Queens Gazette

Greek as a Heritage Language Teacher Training



A new partnership with The Center for Lifelong Learning at Democritus University of Thrace will help Greek language teachers deliver quality instruction and support for both in class and online learning environments.

 

Dr. Anastasios Koularmanis, Director of Education, Mrs. Athena Kromidas President of the High Council for Greek Education, and Dr. Zoe Gavrilidou Vice Rector of Academic Affairs and Student Welfare of Democritus University of Thrace announced a collaboration to provide training and professional development for teachers in the Archdiocese. With the financial support from the Stavros Niarchos Foundation, the Department of Greek Education and Democritus University of Thrace will provide training to help teachers succeed in delivering online and in class instruction.

 

The Program entitled “Education and certification in the teaching of Greek as a heritage language for educators in the diaspora” was designed for Greek language teachers who wish to enhance their teaching knowledge in the teaching of Greek as a heritage language.

 

The program aims at offering in-depth training to educators who teach Greek as a heritage language in the diaspora. For the first time, educators teaching Greek in the diaspora as well as Greek language teachers in secondary, primary and preschool education will be given the opportunity to participate in a training program aimed at teaching Greek not as a first, second or foreign language but as a heritage language. It will offer the teachers not only a modern, alternative and adequate pedagogical approach

suited to the particular learners’ needs but also teaching methodology specially designed for better learning outcomes.

 

The program consists of six (6) modules:

 

  1. Levels of language analysis: comparative study of Greek and English
  2. Greek language and Greek Civilization
  3. Bilingualism and heritage languages
  4. Planning, methodology and evaluation of teaching Greek as a heritage language
  5. Lesson planning and classroom management
  6. Design and application of a monthly plan (practical training)

 

 

The program is taught by teachers with experience in curriculum design, expert committee members at Greek Ministry of Education and Religious Affairs and Cyprus Ministry of Education and Culture, responsible for the Language syllabi design for primary and secondary education in Greece and Cyprus, internationally acclaimed educators in the field of the classics, linguistics and those experienced in teaching adults. All the instructors have been highly evaluated for their teaching practices by their students.

 

The Office of Education has been excited about this for a while especially since teachers are facing unprecedented challenges but their determination and commitment to their students and their parishes is extraordinary. This program should help equip teachers to provide quality instruction in these difficult times,

 

This program would not have been possible if not for the generosity of the Stavros Niarchos Foundation which has made this program available to the teachers of the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of America. The program began February 1 and will end November 30, 2021. The first incoming COHORT consists of 25 teachers throughout the Archdiocese. The scientific coordinator of the program is Professor Zoe Gavriilidou, Department of Greek Philology, Democritus University of Thrace.

One response to “Greek as a Heritage Language Teacher Training”

  1. Sarah Drakopoulos says:

    How would someone find out about the next Cohort and enroll?

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