How to Express Yourself Well
Why do so many students struggle to put their thoughts into words? A reflection on reading from an early age, the Aristotelian mean between books and screens, and the case for teaching Ancient Greek sooner.
The Reef of Expression
Have we ever wondered why students really do not express themselves well, or rather why they cannot express themselves at all? They use words that lack coherence or are not suited to the communication they are aiming for and the result they want. Before we rush to answer, it would be fruitful to consider how they respond to the stimuli of their environment, their contact with books, and their current level in reading and writing.
How, in truth, can a child master language at all of its levels?
Books from an Early Age
The question calls for thought and care, especially on its practical side. Fundamentally, we do not demonize technology nor cast it out. The Aristotelian mean once again seems to hold the reins: the mean, that which neither exceeds nor falls short. It would be untimely and misguided to pull children’s eyes away from the achievements of technology, but it would be equally dangerous to draw them away from books.
Contact with books needs to begin early, so that children acquire this habit with its many benefits for critical thinking, knowledge, imagination, dialogue, and a broader attitude to life. Their vocabulary grows and is enriched with new words: unusual, never before heard, compound, and derived. When children are small, the reading of books by parents and teachers broadens their horizons and leads them to learn early the meaning and content of words and terms. Illustration is another means of drawing in information, as the child creates images and processes in various ways the messages they receive. All of the child’s senses are activated, so that the capacity for readiness and complex productive thought develops. The bond between parent and child is fostered, and at the same time the child’s love for books and learning is strengthened. From early on.
Why Ancient Greek Belongs in the Classroom
A few days ago I was inspired by a student of mine in lyceum who, although preparing for the national exams in the Science track, said something that caught my attention and interest: “Ancient Greek should be taught from early on, even from primary school, so that children learn and come to know our language in depth and breadth.” For a moment I was taken aback, but a feeling of pride washed over me. Yes! I am proud. In an age with so much adversity, violence, criminality, and indifference to our fellow human beings, there is light.
Ancient Greek is not another language apart from the spoken Greek; it is our very own language in its primordial form. The etymology of words, the synonyms and antonyms, why are they not encountered in tests and exams at every level? The root of words and their origin is the first step of knowledge. Then, through reading and self initiative, through the production of speech, we are in a position to begin and, little by little, to master the field of language. It is not simple, but it is essential. The grades in essay writing, then, which become a battlefield for higher education, are only the tip of the iceberg. Let us tend to it early, with love and vision, for our children and for our roots.