[B-Greek] Greek trivia: all the letters...

Carl W. Conrad cwconrad at artsci.wustl.edu
Wed May 7 08:19:16 EDT 2003


While Rod's message may possibly have been written only to me, it reads
like it's addressed to the list (in that it mentions me in the third
person) and I think that what he says here does indeed fit properly under
the heading of Greek pedagogy within the parameters of list discussion.

Subject: RE: [B-Greek] Greek trivia: all the letters...
Date: Wed, 7 May 2003 07:50:34 -0400
From: bgreek at ntresources.com
To: cwconrad at artsci.wustl.edu

> I guess that I really ought to apologize to the list for inflicting this
>somewhat-less-than-fully-earnest
> exchange of correspondence -- even though it has made for an interlude of
>fun in the course of other
> matters of concern to the list. My initial response was in fact only
>partly, as Rod Decker suggested, with > tongue-in-cheek. As a pedagogical
>device it seems to me that using a passage such as 1 Peter 3:19-20 to

> introduce the alphabet on grounds that it contains all the letters does
>have, as Rod indicated, some
> difficulty along the lines of the circular dictionary...

I really don't think an apology is needed. My original query, though
perhaps diversionary, was serious--and pedagogically intended. I've only
taught Greek formally for a dozen+ years (not nearly as long as Carl), but
I do so not only in the traditional classroom setting each year, but for
the last half of that time I've also taught a totally-Internet section for
full academic credit. In both of these settings (but esp. on the net), I've
found it helpful to find ways to keep the student actively involved and
keep that involvement relevant. If I can walk a class through the alphabet
using a single verse from the Greek NT on the first day of class, then
that's a good thing.

I'd hesitate to *start* in this totally inductive way--as my Hebrew prof
did with the Hebrew alphabet almost 30 years ago now! (I found that a
totally baffling, bewildering experience)--but as a *second* step
(following Carl's deductive a.b.c. procedure), an inductive application
using the target text (the Greek NT) helps a student identify the letters
in a real context rather than just in the alphabetical sequence. I've tried
to blend deductive/inductive over the years, avoiding the (nearly total)
deductive sequence of Machen on the one hand, and the totally inductive
approach of LaSor on the other (he teaches the alphabet beginning with the
title of the book of Acts and then verse-by-verse until he has them all).
I've found Mounce's text a helpful framework on which to attempt such a
synthesis.

And if on the first day of class I can also translate for the students so
that they begin to get even a glimmer of Greek syntax, that's a plus.
Granted, this is perhaps a 10-15 minute chunk of the first day's work, but
it's an important one. Now if I can figure out a way to create an
interactive online exercise in Java or something similar that does this
with Matt. 5:30 or Rev. 2:10 ... (and either of those are well
suited--thanks Peter) ...

====================================================
Rodney J. Decker, Th.D., Associate Prof/NT
Baptist Bible Seminary, Clarks Summit, PA,USA
NTResources.com  PURL: purl.oclc.org/NT_Resources/
Email: <rdecker> at <NTResources.com>
====================================================




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