Italian Level 4

On successful completion of this module, you will be able to:

• engage with native speech with relative ease, identifying key details of complex arguments and interacting with a degree of fluency, spontaneity, and accuracy in a variety of contexts, including academic and scientific environments;
• navigate and analyse the main ideas and essential detail of complex texts from a variety of genres and topics, including scientific material, and to write detailed, well-structured texts and explain viewpoints on a wide range of subjects using complex linguistic structures at the B2 level;
• demonstrate an understanding of the target cultures by examining and comparing a range of socio-political practices and perspectives and relating them to your own backgrounds and contexts;
• use a broad range of digital language learning tools competently to develop your research and presentation skills in the target language and to support your independent learning, in order to develop your language learning skills repertoire.

In this module, you will:

• revise grammatical structures as appropriate (use of the imperative and combined pronouns, the subjunctive in past tenses, superlative and comparative forms, complex phrases including impersonal and passive structures);
• engage with a range of registers in speech and writing (literary, journalistic, academic, technical);
• practice formal and informal communication (idiomatic expressions, debating, presenting data, communicating science);
• contextualise the study of linguistic structures within a variety of topics and debates, ranging from academic life, to science, current affairs, or literature.

Aligned with a communicative and active learning approach, our lessons prioritise interactive engagement with the Italian lifestyle, catering specifically to university students. In-class activities, designed to enhance all four language skills (reading, writing, listening, and speaking), encompass various interactive formats. These include pair work involving dialogue practice, Q&A, role play, information gap exercises, discussions, the compilation of key terms, and evaluation of ideas. Group activities involve discussions, the creation of posters, videos, and PowerPoint presentations, fostering collaborative learning. Individual tasks, such as presentations and audiovisual materials production, further contribute to the interactive nature of the lessons.

The critical evaluation of texts, audio, and video materials is woven into these activities. Homework tasks are thoughtfully designed to provide opportunities for revising and consolidating knowledge and skills. This dynamic approach ensures your engagement with a diverse range of tasks, accommodating different learning styles. Emphasis is placed on multimodality and interactivity, providing ample support for your learning through a variety of visual aids and materials.

Your coursework will be marked and returned within two weeks. Rubrics and revision guidance (how-to guides) will be included, as needed, with each coursework. You will receive detailed feedback, alongside suggestions for improvement and an overall percentage showing your provisional grade for that assessment.

• Coursework (15%): Mid-autumn term. Integrated-skills short project: listening, reading, speaking, writing (incl. essay of c. 350 words).
• Examination (15%): In-class test (1-hour), including a grammar/lexicon quiz, a reading comprehension, and a writing task (220-250 words).
• Coursework (20%): Mid-spring term. Integrated-skills short project: listening, data elicitation and presentation, writing (c.400 words).
• Examination (20%): In-class test (1-hour), including a grammar/lexicon quiz, a reading comprehension, and a writing task (c.300 words).
• Practical (30%): Oral exam in the summer term, including presentation/commentary on dossier, and unprepared discussion (approx. 20 minutes).

The module incorporates both formative and summative assessments. Homework tasks (theory revision, reading, writing, listening, etc.) are set every week on the Virtual Learning Environment (VLE), following a flipped-classroom approach. This structure aims to allocate face-to-face time specifically for interactive learning and the acquisition of communicative skills. Independent study opportunities are facilitated through the provision of support materials and guidance on the VLE. You can reinforce the topics covered at your own pace by accessing the latest articles or videos relevant to the content covered during lessons, published in Italy, and uploaded by the teacher regularly on the VLE.

You will need to complete two pieces of summative coursework (set during mid-autumn term and mid-spring term), which will include rubrics and revision guidance to ensure you are supported when completing your work and so that you are aware of the assessment expectations. There will also be two 1-hour in-class tests (scheduled at the end of autumn term and at the end of spring term) run on the VLE (bring your own device), and one practical in the form of an oral examination (at the end of spring term or during the summer term). The coursework, tests and practical contribute to your final grade.

Assessment information for students on a course with a year abroad

• 7.5 ECTS points awarded on successful completion of the module.
• Available to take for credit towards your degree where your department allows. Also available for extra credit.
• You must be prepared to attend all classes and undertake approximately 3 hours of private study each week in addition to the assessment.

Relevant reading lists will be hosted in Leganto, and updated links provided in the VLE.