Abstract
Several articles and books have been written on the traditional ethnic heritage Greek American schools of the twentieth century. Many of these works have focused on the historical development of the schools and their contributions in perpetuating the Greek language and heritage in America. Others have concentrated on the rather negative characteristics of Greek American schools which often included outdated modes of instruction, unsuitable textbooks, and ineffective teachers. The current study focuses on the Aristotle GSL (Greek as a Second Language) Program that was pioneered by the St. Haralambos Greek Orthodox Church of Niles, Illinois, in the late 1980s. The school became the first in the nation to offer Greek instruction that was specifically designed for second-, third-, and fourth-generation Greek American children. The study describes the challenges that led up to this initiative and the steps that were taken in designing, structuring and implementing the GSL program.
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- 1.
Immigration in the United States, “Greek Immigrants,” accessed October 8, 2018, http://immigrationtounitedstates.org/529-greek-immigrants.html
- 2.
Theodore Saloutos. The Greeks in the United States. (Cambridge, Massachusetts: Harvard University Press, 1964).
- 3.
Nikos Nikolidakis, “Greek Education in the United States,” Etudes Helliniques 13, no. 2(Autumn 2005).
- 4.
Andrew Kopan. “Education and Greek Immigrants in Chicago, 1892–1973: A Study in Ethnic Survival.” PhD diss., The University of Chicago, 1974, 270.
- 5.
Ibid.
- 6.
Hellenic American Academy, “History,” accessed October 8, 2018, http://www.hellenicaa.org/history-about
- 7.
Annunciation Elkins Park Greek School. accessed October 7, 2018, http://anngoc.org/ministries/cultural-ministries/greekschool
- 8.
Hellenic American Academy, “History.”
- 9.
Lydia Fish, “The Greek School at the Hellenic Orthodox Church of the Annunciation, Buffalo, New York,” in Ethnic Heritage and Language Schools in America. Studies in American Folklife no. 4, ed. Elena Bradunas and Brett Topping (Washington, D.C.: United States Government Printing Office, 1988), 249–265.
- 10.
Greek Heritage Society of Southern California, “Greek School,” accessed October 7, 2018, http://www.greekheritagesociety.org/greekschool.htm
- 11.
Fevronia K. Soumakis, “A Sacred Paideia: The Greek Orthodox Archdiocese, Immigration, and Education in New York City, 1959–1979” (PhD diss., Columbia University, 2015), 15.
- 12.
Greek Orthodox Ladies Philoptochos Society, Inc. “More Than Seventy Years of Christian Philanthropy. A History of Philoptochos,” accessed May 9, 2019. https://www.philoptochos.org/index/history/historypt2
- 13.
George Papaioannou. From Mars Hill to Manhattan: The Greek Orthodox in America under Athenagoras I. (Minneapolis: Light and Life, 1976).
- 14.
Ibid.
- 15.
Soumakis, “A Sacred Paideia,” 81.
- 16.
Papaioannou, From Mars Hill to Manhattan.
- 17.
Spyros D. Orfanos and Sam J. Tsemberis, “A Needs Assessment of Greek American Schools in New York City,” in Reading Greek America: Studies in the Experience of Greeks in the United States, ed. Spyros D. Orfanos (New York: Pella Publishing Company, Inc., 2002), 195.
- 18.
St. Basil Academy. “The History of St Basil,” accessed October 12, 2018, http://www.stbasil.goarch.org/about_us/
- 19.
Greek News. Greek – American Weekly Newspaper. “Leaders in Greece and the “Omogenia” Mourn Iakovos.” accessed May 9, 2019. http://www.greeknewsonline.com/leaders-in-greece-and-the-omogenia-mourn-iakovos/
- 20.
Soumakis, “A Sacred Paideia,” 2.
- 21.
“A Timeline of Greek Immigration.” accessed October 16, 2018, http://chnm.gmu.edu/greekam/timeline.html
- 22.
