Page 90 - THE ONTARIO CURRICULUM, GRADES 9–12 | Classical Studies and International Languages

Level 3, University Preparation
B1. Reading Comprehension: determine meaning in a variety of texts about the classical world, in the classical language and in English, using a range of reading strategies;
B2. Awareness of Cultural Context: demonstrate an awareness of the cultural context of the classical language, using information from a variety of media in both the classical language and English.
THE ONTARIO CURRICULUM, GRADES 9–12 | Classical Studies and International Languages
B. READING OVERALL EXPECTATIONS
By the end of this course, students will:
SPECIFIC EXPECTATIONS
B1. Reading Comprehension
By the end of this course, students will:
B1.1 Using Reading Comprehension Strategies: identify a range of reading comprehension strategies and use them before, during, and after reading to understand adapted and unadapted texts, including complex texts,
in the classical language and texts in English about the classical world (e.g., scan text prior to reading to make inferences about its intent; skim
text to identify unfamiliar words and grammatical elements; skim text for specific cultural information; use titles, headings, footnotes, commentary, and/or marginal notes to extract information; reread to find information that was overlooked on first reading; use cultural references to shed light on the meaning of a classical text; make connections between a classical text and the modern world;
use apparatus critici and commentaries to help interpret a text)
Teacher prompts: “What kinds of information will you look for as you reread?” “What types of information do the apparatus critici contain that can help you understand the text?”
B1.2 Understanding Linguistic Elements in the Classical Language: identify various elements of the classical language, including grammatical constructions and relationships (e.g., the passive voice, subordinate clauses requiring the subjunctive/optative mood, the ablative absolute in Latin or the genitive absolute in ancient Greek used with different participles, poetic word order), stylistic devices (e.g., anacoluthon, asyndeton, ellipsis, prolepsis, chiasmus, litotes, hyperbole,
juxtaposition, the omission of words previously used within a passage), and modern conventions of the writing system (e.g., differences in the use of punctuation in prose and in poetry in modern printing), and demonstrate an understanding
of their use
Teacher prompts: “Where does the passive voice occur in this passage? In what way does it alter the reader’s understanding of the actor and the action?” “Where in this passage can you find words that are juxtaposed for poetic effect?” “What additional effect does the use of chiasmus have on the reader’s appreciation of the lines?”
B1.3 Reading for Meaning in the Classical Language: demonstrate an understanding
of a variety of adapted and unadapted texts, including complex texts, in the classical language (e.g., prose selections of Tacitus, epigrams of Martial, lyric poems of Catullus, excerpts from Plato), using their knowledge of the classical language and information about the classical world (e.g., translate a poem or an epigram of Catullus, drawing on their knowledge of Roman social conventions; interpret brief passages from Plato’s Apology, drawing on their knowledge of Athens in the late fifth and early fourth centuries BCE)
Teacher prompts: “What metaphors does Catullus use, and how do they enhance your understanding and appreciation of the poem?” “In what ways is the Athenian legal system reflected in Plato’s Apology? What words and phrases does he use to emphasize the factual information?”
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