Biblical and Classical Greek 1

Greek 1 offers a clear, sophisticated, and imaginative introduction to the Greek language for Upper school students. Students will not only cover the fundamentals of Greek grammar, syntax, and vocabulary, but will study elements of the history and culture of the ancient Greek world. They begin studying and translating simple, fun stories from Greek as well as reading excepts from original Classical and Biblical Greek authors. The aim of Greek 1 is to cultivate delight in the language, which is the key to our literary and philosophical heritage, and enable students to read the authors of the New Testament in the language in which it was first written! The primary text the students use will be the uniquely designed, Athenaze Book 1, the first of two books in the Athenaze series (For a closer look at the text used in this course, please follow this link Athenaze Book1).

Note: Instructors use a Classical pronunciation, but students with Modern, Koine, or Orthodox pronunciations are welcome.

Placement: Please read about our new process above. This course is designed as an introductory Greek course; no prior Greek instruction is required. However, the course is also recommended for students who have completed some introductory Latin or studied Latin and Greek roots. Students should be able to study independently and be ready to memorize grammar and vocabulary (around 10-15 words per week) besides completing homework assignments.

High School Credit: This course is the equivalent of one high school credit in foreign language.

WATCH: Eddie Kotynski introduces the Classical and Biblical Greek program and Scholé Academy

FAQ: What is the difference between Greek at Scholé Academy and the course at St. Raphael’s?

Scholé Academy’s course is a three-year curriculum that teaches both Classical and Koine Greek. It exposes students broadly to the period of Greek literature from Homer (8th century) through “The Golden Age of Athens” (5th century BC) and into the Hellenistic period (3rd century BC to 3rd century AD, also known as Koine) which includes the New Testament and the writings of many early church fathers. Byzantine literature is also accessible, since Koine, though modified, continued to be the formal language of writing. Scholé Academy uses a ‘reconstructed’ pronunciation similar to that which would have been used in 5th century Athens, though students using a modern pronunciation are welcome. Being part of the ‘Great Hall’, Scholé’s Greek program is meant to be accessible to students from all Christian traditions: Catholic, Orthodox, and Protestant.

St. Raphael’s course is also a three-year curriculum that focuses on teaching Koine Greek in the context of the Eastern Church. Students will be reading exerpts from the various services, hymns, prayers, and lives of saints composed in Koine Greek. At Saint Raphael’s School, Koine Greek is taught using the “Modern” or “Received” pronunciation. This pronunciation is identical to that used by speakers of the Modern Greek language today, and it is also the pronunciation currently used for the liturgies and services of the Orthodox Church of Greece, and most of the Orthodox Churches under the jurisdiction of the Ecumenical Patriarch, including The Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of America (GOARCH).

Required Materials:
Books and supplies are not included in the purchase of the course.

Athenaze: Book I (Revised Third Edition; ISBN 978-0-19-060766-1)**
A notebook for taking notes
Physical flashcards are optional, but may be helpful.

The instructors will be adapting and augmenting the curriculum as they see best for the learning objectives of the course.

Eddie Kotynski

[email protected]

Edward Kotynski, Chair of Latin Department, grew up as a missionary kid in Indonesia, where his parents were Bible translators. He attributes his love of languages partly to his parents’ work and his childhood experience. He received his BA in ancient languages from Wheaton College in Illinois in 2004, and his MA in classical languages from Vanderbilt University in Tennessee in 2007. Mr. Kotynski has been teaching Latin and Greek for the last fifteen years, mostly at classical Christian schools. He loves sharing his passion for the ancient languages with his students, weaving in historical context and modern connections. He has edited two volumes of Latin Alive! for Classical Academic Press and has also been working on their Greek for Children series with Erin Valdez. He is very excited to be continuing with Scholé Academy this year. Besides Latin and Greek, Mr. Kotynski drinks coffee, loves reading, helps homeschool his kids, and plays board games. He lives with his wife, six children, and two cats, enjoying the craziness of life together.

Quarter 1

Introduction to the Greek Alphabet
Chapter 1: Verbs, Nouns, the Article, and Accents
Chapter 2: More Verbs, Nouns, Adjectives, Articles, Case Usage, and Accents
Chapter 3: More Verbs, Nouns, Adjectives, and Accents

Quarter 2

Chapter 4: Consolidation
Chapter 5: Contract Verbs, Accents; Agreement, Pronouns, αὐτός
Chapter 6: πλέω, Middle Voice, Deponents; the Dative Case

Quarter 3

Chapter 7: Substantive Adjectives; 3rd Declension Nouns; Reflexive Pronouns
Chapter 8: Present Participles in the Middle Voice; 3rd Declensions; Numbers; Expressions of Time
Chapter 9: Present Participles in the Active Voice; 3rd Declensions; the Genitive Case; the Article

Quarter 4

Chapter 10: Future Tense; Impersonal Verbs
Chapter 11: 2nd Aorist Tense forms; Augments
Chapter 12: 1st Aorist Tense forms

Computer: You will need a stable, reliable computer, running with a processor with a speed of 1 GHz or better on one of the following operating systems: Mac OS X with Mac OS 10.7 or later; Windows 8, 7, Vista (with SP1 or later), or XP (with SP3 or later). We do not recommend using an iPad or other tablet for joining classes. An inexpensive laptop or netbook would be much better solutions, as they enable you to plug an Ethernet cable directly into your computer. Please note that Chromebooks are allowed but not preferred, as they do not support certain features of the Zoom video conference software such as breakout sessions and annotation, which may be used by our teachers for class activities.

High-Speed Internet Connection: You will also need access to high-speed Internet, preferably accessible via Ethernet cable right into your computer. Using Wi-Fi may work, but will not guarantee you the optimal use of your bandwidth. The faster your Internet, the better. We recommend using a connection with a download/upload speed of 5/1 Mbps or better. You can test your Internet connection here.

Webcam: You may use an external webcam or one that is built in to the computer. Webcam Recommendations: Good (PC only) | Best (Mac and PC)

Headset: We recommend using a headset rather than a built-in microphone and speakers. Using a headset reduces the level of background noise heard by the entire class. Headset Recommendations: USB | 3.5mm

Zoom: We use a web conferencing software called Zoom for our classes, which enables students and teachers to gather from around the globe face to face in real time. Zoom is free to download and easy to use. To download Zoom:

Visit zoom.us/download.
Click to download the first option listed, Zoom Client for Meetings.
Open and run the installer on your computer.
In August, students will be provided with instructions and a link for joining their particular class.

Scanner: In this class, students frequently submit homework assignments by scanning pages from their workbooks. Students and/or their parents should have easy access to a scanner and the ability to use it.

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First, read the available course descriptions, noting prerequisites, target grades, and course objectives. If you think your student is prepared for the course, go ahead and register. After registration, a placement assessment may be provided to students, depending on the course and the student’s previous enrollment with Scholé Academy. Registration is finalized when the student’s placement assessment has been returned by the course instructor with placement confirmation.

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This registration will be finalized when the student's placement assessment has been returned by the course instructor with placement confirmation.