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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Foundation to Year 2

Foundation to Year 2 Band Description

The nature of the learners

Children enter the early years of schooling with established communication skills in one or more languages and varying degrees of early literacy capability. For young students, learning typically focuses on their immediate world of family, home, school, friends and neighbourhood. They are learning how to socialise with new people, share with others, and participate in structured routines and activities at school. Typically, they have little to no experience of Modern Greek language and culture.

Modern Greek language learning and use

Modern Greek is learnt in parallel with English language and literacy. While the learning of Modern Greek differs from the learning of English, each supports and enriches the other. Modern Greek is used in classroom interactions, routines and activities, supported by the use of materials and resources, gestures and body language. At this stage, there is a focus on play, imaginative activities, games, music, dance and familiar routines, which provide scaffolding for language development. Learners listen to the sounds and patterns specific to the Modern Greek language and try to reproduce them through activities such as rhymes, songs, clapping and action games. Repetition and consolidation help learners to identify high-frequency words and simple phrases, and to recognise the purpose of simple texts. Learners identify and use Modern Greek non-verbal communication strategies, including gestures, and experiment with one- or two-word responses and simple expressions when prompted. They progress to using Modern Greek for functions such as greeting, asking and answering questions (Πώς σε λένε; Τι κάνεις; Τι κάνετε;), responding to directions (έλα, έλατε, κάθισε, καθίστε, σήκω, σηκωθείτε), singing songs, and taking turns in games and simple shared tasks. There is a natural transition from spoken to written language. Learners use a variety of cues, including images, context and frequently used word patterns, to comprehend texts and communicate.

Contexts of interaction

Learners interact with each other and the teacher within the learning environment. The use of information and communication technologies (ICT) enriches the experience of Modern Greek language and culture by providing alternative modes of learning, numerous resources and opportunities to access authentic language in different contexts.

Texts and resources

Learners engage with a variety of spoken, written and visual texts such as traditional children’s songs and nursery rhymes, stories from big books, plays and interactive resources. Writing skills progress from alphabet recognition to tracing, labelling and copying letters, then to constructing simple, short texts using familiar vocabulary.

Features of Modern Greek language use

Learners become familiar with the sound system of the Modern Greek language, such as syllables using consonants and vowels, and new sounds, such as the guttural γ, ρ and γκ and ξ and ψ in words. They learn to identify and write letters, words and simple sentences using the Greek alphabet, making comparisons with the English alphabet. They begin to notice that Modern Greek speakers may communicate in ways which are different to their own, and that language can be used in a variety of ways.

Level of support

Rich language input characterises the first stages of learning. Learning experiences are supported by the teacher through scaffolding, modelling, cueing, monitoring, feedback and encouragement. Multiple and varied sources of input and stimulus are used, including visual cues and resources such as pictures, realia, objects, maps and charts.

The role of English

Modern Greek is used whenever possible as the medium for class interaction. English is used for discussion and explanation. This allows learners to share ideas about differences and similarities between Modern Greek and other languages and cultures, and how language and culture are interconnected, giving them opportunities to consider perspectives other than their own and to reflect on their learning.


Foundation to Year 2 Content Descriptions

Socialising

Interact with peers and teacher using simple language and gestures for exchanges such as greetings and farewells, thanks, introductions and sharing information about self and family

[Key concepts: self, relationship, social exchange, naming; Key processes: greeting, interacting, introducing] (ACLMGC103 - Scootle )

  • Literacy
  • Critical and Creative Thinking
  • Personal and Social Capability
  • Intercultural Understanding
  • using greetings relevant to the time of day, καλημέρα, χαίρετε, καλησπέρα, καληνύχτα, celebration or event, χρόνια πολλά, and relationship to the other person, for example, γεια σου, γεια σας
  • introducing self and others, for example, Με λένε ... Εσένα;/Εσάς; Εσένα πώς σε λένε; Να η μαμά μου
  • sharing information about and describing self and others, for example, Είμαι έξι χρονών, Εσύ; Είμαι αγόρι, Είμαι κορίτσι
  • using formulaic expressions in everyday situations, for example, παρακαλώ, ευχαριστώ, imitating Greek speech, and incorporating appropriate gestures and body language
Participate in guided activities and simple exchanges, such as songs, rhymes, and games, using simple repetitive language

