ITAL10020 Italian Language I a

Academic Year 2021/2022

This module is aimed at students with no or very little prior knowledge of the language. It is primarily for those who wish to begin the study of Italian and pursue it to degree level, but it is also suitable as a language elective. It is the perfect choice for those who want to explore a new language and with the possibility of pursuing it as a joint major subject.

The module provides students with the basic abilities and notions underlying the use of Italian: the principles of pronunciation and spelling, and the fundamental linguistic structures necessary for producing and understanding simple sentences in basic communicative situations. Tuition in small groups involves students both in language production and reception, orally and in writing. This module, in particular, focuses on providing the bases for communication in Italian, and so it privileges written and oral reception and to some extent written production; speaking is part of the learning process from the start, but free oral production is not a specific aim in this first module (which, correspondingly, has no oral examination).

The module consists of 9 weeks of tuition. Each week comprises three classes in small groups on campus. This tuition is complemented and sustained by constant self-study. All students are expected to engage fully with the classes as scheduled in the timetable.

By regular practice, students will be able to introduce themselves and describe their own life and environment, make acquaintance, formulate and understand simple descriptions and narratives.

Students who have achieved at least a B grade in this module will be deemed to approach the Common European Framework of Reference level A1.

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Curricular information is subject to change

Learning Outcomes:

On successful completion of this module, students should be able to:
1 introduce themselves and their immediate context, providing personal details with a basic vocabulary that includes numbers, core descriptive terms, concrete indications about people and places;
2 recognize the meaning of simple texts, deducing the meaning of unknown terms for concrete actions/objects, and write simple texts about matters of personal significance;
3 use in an appropriate way articles, subject pronouns, noun and adjective endings, basic prepositions, and forms of the most common regular and irregular verbs in the present tense, as well as recognize clitic pronouns (direct and indirect objects);
4 construct coherent sequences of a few one-clause sentences using the present tense and, for a limited number of common verbs, the compound perfect (passato prossimo).

Indicative Module Content:

Grammatical dimension:
elements necessary for the basic communication in the language:
weeks 1-3: noun and adjective endings, articles, basic prepositions, prepositions combined with articles, regular and the main irregular verbs (present);

possessives; present of regular verbs, including reflexive verbs, and of the most common irregular ones.
weeks 4-9: possessives, some reflexive verbs, compound perfect (passato prossimo) of regular verbs, including reflexive verbs, and of the most common irregular ones.

Communicative dimension:
Introducing oneself, make acquaintances, describing people and typical situations; relate routine events and simple past events.
Gist comprehension of short text with predictable content and simple vocabulary.

Student Effort Hours: 
Student Effort Type Hours
Small Group

20
Conversation Class

10
Specified Learning Activities

20
Autonomous Student Learning

54
Online Learning

10
Total

114
Approaches to Teaching and Learning:
Teaching takes place in small groups. All groups follow the same week-by-week schedule, available to students on Brightspce, so that the same topics are covered in the same week (not necessarily in the same day). Each week has three classes. Students are expected to participate actively to all classes.
Class activities mix teacher explanation, individual practice, and group work. The linguistic structures and the abilities to be covered are presented by means of the textbook and of additional material provided by teachers. Extra material will also be provided on Brightspace. Students are constantly involved in activities and exercises (formative), chosen and managed group by group. The term assessments that go towards the final grade (summative), that is two class tests, two quizzes, and two designated exercises, are the same for all groups and they are always corrected.
The coverage of the grammar syllabus thus takes place through interaction with texts; it is these texts which provide the core vocabulary, along with spoken interaction in class and the extra materials on Brightspace. 
Requirements, Exclusions and Recommendations

Not applicable to this module.


Module Requisites and Incompatibles
Incompatibles:
ITAL10090 - Italian Language Ia nonBgnnrs, LANG10010 - Italian Gen Purp 1, LANG10070 - Italian Gen Purp 2, LANG20180 - Italian Gen Purp 3


 
Assessment Strategy  
Description Timing Open Book Exam Component Scale Must Pass Component % of Final Grade
Examination: timed final exam 2 hour End of Trimester Exam No Other No

30
Continuous Assessment: online quizzes Throughout the Trimester n/a Other No

20
Class Test: timed tests Throughout the Trimester n/a Other No

30
Continuous Assessment: homework exercises Throughout the Trimester n/a Other No

20

Carry forward of passed components
No
 
Resit In Terminal Exam
Spring Yes - 2 Hour
Please see Student Jargon Buster for more information about remediation types and timing. 
Feedback Strategy/Strategies

• Group/class feedback, post-assessment
• Self-assessment activities

How will my Feedback be Delivered?

Designated exercises and class tests are returned in the sequence in which they are done, typically in the next class or the second next. The corrected papers highlight errors and show the correct forms. Usually, the results are discussed in class.

T. Marin-S. Magnelli, Nuovo progetto italiano 1, Edilingua.

M. Ricci, Via della grammatica for English speakers, Edilingua


Extra materials will be presented in class
Name Role
Assoc Professor Paolo Acquaviva Lecturer / Co-Lecturer
Dr Sarah Culhane Lecturer / Co-Lecturer
Professor Ursula Fanning Lecturer / Co-Lecturer
Dr Francesco Lucioli Lecturer / Co-Lecturer