Ibid.
- 23.
Charles C. Moskos, Greek Americans: Struggle and Success, 2nd ed. (New Brunswick, NJ: Transaction Publishers. 1990).
- 24.
Ibid.
- 25.
Ibid.
- 26.
Brenda McCallum and Nancy Faires Conklin, “Lebanese Arabic School at St. Elias Maronite Catholic Church and Greek School at Holy Trinity-Holy Cross Greek Orthodox Cathedral Birmingham, Alabama.” in Ethnic Heritage and Language Schools in America. Studies in American Folklife no. 4, ed. Elena Bradunas and Brett Topping (Washington, D.C.: United States Government Printing Office, 1988), 195–248.
- 27.
Saloutos. The Greeks in the United States.73–74.
- 28.
Brenda McCallum and Nancy Faires Conklin, “Lebanese Arabic School at St. Elias Maronite Catholic Church and Greek School at Holy Trinity-Holy Cross Greek Orthodox Cathedral Birmingham, Alabama,” 219.
- 29.
Ibid., 220.
- 30.
Ibid.
- 31.
Ibid., 73.
- 32.
Greek Heritage Society of Southern California. “Greek School,” accessed October 16, 2018, http://www.greekheritagesociety.org/greekschool.htm
- 33.
Εθνικός Κήρυξ (NationalHerald). “Στο «Βήμα» αλφαβητάριο του 1930 που είχε εκδώσει ο «Ε.Κ.» για τα Ελληνόπουλα της ΝΥ. In “Vima” the Alphabet Book of 1930 that the Hellenic Herald published for the Greek children of New York.” 27 Νοεμβρίου, 2017.
- 34.
Eileen Riza, Noorchaya Yahya, Carmen Morales-Jones, Hanizah Zainuddin. Fundamentals of Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages in K-12 Mainstream Classrooms. Dubuque, Iowa: Kendall Hunt Publishing; 4th edition, August 31, 2015, 93.
- 35.
Soumakis, “A Sacred Paideia,” 79.
- 36.
Amazon. “My First Book. About the author.” accessed October 21, 2018, https://www.amazon.com/My-First-Book-Theodore-Papaloizos/dp/0932416136
- 37.
Ibid.
- 38.
Catherine Tsounis. “Learn Greek the Easy Way.” Greek US Reporter. Accessed May 13, 2019, https://usa.greekreporter.com/2013/10/08/learn-greek-the-easy-way/
- 39.
Lydia Fish, “The Greek School,” 254.
- 40.
Panagoula Diamanti-Karanou. “The Relationship Between Homeland and Diaspora: The Case of Greece and the Greek American Community.” (PhD diss., Northeastern University, 2015).
- 41.
The Greek Archdiocese of America, 2015 “Emmanuel Hatziemmanuel, 94, Passes Away in the Lord” accessed October 16, 2018, https://www.goarch.org/-/emmanuel-hatziemmanuel-94-passes-away-in-the-lord
- 42.
Hellenic Link Inc. “A Hellenic Education Plan for America,” accessed October 16, 2018 http://helleniclink.org/wp-content/docs/eplanenglish1.doc
- 43.
Holy Taxiarhai & Saint Haralambos Greek Orthodox Church. “Honoring the Past,” in Celebrating 50 Years of Parish Life. Holy Taxiarchai & St. Haralambos Greek Orthodox Church.1951–2001, 16.
- 44.
Ibid.
- 45.
Kopan, Andrew. “Education and Greek Immigrants in Chicago, 1892–1973: A Study in Ethnic Survival.” PhD diss., The University of Chicago, 1974. 317.
- 46.
Holy Taxiarhai & Saint Haralambos Greek Orthodox Church. “Honoring the Past,” in Celebrating 50 Years of Parish Life. Holy Taxiarchai & St. Haralambos Greek Orthodox Church.1951–2001, 19.
- 47.