[Key concepts: play, performance, action learning, exchange; Key processes: participating, performing, taking turns] (ACLMGC104 - Scootle )

  • Literacy
  • Numeracy
  • Critical and Creative Thinking
  • Personal and Social Capability
  • Intercultural Understanding
  • singing and adapting rhymes, action songs, rap, lullabies and counting songs such as Γύρω, γύρω, γύρω, μέσα, μέσα, μέσα ... έξω, έξω, έξω, Κεφάλι, χέρια, πόδια, Ένα, δύο, τρία κουνελάκια, Πάνω τα χεράκια, Το δαχτυλίδι
  • performing actions when singing songs and chants
  • making simple transactions using modelled language such as Μια μπανάνα παρακαλώ, ορίστε, ευχαριστώ, παρακαλώ, for example, in role-playing
  • playing games such as matching pairs, memory games and bingo to reinforce vocabulary
Participate with teacher and peers in class routines and activities, such as following instructions and taking turns

[Key concepts: routine, sharing; Key processes: shared reading, following instructions] (ACLMGC105 - Scootle )

  • Literacy
  • Critical and Creative Thinking
  • Personal and Social Capability
  • Intercultural Understanding
  • following classroom instructions, for example, σήκω, σηκωθείτε, έλα, ελάτε, ελάτε μέσα, καθίστε, Έλα εδώ, Πήγαινε έξω, Κλείσε την πόρτα, Σβήσε το φως
  • participating in routine exchanges, such as opening and closing lessons, Καλημέρα παιδιά, Χαίρετε κυρία, naming the day of the week, Σήμερα είναι Δευτέρα, responding to the class roll, εδώ, λείπει, παρών, παρούσα and moving between activities, for example, Ελάτε, Καθίστε στη μοκέτα/στο χαλί
  • taking turns in games and action songs using repetitive language Σειρά σου, Έλα Άννα and songs such as ‘Περνά περνά η μέλισσα, Η μικρή Ελένη, Γύρω γύρω όλοι’, ‘Beat the champ’, ‘Buzz’

Informing

Identify key words and information with guidance, in simple written, spoken, digital and visual texts

[Key concepts: language, texts; Key processes: listening, gathering, naming, grouping] (ACLMGC106 - Scootle )

  • Literacy
  • Information and Communication Technology (ICT) Capability
  • Critical and Creative Thinking
  • Personal and Social Capability
  • Intercultural Understanding
  • listening for key words in stories, rhymes or songs, using intonation and visual cues such as gestures (hot and cold, the owl song)
  • identifying key words from different written and spoken texts by labelling, matching, selecting, miming and using actions, for example, on an interactive whiteboard
  • obtaining information from multimodal texts to identify, describe, draw and name a variety of people and objects
  • sorting and categorising information, using graphic representations such as tables, for example, to record likes and dislikes; masculine, feminine and neuter words
Share and present information about self, family, friends and possessions, using gestures, labels, pictures and modelled language

[Key concepts: self, family, friends; Key processes: naming, labelling, showing, describing] (ACLMGC107 - Scootle )

  • Literacy
  • Information and Communication Technology (ICT) Capability
  • Critical and Creative Thinking
  • Personal and Social Capability
  • Intercultural Understanding
  • using familiar vocabulary and simple sentences to create texts about self, family, friends and possessions, such as a family album, a class picture dictionary or a family tree
  • contributing to classroom resources that involve naming, labelling and illustrating, using digital technologies, for example, a favourite photos wall, a word wall
  • giving information about self, family, friends, and possessions by writing captions or attaching word bubbles to drawings or photos, using digital technologies
  • using simple sentences and supporting gestures to communicate informally about self, friends and favourite possessions, for example, Παίζεις νέτμπολ; lifting head/eyebrows to answer ‘no’, hand action to show Έτσι κι έτσι, lifting head and shoulders to convey not knowing something

