Modern Greek (Version 8.4)

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Context statement

The place of the Modern Greek language and culture in Australia and the world
Modern Greek is the official language of Greece and Cyprus. It is spoken throughout the world – wherever there are Greek-speaking communities.

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PDF documents

Resources and support materials for the Australian Curriculum: Languages - Modern Greek are available as PDF documents. 
Languages - Modern Greek: Sequence of content
Languages - Modern Greek: Sequence of Achievement - F-10 Sequence
Languages - Modern …

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Years 3 and 4

Years 3 and 4 Band Description

The nature of the learners

At this level, children are developing awareness of their social worlds and of their memberships of various groups including the Modern Greek class. They are further developing literacy capabilities in English, such as writing in the Roman alphabet, and this helps to some degree in learning Modern Greek. They benefit from multimodal, activity-based learning which builds on their interests and capabilities and makes connections with other areas of learning, including English and other languages.

Modern Greek language learning and use

Learners interact with peers and the teacher in a variety of communicative activities where grammar, vocabulary and pronunciation are purposefully integrated. They primarily engage in a variety of listening and viewing activities, and understand familiar stories, songs and poems. Language use remains at a simplistic, repetitive level within familiar and predictable contexts. Students use simple language structures, vocabulary and phrases (Τι καιρό κάνει σήμερα; Χρόνια πολλά). They understand basic grammatical features such as the position of the possessive pronoun (η μαμά μου), and the importance of the use of articles (η ΄Αννα), and apply them in their own speech and writing. Specific language learning skills such as memory and communication strategies are developed. Listening skills are developed further, and through constant repetition and consolidation learners ask and respond to questions, give information, and read and write simple texts. With extensive support, students use their imagination to create short songs, games and performances. They discuss and begin to explore the significance of certain traditions, practices and values and the language associated with these, such as 25η Mαρτίου, Απόκριες, 28η Οκτωβρίου.

Contexts of interaction

The contexts in which learners interact in learning and using Modern Greek are primarily the classroom and school, with some sharing of their learning at home. Students may have access to wider communities of Greek speakers and resources through out-of-classroom activities and the use of virtual and digital technology. They work independently and cooperatively, further developing their sense of personal as well as group identity.

Texts and resources

Learners develop literacy skills through interacting with a range of spoken, written, visual and multimodal texts. Procedural, informative and descriptive texts, for example, recipes, weather reports and family descriptions, show how language is used in different ways and for different purposes.

Features of Modern Greek language use

Learners begin to develop a metalanguage for understanding and discussing language features, and make connections and comparisons between English and Modern Greek. For example, they understand that in English there is one word for the definite article (‘the’), whereas in Greek the definite article changes according to case, gender and number (ο, η, το, οι, οι, τα). Comparing the structures and patterns of Modern Greek to those of English helps learners understand both languages, helping in the development of their overall literacy skills. At this level, learners have control of writing the Greek alphabet letters.

Level of support

This stage of learning involves extensive support through scaffolding. Teachers model what is expected, introduce language concepts and resources needed to manage and complete tasks, and make time for experimentation, drafting and redrafting, providing support for self-monitoring and reflection. Support includes a range of spoken, written, visual and interactive resources, such as puppet plays, songs, YouTube clips and digital games.

The role of English

Learners are encouraged to use Modern Greek as much as possible for classroom routines, social interactions, structured learning tasks, and language experimentation and practice. English is used for discussion, explanation and reflection, as learners become aware of the interdependence of Greek language and culture and how these systems connect and compare to their own language and culture.