Holy Taxiarchai, 22.
- 48.
Kopan, Andrew, 318.
- 49.
Hellenic Link Inc. “A Hellenic Education Plan for America,” accessed October 16, 2018 http://helleniclink.org/wp-content/docs/eplanenglish1.doc
- 50.
Darling Hammond, Linda & Bransford, John. Preparing Teachers for a Changing World: What Teachers Should Learn and Be Able to Do. United Kingdom: Wiley, 2007, 14–15.
References
Amazon. About the Author. https://www.amazon.com/My-First-Book-Theodore-Papaloizos/dp/0932416136. Accessed 21 Oct 2018.
Annunciation Greek Orthodox Church. Annunciation Elkins Park Greek School. http://anngoc.org/ministries/cultural-ministries/greekschool. Accessed 7 Oct 2007.
Diamanti-Karanou, Panagoula. 2015. The Relationship Between Homeland and Diaspora: The Case of Greece and the Greek American Community. PhD diss., Northeastern University.
Εθνικός Κήρυξ (National Herald). 2017. Στο «Βήμα» αλφαβητάριο του 1930 που είχε εκδώσει ο «Ε.Κ.» για τα Ελληνόπουλα της ΝΥ. In “Vima” the Alphabet Book of 1930 that the Hellenic Herald Published for the Greek Children of New York. 27 Νοεμβρίου.
Fish, Lydia. 1988. The Greek School at the Hellenic Orthodox Church of the Annunciation. Buffalo, New York. In Ethnic Heritage and Language Schools in America, ed. Elena Bradunas and Brett Topping, vol. 4, 249–265. Washington, DC: American Folklife Center, Library of Congress.
Greek Heritage Society of Southern California. Greek School. http://www.greekheritagesociety.org/greekschool.htm. Accessed 7 Oct 2018.
Greek News. Greek – American Weekly Newspaper. Leaders in Greece and the “Omogenia” Mourn Iakovos. http://www.greeknewsonline.com/leaders-in-greece-and-the-omogenia-mourn-iakovos/. Accessed 9 May 2019.
Greek Orthodox Archdiocese. 2015. The Archdiocesan School System. http://www.goarch.org/archdiocese/departments/greekeducation/archdiocesanschools. Accessed 10 Jan 2019.
Greek Orthodox Ladies Philoptochos Society, Inc. More Than Seventy Years of Christian Philanthropy. A History of Philoptochos. https://www.philoptochos.org/index/history/historypt2. Accessed 9 May 2019.
Hammond-Darling, Linda, and John Bransford. 2007. Preparing Teachers for a Changing World: What Teachers Should Learn and Be Able to Do. San Francisco: Wiley.
Hellenic American Academy. History. https://sites.google.com/a/haamail.net/hellenic-academy/calendar/history. Accessed 8 Oct 2018.
Hellenic Link Inc. A Hellenic Education Plan for America. http://helleniclink.org/wp-content/docs/eplanenglish1.doc. Accessed 16 Oct 2018.
Immigration to the United States. 2015. Greek Immigrants. http://immigrationtounitedstates.org/529-greek-immigrants.html. Accessed 8 Oct 2018.
Kopan, Andrew. 1974. Education and Greek Immigrants in Chicago, 1892–1973: A Study in Ethnic Survival. PhD diss., The University of Chicago.
McCallum, Brenda, and Conklin Faires Nancy. 1988. Lebanese Arabic School at St. Elias Maronite Catholic Church and Greek School at Holy Trinity-Holy Cross Greek Orthodox Cathedral, Birmingham, Alabama. In Ethnic Heritage and Language Schools in America, ed. Elena Bradunas and Brett Topping, vol. 4, 195–248. Washington, DC: American Folklife Center, Library of Congress.
Moskos, Charles C. 1990. Greek Americans: Struggle and Success. 2nd ed. New Brunswick: Transaction Publishers.