Creating

Participate in shared imaginative activities and respond in a variety of ways such as through predicting, singing, chanting, play-acting and movement

[Key concepts: character, story; Key processes: action learning, participating in shared reading] (ACLMGC108 - Scootle )

  • Literacy
  • Information and Communication Technology (ICT) Capability
  • Critical and Creative Thinking
  • Personal and Social Capability
  • Intercultural Understanding
  • reading shared imaginative digital and online texts, repeating words and rehearsed language patterns, and making predictions about the storyline and characters, using cues from the heading, symbols, pictures and words in the text
  • performing songs, chants and rhymes in response to an imaginative digital or online text, for example, Η πολύ πεινασμένη κάμπια, experimenting with different expressive effects, such as using simple gestures or different voices
  • interacting with a character or puppet in an imaginary situation or setting, for example, ‘Spot the dog’, Πού είναι ο Σπότ; Τί κάνει ο Σποτ;
  • acting out their favourite character or event from a shared story and making simple statements, for example, Είμαι η Μορμώ.
Create and participate in shared performances and imaginative activities using familiar words, phrases, captions and language patterns

[Key concepts: imagination, expression; Key processes: performing, captioning] (ACLMGC109 - Scootle )

  • Literacy
  • Information and Communication Technology (ICT) Capability
  • Critical and Creative Thinking
  • Personal and Social Capability
  • Intercultural Understanding
  • creating and presenting Big Books, storyboards or digital texts based on imaginary scenarios in familiar contexts, using images and captions, for example, Ο Σποτ ...
  • creating a puppet play or dramatic performance based on an experience or aspect of a story, song, poem or cartoon, for example, Μορμώ
  • creating rhymes, nonsense phrases and songs using rehearsed language, adding Greek dancing, clapping and gestures, for example, Όπα, Ποπό!
  • performing chants, rap, rhymes and songs, and using music and actions to support meaning, for example, Περνά περνά η μέλισσα, Μια ωραία πεταλούδα, Αχ Κουνελάκι, Φεγγαράκι μου λαμπρό, Να το, να το το αστράκι

Translating

Translate familiar words or phrases using visual cues or word lists, explaining the meaning of particular words, gestures or expressions

[Key concepts: language, vocabulary, meaning; Key processes: demonstrating, explaining, comparing] (ACLMGC110 - Scootle )

  • Literacy
  • Critical and Creative Thinking
  • Personal and Social Capability
  • Intercultural Understanding
  • comparing words and phrases in Greek and in other known languages, observing similarities or differences in terms, for example, the word for ‘mum’ is similar in many languages (mum – η μαμά,) and the word for pineapple is ‘ananas’ in more than 25 languages
  • making comparisons between Greek and English words, noticing similarities, for example, το αλφάβητο, το βάζο, ο Σεπτέμβριος, η σαλάτα, το λεμόνι, η μπανάνα
  • demonstrating to others the ways in which Greek people greet each other non-verbally and how body language is used to communicate `yes` or `no`, `not bad`, ‘What’s the problem?’, Why? and ‘Wow!’ Πoπό!
Create simple print or digital texts in Greek and English, such as captions and labels, for the immediate learning environment

[Key concepts: meaning, equivalence; Key processes: labelling, displaying] (ACLMGC111 - Scootle )

  • Literacy
  • Information and Communication Technology (ICT) Capability
  • Critical and Creative Thinking
  • Intercultural Understanding
  • making and displaying labels in Greek for common objects in the classroom, for example, Η πόρτα, το τραπέζι, τα μολύβια
  • compiling and displaying illustrated Greek–English and English–Greek picture or digital dictionaries
  • matching Greek and English words, for example, name tags, through playing games such as memory or snap