Years 3 and 4 Content Descriptions

Socialising

Interact with peers and teacher to exchange personal information about everyday routines involving school and home environment

[Key concept: everyday routines (home and school); Key processes: interacting, participating, exchanging] (ACLMGC120 - Scootle )

  • Literacy
  • Information and Communication Technology (ICT) Capability
  • Critical and Creative Thinking
  • Personal and Social Capability
  • Intercultural Understanding
  • asking and answering questions to exchange information about self and family, for example, Πού είναι ο κύριος Παναγιώτης; Να τος. Πού είναι η μαμά σου;
  • asking for and sharing information about daily and classroom routines, for example, Πού είναι το μολύβι; Εδώ. Τι μέρα είναι σήμερα; Σήμερα είναι Δευτέρα. Τι μήνας είναι; Είναι Μάρτιος, Τι ημερομηνία έχουμε σήμερα; Έχουμε 18 Μαρτίου, Ποια εποχή έχουμε; Έχουμε καλοκαίρι, Τι καιρό κάνει σήμερα; Κάνει κρύο. Bρέχει. Δε βρέχει. Ούτε κρύο, ούτε ζέστη.
  • using common responses and appropriate body language in response to frequently asked comments or questions, for example, ναι, μ’αρέσει, δε μ’αρέσει, understanding that lifting the head means ‘no’ and is used only in informal situations
  • exchanging simple correspondence such as notes, invitations or messages in print or digital form
Participate collaboratively in shared class experiences which involve planning and simple transactional exchanges, such as cooking or craft activities, creating a display or taking part in a role-play

[Key concepts: collaboration; creativity; Key processes: contributing, participating] (ACLMGC121 - Scootle )

  • Literacy
  • Numeracy
  • Critical and Creative Thinking
  • Personal and Social Capability
  • preparing, rehearsing and performing an item for an audience, such as a school assembly, another class or parents
  • collaborating with peers οn tasks, such as designing a poster for a significant event, for example, 25η Μαρτίου, Aπόκριες
  • following simple procedures and using modelled language for shared activities, such as making a simple dish from a recipe (κουλουράκια, λουκουμάδες, φρουτοσαλάτα) and naming ingredients, or following instructions in a craft activity
  • participating in a role-play, for example, buying goods from a shop, using props (Καραγκιόζη, Τάκη the bear) to engage in conversation
Participate in everyday classroom activities, such as asking for permission, requesting help, asking how to say or write something, and praising or encouraging peers

[Key concepts: communication, support; Key processes: speaking, contributing, taking turns] (ACLMGC122 - Scootle )

  • Literacy
  • Critical and Creative Thinking
  • Personal and Social Capability
  • asking for permission and requesting help using set phrases, for example, Θέλω βοήθεια, ελάτε κυρία, δεν καταλαβαίνω
  • asking how to say or write a word or expression, for example, Πώς το λένε;
  • praising and encouraging peers, for example, Μπράβο σου, Ωραία, Προσπάθησε, Έλα, Πάλι!
  • using words, phrases or interjections which can be used in conversation, for example, Α καλά, έτσι μπράβο, Ποπό! Ωραία! Όπα!

Informing

Locate key information about everyday contexts and routines from written, spoken, digital and visual texts

[Key concepts: home, self, others; Key processes: identifying, selecting, recording] (ACLMGC123 - Scootle )

  • Literacy
  • Numeracy
  • Information and Communication Technology (ICT) Capability
  • Critical and Creative Thinking
  • Personal and Social Capability
  • Intercultural Understanding
  • surveying classmates regarding their likes, interests, routines and activities, and tabulating the results, for example, in birthday charts or graphs
  • reading profiles and stories in print and digital form about people and animals, and creating a display with names and short descriptions, for example, Το λιοντάρι είναι μεγάλο, Το ποντίκι είναι μικρό
  • locating information relating to school activities in a Greek context, for example, from a sister-school, and comparing with own daily schedule/routine
  • identifying points of information in short spoken texts with some unfamiliar language, for example, some items on a recorded shopping list
Convey and present information about self, others, home and school life, using simple statements and support materials such as photos, maps, digital texts and displays or charts

[Key concepts: home, school, information; Key processes: selecting, presenting] (ACLMGC124 - Scootle )