Nikolidakis, Nikos. 2005. Greek Education in the United States. Etudes Helliniques 13 (2): 79–97.
Orfanos, Spyros D., and Sam J. Tsemberis. 2002. A Needs Assessment of Greek American Schools in New York City. In Reading Greek America. Studies in the Experience of Greeks in the United States. New York: Pella Publishing Company, Inc.
Papaioannou, George. 1976. From Mars Hill to Manhattan: The Greek Orthodox in America Under Athenagoras I. Minneapolis: Light and Life.
Saloutos, Theodore. 1964. The Greeks in the United States. Cambridge, MA: Harvard University Press.
Soumakis, Fevronia K. 2015. A Sacred Paideia: The Greek Orthodox Archdiocese, Immigration, and Education in New York City, 1959–1979. PhD diss., Columbia University.
St. Basil Academy. The History of St. Basil. http://www.stbasil.goarch.org/about_us/. Accessed 12 Oct 2018.
The Greek Archdiocese of America. 2015. Emmanuel Hatziemmanuel, 94, Passes Away in the Lord. https://www.goarch.org/-/emmanuel-hatziemmanuel-94-passes-away-in-the-lord. Accessed 16 Oct 2018.
Timeline of Greek Immigration. http://chnm.gmu.edu/greekam/timeline.html. Accessed 16 Oct 2018.
Tsounis, Catherine. Learn Greek the Easy Way. Greek US Reporter. https://usa.greekreporter.com/2013/10/08/learn-greek-the-easy-way/. Accessed 13 May 2019.
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Appendix
Appendix
G.S.L. Program Curriculum
Preschool Program: Four Years Old
Through classroom instruction, the child can do the following in Greek:
-
1.
Clearly pronounce name.
-
2.
Recognize name written.
-
3.
Identify family members.
-
4.
Tell the names of family members.
-
5.
Repeat the days of the week.
-
6.
Count from 1–10.
-
7.
Identify colors.
-
8.
Recite the alphabet.
-
9.
Say basic greetings.
-
10.
Recognize name of basic fruit.
-
11.
Recognize name of vegetable.
-
12.
Recognize name of food.
-
13.
Identify simple buildings such as the house, church.
-
14.
Identify simple animals.
-
15.
Identify simple body parts.
-
16.
Recognize means of transportation.
-
17.
Ask basic questions, using where, what.
-
18.
Use simple verbs in 1st and 2nd person forms.
-
19.
Use simple adjectives.
-
20.
Follow simple directions.
-
21.
Repeat simple words and phrases.
-
22.
Repeat simple poems and songs.
-
23.
Identify basic shapes.
-
24.
Make sign of cross and say simple prayers.
-
25.
Identify Greek holidays.
Level One: 5–6 Years Old
Through classroom instruction, the child can do the following in Greek:
-
1.
Clearly pronounce name.
-
2.
Write name.
-
3.
Identify family members.
-
4.
Know the names of all family members.
-
5.
Recite the days of the week.
-
6.
Recognize the months of the year.
-
7.
Count from 1–20.
-
8.
Recite telephone number.
-
9.
Identify colors.
-
10.
Recite alphabet in order.
-
11.
Identify Greek letters and sounds.
-
12.
Use basic Greetings.
-
13.
Recognize and name basic fruit.
-
14.
Recognize and name vegetables.
-
15.
Recognize and name food and tableware.
-
16.
Identify buildings in the community.
-
17.
Identify animals.
-
18.
Identify body parts.
-
19.
Identify simple means of transportation.
-
20.
Ask basic questions using where, what.
-
21.
Understand simple present tense verbs in all persons.
-
22.
Use simple adjectives in all forms.
-
23.
Use correct articles in front of nouns.
-
24.
Follow directions.
-
25.
Repeat simple phrases.
-
26.
Know the names of shapes.
-
27.
Repeat poems and simple songs.
-
28.
Make sign of cross and say simple prayers.
