I’ve used it to practice German and a bit of Italian, and I always wondered why there was no Latin course. Most people trying to learn a language with the help of a smartphone have probably at least spent a few minutes interacting with Duo, the sassy green owl (an owl in Latin is bubo) who guides learners through their courses.Īs a language teacher I’ve been aware of Duolingo for years. Duolingo has more than 300 million total learners in virtually every country in the world, and the platform now teaches more than 90 courses. If by chance you aren’t familiar with Duolingo, it’s a smartphone and desktop application in which end users can practice reading, speaking and writing a new language through a game interface that incorporates many of the skills useful for language practice.
One project sounded particularly exciting at the outset: helping to develop a brand new course, Duolingo’s Latin for English speakers. This summer I traveled with the Paideia Institute to Italy and Greece, helping out the New York staff on various projects throughout the course of their summer programs. Not many people get the benefit of a summer off, and given that chance, I’ve tried to use it well.
High school Latin teaching is a unique profession.
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