The state of the Classics in the secondary school curriculum today : a comparative study, with particular reference to England and Greece

This comparative study falls into two parts: theoretical discussions and a report on experimental work. In the theoretical section an outline is given of the place of Classics in schools in England and Greece: historical developments in classics teaching and the curriculum are noted. Contemporary writing about the Classics by scholars in both countries is discussed: the crisis in classics teaching is thus defined and arguments that justify or dispute the value of the Classics as a school discipline are analysed as are the classicists' proposals for action. In addition, current attempts at innovation undertaken in the field of examinations in Britain are reviewed briefly and British and Greek examination papers set on the Classics today are analysed. Further, a comparative evaluation of responses to the crisis in the Classics is attempted. The section reporting experimental work (pupils' and teachers' attitude to the Classics) includes data supplied by: (a) a preliminary questionnaire administered to 11 if Greek girls (aged 16-17) attending the 5th or 6th form of the Gymnasium; (b) a pilot questionnaire study among 2fO English pupils (20 beginners and 20 0-level candidates); (c) a questionnaire administered to the main sample of ¿*00 Greek and 400 English pupils, beginners and 0-level, boys and girls, in equal proportion. The same questionnaire was taken by a further 100 Greek and 100 English pupils, to check the popularity of ancient Greek and Classical Studies, respectively. Data comes also from a pilot and a main questionnaire completed by a total of 130 Greek secondary school teachers and 92 British classics teachers. Findings related to the popularity of the 'Classics' and other subjects, methods of teaching, paralinguistic approaches, are analysed with regard to level of pupils, and nationality; attitudes to classics teaching as a profession are also studied. Finally, conclusions based on these analyses and recommendations for the development of classical studies and of the Greek secondary school curriculum are offered.