Publicaties
Validation of the International Cognitive Ability Resource for children Universiteit Gent
Does studying Latin make you smarter? Universiteit Gent
While the cultural-historical importance of Latin and Ancient Greek is a foregone conclusion, their potential to improve linguistic and other cognitive abilities in learners is not. Nonetheless, an internationally often adduced argument in favour of the study of classical languages is that it enhances linguistic feeling, hones problem-solving skills, etc. (Vereeck In preparation). It is indeed a fact that (former) classical language pupils ...
Why Plato needs psychology : proposal for a theoretical framework underpinning research on the cognitive transfer effects of studying classical languages Universiteit Gent
Psychology is one of the seven hub sciences, which involves great responsibility for psychologists but also great opportunities for both psychologists and other scholars; that was the theme of the 17th European Congress of Psychology organized by the Slovenian Psychologists’ Association. This article contains a detailed example of how psychology functions as a hub science today. The research topic finds its origin in the seemingly unrelated ...
Non scholae sed vitae? Klassieke talen en cognitieve transfer Universiteit Gent
In deze bijdrage stelt Alexandra Vereeck haar doctoraatsonderzoek voor naar de cognitievetransfereffecten van het studeren van klassieke talen. Alvorens de methodologie en voorlopige bevindingen uiteen te zetten, schetst ze op essayistische wijze het hoe en waarom van de transferkwestie. Ook gaat ze in op de mogelijke implicaties van haar onderzoek.
Wiskunde in het secundair, dat slaat eigenlijk nergens op Universiteit Gent
Evaluation of the cognitive impact of Flemish classical language programmes through electronic pupil assessment Universiteit Gent
RESEARCH TOPIC AND RATIONALE From a European perspective, Flanders has a strong tradition in instructing Latin and Ancient Greek (Vereeck 2020). On the other hand, classical language (CL) education is subject to a fierce public debate (Vereeck under review). Inspired by utilitarianism, the main argument against the study of CLs is that they are useless and irrelevant in today’s world. An often-heard counterargument is that studying CLs ...
Why study classical languages? Updated portrait of a study option under pressure in light of empirical data on pupil characteristics Universiteit Gent
If there is one study option that undergoes societal pressure, it is the study of classical languages (CLs). I will first clarify the position of the CLs within the Western educational system and society at large, and then discuss some of the existing tensions in light of empirical evidence. For centuries, Latin and Ancient Greek were the basis of all Western non-vocational education (Wachter 2008). The tradition of instructing youngsters in ...
Evaluation of the cognitive impact of Flemish CL programmes through electronic pupil assessment Universiteit Gent
Does studying Latin and Ancient Greek yield any further advantages aside from knowledge of these languages and cultures? The value of classical language education in contemporary society is being questioned from a utilitarian angle, but proponents have long claimed there are transfer benefits, such as improved linguistic and other cognitive abilities. If such transfer benefits were to be empirically confirmed, it could move future educational ...
A debate in need of data : report of an empirical study on the cognitive transfer effects of studying classical languages Universiteit Gent
The adoption of a psychological approach can shed new light on scholarly problems originating from different disciplines, and even be the driving force towards resolving them. On the other hand, the exploration of new topics can yield worthwhile expansions of existing psychological literatures. OBJECTIVE. Here I will present the case of the cognitive impact of classical language education. Across decades and countries, the value of studying ...