  • Literacy
  • Numeracy
  • Information and Communication Technology (ICT) Capability
  • Critical and Creative Thinking
  • Personal and Social Capability
  • Intercultural Understanding
  • creating print or digital texts to describe people, objects or their favourite pets/animals, for example, Να ο Τάσος, Είναι δέκα χρονών, Του αρέσει να παίζει φούτμπολ, Είναι από την Ελλάδα, Μένει στην Αδελαΐδα, Το σπίτι μου, Να η κουζίνα, Να το μπάνιο, Να το αρνάκι, Είναι μικρό
  • creating a class profile from information collected from peers, for example, creating a chart or database to identify favourite sports, food or colours
  • presenting information on events or topics of possible interest to children of their own age in Greece or Cyprus, using multimodal resources and authentic materials as support, such as menus, artefacts, brochures, maps
  • selecting information gained from print, visual and oral texts to design a digital display model or class book, for example, a class timetable or a map of their school for their sister-school in Greece or Cyprus

Creating

Participate in shared imaginative activities and respond by acting out events, identifying favourite elements, and making simple statements about characters

[Key concepts: response, action, expression; Key processes: participating, imagining, interpreting] (ACLMGC125 - Scootle )

  • Literacy
  • Critical and Creative Thinking
  • Personal and Social Capability
  • Intercultural Understanding
  • Asia and Australia’s Engagement with Asia
  • listening to, viewing and reading stories, such as Aesop’s fables, or stories by contemporary Greek authors, in a range of text types, and responding to questions about characters, themes and events
  • comparing a Greek myth or legend to myths and legends of a country of the Asia region, such as China, and highlighting the similarities and differences in characters, events and moral of the story
    • Asia and Australia’s Engagement with Asia
  • creating a timeline of the main events of a story using pictures, words and simple sentences
  • performing a scene from a Greek myth (Theseus and the Minotaur, Icarus, Hercules, Cyclops, Persephone) using simple, modelled language
Create and perform short spoken and written imaginative texts such as dialogues or collaborative online stories, using formulaic expressions and modelled language

[Key concepts: fantasy, humour, imagination; Key processes: experimenting, creating, performing] (ACLMGC126 - Scootle )

  • Literacy
  • Information and Communication Technology (ICT) Capability
  • Critical and Creative Thinking
  • Personal and Social Capability
  • Intercultural Understanding
  • creating and performing simple imaginative texts, using movement or drama to animate characters and to give expression to events in texts, for example, acting out scenes from a story, adopting the profile of a character, creating a dance to accompany songs
  • modifying texts such as songs, for example, by substituting words in a well-known song or tune (Η Mικρή Ελένη, Βγαίνει η βαρκούλα, ‘Bob the Builder’)
  • creating a new story such as a digital picture book using favourite characters from imaginative texts (Ηρακλής, Μορμώ, Σποτ) and adding captions using formulaic expressions and modelled language, for example, Μια φορά και έναν καιρό, Τέλος, Και ζήσαν αυτοί καλά κι εμείς καλύτερα.

Translating

Translate and interpret words, phrases and sentences used in familiar environments such as school and home, recognising how they may have similar or different meanings to words in English or other known languages

[Key concepts: equivalence, personal world; Key processes: translating, identifying, labelling] (ACLMGC127 - Scootle )

  • Literacy
  • Information and Communication Technology (ICT) Capability
  • Critical and Creative Thinking
  • Personal and Social Capability
  • Intercultural Understanding
  • playing matching games with Greek and English word cards, for example, days of the week, months, seasons or vocabulary associated with weather
  • translating simple sentences into Greek, such as requests in the classroom, to understand the gist, noticing how meaning changes when translating into English, as in the case of expressions of politeness, for example, Ένα μολύβι, παρακαλώ or Θα ήθελα ένα μολύβι, παρακαλώ (A literal translation of Μπορώ να έχω ένα μολύβι, σε παρακαλώ; would not be used in Greek.)
  • translating signs or phrases in familiar contexts from Greek into English, for example, street signs, addresses, food labels (Δελφών 30, ΟΔΟΣ ΕΡΜΟΥ, ΦΡΕΣΚΟ ΓΑΛΑ, 4€), noting that some signs and symbols are universal, for example, the ‘stop’ sign
Create simple bilingual resources such as picture dictionaries, action games or labels for the classroom

[Key concepts: translation, meaning; Key processes: selecting, explaining] (ACLMGC128 - Scootle )

