Italian Level 4

 On successful completion of this module, you will be better 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. You will have developed your language learning skills repertoire, using 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 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. 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 audio visual 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. 

• Coursework (20%): Mid-term 1. Integrated skills short project: listening, reading, speaking, writing c. 300 words
• Coursework (20%): Mid-term 2.  Recorded oral task (6-7 minutes)  - integrated skills project (reading/writing min. 310 words)
• Examination (30%): 1-hour in-class test on the virtual learning environment at the end of term 2, testing lexical/grammatical awareness & reading/writing skills (writing c. 320 words) 
• Practical (30%): Term 3 oral examination including an unprepared discussion on a range of topics covered in class, as well as general questions to assess overall understanding and the correct use of grammatical structures. (approx. 15 min) 

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 2 pieces of summative coursework (set during mid-term 1 and mid-term 2) 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 a 1-hour in-class examination (scheduled at the end of term 2), and one practical in the form of an oral examination (at the end of term 2 or during the summer term). The coursework, examinations 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. The Module options by department page has a full list of the credit options.
• 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.