Introduction to Old English – Year-long Course

    $660.00

    NEW Course! “We have really enjoyed having Prof. Lauren as a teacher for our daughters. She brings enthusiasm and energy to the subject.  We also like her logical, straightforward approach.” ~ Parent, Lisa K.

    Enrollment

    Available

    This course is a crossover course with Athena's Homeschool Academy. Students from Athena’s and students from AHA are welcome to enroll in Crossover Courses and will take the course together.

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    Step 2: Enroll Your Registered Student

    Old English king for Introduction to Old English Course
    InstructorProf. Lauren Allen
    Content LevelsGrades 7-8 • Junior High
    Grades 9-10 • Lower High School
    Grades 11-12 • Upper High School
    Course Length32 Weeks - Year-long
    Live Webinars Held OnThursdays, 11:00 - 11:50 AM Pacific - 8/14/25 - 5/16/26
    Additional ComponentsAsynchronous Option

     …ðȳ māra wīsdōm on londe wǣre ðȳ wē mā geðēoda cūðon. …the more languages we knew, the more wisdom there would be in the land. –King Alfred’s Preface to his translation of Pastoral Care (ca. 890)

    English has changed a lot over the last 1000 years! Come with me to Anglo-Saxon England and explore the earliest literature written in the English language! Reading is fun and learning to read Old English opens new doors to great literature! 

    In this class, students will begin to read, write, and pronounce Old English. Students will obtain understanding of inflection and basic verb tenses along with other foundational grammatical and philological knowledge. By studying grammar, syntax, philology, and vocabulary, students will not only gain an appreciation for Old English, but will also learn more about English, other Germanic languages, and language in general. Students will also begin to read original and unaltered Old English in the first semester. 

    Other fun facts about Old English:

    • Did you know that Old English is a Germanic language? Despite all the Latinate words in Modern English, English doesn’t directly “derive” from Latin!
    • Did you know that Old English is one of the earliest attested Germanic languages? What’s more, it is, by far, the most abundant in early material!
    • Did you know that, like Latin and Greek, Old English had cases for nouns and adjectives? The only remnant of the case system left today is in our pronouns (I/me, we/us, etc) and that little ‘s we put on possessives!

    Note to parents: 

    • In this class, we will be reading Old English / Anglo-Saxon that was written by early medieval Old English writers. Although detail is not included, some readings may contain religious content, as religion was a focus in medieval England, or mature content or themes, which may include violence, death, sex, or misogyny. While religion and/or mature themes may be present, as they are in many world mythologies, fairy tales, and literature, they are not the focus of our class. This is a secular class, the primary focus of which is language acquisition.

    Taught by Prof. Lauren Allen

    What to expect in the Required section in the classroom each week:

    • Read a text selection.
    • Complete practice materials and turn them in for feedback.
    • Respond to a forum post or collaborate with other students via a classroom forum.
    • Respond with positive and encouraging comments on their classmates’ posts in the classroom forums.

    What to expect in the Highly Suggested & Optional sections in the classroom each week:

    • Practice vocabulary.
    • Supplementary tutorial materials that can be turned in for feedback.
    • Curated resources, including websites & videos, are provided to excite learners and to add depth to the subject matter.

    What to expect during the weekly webinar:

    • Weekly webinars are 50 minutes long. Webinars are recorded and are available for students with schedule conflicts.
    • Old English webinars include teacher-led explanation of grammar concepts, class practice of grammar concepts, a systematic approach to sentence analysis and group text exploration. We will also do some group drilling exercises to reinforce forms (sometimes via Blooket).

    Before taking this course, students should be able to: 

    • Read at a solid 6th-grade level or above.
    • Have the maturity level requisite to deal with readings that may contain mature content or themes. (See Note to Parents under the main description.)

    Students should be willing to:

    • Make mistakes and communicate when not understanding.
    • Be prepared for the webinar–including reading the text and completing the activities in the Required section.
    • Actively participate (via the microphone and chat) in the class discussion.
    • Ask questions when they don’t understand or are confused.
    • Respond with positive and encouraging comments on their classmates’ posts in the classroom forums.

    Required books & materials:

    • TBD