Reflecting

Reflect on what sounds, looks or appears similar or different to own language and culture when interacting in Greek

[Key concepts: communication, difference, respect; Key processes: noticing, comparing, reflecting] (ACLMGC112 - Scootle )

  • Literacy
  • Critical and Creative Thinking
  • Personal and Social Capability
  • Intercultural Understanding
  • using some Greek expressions and spontaneous exclamations when interacting with peers, for example, ποπό, έλα, άντε, γρήγορα, σταμάτα, μη μιλάς, μη μιλάτε, όπα!, μπράβο! and noticing differences in the use of language, voice or body language
  • reflecting on differences in ways of communicating with each other in English and Greek, such as greeting (kissing on both cheeks) and how body language is used to express `yes` or `no` or `not bad`, recognising that these gestures are not used in formal situations
  • describing the experience of using Greek, for example, when singing a song or hearing Greek spoken by others
  • comparing aspects of own and Greek children’s lifestyles, such as interacting with family members, for example, daily greetings in the family, main meal of the day
Describe aspects of self, such as family, school/class and language/s, recognising how these are part of one’s identity

[Key concept: self; Key processes: describing, noticing] (ACLMGC113 - Scootle )

  • Literacy
  • Critical and Creative Thinking
  • Personal and Social Capability
  • Intercultural Understanding
  • identifying self as belonging to family, class or peer groups and representing these relationships through drawing pictures or adding captions to photos, for example, Εγώ, Είμαι έξι, Να η οικογένειά μου, Να η φίλη μου, Να ο σκύλος μου, Τον λένε Φρίξο
  • identifying languages they speak or are learning or with which they are familiar and stating with whom they speak these languages
  • recognising own use of words, expressions or behaviours that make them who they are, such as words from different languages, ways of celebrating or communicating that may not be familiar to other people
  • identifying how cultural symbols reflect identity, such as flags, national costumes, the owl as a symbol of education, famous buildings and treasures, national emblems, sporting emblems/jerseys, and reflecting on own identity

Systems of language

Recognise and reproduce the sounds and letters of the Greek alphabet, identifying how they are represented in words, and read vowel–consonant combinations, including the most common digraphs/diphthongs such as oυ and μπ

[Key concepts: stress, intonation, letters, pronunciation; Key processes: listening, reading, recognising] (ACLMGU114 - Scootle )

  • Literacy
  • Critical and Creative Thinking
  • building phonic awareness by pronouncing and writing alphabet letters with familiar sounds, for example, Οο, Ιι, Εε, Αα, Κκ, Ττ, Λλ, Ππ, Σσς, Μμ, Νν, Ηη, Υυ, Ωω, Ββ, Ζζ, Φφ, and building to more unfamiliar sounds, for example Γγ, Ρρ, Δδ, Θθ, Ξξ, Ψψ, Χχ
  • experimenting with sounds, rhythms, intonation and stress
  • noticing that there are 24 letters in the Greek alphabet with individual names and that there are upper case and lower case letters, seven vowels and 17 consonants, and that ‘ς’ (τελικό σίγμα) only appears on the ends of words
  • locating and highlighting specific alphabet letters and accent marks in names, and categorising names according to their first consonant
  • developing pronunciation and intonation skills by singing, reciting and repeating alphabet names in context, for example, songs
  • focusing on those letters that are different and initially difficult and correctly pronouncing words starting with the sounds Ψψ and Ξξ (ψάρι, ξύλο), recognising that these two sounds only appear in the middle or at the end of words in English
  • recognising and making simple syllables from vowel–consonant combinations, for example, μα, με, μη, μι, μο, μυ, μω and understanding that syllables can be joined together to make words such as α-λά-τι and μά-τι
  • recognising the most common digraphs, including ου as in μου and μπ as in μπαμπάς
Understand elements of grammar such as word order, verb forms and personal pronouns related to questions, commands and short sentences, and develop vocabulary to describe self, friends and family