  • Literacy
  • Information and Communication Technology (ICT) Capability
  • Critical and Creative Thinking
  • Intercultural Understanding
  • creating handmade or digital greeting cards in both Greek and English for different celebrations and traditions, for example, Καλά Χριστούγεννα, Καλό Πάσχα
  • creating bilingual texts for different audiences, for example, signs for the school community, a bilingual class digital dictionary, a word chart, a board game for a younger class
  • creating simple bilingual story books that include captions and images modelled on familiar texts, for example, Spot the dog

Reflecting

Share own experiences of communicating in Greek, recognising how it involves behaviours as well as words

[Key concepts: language, culture, difference; Key processes: noticing, comparing] (ACLMGC129 - Scootle )

  • Literacy
  • Critical and Creative Thinking
  • Personal and Social Capability
  • Intercultural Understanding
  • identifying elements of Greek language and culture that feel different to own language and culture, including pronunciation of some sounds, gestures and facial expressions, for example, έτσι κι έτσι, μπα
  • discussing ways of communicating and their appropriateness in Greek and non-Greek contexts, for example, polite and impolite ways of indicating ‘yes’ or ‘no’ to an adult, the acceptable practice of using teachers’ first names, κυρία Άννα, κύριε Δημήτρη
  • describing to peers what they are confident about when using Greek, what they feel unsure of and what they most enjoy
  • experimenting with respectful gestures and titles, such as using titles κυρία, κύριε
  • discussing how Australian terms and expressions might be understood from a Greek perspective, for example, ‘bushwalking’, ‘kick a footy’ or ‘lamington’
Interact with others, noticing how identity matters, such as use of terms of address, who and what is included and what language is used

[Key concepts: belonging, identity; Key processes: interacting, noticing] (ACLMGC130 - Scootle )

  • Literacy
  • Information and Communication Technology (ICT) Capability
  • Critical and Creative Thinking
  • Personal and Social Capability
  • Intercultural Understanding
  • recognising how they communicate with each other, their family, teachers and other adults, identifying differences in behaviour and language and explaining why this happens
  • reflecting on the experience of becoming bilingual or multilingual, considering what advantages this brings and whether it impacts on identity
  • creating a digital profile of aspects of their identity, for example, family, background, interests, membership of the Greek language class
  • discussing which groups they belong to, for example, family, class, learners of Greek and making connections and comparisons between own cultural perspectives and those of different cultural groups
  • interacting with teachers, other Greek speakers and class friends, and noticing aspects of speech, behaviour and actions that are the same as or different to their own

Systems of language

Experiment with the pronunciation and writing of the alphabet letters, recognising sound–letter relationships, letter clusters and vowel–consonant combinations, using the accent mark to aid pronunciation

[Key concept: sound and writing system; Key processes: identifying, recognising, repeating] (ACLMGU131 - Scootle )

  • Literacy
  • Critical and Creative Thinking
  • identifying and pronouncing the sounds of the Greek alphabet as well as the most common digraphs and letter blends, for example, ου, αι, ει, οι (double vowels), μπ, ντ, γγ, γκ, τσ, τζ (double consonants), αυ, ευ (vowel combinations)
  • practising letter clusters,for example, στρ, μπρ, in common words or in names, Στράτος, μπράτσο
  • beginning to recognise high-frequency words such as η, ο, το, μου, έχω, είμαι, είναι, θέλω, να
  • comparing markings on words in different languages, for example, αλάτι (Greek), français, (French), váza (Czech), Grüße (German), niña (Spanish) and observing that the markings have different purposes
  • using the accent mark appropriately in Greek when writing, for pronunciation as well as meaning
  • applying appropriate punctuation marks such as full stop, comma (in lists), exclamation mark and question mark
  • using different strategies to remember new sounds, for example, mnemonics
Recognise and use elements of Greek grammar, such as word order, gender and singular/plural forms, to describe people, objects or events

[Key concepts: sentence, grammar, word order; Key processes: recognising, applying, naming] (ACLMGU132 - Scootle )

