading, language skills and math skills (essential academic proficiency skills), as measured by the Metropolitan Achievement Test (Sheridan, 1973); reading achievement scores (District of Columbia Public Schools, 1971); English vocabulary (Hoffenberg et al., 1971) and reading skills (Masciantonio, 1977). ...
This article describes an exploratory Latin program offered for children in grades 2, 3 and 4 in a small, urban elementary school in East Tennessee and the results of a research study conducted to investigate its efficacy. Results of the analysis of the qualitative data, collected from direct classroom observations and individual classroom teacher interviews, report that the pilot Latin program positively impacted the 66 children who received Latin instruction in a variety of ways including: stimulation of their higher-order thinking and reasoning skills; an appreciation for Roman culture, literature and language; and the inter-connectivity of Latin and English. Implications of this study suggest that administrators and educators should consider the importance of Latin study, especially at the elementary school level, in improving academic skills in general and language skills in particular.
... According to Lambart, Genesee, Holobow, and Chartrand (1993) (cited in Noh, 2001), immersion programs have helped students to improve their speaking and writing skills in their first language. Masciantonio (1977) surveyed U.S. research on the effects of Latin instruction and found that learning Latin helped students from all backgrounds in developing their vocabulary and reading skills. Finally, several studies denied any impact of learning other languages on students' first language. ...
The global trend of introducing second language learning, namely, English, in primary schools is increasing. In Saudi Arabia, where English has never been taught in primary schools, the government to implement English as a second language at the primary level in 2005; however, this generated controversy. Opposition to the learning of English has been based on religious, cultural, and educational arguments. The latter argument consists of claims that learning English at a young age might influence children’s mother tongue development and influence their academic success. This paper investigates the impact of teaching English in Saudi primary schools on students’ achievement in Arabic-language subjects. This quantitative research aims to inform the debate on second language learning in primary schools by studying children’s examination results in the Arabic subject areas of grammar, reading, and writing. The sample consisted of primary school students from years 1 to 6 as well as year 6 students from the last year before (2004) and the first year after (2005) the introduction of English. Student results from four primary schools (two government schools and two private schools) were collected and analysed. This study found no indication of a positive or negative impact of learning English on students’ achievement in Arabic subjects. However, private school students who studied English beginning in their first year of school had better results in the Arabic subjects that were the focus of this research.
... Most studies refer to a transfer effect of opting for Latin hypothesizing that in other domains of schooling (e.g., math and spelling) students might obtain long-term benefits by choosing Latin at the beginning of secondary school. In this line of research, some studies illustrate transfer (Masciantonio, 1977) while most studies do not (Carr, 1921;Gutacker, 1979;Haag & Stern, 2003;Thorndike, 1923). However, as Haag (1995) illustrates, many studies searching for transfer benefits suffer from the methodological deficit that students opting for Latin had higher achievement levels in the first place. ...
This paper evaluates the effect of differing amounts of schooling on outcomes of lower secondary education. Two groups of German academic track students are compared who chose English as either their first (EFFL; n = 2,771) or second (ESFL; n = 345) foreign language throughout secondary school. While EFFL students receive an additional school year of EFL instruction, ESFL students are known to be positively selected in terms of cognitive aptitudes and socioeconomic background. This paper evaluates the impact of varying amounts of schooling on EFL achievement while accounting for student selectivity within a potential outcomes framework. Corresponding results illustrate no such impact. Alternative explanations are discussed and implications regarding the field of educational effectiveness research (EER) are highlighted.
... The existence of two languages in one child's mind is sometimes considered to have negative effects on the child's mother tongue (L1), but this view is refuted by many empirical studies, which as a whole showed that FL learning and bilingual acquisition have positive effects on children's L1 (Armstrong & Rogers, 1997;Cunningham & Graham, 2000;Garfinkel & Tabor, 1991;Taylor & Lafayette, 2010;Thomas, Collier, & Abbott, 1993;Yelland, Pollard, & Mercuri, 1993). Positive relations between FL learning and the learner's L1 have also been found in teenagers (Cooper, 1987;Kecskes & Papp, 2000;Masciantonio, 1977). ...
Proficient foreign-language users show faster symbol Processing 163 Behavioral evidence suggests that higher foreign-language (FL) proficiency is associated with higher meta-linguistic awareness about the mother tongue (first language or L1). Or simply put, people who have higher FL profi-ciency know their L1 better. Evidence for this view rests on participants' conscious judgments on language materials. The present study shows that differences associated with FL proficiency can be seen in participants' brain activity that precedes their conscious judgments. During the experiment, Japanese adults with either high or low English (FL) proficiency silently read sentences in Japanese (L1) displayed on a monitor. The participants' event-related brain potentials (ERPs) time-locked to the presentation of the critical words indicated that the individual sub-stages of sentence processing in the L1 occurred earlier in the participants with higher FL proficiency. The same participants were also tested in the processing of arithmetic, in order to see if the effects of FL proficiency extend to other types of symbol processing. Higher FL proficiency was again found to be associated with faster process-ing. These data suggest that higher FL proficiency may be correlated not only with higher meta-linguistic L1 awareness but also with faster symbol processing commonly involved in L1 processing and arithmetic processing.
