Starting on Saturday, June 2, people living in the Swansea area will have the chance to learn Latin in Singleton Park and the nine-week courses are on offer for absolute beginners and the more advanced who have studied Latin in the past.

Beginners classes will take place from 2pm-3pm, advanced classes from 3.30pm-4.30pm, and participants will also have chance to participate in a weekly workshop on a topic connected with Roman antiquity.

On the final Saturday, there will be a Roman BBQ and cooking demonstration for participants and their families.

Project coordinator Dr Evelien Bracke said: “The Latin language lies at the basis of most Western European languages, and a grasp of Latin makes it easier to learn languages such as French, Spanish, and Italian. English too has a lot in common with Latin, with over 60% of English words derived from Latin.

“Latin was the language of ancient Rome, the common language of Europe ever since, and has in fact shaped much of European history up to the present day. Knowing Latin unlocks access to a wide variety of beautiful and timeless texts and stories; it is a skill which provides pleasure and understanding for a lifetime.”

The course fee is either £3 per class if participants prefer to just turn up on the day, or the full course can be paid for in advance at the discounted rate of £22 for nine classes. Under-18s are welcome when accompanied by an adult.

For the first class on Saturday, June 2, participants should meet outside the Pub on the Pond in Singleton Park and bring something to sit on and something to write with.

All the money raised will be used to help fund the Department’s Literacy through Latin project, which teaches Latin to local primary school children.

For further information, please contact the project coordinator Dr Evelien Bracke, on Tel: 01792 295745, or email: e.bracke@swansea.ac.uk

The Literacy through Latin project – to help improve Welsh state primary school pupils’ literacy through the teaching of Latin for the first time – was launched at Swansea University on Thursday, January 26, 2012.  The initiative is a collaboration between the University’s Department of History and Classics, in the College of Arts and Humanities and Oxford-based educational charity The Iris Project, which already successfully runs similar projects in a number of English primary schools. 

Latin students from Swansea University are, as volunteers, currently teaching Latin to year five and six pupils of Brynmill Primary School in Swansea for one hour a week, in the Spring and Summer terms of 2012.  The Literacy through Latin project is being expanded in 2012-13 to other schools in the Swansea area, including Terrace Road Primary School and Dunvant Primary School.

This news item has been generated by Swansea University's College of Arts and Humanities.