  • Literacy
  • Numeracy
  • Critical and Creative Thinking
  • beginning to describe and explain features of Modern Greek using metalanguage, for example, using the terms masculine, feminine, neuter nouns, verbs, tenses, adjectives, conjunctions, in English or Greek
  • noticing the use of gender in Greek names, singular/plural, and articles, for example, Η Άννα, η γάτα, οι γάτες, α ψάρια, ο μπαμπάς
  • using adjectives to describe characteristics or qualities (such as number, shape and colour) of a person or object (noun), for example, τρία μικρά γουρουνάκια, and understanding that adjectives have gender, for example, καλός, καλή, καλό, ψηλός, ψηλή, ψηλό, κόκκινος, κόκκινη, κόκκινο
  • creating simple sentences in the subject–verb–object order, for example, Το βάζο έχει λουλούδια
  • experimenting with compound sentences using conjunctions such as και and αλλά
  • using adverbs of place, for example, έξω, μέσα, πάνω, κάτω, μπροστά, πίσω, δίπλα
  • observing singular noun and plural noun endings, for example, γάτα, γάτες, σπίτι, σπίτια
  • understanding that some words can mean different things in different contexts, for example, μπάνιο can mean ‘bathroom’, ‘bathtub’ or ‘swimming at the beach’
  • recognising the differences or similarities in word order in simple sentences, for example, μου αρέσει, δε μου αρέσει
  • expressing negation in simple sentences, for example, Όχι, δεν το θέλω, δε μ’ αρέσει
  • expanding number knowledge up to 100
Recognise the linguistic features and structures of different texts used in familiar contexts, such as stories, songs, recipes and conversations

[Key concepts: genre, textual features; Key processes: observing, identifying] (ACLMGU133 - Scootle )

  • Literacy
  • Information and Communication Technology (ICT) Capability
  • Critical and Creative Thinking
  • identifying the main features of a short narrative, for example, a song, rhyme or poem; and a simple description or procedure, for example, a recipe, or a conversation
  • noticing the differences between texts within the same mode, for example, a birthday card and an email, and between multimodal texts, for example, reading the lyrics of a song and hearing it being sung, or reading a dialogue and acting it out
  • recognising how different textual elements combine to make meaning, for example, how the images, font, script and layout of different texts combine to create a whole advertisement, web page, or picture book

Language variation and change

Understand that the context and purpose of interactions influence language choices

[Key concepts: change; register, variation; Key processes: observing, comparing] (ACLMGU134 - Scootle )

  • Literacy
  • Critical and Creative Thinking
  • Personal and Social Capability
  • Intercultural Understanding
  • recognising the differences between formal and informal language in social interactions, for example, Γεια σου φίλε, Γεια σας κύριε, and how Greek people use body language when communicating, which varies according to relationships
  • examining culturally appropriate phrases for different times of the day and for different purposes, for example, καλή εβδομάδα, καλό μήνα, καλό καλοκαίρι, καλό απόγευμα, καλό μεσημέρι, χρόνια πολλά, καλές γιορτές, καλή όρεξη, and considering phrases used in English in similar contexts
  • understanding how differences in gestures, register and tone are used to change meaning of speech, for example, Είσαι καλά; or Τι κάνεις; can have multiple meanings
  • identifying how emphasis on words can change meaning, for example έλα has many meanings depending on how it is said and used, Έλα εδώ, Έλα τώρα!, Έλα Άννα (στο τηλέφωνο)
  • recognising how the purpose of interaction, for example, command or invitation, can change the emphasis on words
Understand that languages change over time and that they influence each other, recognising words in English that are derived from Greek and words in Greek that are derived from other languages

[Key concepts: continuity, change; Key processes: identifying, processing] (ACLMGU135 - Scootle )

  • Literacy
  • Critical and Creative Thinking
  • Intercultural Understanding
  • recognising that the language used by the Ancient Greeks has developed into the Modern Greek language and that the Greek language has influenced many languages including English
  • understanding that there is the standard language called ‘Modern Greek’ as well as a number of different dialects spoken throughout Greece and the Greek diaspora
  • noticing that languages are fluid and ever-evolving and can be incorporated into and influence other languages beyond their own (for example, Ancient Greek has influenced and still influences many languages of the world)
  • viewing inscriptions on Ancient Greek tombstones (for example, from Vergina), coins (for example, from from Alexander the Great or King Philip’s reign) and vases (for example, from the Hellenistic era)
  • recognising that some words in Greek are borrowed from other languages, for example, πάρτυ, χόμπυ, μπάσκετ, κομπιούτερ
  • examining the etymology of everyday words in English which are derived from Greek morphemes/words or from Greek myths (for example, aeroplane, Ajax, history, mathematics, Nike, school, story) and discussing the extent to which this has occurred