... Consequently, Latin students have to be equipped with self-regulatory strategies that support their translating. Additionally, even though it is controversial that learning Latin has transfer effects on the acquisition of other foreign languages [6], research could show that translation skills in Latin contribute to reading literacy [7,8] and verbal competence (e.g., comprehending complex connections, drawing conclusions, reflecting precise understanding) [9]. Since the relevance of the texts' contents in Latin may not be very evident for young people sometimes, Latin instruction has to adapt to the learning habits of today's young people and has to refocus the teaching of Latin as a language. ...
The study's aim was to develop two different intervention programs and to evaluate their contribution to students' self-regulated learning and academic achievement in Latin classes. The concept of our study referred to a process-focused model of self-regulated learning that divides the phases of the self-regulated learning process into different areas, which we applied to domain-specific translation strategies. Within a pre-, post-, and follow-up-test design with 109 tenth graders, self-regulated learning skills and translation competency as well as translation strategy application were assessed using both a self-regulation questionnaire and a standardized translation test. Three different conditions were compared: (a) combined training group (ComG): self-regulated learning and translation, (b) translation training only (TG), and (c) control group (CG). The intervention consisted of nine sessions spread over a period of three weeks. Results of analyses of variance with time as a repeated measurement indicated interaction effects between time and groups for self-regulated learning in favor of the intervention groups. The ComG showed marginally higher self-regulatory skills than the TG. Regarding the translation competencies as well as the strategy application, the results revealed significant training effects in comparison to the control group, with the TG showing the highest increase.
... In fact, our review suggests that just the contrary is warranted; when the connection between complements is deliberately made, convergence appears to be greater. For example, Masciantonio (1977) reported on a study that compared the English skills of Latin-studying, foreign language studying, and non-foreign language studying students. The students that performed the best were those that had studied Latin. ...
In an attempt to address shortcomings revealed in international assessments and lamented in legislation, many schools are reducing or eliminating elective courses, applying the rationale that replacing “non-essential” subjects with core subjects, such as mathematics and language arts, will better position students in the global market. However, there is evidence that systematically pairing a core subject with another, complementary subject, may lead to greater overall learning in both subjects. In this paper, we analyze two subject area pairs—first and second language, and computer programming and mathematics—to demonstrate in what ways two subjects might complement each other. We then analyze the relationships between these pairs to better understand the principles and conditions that encourage what we call convergent cognition, the synergistic effect that occurs when a learner studies two complementary subjects.
... Moreover, it has been demonstrated that learners who make the greatest proportional gains owing to participation in foreign language programmes are students of average intelligence, who may have been struggling in other subjects, and who thanks to extended FL study gain 'a kind of enrichment they may not be getting from other studies or experiences' (Garfinkel & Tabor 1991) . Thus, when pupils not accustomed to success in school excel in language study, it results in their developing a significantly higher selfconcept and self-esteem (Masciantonio 1977;Andrade et al. 1989;Saunders 1998), which helps them reverse underachievement and may motivate to alter the performance trajectory also in other subjects . ...
The paper provides an overview of the verbal and non-verbal benefits of multilingualism.
... Because Indo-European languages such as English and German also have many words with Latin roots, learning Latin also may have positive transfer effects on vocabulary proficiency in these languages. Masciantonio (1977) conducted several studies in the United States with several thousand students, most of them in Grades 4 to 6. The students were given 20 min of daily Latin instruction for 1 year and were then compared with a control group with no knowledge of Latin. ...
The authors studied whether Latin or French as a foreign curricular language is a better preparation for learning Spanish. Fifty native German speakers who took a university Spanish course concluded their course with a translation test. English was the 1st foreign language for all students, whereas half of them had learned French and the other half had learned Latin as their 2nd foreign language at school. Participants who had learned French at school made markedly fewer grammar errors and slightly fewer vocabulary errors in the Spanish test than participants who had learned Latin. Knowledge of Latin is probably not an optimal preparation for modern language learning.
Phenomenological reflection can refer to methods for analyzing empirical data and, more broadly, to a guiding philosophy that can be used to facilitate reflection upon an experience or phenomenon. Such reflection can help to uncover assumptions that would otherwise remain implicit or taken for granted. Common practice in phenomenology is to gather insights from various sources (e.g. poems, legends) in order to enrich our understanding of the phenomenon. Grounded in the writing of Max van Manen, the author provides a phenomenological reflection on the experience of studying Latin and translating poetry, as a defense of the liberal arts. In doing so, the author suggests that the goal of evaluating one’s education primarily in terms of its practical or technical value may itself have to be reconsidered.
This article reviews a century of US data on the impact of learning Latin and explores to what extent the collected findings demonstrate that Latin can play a role in improving pupils’ educational attainments, particularly in first language (L1), modern foreign language (MFL) and cognitive development. Contextualising these data allows us to explore their aims, findings and shortcomings. We argue that, while the collated data do provide significant evidence for the beneficial impact of learning Latin on the L1 development of English native speakers, evidence for an impact on MFL and cognitive development is less substantial. It is thus important to acknowledge that these existing data should be interpreted with caution, as a meaningful starting point for new research questions based on modern methodologies.
