Modern Greek - A Level

Greek is a living and evolving language. During the A Level course you will study a variety of topics through the medium of the language and have the opportunity to gain a greater awareness of the concerns and interests of Greece and its people. You will develop the ability to begin to speak and understand Greek, and will equally have been exposed to a number of aspects of Greece’s historical and contemporary culture that have produced and developed the language.

As a wide variety of social issues are addressed during the study of Greek A Level, you will have the opportunity to learn about and debate current political, demographic and socio-cultural concerns. You will also gain a broad understanding of Greece’s history and conduct in depth analyses of examples of Greek literature and Arts.

What will I study in Modern Greek?

AS Unit 1
Understanding & Written Response in Greek: You will study a variety of topics in the context of the culture and language of Greece. Through beginning to speak and understand spoken and written Greek you will learn about Greek society in terms of issues such as food, diet and health; transport, travel and tourism; education and employment; leisure and youth interests.

A2 Unit 2
Understanding, Written Response & Research in Greek: Building on knowledge of vocabulary and grammar acquired in the AS you will continue your study of historical and modern Greek culture whilst developing your writing, reading, listening and speaking skills. You will further your study of Greek history and culture by learning about customs, traditions, beliefs and religions, and Greek literature and the arts. You will also undertake an extended research project on a topic area, book or film of interest.

How will I be assessed?

The AS course is examined via a 2 hour listening, reading and writing section and an oral exam involving 20 minutes preparation and 15 minutes examination. The A2 course has a 2 hour 30 minute listening, reading and writing exam and the same pattern for the oral as the AS.

Do I need to have studied Greek before?

Ideally, you should have achieved a B or above at GCSE Level. However, it is assumed students will not have had the opportunity to study Greek at GCSE, therefore we would simply require some evidence of previous exceptional success at learning languages.

Who will teach me?

George Chaldezos MA is a native Greek speaker, a qualified secondary teacher, and has been teaching Modern and Classical Greek, Latin, Classical Civilisation and Ancient History for over a decade in Britain and abroad.

Which subjects complement Greek?

Other modern or historical languages, History, Geography, English Literature are well suited to Greek. However, languages generally combine well with all A Levels

Which careers can follow a study of Greek?

All professions like to have recruits with a language. The nature of the modern world makes languages particularly suited to those working in transnational industries and financial institutions. Lawyers, bankers, diplomats, and a variety of business executives value this qualification.