Role of language and culture

Make connections between cultural practices and language use, for example, by identifying vocabulary, behaviours and expressions which reflect cultural values, beliefs and traditions

[Key concepts: celebrations, symbolism; Key processes: understanding, identifying] (ACLMGU136 - Scootle )

  • Literacy
  • Critical and Creative Thinking
  • Personal and Social Capability
  • Intercultural Understanding
  • Sustainability
  • examining aspects of authentic Greek culture, for example, sugared almonds at weddings and baptisms, βασιλόπιτα,τσουρέκι, their symbolism and the language associated with them
  • understanding concepts and values such as το γλέντι, and η παρέα , το πανηγύρι for example, during Greek festivals, birthdays and name days
  • recognising and explaining to others the significance of some Greek cultural practices sustained over time, for example, reasons for traditional Greek housing and events, for example, offering visitors food and drink, το κέρασμα στη γιορτή
  • experiencing the importance of music and dance in Greek culture, as an expression of identity and emotions (happiness, joy, sadness, national pride)

Years 3 and 4 Achievement Standards

By the end of Year 4, students interact with the teacher and peers to share simple information about aspects of their lives, such as school (for example, Mαθαίνω ελληνικά), home (for example, Το σπίτι μου είναι μεγάλο) and everyday routines (for example, Παίζω μπάλα). They use formulaic expressions when participating in classroom routines, collaborative activities and simple transactional exchanges, such as praising and encouraging others (for example, Μπράβο σου), asking for help, seeking clarification (for example, Συγγνώμη, κυρία), and requesting permission (for example, Μπορώ να πάω έξω;). They use features of Greek pronunciation when asking questions such as, Πού είναι; , and making statements and exclamations (for example, Ελάτε τώρα!), including use of the accent mark. Students locate information from spoken and written texts related to everyday contexts and routines such as, Να το βιβλίο μου, Τη Δευτέρα παίζω τένις, and use simple statements and support materials to present information about themselves (for example, Αγαπώ τη μουσική, Είμαι οχτώ χρονών), others (for example, Πόσων χρονών είσαι;), home (for example, Μένω στο ...) and school (for example, Να η τάξη μου). They respond to imaginative texts by discussing favourite elements, acting out events and making simple statements about characters. They perform and create short imaginative texts, using formulaic expressions and modelled language (for example, Πού είναι ο Φρίξος; Είναι …). Students use vocabulary related to school, home and everyday routines such as, η πόρτα, το σπίτι, το σχολείο, τα χόμπυ μου, η οικογένειά μου, and describe people, objects or events using adjectives and adverbs. They use appropriate word order, gender, and singular and plural forms in simple spοken and written texts (for example, Να η γάτα, Να ο γάτος, Να οι γάτες). They translate and interpret common words and frequently used language relating to familiar environments (for example, Oρίστε Μαρία, Παρακαλώ), and create simple bilingual resources for the classroom. They identify ways that their own language and the Greek language reflect ways of behaving as well as words.

Students write letters of the Greek alphabet, and identify sound–letter relationships, letter clusters, vowel–consonant combinations and the most common digraphs (for example, ου, αι, οι, ει, μπ, ντ). They identify the structure and linguistic features of texts used in familiar contexts, such as stories, songs, recipes and conversations (for example, Τέλος, Καλημέρα, Τι κάνεις;). They give examples of how language use varies according to the context and purpose of the exchange (for example, Γεια σου / σας). They identify ways that languages change over time, and how languages influence each other, providing examples of words in English that are borrowed from Greek and words in Greek that are borrowed from other languages. They compare Greek and English, identifying similarities and differences, particularly in vocabulary, behaviours and expressions related to cultural practices, such as special occasions.


Years 3 and 4 Work Sample Portfolios