Italian Staff

Mrs L Evenden (Head of Department)
Miss Jennings
Mrs Tyner
Ms E Guglielmucci (Language Assistant)

The Italian Department

Buongiorno e benvenuto! Pizza, piano, ghetto, broccoli – we use Italian words every day in English, sometimes without realising. Italian is the language closest to English (Cambridge Encyclopedia of Language, 1987) and therefore Italian serves to enrich the students’ English vocabulary and understanding of their mother tongue.

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Italian is also the Romance language closest to Latin from which many English, French, Spanish and Portuguese words are derived.

Presdales’ Italian department is very proud of its excellent results. In 2018, 88 percent of pupils gained an A*- C grade and 56 percent of pupils gained an A*- A grade in their Italian GCSE.

Department aims and vision

The department aims to equip students with language which they can make use of in Italy, and with the skills of language learning. We also aim to provide an insight into Italian culture and traditions, providing excursions to Italy and exhibitions in the UK when suitable.

Students may begin in Italian in Year 7, during this year they will learn the basics for communication in Italian and additionally study cultural aspects of language. In Years 8 and 9 they continue to build on what they have learned in Year 7.

Key Stage 3

In Year 7 students have the chance to start Italian as their second language option. Students are placed in one of two groups based on their ability shown in French and other areas.

Students learn how to conduct a variety of everyday conversations and have the opportunity to put these into practice in Italy if they take part in the 4 day trip to Rome in March/April of Year 8 or 9.

Students are introduced to the basic grammatical concepts of the language. Classes are conducted mainly in Italian and students are actively encouraged to use the language as much as possible themselves. The four skills of Listening, Speaking, Reading and Writing are developed during the course of the three years. Topics covered include self, descriptions, free time, talking about their town and classroom language. Assessment is by means of mid-year tests and end of year examination.

GCSE

The course aims to develop the students’ understanding of the language, their ability to communicate effectively, their knowledge and application of grammar, and their knowledge and understanding of Italian life and culture.

The topics to be covered, on which the new GCSE assessment will be based are Identity and culture (self and others, family, daily life and hobbies), local, national, international and global areas of interest (home town, travel, tourism and social issues) and current and future study (school, education and employment).

The GCSE examinations take place at the end of Year 11, during which students are assessed on the four skills of listening, speaking, reading and writing. The weighting is 25% listening, 25% reading, 25% speaking and 25% writing. Assessment of student progress also takes place throughout the course, by means of mid-year tests and an end of Year 10 examination.

In Year 10, students have the opportunity to take part in a trip to Urbania, once known as Castel Durante, where they have daily language lessons with native speakers and afternoon excursions and activities. These include a traditional Castel Durante pottery workshop and cooking an Italian meal at an agriturismo. There are also trips to Perugia, Urbino and the Adriatic coast. Students stay with Italian families who encourage them to speak the language and to try traditional dishes.

A Level

Italian

Entry requirements: GCSE grade 6 in Italian

The Italian A Level course aims to extend and deepen your knowledge of the Italian language and give you an insight into the Italian way of life and culture. By the end of your course you will be able to understand, discuss and write about many day-to-day issues and events with increased confidence, fluency and accuracy.

The course develops the four skills of listening, speaking, reading and writing in Italian through the study of topics relating to contemporary Italian society. These topics include Italian music, media, culture and traditions, the evolution of the Italian family, immigration, Italy’s north/south divide and Italian Fascism. In Year 12, we will read and research Niccolò Ammaniti’s celebrated 2001 novel, lo non ho paura. Year 13 will involve the study of another Italian novel or an Italian film.

In addition, students will carry out an independent research project on an area relating to Italian-speaking culture or society which is of particular interest to them. Students will present and discuss this research as part of their speaking examination. In both Year 12 and Year 13 students will have six lessons per week in the classroom, as well as one weekly lesson with our native Italian speaker to enable them to increase their fluency, flair and pronunciation. Two of the classroom lessons will focus on Italian grammar.

Assessment

Assessment is by examination at the end of Year 13.There are two written papers and an oral examination. Paper 1 tests candidates’ comprehension of spoken and written Italian and includes a translation into English. Paper 2 comprises a translation into Italian and two essays, focusing on the novel and the film which have been studied. The speaking examination is made up of a discussion about a stimulus, the student’s presentation of their research project and then a wider discussion based on this research.

It is important that students undertake their own personal study to extend and deepen their knowledge and use of Italian beyond the classroom. The film club is an enjoyable aid to this, as is the week’s work experience in Italy, which takes place usually during February half-term.

Career Opportunities

Italian A Level provides good preparation for research and further study within higher education and employment, in the UK and abroad. Italian is a magnificent and beautiful language drawing on a rich cultural heritage and would complement any other subject. Employers are often impressed with job applicants who can offer a foreign language. Italian, in particular, is an important language in fields such as business, finance, fashion, art, tourism, food, wine, technology, sport and health industries.

Curriculum Maps