In an attempt to address shortcomings revealed in international assessments and lamented in legislation, many schools are reducing or eliminating elective courses, applying the rationale that replacing “non-essential” subjects with core subjects, such as mathematics and language arts, will better position students in the global market. However, there is evidence that systematically pairing a core subject with another, complementary subject, may lead to greater overall learning in both subjects. In this paper, we analyze two subject area pairs—first and second language, and computer programming and mathematics—to demonstrate in what ways two subjects might complement each other. We then analyze the relationships between these pairs to better understand the principles and conditions that encourage what we call convergent cognition, the synergistic effect that occurs when a learner studies two complementary subjects.
In France, recent curriculum reforms have signalled the cull of Latin and Greek from the secondary school curriculum – a teacher who criticised the reforms was censured; his blog disappeared. Belgium – because of the strength of its Catholic education long a beacon for Classical education – is witnessing schools dropping ancient languages in favour of STEM subjects at an alarming rate, driven similarly by the government agenda. As I am writing this article, I notice an online piece on the deteriorating situation in Malta, too. Throughout Europe, the financial crisis is spurring on governments and schools to intensify their push for STEM subjects – hailed as an instant fix for the faltering global economy – while vilifying less immediately practical subjects. A conversation with a French colleague who was lamenting the oppressing regime made me realise how well the UK is doing in comparison with other countries in Europe. Numbers of (state) secondary schools offering Latin are increasing, and thanks to the Department for Education, primary schools can offer Latin and Greek at Key Stage 2. Of course we should not delude ourselves: the number of secondary schools offering Latin is still low, the teaching of Greek is particularly disheartening, and only about 2% of all primary schools so far have opted to teach Latin and none (to my knowledge) have chosen Greek. Nevertheless, in comparison to the rest of Europe, a government which (whatever else one may think of it) supports the teaching of Classical languages, a growing number of hubs which see all levels of education collaborating creatively, and flourishing outreach organisations which offer financial and logistical support, give the UK at least some cause for optimism.
The effectiveness of using a computer program over a 6-week period to teach high school students to use Latin and Greek root words for deciphering English terms, to increase their scores on the verbal portion of the Scholastic Aptitude Test (SAT), was studied.
ABSTRACT After a precipitous decade-long decline during the late 1960s and the early 1970s, interest and enrollments in secondary school Latin language and literature courses have been steadily rising across the nation since 1976. A disturbing consequence of this otherwise felicitous trend has been the development of a serious shortage of qualified Latin teachers in most areas of the country over the past five to ten years. This study examines trends in both high school and college enrollments, as well as such other indicators of interest in the language as student and professional organization memberships and College Board Achievement Test and Advanced Placement exam participation rates. The seriousness of the teacher shortage is underscored and some measures for alleviating the problem are briefly suggested.
This literature and research review was conducted to provide information to guide future work on the Languages Initiative. Although direction was given to the researchers/writers to establish parameters for the task, the content of this document reflects the writers' perspectives on topics and subjects reviewed and does not necessarily reflect the position of Alberta Learning.
This article examines the learning and use of academic English words by students who differ socioculturally. It argues that the Graeco-Latin vocabulary of English, which dominates the language's academic vocabulary, offers various levels of potential difficulty for students from different class, cultural, or linguistic social factions. It presents the evidence for this conclusion by integrating work from discursive psychology, the sociology of language, psycholinguistics, and applied linguistics, and by attempting a comprehensive review of the published literature on its topic. The article concludes by inferring some changes to practices in L1 and L2 academic English education.
A project was begun in 1973 in the Indianapolis Public School system based on the hypothesis that English language skills and the control of syntactic structures can be measurably improved through participation in a specially designed Latin FLES program stressing the importance of Latin root words. Goals of the project were to assess whether or not the study of Latin and classical civilization will: (1) expand the verbal functioning of sixth grade children in English, and (2) broaden their cultural horizons and stimulate an interest in humanities. The project was directed towards approximately 400 sixth graders in six schools, all studying Latin and classical civilization in a program coordinated with their regular classes. They received a thirty-minute lesson each day 5 days per week taught by a Latin specialist. The present program evaluation report shows overall gains in word knowledge, reading, language, spelling, math computation, math concepts, math problem solving, and social studies after the first year, and gains in spelling, reading, and math concepts following the second and third years of the program, as seen from results on subtests of the Metropolitan Achievement Test. Teachers' evaluation of the program were generally favorable. (CLK)
Report on the Project Extending Reading Comprehension Skills through Language Transfer
- Evaluators
A Comparative Investigation into the Effects of a Study of Latin on Scores in Vocabulary and Verbal Ability Tests and on Grade in English of High School Students (1969). (Available from Robert Dobroski, Classical Language Advisor, Department of Education
- Katherine M Riley
Augmenting Reading Skills through Language Learning Transfer
- Ritasheridan
See Resources in Education [RIE] for ordering instructions. Those documents that are followed by an FL number have not yet been assigned an ED number. Corresponding ED numbers can be found in the cross-reference
- M Robert