The Alpha Beta Book: An Introduction to Ancient Greek

Can Ancient Greek be introduced with levity and whimsy? Author Keith McCrary has introduced hundreds of children and adults to Ancient Greek for over thirty years at Waldorf schools in the United States, Japan and Mexico. Follow the directions for learning to say the Greek alphabet, and he will have you speaking it it in different rhythms, in a series of accents, including Texan! – and even singing it.Included are pictographs for the letters of the Greek alphabet and ample opportunities to learn about many Greek words that have English “cousins.” Besides learning to count to twenty, you can recite the first lines of Homer’s Odyssey, some well-known philosophical sayings, and much more, plus learn a little history along the way. You can be amused while learning some Ancient Greek and, perhaps if you pay close attention, you’ll even be amazed. After reading this little book, you may well understand a good bit more than you had before because it IS Greek to you.This is an excellent introduction for anyone interested in learning about language. The illustrations lift the words off the page and into the imagination. I recommend it for classrooms, homes and a place on your bookshelf. -- Paul R. Brown, Maui District School Superintendent, ret.

Keith McCrary lives and teaches on Maui in Hawai'i. He is a Waldorf teacher of almost four decades with storytelling and imaginative teaching skills to match his long experience. his sense of lively imaginations combined with his sense of humor make all his teaching light, quick, and fun to follow. He has digested a potentially difficult, cumbersome process of learning about an ancient language and has turned it into a lighthearted grasp of enough Greek to make it clear as the foundation language of our own English. In short order you will be imitating Keith's mastery and leading your classes with fun and skill as they follow along with this fine teacher!