Italian (A Level)

The language of the soul

Head of Department:  Ms T Arecco & Mrs L Manikon

More than learning a language, A Level Italian is also the study of society and culture, history, politics and everyday life. On this course, you will develop advanced language skills and a greater understanding of Italian society and culture.

CURRICULUM INFORMATION (ITALIAN)

WHAT WILL I BE STUDYING ON THE COURSE?

You will study:
1.  Aspects of society
2.  Aspects of political life
3.  Aspects of artistic culture
4.  Current trends

The first year of the A level course will move you on from GCSE covering all four skills. Teaching is based on a thematic approach and the language is taught through a variety of contemporary issues. The study of an Italian film will be a focus in year one.

The second year will enable you to develop your linguistic skills further, whilst continuing to enhance your knowledge of the Italian language, the country and its culture. The study of an Italian film and a book will be integral to the course.

WHAT WILL I BE DOING IN LESSONS?

The department employs a great variety of teaching methods. Italian is used as the main medium of instruction in the classroom and many different tasks are used in order to achieve each student’s maximum potential.

Students will have to engage in discussions and will be able to improve their reading comprehension skills and develop their ability to implement advanced grammatical structures both in their writing and speaking. Topic booklets / worksheets will also be issued to the students on the themes mentioned above and most tasks will be completed in pairs, small groups, individually or through whole-class teaching. In addition, students will have access to an Italian assistant for up to 20 minutes per week to consolidate and improve on what they have learned in class. 

Languages are taught interactively. You will have the opportunity to develop your knowledge and skills through a wide variety of different mediums such as video, TV, Internet research and music. You will have weekly grammar lessons and you will have a language assistant to help you with speaking both individually and in small groups.

HOW WILL THE COURSE BE ASSESSED?

Most methods of assessment will be related to the structure and demands of the syllabus.

Students will be assessed on their understanding of spoken and written Italian from a variety of types of authentic texts and listening material, as well as their ability to translate accurately into and from Italian.

Texts and recordings will vary in length to include some extended passages. All spoken and written materials will be culturally relevant to Italy.

Internally you will have milestones assessments every six weeks and regular speaking practice in class where you will assess each other using mark schemes. Externally at the end of the course you will have three papers:

Paper 1:  Listening, reading and writing
External written examination, 50% of A Level

Paper 2:  Writing
External written examination, 20% of A Level

Paper 3:  Speaking
Oral examination, 30% of A Level

WHICH OTHER SUBJECTS GO WELL WITH italian?

Virtually any. We have students taking science subjects, mathematicians, historians, those in the fields of English language or literature and business, to name but a few.

AND AFTER THE COURSE?

Italian, and indeed languages in general, can be studied with nearly any subject at university level. Many modern languages and Italian graduates have pursued careers in law, accountancy, banking & finance, journalism, marketing and public relations, the Civil Service, translation and interpreting as well as teaching. Those with language skills are a relative rarity in the UK; therefore employment prospects are extremely high.

WHICH EMPLOYABILITY SKILLS WILL I LEARN?

• Effective oral and written communication skills - in two (or more) languages
  Adaptability: understanding cultural differences
  Maturity and independence
  IT skills
  Good learning strategies
  Team-working / responsibility / initiative
  Adaptability, understanding of different cultures

 FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS ABOUT ITALIAN

Q: Is it a big jump from GCSE to A level?
A: While there is an increase in difficulty, this is one of the best things about the course. A level study gives you the chance to delve deeper into Italian culture and explore the language in a more revealing and engaging way than is possible at GCSE. We are specialists in teaching at this level and are here to help you manage the transition into post-16 learning.

Q: What kinds of support or practice opportunities are offered outside regular lessons?
A: We are very lucky to have native speakers with us at Gumley House who run weekly conversation classes where you can meet with other students in very small groups (usually 3 or 4) and talk over what you have been learning about in class and build your confidence in speaking and listening in Italian.

Q: What is a typical class size?
A: Classes are usually made up of between 5 - 10 students. We do lots of pair and group work in lessons in order to make learning interactive and lively, and there is always a warm and buzzing atmosphere in the classroom.

Q: What kind of things do students end up doing after the course?
A: The majority of our students go on to study Italian in higher education: many apply to universities in the UK (and some even abroad!) to study modern languages (one, two, or even three languages). Some students choose to combine Italian with another subject, giving them the opportunity to have a year abroad as part of their degree. A Level Italian is a qualification which is extremely attractive to university admissions tutors, apprenticeship providers and employers because it makes your CV stand out against all other applicants.

HEAR FROM SOME OF OUR STUDENTS

CAREERS AND LABOUR MARKET INFORMATION

Please see below for careers and labour market information for Italian - use the refresh buttons to find out about different courses and careers, and use the left and right arrows to view more detailed information: