Degrees in Koine

Biblical Greek morphology and syntax, aspect, linguistics, discourse analysis, and related topics
Benjamin Chandler
Posts: 20
Joined: April 13th, 2017, 2:43 am
Location: Nicholson. Georgia

Re: Degrees in Koine

Post by Benjamin Chandler »

RandallButh wrote: June 28th, 2017, 4:58 am For Greek you might want to check back in 3 years when we are planning to have a 48-credit 'everything in Greek' program in place.

Meanwhile, assuming you are interested in Biblical Studies as much or more than Classics, there is a new 48-unit program in Biblical Hebrew. This year's first class, June-Feb 2018, has already started. Next year will be 1 October 2018 to 21June 2019. For clarity, "in Hebrew" means that Hebrew is the language of communication inside and outside of class, first Biblical Hebrew only, then the whole language. Modern Hebrew is included in coursework after the first 10 credits of immersion BH. The 8.5 month program starts at beginner's level and takes a student to reading the Hebrew Bible and reading a commentary on the Hebrew Bible that is written in Hebrew. Recommended. See 4220Foundation.com "programs" "IBLT". Currently, ATA accreditation is in place and we expect to be able to publish some further news on this in October this year. I am scheduled to give a report on the Hebrew program at the "Applied Linguistics" section, ETS, Providence Rhode Island, this November 2017.

For the record, ACTFL (American Council on the Teaching of Foreign Languages), based on SLA research, recommends that a classroom (and outside if possible) is run 90% or more in the target language. "Just the facts, ma'am."
How much will the Greek program cost?
RandallButh
Posts: 1105
Joined: May 13th, 2011, 4:01 am

Re: Degrees in Koine

Post by RandallButh »

Benjamin, costs are difficult to predict three years in advance. It also depends on whether it is a certificate or will be joined into a BA or MA. I would rather wait until October before speaking on that.

The tuition for the 48-credits of Hebrew is $12000. Room and board approximately double that. Because this is a first year, you must understand that changes in the next three years are also probable. Scholarships are available but they are weighted for translation projects and teachers who are upgrading oral fluency.
Benjamin Chandler
Posts: 20
Joined: April 13th, 2017, 2:43 am
Location: Nicholson. Georgia

Re: Degrees in Koine

Post by Benjamin Chandler »

I see...
Benjamin Chandler
Posts: 20
Joined: April 13th, 2017, 2:43 am
Location: Nicholson. Georgia

Re: Degrees in Koine

Post by Benjamin Chandler »

Found a school http://www.multnomah.edu/academics/coll ... ek-degree/ Tuition is 24,000 a year.
Stephen Hughes
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Joined: February 26th, 2013, 7:12 am

Re: Degrees in Koine

Post by Stephen Hughes »

RandallButh wrote: June 29th, 2017, 3:25 am For Greek, the biggest challenge is finding and grooming the teaching staff that will handle the upper level courses. Their fluency is bound to be stilted and slower in comparison to L2 teachers of modern languages and what we do with Hebrew. So be it. It is still the way forward, as I think you would agree.
One of the roles of language teachers is that of exemplar. When there are inadequate linguistic resources in the teaching staff for them to adequately (and reasonably accurately) fulfill their role as exemplars, then their role as transmitter requires the added step of getting knowledge together from books etc. to transmit it. In situations where there are no talents - either competent users of the language or adroit teachers of it - to move things along, then the transmission of the (external) knowledge needs a lot of propping up and guidance. Individuals have limitation of how much new (unfamiliar) material the can transmit. It may take up to 5 hours preparation (the acquisition part of the process) for each hour in the classroom (the transmission part).

In view of the inadequacies of my instructors as exemplars, I have adopted a transmissional load sharing model - increased the proportion of peer instruction. None of my team of instructors or tutors have the restored pronunciation system, nor any experience speaking Greek. Only one has has extensive experience in using Greek (for exegetical purposes). Besides the Bible translators, who need to get beyond the "Greek" in the Translator's Tools software, by participating in both immersion for fluency exercises and trained formally in using the software for translation, I also have a squad of Bachelor's level students preparing for Grammar translation exams in October.

With all those competing demands, I have decided to use a self-perpetuating language environment with multiple in-built feedback channels to systain its momentum. The Bible translators' "homework" is to teach a word or a language skill to some other designated participants. Additionally, the Bible translators create a Greek-speaking environment, by . Bachelor's level students - the future mother-tongue translation checking consultants for the Bible translators - need to spend time in Grammar translation study. For every point of grammar learnt on abstract, they already have at least one example in the Greek language environment. That is to say, that what is initially understood and used as a whole phrase (taught and practiced by the Bible translators) is then understood in abstract. The order of introduction always remains language skills before grammatical understanding.

