Course Title: Italian Fast-Track Beginners
Duration: 40 contact hours / 20 weeks
Dates and Time: Mondays18:30-20:30
8th October – 10thDecember 2018 / 14thJanuary –18thMarch 2019
Min/Max No of Students: 7 to 20
Location: Queen’s Building, Streatham Campus, Exeter
Course Tutor:Dr Alessia Risi
Courses Objectives:
The aim of the course is to help the learner to developbasic oral skills, extend vocabulary and consolidate grammar for communication purposes.Therefore, by the end of the courseparticipants will be able to:
- Understand short texts containing simple everyday information such as advertisements,brochures, menus and timetables. notices, instructions i public spaces.
- Write short, simple notes and messages relating to matters of everyday life, such as plans and arrangements, likes or dislikes, living conditions, schooling, present or most recent job.
- Express simple opinions and requirements as part of a conversation on familiar matters.
General Description:
This non-credit bearing weekly course is intended for experienced language learners who are complete beginners in theItalian language but wish to progress at a faster pace. Participants will develop some basic reading, listening, speaking and writing skills through a series of task-oriented sessions and will be provided with informal formative feedback during contact hours. The completion level of the course is broadly equivalent to the A2or Waystage level of the Common European Framework.
In seminars, participants will have to engage in practical exercises and group interaction in order to develop relevant language-specific learning strategies. The role of the instructor is to facilitate this process, provide useful tools and encourage participants to become independent learners and basic users of the languages too.
Language-specific information:
“When you think about learning Italian, visions of beaches, pizza, gelato and elite fashion spring to mind” (The Guardian, 2015). However, Italian language offers benefits far beyond tourism. Italian has been identified by the British Council as one of the 10 languages most important to the UK over the next 20 years. It is one of the official working languages of the EU and the fourth most requested language by employers. Besides Italy, Italian is also recognised as an official language in San Marino, Vatican City, Switzerland, and some areas of Slovenia and Croatia. It is widely spoken in Malta, Corsica, Albania, Luxemburg, Germany, and Belgium. In the Americas, it is spoken in the United States, Canada, Venezuela, Uruguay, Brazil, and Argentina.This course will focus on the vocabulary and grammar of everyday speech.Students will be taught how to build simple sentences, and different types of question words, so that by the end of the course an eager learner will be able to engage in simple everyday conversation and read basic texts.
Intended Student Population:
University students, staff, alumni and members of the public aged 18 or over.
No previous knowledge of the language required.
Fees:
Members of the public £300
University students, staff and alumni £260
Coursebook and/or Learning Resources:
To be specified by teacher during the first session.
Worksheets, materials and resources provided in class and available through a virtual learning platform and other free language learning tools/apps
Other Comments:
Participants will obtaina Completion Certificate at the end of the course subject to attendance rate
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