The Association for the Reform of Latin Teaching (ARLT) was founded in the

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in 1913 by the distinguished Classical scholar W. H. D. Rouse. It is now known as the Association for Latin Teaching. It arose from Summer Schools which Rouse organised in order to train

Latin Latin (, or , ) is a classical language belonging to the Italic branch of the Indo-European languages. Latin was originally a dialect spoken in the lower Tiber area (then known as Latium) around present-day Rome, but through the power of the ...

teachers in the Direct Method of language teaching, which entailed using the language in everyday situations rather than merely learning

grammar In linguistics, the grammar of a natural language is its set of structural constraints on speakers' or writers' composition of clauses, phrases, and words. The term can also refer to the study of such constraints, a field that includes domain ...

and syntax by rote. Summer Schools remain the chief activity of this organisation. A journal entitled ''Latin Teaching'' reported on the Summer Schools and included articles on practical teaching of Latin. Contributors included

Dorothy L. Sayers Dorothy Leigh Sayers (; 13 June 1893 – 17 December 1957) was an English crime writer and poet. She was also a student of classical and modern languages. She is best known for her mysteries, a series of novels and short stories set between th ...

. After the Second World War three developments deeply affected the ARLT: *The Universities of

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and

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ceased to require proficiency in Latin as a qualification for entry. This meant a sharp reduction in the numbers of school pupils learning Latin. *The

Cambridge Latin Course The Cambridge Latin Course (CLC) is a series of textbooks published by Cambridge University Press, used to teach Latin to secondary school pupils. It provides a grounding in vocabulary, grammar and sense which allows progression through Common ...

brought many of the principles espoused by Rouse and the ARLT into the mainstream of Latin teaching. This led ARLT to adopt a more supportive, rather than campaigning, approach, offering general encouragement for all Classics teachers. *Three Classical organisations, The Classical Association, the Orbilian Society (now defunct) and the Association for the Reform of Latin Teaching, joined in founding an umbrella organisation: the

Joint Association of Classical Teachers The Joint Association of Classical Teachers (JACT) was a UK organisation for the encouragement of the teaching of Classics in schools and universities. It was merged into the Classical Association with effect from 2 January 2015. The JACT Summer ...

(JACT). ARLT and JACT endured a period of uneasy relations, with some questioning of ARLT's reason for continuing existence, but in time all concerned recognised the need to work together for the common cause against those who willed the demise of Classics teaching. Now the two organisations publish a joint magazine, ''The Journal of Classics Teaching''. ARLT has a website and a blog.

Political Rumblings

During the parliamentary recess in 2021, the

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, fronted by

Gavin Williamson Sir Gavin Alexander Williamson (born 25 June 1976) is a British politician who most recently served as Minister of State without Portfolio from 25 October to 8 November 2022. He has been the Member of Parliament (MP) for South Staffordshire s ...

announced a £4m scheme to introduce Latin into 40 state schools. Latin is already taught in 3% of stateschools and is permitted under the National Curriculum.

References

External links

Association for the Reform of Latin Teaching
{{Authority control Latin-language education Educational organisations based in the United Kingdom

Political Rumblings

See also

References

External links