Evelien Bracke - Böcker

This is the first book to provide a practical toolkit, grounded in both current educational practice and pedagogical research, on teaching Latin and ancient Greek at primary school with the aim of empowering primary school age children who do not traditionally get access to Classics in education.Taking the author’s decade of experience in coordinating primary school-level Classics projects in the UK and Belgium as a starting point, this book investigates how we can move towards educational equity by teaching primary school students Latin or ancient Greek. Following an introduction to educational inequity and the role of Classics in this, readers encounter four aspects of teaching Classics at primary school which, together, improve educational equity: widening participation, transformative learning, translanguaging, and community engagement. Through reflections on the author’s personal experiences, practical steps are set out in each chapter to demonstrate how these ancient languages may be taught at primary school in ways that are accessible for every pupil. Each chapter ends with a series of reflection questions to help readers consider future practices. Classics at Primary School: A Tool for Social Justice is designed for all those engaged or interested in teaching Latin or ancient Greek at the primary school level. Both the practical and theoretical components of this book appeal to teachers as well as researchers and policy makers with a background in education and/or Classics.

This is the first book to provide a practical toolkit, grounded in both current educational practice and pedagogical research, on teaching Latin and ancient Greek at primary school with the aim of empowering primary school age children who do not traditionally get access to Classics in education.Taking the author’s decade of experience in coordinating primary school-level Classics projects in the UK and Belgium as a starting point, this book investigates how we can move towards educational equity by teaching primary school students Latin or ancient Greek. Following an introduction to educational inequity and the role of Classics in this, readers encounter four aspects of teaching Classics at primary school which, together, improve educational equity: widening participation, transformative learning, translanguaging, and community engagement. Through reflections on the author’s personal experiences, practical steps are set out in each chapter to demonstrate how these ancient languages may be taught at primary school in ways that are accessible for every pupil. Each chapter ends with a series of reflection questions to help readers consider future practices. Classics at Primary School: A Tool for Social Justice is designed for all those engaged or interested in teaching Latin or ancient Greek at the primary school level. Both the practical and theoretical components of this book appeal to teachers as well as researchers and policy makers with a background in education and/or Classics.

This book examines how ancient mythology forms part of the stories we tell ourselves about today's uncertain times, not only in popular culture but also in sociocultural and political debates. It particularly explores the ways in which classical myths shape how our modern secular societies think about the interconnected geopolitical, technological, and ecological issues we are facing, and our potential futures.Classical myths like those of Achilles, Medea, and Odysseus are everywhere, from films and novels to social media and games. But how and why are we still fascinated with them, particularly now? Can these strange and often painful stories from societies so radically different from our own offer us genuine insights today? This expanded English edition of Evelien Bracke’s award-winning Dutch book Leidraad door het labyrint explores how and why Greek and Roman myths, despite their ancient origins, are surprisingly meaningful in these times of uncertainty. Bracke offers a contextualization and literary analysis of classical mythology, looking at both texts and visual media. This allows readers to gain a better understanding of how people draw inspiration from the past in their attempt to create a better future, and how these stories provide both collective and individual guidance in navigating the turbulent 21st century.The Meaning of Myth in Uncertain Times is suitable for students, scholars, teachers, and general readers interested in mythology and ancient Greek and Roman history and culture, providing insights that are relevant to the challenges we all face today.