Learning Greek by Singing!

I have heard enough from my students that learning Greek is tough - really tough. Is there any better way to help our students in the seminary?

In this respect, Zondervan announces a new addition to its line of biblical resources: Sing and Learn New Testament Greek: The Easiest Way to Learn Greek Grammar. Authored by Kenneth Berding, this resource includes "everything a professor or a student will need: a CD (containing eleven songs and a PowerPoint with paradigm charts for classroom use) and a booklet with the same paradigm charts for students’ personal use.

According to Zondervan, Sing and Learn New Testament Greek "provides a way for learning (and remembering!) New Testament Greek grammar forms through simple songs. It is not designed to compete with existing Greek grammar books, but to serve as a required supplemental resource for elementary Greek classes. Indeed, it has been designed to be used alongside of any introductory grammar. A professor can simply assign to his or her students any (or some) of the songs for the paradigms a particular elementary grammar employs. In this way, students will actually remember what they have learned. (As we are all aware, people do not easily forget something learned via song.)"

"The entire project includes songs for indicative verb endings, participles, infinitives, imperatives, contract forms, and prepositions, among others. All but the last song can be sung in 15 seconds or less. Parsing is enormously easier through this method. And it is a lot more fun than traditional methods. (Are we allowed to even use the word “fun” in reference to elementary Greek? Absolutely!)"

"Beginning Greek students can listen to the CD as they drive to and from school or work, or put it on their iPod."

"These songs are so simple that students who have used them complain about waking up in the middle of the night with the songs running through their heads. You’ll never hear that complaint from students who have had to use rote memory to learn grammar forms."

I am convinced - I am recommending all Greek-ers to get hold of this resource when it is available in May 2008. You will love learning the articles by singing to the tune of Three Blind Mice; the participles by singing Old McDonald Had a Farm; the imperatives by singing Row, Row, Row Your Boat; and many more.

Have fun in learning, or better still, singing, Greek