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Advice for teachers -
Greek

Teaching and learning activities

Unit 4

Unit 4 – Area of Study 1: Interpersonal communication

Theme: The individual
Theme: The world around us
Topic: Communicaton and media
Sub topic: News media and its influence

Outcome 3

Present information, concepts and ideas in evaluative or persuasive writing on an issue in Greek.

Examples of learning activities

  • Conduct research into newspapers and magazines from Greece/Cyprus or other countries with Greek publications in school or language department libraries as well as online. List all the titles and types of publications.
  • Research online to discover the biggest selling newspapers and magazines in Greece/Cyprus to learn more about them.
  • Read an article about print and digital media in Greece/Cyprus. Answer questions about the article.
  • Listen to people discussing their reading habits in Greece/Cyprus or other Greek-speaking communities. Write a list of their opinions. Note their preferences for reading hard copy or digital forms of print media.
  • Read a newspaper or magazine with a classmate. Consider: How much of it can be understood without using a dictionary? What is of interest to people in Greece/Cyprus? How does it compare to similar newspapers or magazines in Australia?
  • Example icon for advice for teachers
    Based on information gained from Listening and Reading texts, answer a series of questions about newspapers and magazines in Greece/Cyprus or other countries with Greek publications.
  • Discuss newspapers and magazines in Australia, including publications in Greek, and write a 100-word informative summary. Finish it with a statement of why you read newspapers and magazines, or why you do not.
  • Read two blogs by different people, one of whom loves newspapers and magazines and the other who dislikes them or is indifferent to them. Write a list of reasons for and against the reading of newspapers and magazines.
  • Discuss as a class if and how newspapers and magazines play a role in today’s society.
  • Give a two-minute speech persuading the class to read more newspapers and magazines.
  • Debate in groups the topic ‘Newspapers and magazines are obsolete’. Write a 300-word summary of the debate stating whether or not you agree with the winner’s stance.
detailed example icon

Detailed example

Responses to a series of questions about newspapers and magazines in Greece/Cyprus or other countries
with Greek language publications

  1. Visit the website of a Greek language newspaper or magazine and read the comments left by its users. Create a matrix of positives and negatives offered, as well as vocabulary, expressions and grammar used by the commentators.
  2. In a class discussion, comment on comprehension exercises previously completed. Analyse the texts, questions and required answers for general clues and/or specific ideas for how to study for reading and responding tasks.
  3. Read and annotate an article for homework. Discuss in class how each class member tackles reading comprehension. For example: Do you read it through once to get the gist? Do you read it and highlight unknown words? Do you look up every word in a dictionary? Do you translate the whole text? When do you read the questions? Do you read them first and then only look for clues to them in the text? Which of these would work best when there is a time limit?
  4. Do the same with a Listening task. Discuss how different class members take notes whilst listening. For example: Do you try to write every word? Do you write how some words sound so you can look for them in a dictionary later? Do you just listen and take no notes the first time you hear the text and then write some notes the second time?
  5. Create a class poster with everyone’s comments about how they read and listen most effectively.
  6. Each student finds a 200-word article, three-minute talk/conversation or three-minute video on the topic of effective reading and listening techniques to share with classmates for study and/or practice.
  7. Re-answer a previous comprehension exercise to practise successful responses.
  8. Complete a practice task individually and in the next lesson discuss the answers as a group. Correct your own work and note areas that need attention.

Unit 4 – Area of Study 2: Interpretative communication

Theme: The Greek-speaking communities
Topic: Historical/contemporary people and events
Sub topic: Important historical figures

Outcome 2

Analyse information from written, spoken and viewed texts for use in a written response in Greek.

Examples of learning activities

  • Read a timeline of the history of Greece/Cyprus in order to situate the selected historical figure in the context of time and events. Then add another layer to the timeline showing major events happening world-wide.
  • Read biographical extracts or watch a documentary/film about the historical figure and take notes about the major events of their life.
  • Watch a documentary or film about the selected historical figure and give an oral presentation based on your findings.
  • Brainstorm as a class the impact of the historical figure and their contribution to Greek-speaking communities.
  • Write notes on how to describe the contribution of the selected historical figure to society and the course of history of Greece/Cyprus. Consider questions such as: How their contribution changed the course of history of Greece/Cyprus? What was the impact of their life and struggle on their contemporaries?
  • Write personal journal entries from the point of view of the historical figure about his/her life.
  • Give a two-minute speech to the class about the selected historical figure.
  • Write a 250-word evaluative report about the selected historical figure and why the historical figure is deemed important today.
  • Visit an exhibition based on this historical figure at a museum or art gallery, or make a virtual visit to an online museum/art gallery in Greece/Cyprus. Write notes about the exhibits related to the selected historical figure and that period of time.
  • Write a 250-word persuasive letter to a friend encouraging them to visit this exhibition.
  • Example icon for advice for teachers
    Consolidate learning from these activities into a role-play activity about the life and times of the selected historical figure.
  • View a photo/painting/drawing of the chosen historical figure and discuss and analyse it.
detailed example icon