-
29.
Identify holidays.
Level Two: Ages 6–7 Years Old (with Little or no Previous Greek Instruction)
Through classroom instruction, the child can do the following in Greek:
-
1.
Recognize letters both orally and written.
-
2.
Recite alphabet in order.
-
3.
Recognize the difference between Greek letters and English letters including the sound each letter makes.
-
4.
Read simple words.
-
5.
Write simple words.
-
6.
Know basic greetings and responses.
-
7.
Know days of the week.
-
8.
Know months of the year.
-
9.
Know different seasons.
-
10.
Count from 1–50.
-
11.
Know all colors.
-
12.
Understand adjective endings.
-
13.
Understand articles and nouns.
-
14.
Name rooms of the house.
-
15.
Identify shapes.
-
16.
Identify animals.
-
17.
Identify family members.
-
18.
Know parts of body.
-
19.
Ask simple questions.
-
20.
Answer simple questions.
-
21.
Identify fruit, vegetables, and food names.
-
22.
Identify buildings.
-
23.
Follow directions.
-
24.
Know basic verbs in present tense forms.
-
25.
Recite Lord’s Prayer.
-
26.
Understand holidays, customs, and traditions.
-
27.
Know simple Greek dances.
Level Three: Ages 7–8 Years Old
Through classroom instruction, the child can do the following in Greek:
-
1.
Know and identify all letters of the alphabet.
-
2.
Identify double vowels and consonants.
-
3.
Read and write basic words.
-
4.
Write words without seeing word written.
-
5.
Count from 1–100.
-
6.
Recite the days of the week.
-
7.
Recite the months of the year.
-
8.
Identify seasons.
-
9.
Identify fruit, vegetables, and food names.
-
10.
Identify colors.
-
11.
Tell time in Greek.
-
12.
Use correct articles with nouns,
-
13.
Understand simple verb endings in present tense.
-
14.
Understand different adjective endings.
-
15.
Use and answer basic greetings.
-
16.
Communicate with simple phrases.
-
17.
Follow directions and commands.
-
18.
Talk about one’s self.
-
19.
Ask questions.
-
20.
Use personal pronouns.
-
21.
Identify animals.
-
22.
Recognize professional names.
-
23.
Identify family names.
-
24.
Describe objects.
-
25.
Identify Greece on the map.
-
26.
Recite Lord’s Prayer.
-
27.
Identify Greek holidays, saints, and customs.
Dance Basic Dances. Level Four: Ages 8–9 Years Old
Through classroom instruction, the child can do the following in Greek:
-
1.
Easily pronounce and write first and Cast name.
-
2.
Count from 1–500.
-
3.
Determine the date.
-
4.
Determine the year.
-
5.
Recite days and months.
-
6.
Easily read any word.
-
7.
Recognize all double consonants and vowels.
-
8.
Easily use greetings.
-
9.
Describe objects and communicate in simple way.
-
10.
Repeat simple sentences correctly.
-
11.
Understand all present tense verbs.
-
12.
Use articles in all three genders.
-
13.
Understand pronouns.
-
14.
Use noun endings in singular and plural correctly.
-
15.
Translate from Greek into English.
-
16.
Identify all rooms of the house.
-
17.
Identify buildings in the community.
-
18.
Identify all professions.
-
19.
Identify all family members.
-
20.
Identify different regions in Greece.
-
21.
Determine time.
-
22.
Understand all question words.
-
24.
Recite Lord’s Prayer and other prayers.
-
25.
Identify Greek holidays, saints, and customs.
-
26.
Dance basic Greek dances.
Level Five: Ages 9–10 Years Old
Through classroom instruction, the child can do the following in Greek:
-
1.
Easily pronounce first and last name.
-
2.
Count from 1–1000.
-
3.
Determine the date.
-
4.
Determine the year.
-
5.
Recite all days of the week and months of the year.
-
6.
Identify time.
-
7.
