Help! What text to use following Elementary Greek? (cross-posted)

[Susan in SoCal]

My son is nearly finished with Elementary Greek 3. What text should I move him into? I have on hand Mounce's Biblical Greek (and there are so many readily available helps to accompany this text). My son is not thrilled with Mounce, but we could use it. I've debated Machen's New Testament Greek for Beginners (since that is the text EG is based upon), but older editions are hard to find, the current text is costly ($70ish) and additionally I would need to buy an answer key (perhaps David Thompson's Study Guide, another $30ish).

 

Any words of wisdom? experience to share? been there done that? Please guide me. I'm just now pulling my head out of the sand. I've been pretending all summer that school is NOT happening again in September...

 

Thank you :-)

[Kareni]

No firsthand experience (my teen is slated to begin Ancient Greek in an out of the home class this fall), however, here are some other threads that address similar concerns:

 

Can we talk Greek?

 

GBA is offering an online Attic Greek program

 

Online Greek classes

 

Attic Greek Texts?

 

Good luck!

Regards,

Kareni

[Beth in Central TX]

Hi Susan, I just wanted to let you know that I answered your question on the other board.

[Susan in SoCal]

Thanks Beth & Kareni!

 

Based on information you both provided, I decided to go ahead a get a Machen text. I found a book/answer key combo for $20 (woohoo!). I hadn't considered that Mounce didn't have much in the way of English to Greek translation - something I consider important.

 

I do have a question regarding David Thompson's Study Guide. Is this strictly an answer key with a few teaching tips, or does it also have additional exercises to accompany Machen's text? If you have it, do you consider it to be a valuable addition to your study, or do you simply use it for the answers?

[Beth in Central TX]

The boys work through the study guide along with the Machen text. I'll take this description from the Preface:

 

"The Study Guide contains 4 major divisions in every lesson:

1. Notes on Greek vocabulary, grammar and syntax to supplement NT Greek for Beginners, keyed to Machen's paragraph numbers.

2. Aids to the exercises with questions, diagrams, and constant reference to NT Greek for Beginners, to lead the student in more efficient analysis of the exercise sentences.

3. NT Greek readings to introduce immediately actual examples of what the student is learning in the grammar and to increase motivation for study.

4. Translations of all exercise sentences in Machen, gathered in the Appendix to the Study Guide."

 

My DH purchased one copy in May (on Karen's recommendation) to determine if it would be a good fit for our Greek studies. He really liked the workbook and how it complemented Machen's text. This summer I purchased a workbook for each boy, and we are now ready for Greek for the next 3 years.

 

ETA: I wanted to clarify that I'm referring to Karenciavo for the Study Guide recommendation based on a Greek discussion we had earlier this year.

[Susan in SoCal]

Thanks, Beth, for the additional description. It's quite helpful :-)

[Kareni]

Just wanted to add that the text my daughter's instructor will be using is Thrasymachus: Greek Through Reading by C. Peckett.

 

Regards,

Kareni

[Susan in SoCal]

Thanks, Kareni -

That sounds like a gem of a text (albeit one that might be a bit difficult without guidance). I've thrown it onto my "wishlist". :-)

[Shukhov]

It may be above his level but I recommend the Clyde Pharr text. It teaches Homeric Greek and does it in a way that, for me, was very compelling. It taught grammar by working through the text of Homer itself. Now I know that you've been teaching Biblical Greek to your youngster and I know that the Pharr text would be a move away from that in a way. But, if for nothing else, you may find Clyde Pharr's (a early 20th century Greek prof) lengthy preface to the grammar interesting. He makes a case for why it is better to learn Homeric Greek and then learn some other dialect, like Koine.

 

Just a thought and it may be way out of bounds for your use. Cheers.