Detailed example

Role-play to explore the life and times of the selected historical figure

  1. Write a 100-word description of your historical figure.
  2. Write a 200-word summary of why this historical figure is considered to be important.
  3. Review the range of question forms, their particular vocabulary and grammatical features to use in a role-play.
  4. With a classmate, practise using some of these expressions and ways of delivering a message.
  5. Write a script to incorporate things learned so far.
  6. Add to the script informative and evaluative ideas about the historical figure chosen.
  7. Give a two-minute talk to a small group about the impact of this historical figure on the Greek-speaking communities today. Include an estimate of their importance or significance to Greece/Cyprus.
  8. Practise the role-play aloud with a classmate, to hone pronunciation and delivery, and to ensure ideas are conveyed clearly.
  9. Perform role-plays.

Unit 4 – Area of Study 3: Presentational communication

Theme: The world around us
Topic: Communication and media
Sub topic: News media and its influence

Outcome 3

Present information, concepts and ideas in evaluative or persuasive writing on an issue in Greek.

Examples of learning activities

  • Conduct research into newspapers and magazines from Greece/Cyprus or other countries with Greek publications in school or language department libraries as well as online. List all the titles and types of publications.
  • Research online to discover the biggest selling newspapers and magazines in Greece/Cyprus to learn more about them.
  • Read an article about print and digital media in Greece/Cyprus. Answer questions about the article.
  • Listen to people discussing their reading habits in Greece/Cyprus or other Greek-speaking communities. Write a list of their opinions. Note their preferences for reading hard copy or digital forms of print media.
  • Read a newspaper or magazine with a classmate. Consider: How much of it can be understood without using a dictionary? What is of interest to people in Greece/Cyprus? How does it compare to similar newspapers or magazines in Australia?
  • Example icon for advice for teachers
    Based on information gained from Listening and Reading texts, answer a series of questions about newspapers and magazines in Greece/Cyprus or other countries with Greek publications.
  • Discuss newspapers and magazines in Australia, including publications in Greek, and write a 100-word informative summary. Finish it with a statement of why you read newspapers and magazines, or why you do not.
  • Read two blogs by different people, one of whom loves newspapers and magazines and the other who dislikes them or is indifferent to them. Write a list of reasons for and against the reading of newspapers and magazines.
  • Discuss as a class if and how newspapers and magazines play a role in today’s society.
  • Give a two-minute speech persuading the class to read more newspapers and magazines.
  • Debate in groups the topic ‘Newspapers and magazines are obsolete’. Write a 300-word summary of the debate stating whether or not you agree with the winner’s stance.
detailed example icon

Detailed example

Responses to a series of questions about newspapers and magazines in Greece/Cyprus or other countries with Greek language publications

  1. Visit the website of a Greek language newspaper or magazine and read the comments left by its users. Create a matrix of positives and negatives offered, as well as vocabulary, expressions and grammar used by the commentators.
  2. In a class discussion, comment on comprehension exercises previously completed. Analyse the texts, questions and required answers for general clues and/or specific ideas for how to study for reading and responding tasks.
  3. Read and annotate an article for homework. Discuss in class how each class member tackles reading comprehension. For example: Do you read it through once to get the gist? Do you read it and highlight unknown words? Do you look up every word in a dictionary? Do you translate the whole text? When do you read the questions? Do you read them first and then only look for clues to them in the text? Which of these would work best when there is a time limit?
  4. Do the same with a Listening task. Discuss how different class members take notes whilst listening. For example: Do you try to write every word? Do you write how some words sound so you can look for them in a dictionary later? Do you just listen and take no notes the first time you hear the text and then write some notes the second time?
  5. Create a class poster with everyone’s comments about how they read and listen most effectively.
  6. Each student finds a 200-word article, three-minute talk/conversation or three-minute video on the topic of effective reading and listening techniques to share with classmates for study and/or practice.
  7. Re-answer a previous comprehension exercise to practise successful responses.
  8. Complete a practice task individually and in the next lesson discuss the answers as a group. Correct your own work and note areas that need attention.