Beginning Italian I

This course is designed for students who have little or no prior knowledge of Italian. The primary aim of the course is to develop the four basic language skills (reading, writing, listening and speaking) through communicative, collaborative, and cultural activities.

The course combines several integrated approaches aimed at developing basic Italian language skills. Classroom time is devoted mainly to speaking and practicing Italian through a combination of group-based and individual activities, focusing on grammatical structures, language functions and vocabulary. Sessions also address a range of contemporary cultural themes using newspaper articles, advertising material and short film clips. In addition, on-site activities, such as visits to markets and coffee-bars will give students a unique chance to rapidly implement their linguistic development and newly acquired intercultural competences.

By the end of the course, you are expected to master basic grammar and lexical structures, in order to conduct a simple conversation and write short and basic texts with some degree of competency. You will be able to speak about yourself and your family, introduce people, interact with the host community, and follow short and simple conversations.

This course is offered as a 3 or 4 credit course. Students can see the difference between the two offerings in the forms of assessment.