Easily read any word.
-
8.
Recognize double consonants and vowels.
-
9.
Use greetings correctly.
-
10.
Repeat sentences correctly.
-
11.
Ask questions correctly.
-
12.
Describe objects and self.
-
13.
Write compositions.
-
14.
Translate from Greek into English.
-
15.
Use present tense verbs for all persons.
-
16.
Recognize verbs in past tense.
-
17.
Use articles and nouns correctly.
-
18.
Understand all noun endings in singular and plural
-
19.
Can change adjectives to match nouns in all tenses.
-
20.
Use pronouns correctly.
-
21.
Identify fruit, vegetables, and food names.
-
22.
Identify all professions.
-
23.
Identify members of family.
-
24.
Recite Lord’s Prayer and other prayers.
-
25.
Know all regions of Greece.
-
26.
Identify important Saints, holidays, and customs.
-
27.
Dance basic and advanced dances.
-
28.
Follow directions.
Level Six: Ages 10–11 Years Old
Through classroom instruction, the child can do the following in Greek:
-
1.
Count and identify all numbers.
-
2.
Determine date and year.
-
3.
Recite acc months, seasons, and days of week.
-
4.
Easily read any unfamiliar word.
-
5.
Follow all directions.
-
6.
Describe objects and communicate well.
-
7.
Use all greetings correctly.
-
8.
Use all articles with nouns correctly.
-
9.
Understand all noun endings.
-
10.
Use verbs (regular and irregular) in present tense.
-
11.
Use passive voice verbs correctly in present tense.
-
12.
Use all verb types correctly in past tense.
-
13.
Use all verb types correctly in future & continuous tense.
-
14.
Understand the present and past perfect tense verbs.
-
15.
Use nouns in objective case.
-
16.
Use pronouns correctly.
-
17.
Understand diminutives.
-
18.
Recognize English words developed from Greek ones.
-
19.
Identify all clothing.
-
20.
Identify all food products.
-
21.
Identify furniture.
-
22.
Write letters and compositions in Greek.
-
23.
Explain important events in Greek history.
-
24.
Describe geographical parts of Greece.
-
25.
Identify Saints, holidays, customs.
-
26.
Dance various Greek dances.
-
27.
Recite Creed.
-
28.
Explain the Greek contributions to civilization.
Upper Level: Ages Eleven and Up
Through classroom instruction, the child can do the following in Greek:
-
1.
Recognition of all numbers, dates, and years.
-
2.
Recite all months, seasons, and holidays.
-
3.
Easily read unfamiliar words.
-
4.
Easily translate from Greek into English.
-
5.
Recognize English words derived from Greek words.
-
6.
Follow all directions.
-
7.
Easily communicate.
-
8.
To express oneself in Greek.
-
9.
Use all articles with nouns correctly.
-
10.
Use verbs in present tense.
-
11.
Use verbs in past and present tense.
-
12.
Use verbs in continuous tense.
-
13.
Use verbs in future tense.
-
14.
Use commands.
-
15.
Use nouns in objective case.
-
16.
Understand diminutives.
-
17.
Carefully use pronouns.
-
18.
Identify clothing.
-
19.
Be comfortable in telling time.
-
20.
Understand Greek currency.
-
21.
Ability to correspond in Greek.
-
22.
Write letters and compositions in Greek.
-
23.
Write in Cursive Greek.
-
24.
Explain important events in Greek history.
-
25.
Know important saints’ days and holidays.
-
26.
Identify Greek customs and traditions.
-
27.
Dance various Greek dances.
-
28.
Explain the Greek contributions to civilization.
-
29.
Explain the different types of Greek columns.
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Balodimas-Bartolomei, A. (2020). Breaking the Traditional Greek School Mold: The Case of the Aristotle GSL Program. In: Soumakis, F., Zervas, T. (eds) Educating Greek Americans. Palgrave Macmillan, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-39827-9_5
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