[Key concepts: grammar, sentence, word order; Key processes: naming, noticing patterns] (ACLMGU115 - Scootle )

  • Literacy
  • Critical and Creative Thinking
  • recognising the order of words in phrases and sentences, for example, η μαμά μου, Δεν κάνει κρύο, Nα η θεία μου
  • observing that the accent mark indicates emphasis, for example, το βιβλίο, η γάτα, ο σκύλος
  • recognising that all nouns, in particular names in Greek, have an article and gender, for example, η Άννα, το σκυλί, ο μπαμπάς
  • understanding that adjectives have gender, for example, κόκκινος, κόκκινη, κόκκινο, μεγάλος, μεγάλη, μεγάλο, καλός, καλή, καλό
  • using adverbs to show where, for example, έξω, μέσα, εδώ, εκεί, πάνω, κάτω, γύρω
  • using simple adjectives and adverbs to enhance sentences, for example, Κάνει λίγο κρύο, Σ’ αγαπώ πολύ μαμά! Το σπίτι είναι πολύ μεγάλο
  • using verbs in the first person to describe aspects of self, for example, Είμαι αγόρι, είμαι έξι, έχω γάτα
  • recognising terms for common everyday nouns, for example, η πόρτα, η καρέκλα, το σπίτι, ο μπαμπάς
  • responding to and issuing commands, for example, έλα εδώ, κάτσε κάτω
  • responding to questions which include verbs in the second person, singular or plural, such as Πόσω(ν) χρονών είσαι; Τι κάνετε;
  • developing number knowledge for numbers up to 29 and using them in sentences such as Είμαι έξι
  • beginning to use conjunctions such as και
Recognise features of familiar spoken, written and visual texts, such as songs, labels and captions

[Key concept: text; Key processes: recognising, identifying] (ACLMGU116 - Scootle )

  • Literacy
  • Information and Communication Technology (ICT) Capability
  • Critical and Creative Thinking
  • listening to, reading and viewing different simple texts in Greek, understanding that texts can be short or long; and spoken, written, digital, visual or multimodal; for example, songs, chants, labels, captions, stories and dialogues
  • identifying Greek from a selection of spoken or written texts from other languages represented in the classroom or in the school
  • comparing similar texts in Greek and English and noticing how they are the same or different, for example, a counting song, street signs or labels at a market

Language variation and change

Recognise that in Greek, greetings and forms of address vary according to such things as the time of day, age, gender and relationship of participants

[Key concepts: register, relationships; Key processes: selecting, noticing] (ACLMGU117 - Scootle )

  • Literacy
  • Critical and Creative Thinking
  • Personal and Social Capability
  • Intercultural Understanding
  • using appropriate form of address or greeting depending on gender, age and social status of participants, and time of day, for example, using Γεια σου or Τι κάνεις; with peers and Γεια σας or Τι κάνετε; when speaking to adults, using Καλημέρα, Γεια σας, Χαίρετε, Καλησπέρα or Καληνύχτα depending on the time of day, using first names when greeting friends but adding a salutation when addressing teachers/adults: Γεια σας κυρία Αγγελική
  • recognising that there can be different forms of address for the same person, for example, μαμά, μητέρα
Recognise that Australia has speakers of many different languages, including Greek, and that languages borrow words from each other and sometimes use the same alphabet symbols and vocabulary

[Key concepts: language, change, word borrowing; Key processes: noticing, comparing] (ACLMGU118 - Scootle )

  • Literacy
  • Critical and Creative Thinking
  • Intercultural Understanding
  • understanding that the 26 English alphabet letters (Latin/Roman alphabet), have their roots in the Ancient Greek alphabet, recognising the similar order of letters and comparing lower and upper case Greek and English alphabet letters
  • understanding that there are many everyday words and names in English that have Greek origins, for example, alphabet, Chloe, disco, echidna, eucalyptus, hippopotamus, mathematics, school, story, telephone, Timothy, Zoe
  • understanding that there are many technical/scientific words in English that have Greek origins, for example, astronaut, chemist, dentist, disc, physiotherapist, telescope, thermometer

