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salve Reader! I hope this seething time of year is allowing you some fresh air and mental rest. I am not going to wallow in the drama of the season, but I would like to acknowledge a moment that can be equal parts heartbreaking and uplifting: saying goodbye to a set text. Yes, saying goodbye to a set text can be very hard (and yes, even if it is Cicero!). This week, I am teaching the 2026 Tacitus and Herodotus for the last time, and I am putting away resources in their files, making space for the marking season and preparing new resources for next year. It is hard because every time you read a text, it becomes a bit more fascinating. That is the way with excellent literature! If your student is dreading the 'horror vacui' that follows their very last Latin GCSE, perhaps there is a little classicist lurking in there ready to move on to A-Level. It may seem a terrible time, but the moment you start putting the books away is the moment to ask yourself, Mary Kondo style: does this bring me joy? If it does, why not take Latin forward to truly learn to read the classics and expand your literary and cultural horizon? If you have any questions about moving on to A-Level, you only need to reply to this email. For those (lucky enough to be) already doing Latin A-Level, now is also the time to make sure you develop the language skills you will need to tackle the complex texts that we read in A2. My A-Level Latin Mastery Hub will meet this Sunday for a workshop exploring vocabulary and stories related to the sea. You still have time to sign up, so please book a meeting if you are interested, and I will help you decide if it is the right choice for your student.
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salve Reader! I have recently noticed some people adding spelling mistakes in an attempt to make their AI writing look human. If it is you, I am sorry to say this, but it does stick out like a sore thumb! In the same vein, I have heard from students asking AI to make their AI crafted essays look more natural by imitating what a younger learner might produce. (OK, a confession: I love my dashes and I have dramatically reduced their use to ward off any AI suspicions, so we are all perhaps...
salve Reader! Some people believe that because AI can translate and write texts for us, the future of translation studies is a bit bleak. The opposite is true. Let me show you what I mean with an example: Right now, I am at the airport waiting to take a flight to Spain. I have been invited to the launch of a new publishing house. They specialise in beautiful literary translations from Mandarin to Catalan, in physical format. Now, before you ask what the link is between the launch and...
salve Reader! Who does not love spring? I guess whoever decided it was a good idea to place all final exams at this point in the year. The bees are buzzing, the plants are flowering, but our teenagers are going through knowledge organisers and sitting indoors revising for high-stakes exams. I do not have much time for a newsletter this week, but you can see below what I have been up to this month. However, I thought it would be a good idea to send a little reminder that breaks, walks, treats...