Aequora

Program Overview

The Paideia Institute partners with universities, schools, and community organizations to offer introductory Latin classes for elementary and middle school students. Our textbook, Aequora: Teaching Literacy with Latin, introduces the basics of Latin vocabulary and grammar, Roman culture and mythology, and connections between Latin, English, and Spanish, all through games and activities designed to show students that learning Latin is fun! The Aequora curriculum is shaped by a belief that everyone should have access to Latin and by a vision of Classics as an inclusive, diverse, and socially engaged field.

Each year, The Paideia Institute distributes ten grants to high schoolers looking to establish Latin summer camps in their communities. The Teaching Literacy with Latin Summer Grant application is now open! Applications are due Friday, May 8th. The 2024 and 2025 grant award winners were previously featured in our online magazine, In Medias Res. 

Get Involved

The Paideia Institute develops sites by working with public schools seeking to incorporate Latin in the school day curriculum, universities and high schools seeking to create service-learning opportunities in Classics, after-school enrichment programs serving at-risk youth, and Latin students who want to make a difference by volunteering to teach in their communities.

Our Sites

Explore our active Teaching Literacy with Latin sites around the world. Click a cluster to zoom in, then click a pin to see the details and visit that site's page.

Here are our currently active Teaching Literacy with Latin sites:

• Aequora in Great Neck (Great Neck, NY)
• Aequora in San Diego (San Diego, CA)
• Bethlehem Area Public Library (Bethlehem, PA)
• Butterfield Memorial Library (Cold Spring, NY)
• Century Chinese Language School (Framingham, MA)
• Danbury Grassroots Academy (Danbury, CT)
• Don Bosco (Port Chester, NY)
• Empathy School (Bali, Indonesia)
• Korea International School Jeju Campus (Jeju)
• M.S. 131 (Manhattan, NY)
• Mark Twain Elementary School (Houston, TX)
• Mott Hall II (New York, NY)
• Our Lady Queen of Angels (Manhattan, NY)
• The Eaglebrook School (Deerfield, MA)
• The Glen Cove Library (Glen Cove, NY)
• The John Hancock Demonstration School (Philadelphia, PA)
• Woodmore Elementary (Bowie, MD)

About Teaching Literacy with Latin

When was Teaching Literacy with Latin founded? Teaching Literacy with Latin was founded in 2013. The first site was located in Bushwick, Brooklyn, at Still Waters in a Storm, a one house school room.

How does the program work? Teaching Literacy with Latin is entirely based on our Aequora curriculum, taught in weekly sessions by volunteers at local partner schools or community centers during after-school hours. The curriculum includes a textbook, teacher's manual, and game appendix with 11 units of three lessons each.

What are the benefits of studying Latin? About 80% of English vocabulary comes from Latin and Greek, and research shows that students who are exposed to the classical languages score higher on standardized tests and have improved literacy outcomes.

Do you have any other Latin curricula? Yes — Elementa (school day curriculum for young learners) and Living Latin (for older students).

How do you pronounce Aequora? The classical pronunciation is eye-koh-rah. The stress is on the first syllable. The word refers to "still water."

How can I support Teaching Literacy with Latin? Visit our donation page to support the program.

Getting Started

How do I start a Teaching Literacy with Latin site? The key is to find a local K-8 school or community center that can host the program. Submit a partnership inquiry to get started.

How long is the typical session and where does it take place? Teaching Literacy with Latin classes are generally 45-60 minutes long and meet once a week. Sessions occur in school classrooms or community center spaces.

Does the program run year-round? It does in most cases, but a new Teaching Literacy with Latin site can be started at any time.

How many students do we need for a 15 week program? There is no requirement on the number of students, but Teaching Literacy with Latin classes typically have 15-20 students each.

How many volunteers do we need? There is no requirement on the number of volunteers, but Teaching Literacy with Latin classes typically have 3-5 volunteers each.

Is there an age requirement for students? No, there is no age requirement. In the past, Teaching Literacy with Latin has been successful with students as young as 3rd grade and as old as 9th grade.

Is there an age requirement for volunteers? Short answer, no. Generally speaking, though, Teaching Literacy with Latin volunteers are students enrolled in high school or college.

Does it have to be the same student volunteers each week? Volunteer logistics are very flexible. Typically, there is a group of student instructors who divide up duties and rotate in based on availability.

Can we start in the spring semester? Yes, absolutely! A new site can be started at any time during the school year.

Can we run Teaching Literacy with Latin as a summer or winter camp? Yes, of course! We also offer the chance to apply for a grant to support your summer camp.

What are the costs to the school or district to set up the site? The program is entirely free!

Will the program be on-going year to year? If so, would we have to reapply each year? The program runs on an on-going basis, and we proceed on the assumption that you'll already be all set with training, etc. going forward, so there is no need to reapply.

Does Paideia offer teacher support and training? Yes. Teacher training based on our curriculum is available upon request. Training sessions typically take the form of webinars.

I'm still confused. How does all this actually work? The main thing is to establish a partnership with a local school or community center. Once such a partnership is in place, running your Aequora site is a relatively low-maintenance task. Contact us if you have more questions!