The Teaching Classical Languages Symposium came about to address a pressing need for teachers to share and discuss ideas and strategies for teaching Latin and Greek in the 21st century. Each symposium features educators in the secondary, tertiary, and community teaching spaces from Australia and New Zealand.
TCLS 2026 will take place Friday14th August at the Vere Gordon Childe Centre (previously CCANESA) at the University of Sydney. We are delighted to announce that this year's keynote speaker is Carla Hurt. Carla is a high-school Latin teacher and You-Tuber who has converted to input-based approaches. She is based in Melbourne, Australia. More about Carla can be found here: https://foundinantiquity.com/
This year's theme is: "Imagine the perfect textbook."
Under this theme speakers will address critical issues related to Classical Languages pedagogy, the full range of formats available in an increasingly hybrid world, the integration of social themes and Classical content and best practice in raising student confidence.
Provocations include:
Should textbooks try to include “culture”?
Is there still a role for a physical book?
What kinds of exercises do students really need?
Should we be insisting on translation from English into the target language?
Program 2026
Philip Brophy (James Ruse) “Co-textbooking” with Ørberg.
Phillip Dupesovski (Newington/University of Sydney) "Suburani: Learning Latin ‘Below the City’
Emily Gilbert (University of Melbourne) Between Textbook and Text: How Textbook Choice Shapes the Transition to Original Latin
John Tuckfield (University of Melbourne) Reflections on a new Textbook
Carla Hurt (Heathdale Christian College) Classical languages as heritage language: why are we learning "dead" languages while indigenous languages are dying all around us.
Jamie Nguyen (Scotch / University of Sydney) Reconceptualising the textbook
Craig Barker, Yasmina Chotochova, & Julian Woods (Chau Chak Wing Museum University of Sydney), Artefact as textbook: Lessons from teaching classical languages in a museum context
Kathryn Welch (University of Sydney) What should go in a Textbook. A View From the Roman Republic
Monique Webber (Melbourne Girls’ Grammar / University of Melbourne) Material culture in the Latin Classroom: Provocations and practice (ZOOM)
Sota Maruono (Tokiwa University, Mito) Ancient Writing Systems (ZOOM)
Alison Griffith (Auckland), Elizabeth Minchin (ANU), Gary Morrison (Auckland), Alexander Madeira (Canberra Grammar School) Embracing “Grammar”
The Longer History of ANU’s Traditional Grammar Experiment
Teaching Ancient Language in a Bums-on-Seats Tertiary Economy
Reflecting on Traditional Grammar from a Former Student’s Perspective
For further details, or if you would like to offer a paper at the next symposium, please contact Tamara Neal: t.neal@sydney.edu.au or Sarah Lawrence: slawren4@une.edu.au. To register for TCLS2026 click here.
TCLS 2024 contributed 6 hours of NSW Education Standards Authority (NESA) Accredited PD in the priority area of Delivery and Assessment of NSW Curriculum/EYLF addressing standard descriptors 3.3.2 & 5.1.2 from the Australian Professional Standards for Teachers towards maintaining Proficient Teacher Accreditation in NSW.
In 2023, CANSW published a special edition of Classicum featuring papers from previous symposia.
Previous speakers include:
Christopher Bishop (Australian National University)
Caroline Brehaut (Redlands)
Elly Cowan (University of Sydney)
Dane Drivas (Cranbrook)
Phillip Dupesovski (University of Sydney; Newington)
Kate Edwards (University of New England)
Anthony Gibbons (Sydney Grammar School; Legonium)
Tegan Gleeson (Frensham)
K.O. Gossard-Chong (University of Melbourne)
Dexter Hoyos (University of Sydney)
Trevor Evans (Macquarie University)
Ed Jeremiah (University of Melbourne)
Drew Keller (Collegiate School NYC; Learn to read Latin; Learn to read Ancient Greek) KEYNOTE 2022
Michael Hanaghan (Australian Catholic University)
Yasmin Haskell (Australian Catholic University; The Ancient Today)
Sarah Lawrence (University of New England)
Maxine Lewis (Auckland University) KEYNOTE 2024
Seamus Macdonald (The Patrologist)
Caitlin McMenamin (Barker College)
Janette McWilliam (University of Queensland)
Emily Matters (North Sydney Girls High School; Eureka!)
Caitlin McMenamin (Barker)
Elizabeth Minchin (Australian National University)
Miles Pattenden (Australian Catholic University)
David Peddar (St Pauls Grammar School, Cranebrook)
Louella Perret (Riverview) KEYNOTE 2020
Ian Plant (Macquarie University)
Lauren Richardson (Canberra Girls Grammar School)
Paul Roche (University of Sydney)
Lance Shortus (Blacktown Girls High School)
Estelle Strazdins (Australian National University)
McComas Taylor (ANU)
Mary Triantafyllou (Newington College)
Jonathan Wallis (University of Tasmania)
Sam Wessells (Macquarie University & University of Sydney)
Chrysoula Zachariadou (University of New England)