Routes in Teaching Modern Greek as a Foreign Language

“Routes in Teaching Modern Greek as a second/foreign language” is a distance training programme, which supports and promotes teaching and learning Greek as a foreign/second language. Implemented by the Centre for the Greek Language, it has been running since 2007, when it was awarded with the European Language Label as an innovative educative programme. “Routes in Teaching Modern Greek” concluded on October 2015 as a program co-financed by the European Union (European Social Fund) as well as by national funds and started as a new and reformed programme on January 2016 solely funded by the Centre for the Greek language.

The programme comprises distance learning courses for teachers of Greek to children and adults both in Greece and abroad. It mainly aims at providing the teachers of Greek as a foreign language with the knowledge necessary for the development of their teaching skills (C2 level) and training in teaching methodology addressed to learners of all levels and ages. For this purpose a number of distinguished and experienced applied and theoretical linguists, scholars, educators and computer scientists collaborate and contribute to the programme.

In addition, Routes aim at offering specialized vocational training on issues related to the teaching of Greek language and the role of information technologies in teaching, exchange of good practices among teachers and the production of new knowledge. The programme consists of eight modules, each comprising three to four chapters and is implemented on the basis on special video-conferences and webinars.

The Centre for Greek Language is the official institution of the Ministry of Education responsible for the administration of Certificates of Attainment in Greek (“Certificate of Attainment in Greek” & “Certificate of Attainment in Greek for Professional Purposes”) which provide users of Greek with an evaluation of their knowledge and serve as proof of the successful candidate’s level of attainment in Greek.

The “Certificate of Attainment in Greek” responds to the needs of all learners of Greek as a Second/Foreign Language in Greece and abroad for a state certificate of attainment at various levels. At level B2 it allows foreigners to enroll at a Greek institution of higher education. The next examinations for the “Certificate of Attainment in Greek”, held once annually, are due in May (Registration period: 1 February to 19 March 2017).

Post graduate courses for teaching Greek as a foreign language: Teaching Greek to Speakers of Other Languages, MA – Distance Learning (University of Cyprus) ; Teaching Greek as a Second/Foreign Language at the National and Kapodistrian University of Athens