Learning outcomes

- identify your own improvement in Italian vocabulary and grammatical knowledge in written - and spoken language
- differentiate between major stylistic levels of Italian
- recognise and understand different linguistic registers in Italian
- translate selected Italian passages showing idiomatic, authentic style and grammatical usage
- present independently prepared material in spoken or written Italian
- discuss and debate topical issues in Italian
- summarise in your own words selected pieces of written or spoken Italian
- give your own insights into contemporary Italian life and culture
- take part in role-plays in Italian
- enter into conversation in Italian with confidence in your ability to express youself
- make both supervised and independent us of the facilities in the Language Resource Centre: audio visual material, interactive computer programmes and satellite television

Language modules have, as an integral part of their structure, regular homework assignments and class tests as well as end of year examinations. All assessment is designed to measure your progress against learning outcomes at the appropriate level.

Brief description

The format of this 'thin' module is as follows: there will be three weekly classes (one concentrating on oral, two concentrating on written skills) and one fortnightly class. The weekly hours will be devoted to a variety of language exercises aimed at developing written and oral skills. The fortnightly hour will involve translation practice from Italian.   
Continuous assessment marks for the module will be derived from written work set by the tutor, and from attendance, active contribution and performance in the weekly oral hour.
Formal examinations -written language and oral/aural - will take place at the end of the second semester.
The modules in Business Language IT20310 this year and Language of Current Affairs IT30310 in later years are complementary to this module.

Aims

• To consolidate students' knowledge of Italian grammar and vocabulary, with the ultimate aim of fostering accuracy in writing Italian.
• To train students to translate accurately into English (or Italian) passages of continuous Italian (English) prose. Accuracy refers to content, idiom and style, and to grammatical usage, i.e. the translation ought to include all the information in the original and this ought to be expressed in English (Italian) that sounds as if a native-speaker had written it, that is grammatically correct, and is as formal or informal as the original.
• To develop students' oral competence.

Reading Lists