This section contains the professional learning materials and supporting resources used during Professional Learning Events for Senior Cycle Classical Studies 2023/2024 and 2024/2025
The materials and resources will further support individual and school-led professional development in the subject.
2024/2025 – Overview of PLE: An exploration of daily life in ancient Greek and Roman societies: Fostering critical thinking and learner agency through enquiry.
The focus of this PLE is to explore the daily lives of people from ancient Greek and Roman societies while fostering critical thinking and learner agency through enquiry based learning and effective research. Session 1 considers how to enhance learner agency in the Classics classroom, Session 2 further expands on developing learner agency through a series of enquiry based learning activities of ancient source materials from Pompeii, analysing evidence and building narratives through effective questioning. Session 3 emphasises the importance and role of exploring the role of formative feedback in developing learner agency.
An exploration of daily life in ancient Greek and Roman societies: Fostering critical thinking and learner agency through enquiry.
Links to all relevant documents/material are available below. You can either access the material online, or download PDF versions of the documents.
2023/2024 – Overview of PLE: Exploring Approaches to Research, Developing Research Capacity and Reflecting on the Research Study
The focus of this PLE is to explore approaches to research, developing research capacity and reflecting on the Research Study. The role of the Research Study within the Classical Studies Specification is outlined in session 1 while examining the connections between the Research Study and the specification. Session 2 explores how to evaluate sources as part of the research process and identifying strategies how to conduct effective research is considered. Session 3 analyses the role of the extended essay component of the Research Study through the lens of student work while considering the role of findings and conclusions within the research process.
The role of the Research Study within the Classical Studies Specification
Links to all relevant documents/material are available below. You can either access the material online, or download PDF versions of the documents.
Evaluating sources, conducting research and finding a narrow focus for the Research Study Report
Links to all relevant documents/material are available below. You can either access the material online, or download PDF versions of the documents.
A critical eye on extended writing, the importance of findings, conclusions and next steps.
Links to all relevant documents/material are available below. You can either access the material online, or download PDF versions of the documents.
Senior Cycle Classical Studies Collaboratives:
The following presentations were part of a two part series of collaborative events centred on philosophy in senior cycle Classical Studies. Part 1 focused on exploring the life and poetic works of Horace (Quintus Horatius Flaccus), part 2 focused on exploring the thoughts and ideas of Socrates as depicted in Plato’s Crito. Links to all relevant documents/material are available below. You can either access the material online, or download PDF versions of the documents.
This collaborative aims to support teachers of Junior Cycle Classics and Senior Cycle Classical Studies on the topic of Roman spectacle and ancient Roman architecture. The collaborative material focuses on exploring the Colosseum’s architecture, the political purpose behind its construction, and the social significance of the building on ancient Roman society. Links to all relevant documents/material are available below. You can either access the material online, or download PDF versions of the documents.