Teaching Classics Worldwide: Successes, Challenges and Developments

Designed for instructors in schools and universities, as well as stakeholders and policy-makers in education everywhere, this book is a systematic guide to contemporary school teaching of classical languages, literature and civilisation in major countries across the world. This book examines the trends and assesses the rationale for such diversity in programmes of study and asks the question: What are classical subjects for in today’s schools?

Each chapter is arranged by geographical area and draws on the experiences of teachers and other education experts in each country, commenting on contemporary practices. Themes such as the impact of national education policies, enrolment, assessment, accessibility and inclusion are discussed. The teaching of Classics has wide variations in practices and purposes from one education system to another: in some, the teaching of Classics continues to be focused on the mastery of language and grammar; in others, active use of the ancient languages is growing in popularity; and yet in others, the focus is shifting towards the study of the languages and civilisations in translation. Presenting an overview survey and comparison of practices across the world, this book is essential reading for instructors and teaching training courses in the world of classical education.

Steven Hunt is Affiliated Lecturer in Classics Education at the University of Cambridge, UK. He is responsible for the PGCE in Latin (with Classics) and is the editor of the Journal of Classics Teaching. He works extensively with the charity Classics for All to develop Classics in state schools in the UK. He is the author of Starting to Teach Latin (Bloomsbury Academic, 2016), Teaching Classics with Technology (Bloomsbury Academic, 2019), Teaching Latin: Contexts, Theories and Practices (Bloomsbury Academic, 2022) and Starting to Teach Latin: Second Edition (Bloomsbury Academic, 2023). He is the co-editor of Forward with Classics (Bloomsbury Academic, 2018) and Communicative Approaches to Teaching Classical Languages (2021).

John Bulwer is a former teacher of Latin at the European School, Belgium. He is the former President of Euroclassica (2015-2019). He has been active in promoting Classics Teaching in Europe over many years and has worked with Classics for All and the Classical Association in the UK. He was editor of Classics Teaching in Europe (Bloomsbury Academic, 2006). He is currently Chief Examiner and Adviser for Latin for the European Baccalaureate and the European Schools.