The role of the instructor in this situation is to supply material that is then circulated socially. Devolution of the classical teaching model with instructor as motivator, to instructor as observer of motivation shifts the requirements for energy for motivation to the participants. Use of Bibke translation participants tasked with pop-quizzing on conjugations, declensions and glosses removes the teacher-centred power structure from the social organisation too. Instructor as co-explorer of knowledge with students is more than just a preferred teaching model in this case. The instructors are learning together with the students to.

The model of a beginner progressing up the ranks, is not present. There is a model of competencyand atrainment based on language mastery. The least able, is the one who uses the computer software and tools to "understand" the interlined English, and the most able is the one whose cognition can happen in Greek. Progress is a matter of skill and attainment is internalisation.

The complete decentralisation of so many of the teacher's roles creates a sustainable language ecology that allows for the eventual absence of instructors and allow for scalability of numbers of participant. A group of 5 Bible translators can create a self-perpetuating speech community. The addition of one of the Bachelor's level students with grammatical knowledge allows for increased accuracy of the Greek.

That is how I am tackling a lack of talent and experience in a low level situation.
Γελᾷ δ' ὁ μωρός, κἄν τι μὴ γέλοιον ᾖ
(Menander, Γνῶμαι μονόστιχοι 108)
Stephen Hughes
Posts: 3323
Joined: February 26th, 2013, 7:12 am

Re: Degrees in Koine

Post by Stephen Hughes »

RandallButh wrote: June 29th, 2017, 3:25 am For Greek, the biggest challenge is finding and grooming the teaching staff that will handle the upper level courses. Their fluency is bound to be stilted and slower in comparison to L2 teachers of modern languages and what we do with Hebrew. So be it. It is still the way forward, as I think you would agree.
Do you have strategies in place for training of fluent upper level course instructors? I probably have the scope to incorporate development of instructors into the programme.

My only thought is that as a first step, instructors who wanted could choose a topic dear to their heart and develop fluency in expressing it and presenting it to others.
Γελᾷ δ' ὁ μωρός, κἄν τι μὴ γέλοιον ᾖ
(Menander, Γνῶμαι μονόστιχοι 108)
RandallButh
Posts: 1105
Joined: May 13th, 2011, 4:01 am

Re: Degrees in Koine

Post by RandallButh »

One of the purposes of running 'fluency workshops' was to provide opportunities for Greek instructors to use the language in immersion contexts. Teachers for upper levels will be from those who have been actively teaching orally and working through TPRS (Teaching Proficiency thru Reading and Storytelling) before taking on specific topics in more of a lecture style with reading and Q&A.
Jonathan Robie
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Joined: May 5th, 2011, 5:34 pm
Location: Durham, NC
Contact:

Re: Degrees in Koine

Post by Jonathan Robie »

RandallButh wrote: July 2nd, 2017, 10:56 am One of the purposes of running 'fluency workshops' was to provide opportunities for Greek instructors to use the language in immersion contexts. Teachers for upper levels will be from those who have been actively teaching orally and working through TPRS (Teaching Proficiency thru Reading and Storytelling) before taking on specific topics in more of a lecture style with reading and Q&A.
I'm attending what is probably a similar fluency workshop from July 12 to 19th. Here's the announcement I first saw:
At Paul's request, I wanted to bring to your attention the first-ever Greek conventiculum at the University of Kentucky, which will take place this summer from July 12 through 19. Dr. Christophe Rico, creater of the Polis textbook for Koine Greek, and I will be facilitating. If you're familiar with Terence Tunberg's Latin conventicula, our σύνοδος will be quite similar: multiple small-group sessions designed for people with passive knowledge of ancient Greek to activate that knowledge through speaking and listening. Experienced speakers of ancient Greek are also quite welcome, and in fact there are several experienced speakers among those who have already registered.

Please see the attached poster for additional information, and feel free to distribute to others who may be interested! I'm happy to answer any questions. Complete information is available at https://mcl.as.uky.edu/conventiculum-graecum.
ἐξίσταντο δὲ πάντες καὶ διηποροῦντο, ἄλλος πρὸς ἄλλον λέγοντες, τί θέλει τοῦτο εἶναι;
http://jonathanrobie.biblicalhumanities.org/
RandallButh
Posts: 1105
Joined: May 13th, 2011, 4:01 am

Re: Degrees in Koine

Post by RandallButh »

So we missed you in Fresno and Israel. Enjoy Kentucky, go for it.

It may be geared a bit more for old Athens in Dutch flavor [Erasm.], but Christophe will probably include Koine or NT texts. Naye. A German classics prof used to arrange these for many summers in Greece, Erasmian in 'camp', surrounded by modern.
Mark Lightman
Posts: 300
Joined: May 6th, 2011, 6:30 pm

Re: Degrees in Koine

Post by Mark Lightman »

RandallButh wrote: July 4th, 2017, 4:02 amEnjoy Kentucky, go for it.
πῶς γὰρ οὔκ?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8Ril7u79lJY
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