Abstract
The ability to translate unseen passages is a skill tested in both Latin A-level and the International Baccalaureate (IB) Diploma. Higher IB candidates are expected to translate a passage of 105–125 words of Latin poetry (in this case, Ovid's Metamorphoses) as the first of their externally marked papers. The International Baccalaureate Organization (IBO) uses unseen passages to ‘measure the [students’] ability to understand and translate texts in the original language’ (2014, p. 25). The passages are marked according to two criteria: (a) meaning; (b) vocabulary and grammar. In order to access the highest grades, the students must provide a ‘logical translation [in which] errors do not impair the meaning’ and ‘render vocabulary appropriately and grammar accurately and effectively’ (IBO, 2014, pp. 28–9).
Highlights
The ability to translate unseen passages is a skill tested in both Latin A-level and the International Baccalaureate (IB) Diploma
The study reported that 94% of the 96 school teachers, who returned this initial questionnaire, believed that ‘unseens were an important part of language teaching in their department’, but there seemed to be ‘no clear policy on how the teaching should be done’ (Greenwood, et al 2003, p.15)
The boys seemed to appreciate the level of trust placed in them to work independently, and this was reflected in their work
Summary
The ability to translate unseen passages is a skill tested in both Latin A-level and the International Baccalaureate (IB) Diploma. In order to access the highest grades, the students must provide a ‘logical translation [in which] errors do not impair the meaning’ and ‘render vocabulary appropriately and grammar accurately and effectively’ At the start of my second school placement, there was a concern amongst the Classics department over the attitude of the Year 12 Higher Latinists towards this unseen translation paper. This apathy is not uncommon among school students and university undergraduates alike. Co-operative Learning (hencefore referred to as CL) is a pedagogical practice where ‘students work together in small groups to help one another study academic matter’ (Tan, Sharan & Lee, 2006, p.4). Gillies, Ashman and Terwel state that ‘[CL] is well recognised as a pedagogical practice that promotes learning ... from pre-school to college’ (2008, p.1)
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