A GROUP of Kinross Wolaroi School students are well on their way to mastering the art of an ancient language.
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Students in the school’s elective Latin course recently took part in the National Latin Exam (NLE), a worldwide exam with about 150,000 students from 20 countries participating annually.
The exam is a 40-question, multiple-choice test with a time limit of 45 minutes, offered at various levels.
It includes questions on grammar, comprehension, mythology, derivatives, literature, Roman life, history, geography, oral Latin, and Latin use in the modern world.
The basic purposes of the exam are to promote the study of Latin and to encourage the individual student.
Kinross Wolaroi School Latin teacher Kate Edwards said the subject is an important one despite the language no longer being spoken.
“Latin should be considered a ‘disguised’ language given that it informs so many professions and about 60 per cent of our own language,” she said.
“In some senses, we all speak modern Latin.
“It increases a person’s ability to think clearly, critically, and logically, it cultivates perseverance, creativity and curiosity and through the study of ancient texts, it opens minds to different ideas and encourages students to consider fundamental notions about knowledge, virtue and truth.”
Year 12 students Olivia Wass and Peter Alston said they enjoy learning about the ‘disguised’ language.
“We enjoy the logical structure of the language, the insight into ancient history and culture and the opportunity to analyse ancient literature at a sophisticated level,” Olivia said.
“Latin has improved our understanding of language, which has many potential benefits, and the ‘brain training’ that learning Latin has provided will have long-term benefits in whatever we choose to do.”
Ms Edwards credited Kinross Wolaroi School’s highly skilled, competent and passionate language staff and their intelligent and hard-working students for their recent successes.
bryson.ferreira@fairfaxmedia.com.au