Role of language and culture

Recognise that the languages people use reflect their culture, such as who they are, where and how they live, and find examples of similarities and differences between Greek and their own ways of communicating

[Key concepts: norm, culture; Key processes: making connections] (ACLMGU119 - Scootle )

  • Literacy
  • Critical and Creative Thinking
  • Personal and Social Capability
  • Intercultural Understanding
  • Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Histories and Cultures
  • Sustainability
  • exploring the meaning of ‘culture’, considering different lifestyles and symbols such as flags, including the Aboriginal flag and the Torres Strait Islander flag
    • Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Histories and Cultures
  • understanding that traditional cultures reflect conditions and resources in particular environments and contribute to the sustainability of communities
    • Sustainability
  • exploring the significance of different cultural practices, activities and games, for example, using a κομπολόι, making wreaths for 1 May, making masks or kites for Απόκριες
  • recognising words that reflect aspects of culture, for example, γλέντι, κέφι, χρόνια πολλά, όπα!
  • understanding that particular Australian English terms and expressions have no equivalent in Greek, for example, ‘billabong’, ‘corroboree’, ‘the bush’
    • Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Histories and Cultures
  • recognising features of Greek language interactions which may be similar to own ways of communicating, such as politely speaking to an adult, or different from own ways of communicating, for example, physical contact when farewelling someone

Foundation to Year 2 Achievement Standards

By the end of Year 2, students interact with teachers and peers through action-related talk and play. They introduce themselves, (for example, Καλημέρα, Mε λένε Γιώργο) and their family and exchange greetings, farewells, (for example, Γεια σου, Kαληνύχτα) and express thanks such as Eυχαριστώ πολύ. They use simple, repetitive language when participating in shared activities and simple exchanges, respond to simple instructions such as, Έλα εδώ, and imitate frequently used classroom language, for example, Όλοι μαζί, Mπράβο, Kλείσε την πόρτα. When speaking, they reproduce distinctive sounds and letters of the Greek language such as, γ-γάτα, ρ-νερό, μπ-μπαμπάς, ξ-ξέρω, ψ-ψάρι, ου-μου. Students identify specific words, such as names of people (for example, Ο Γιάννης), places (for example, το σχολείο) or objects (for example, η γόμα), in simple spoken and written texts and respond to imaginative experiences through singing and performing. They present information about themselves (for example, Το σκυλάκι μου), their family (for example, Να η γιαγιά μου), friends (for example, οι φίλοι μου) and possessions such as, το βιβλίο μου, using gestures and modelled language. They create simple texts, such as captions to images, using familiar words, phrases and sentence patterns (for example, Σ’ αγαπώ μαμά). They use vocabulary related to their classroom and family (for example, Η οικογένειά μου, Η τάξη μου). They recognise questions such as, Τι κάνετε; and commands such as, Καθίστε κάτω, and use short sentences with appropriate word order, verb forms and personal pronouns to communicate about themselves, their family and classroom (for example, Είμαι έξι, Να η μαμά μου, Να το σχολείο μου). They translate frequently used words and simple phrases relating to their immediate environment, using visual cues and identifying similarities and differences. They give examples of ways the Greek language sounds and looks different from other languages that they bring to the classroom.

Students identify how letters of the Greek alphabet are represented in words and read vowel–consonant combinations (for example, τα, τε, τη, τι, το, τυ, τω). They identify features of familiar texts such as songs, labels and captions. They provide examples of the different titles and greetings that are used to address people in different situations (for example, κύριε, κυρία). They list different languages that are spoken in Australia and identify words in English that have been borrowed from Greek and vice versa. They identify similarities and differences between Greek and their own language and culture.


Foundation to Year 2 Work Sample Portfolios