Latein auf neuen Wegen – das neue Fach Lingua Latein

Abstract

The new school subject Lingua Latein, starting in Basel-Stadt in August 2016, is a new way of teaching Latin by focussing more on its contemporary relevance. Students are required to study language on an abstract level provided by the ‚dead’ language and to compare the linguistic system to living languages known and unknown to them. Latin grammar and vocabulary are used to develop strategies in learning other languages. This approach also includes cultural aspects: the new textbook Aurea Bulla deals with Roman Switzerland and explores places familiar to the students. By contrasting the ancient world with their present, highlighten for example issues like gender or human rights, pupils develop a deeper understanding of the culture that surrounds them.