Course Overview

Stage 5

The study of the Modern Greek language in the junior course is done through weekly packages of work which are provided by Open High School. Students learn about the diverse customs of Greece and Cyprus. The language content is based on the following themes: My Personal World, School life, Daily routine, Sport and Entertainment. Students are expected to complete their oral tasks by phone on a weekly basis.

Stage 6

Modern Greek Beginners

The textbook Communicate in Greek Volume 1 is used in conjunction with material written by Open High School staff. A CD-ROM accompanies weekly units of work, and students are expected to complete oral tasks by phone.

In 2007 the new Beginners syllabus has been implemented with the first HSC examination in 2008. This syllabus includes the teaching of the Greek language and the customs and traditions of Greece and Cyprus. Beginners students are tested for eligibility if they have any prior knowledge of the language through schooling or a Greek heritage background.

Modern Greek Continuers

Students are provided with Modules of work each containing 5 units. Each module is based on a prescribed theme, eg, the theme ‘My Personal World ‘ is covered in the first 3 modules.Students receive weekly packages of work and are expected to complete their oral work by phone.

Extension work is encouraged for Continuers students wishing to choose Modern Greek Extension in Year 12.

Modern Greek Extension

Students are sent packages of work which contain material analysing 6 prescribed songs. In addition, students are expected to complete assigned work which will assist them in extending their writing and oral skills in the Modern Greek language. All work is sent in packages and students are encouraged to complete their oral work by phone.

Stage 6 Syllabi (From Board of Studies)

Click on the link below to go to our Syllabus Downloads page - choose your language and then download the relevant syllabus:
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National Anthem

Coat of Arms

Country Map

Country Overview

Greece occupies the southernmost part of the Balkan Peninsula. Famed for the beauty of its landscape, Greece is dominated by mountains and sea. The Aegean, Mediterranean, and Ionian seas constitute the country?s eastern, southern, and western borders, and no part of mainland Greece is more than 100 km (60 mi) from the water. Islands constitute about one-fifth of the country?s land area.

Official Language Of

Greece and Cyprus

Total Number of Speakers

More than 17 million

Language Family

Indo-European

Writing System

Greek alphabet

Language Overview

Greek has a documented history of 3,500 years, the longest of any single language within the Indo-European family. It is also one of the earliest attested Indo-European languages, with fragmentary records in Mycenaean dating back to the 15th or 14th century BC, matched only by the Anatolian languages and Vedic Sanskrit. Today, it is spoken by approximately 17 million people around the world. Greek has been written in the Greek alphabet (the first to introduce vowels) since the 9th century BC in Greece, and the 4th century BC in Cyprus. Modern Greek refers to the fifth stage of the evolution of the Greek language, i.e. the varieties of Greek spoken in the modern era. The start of the period of the Greek language known "Modern Greek" is symbolically assigned in the fall of the Byzantine Empire (1453), although strictly speaking it has been shaped since at least the 11th century.