What course should I enroll in?

What course you decide to enroll in should depend on how much Greek you know or have studied before. So, please, choose carefully. You may wish to try out the Test Your Greek link in this website which should give you some idea of what your level is. Alternatively, contact us to arrange for a personal appointment and one of our friendly instructors will advise you on the basis of a brief interview. Before registering, take some time to read through the Course Descriptions and check the dates in the Timetable carefully. Detailed course descriptions and textbook information are available only through the mail upon request. Address details

GENERAL COURSE DESCRIPTIONS

Beginners Greek 'A' (10 wks - 60 hours of instruction)
The Course is aimed at those with no previous knowledge of Modern Greek. It is an introduction to the sounds of Modern Greek and their representation in writing, to basic rules of syntax, gender, and to basic language functions (e.g. asking about and giving personal information, ordering drinks, stating basic needs, talking about others, etc.). The course lays a solid foundation in Greek placing emphasis on fluency, and prepares students for understanding authentic Greek speech and conveying basic information effectively.

Beginners Greek 'B' (10 wks - 60 hours of instruction)
The course is a continuation of Beginners' Greek 'A' and aims to develop language skills already acquired. It is also aimed at the student with some background in Modern Greek. The course develops basic communication techniques to the point of handling common interpersonal transactions confidently and of producing simple descriptions, narrations, and expressions of attitudes and opinion. The past tense of basic verbs and the nominal system of endings are introduced at this level. At the end of the course, students may begin to read short Greek readers appropriate to their level.

Intermediate Greek 'A' (10 wks - 60 hours of instruction)

Intermediate Greek 'B' (10 wks - 60 hours of instruction)

Intermediate Greek 'C' (10 wks - 50 hours of instruction)
This cluster of courses expands and develops the foundations laid by the 'Beginners' stream. It is also aimed at the student who has a good working knowledge of basic Modern Greek in both its written and spoken forms. Classes are conducted in Greek. Phonology, morphology and syntax are covered in some detail. On completion of the course, students should be able to talk and write about a wide range of topics relevant to Modern Greek culture and society in an informed and coherent manner. The past and future tenses are covered quite thoroughly at these levels and the perfect tenses are introduced. The nominal system of endings and syntactical agreement are covered in some detail. In the second and last levels of the Intermediate stream, students can begin to read select passages of Greek songs, literature and small items from the daily press. The courses of this cluster can be taken independently depending on each student's level of competence.

Advanced Greek 'A' (10 wks - 50 hours of instruction)

Advanced Greek 'B' (10 wks - 50 hours of instruction)
These courses involve the detailed study of Modern Greek Oral and Written texts of some complexity, including literary texts. On completion of the course, students should be reasonably fluent in Modern Greek, be able to discuss social issues, be familiar with major patterns in vocabulary, and with current usage in select linguistic domains. The Imperfect and the Conditional are covered in detail. Classes are conducted entirely in Greek.

Literature and Newspaper Reading (10 wks - 50 hours of instruction)
This course is for advanced learners of Greek who wish to refine their knowledge and understanding of the language. The program focuses on the more formal uses of Greek in contexts such as the daily press, television, politics and scientific discourse. Classes also involve the study of literary texts (19th and 20th century Greek poetry and prose), and the advanced discussion of local and global issues through the reading of relevant texts. The course provides the opportunity for revision of advanced Grammar and Syntax and a detailed examination of linguistic phenomena in both Standard Modern Greek and Katharevousa (='Puristic Greek').

Literacy in Greek (10 wks - 60 hours of instruction)
This course is designed for people who are competent speakers of Greek, but who need to develop their reading and writing skills as well as correct their oral skills for better accuracy in communication. Classes are held entirely in Greek and focus on phonology, morphology, spelling and syntax. Students are required to speak on a variety of issues to expand their vocabulary, read short authentic excerpts or texts devised by the school, complete grammatical exercises and write short profiles, narrations, letters and descriptions.

NB Please note that boundaries between levels are not strictly rigid.
Evening courses offer 40 hours of instruction per level.

Certificate of Attainment in Modern Greek

The language qualification for Modern Greek officially recognized by the Hellenic Ministry of Education and the Centre for the Greek Language can be acquired by sitting for an examination that is held annually throughout Europe. If you wish to sit for this test, at any of its four levels of proficiency, please, let the school administrators know at the beginning of January so that we may begin the process of your registration and inform you of the relevant dates and venues of the examination.