The Sixth Form College Colchester

2016

IB I

talia

n (a

b In

itio

)

Introduction

IB ITALIAN (ab initio) This is a language learning course for beginners, designed to be followed over five terms and taught for four lessons a week. Students are able to have a weekly conversation session with the Italian assistant during the second year of the course.

Entry Criteria Standard College entry requirements for the IB. The ab initio (beginner) level course in Italian is for all students who have little or no previous experience of the language. Students do need to have a keen interest in learning a new language and be prepared to learn vocabulary and grammatical constructions on a regular basis. Students are not required to have a GCSE in a language in order to take this course, but previous language-learning success would be an advantage.

Course Content Language, themes and texts provide the basis of the course and students are encouraged to develop a greater awareness of their own culture through learning about another. The course will be taught around three themes. These are:

The Individual Leisure and Work Urban and Rural Environments

Language Skills:

The four skills of reading, writing, listening and speaking will be regularly practised in class around these themes. Emphasis is placed on the practical use of the language and therefore Italian will be used as much as possible in the classroom.

Grammar: As the examination places great emphasis on the knowledge and correct use of Italian grammar students will do a lot of work on learning verbs, tenses and grammatical constructions.

Cultural Awareness: The main focus is on the acquisition of language required for situations in everyday life in Italy. Through the use of a variety of texts the course also aims to develop a basic awareness of the culture of the Italian-speaking world, and an ability to reflect in simple terms on cultural differences. This includes a study of everyday life, customs, traditions and festivals in Italy, and an appreciation of the influence the Italian language and people have had in the world beyond Italys borders.

Vocabulary: It is essential to build up knowledge of a wide range of vocabulary as quickly as possible. Therefore, vocabulary learning must be done on a regular basis to be successful on this course. To help students with this process, a vocabulary book (cost 1) will also be used in addition to the class textbook. Testing and consolidation of vocabulary will be done continuously.

Assignments: A variety of assignments will be set for homework. These may include written work, learning vocabulary/verbs, reading comprehensions and listening exercises. This will help reinforce class work and give students the opportunity to practise what they have been learning.

The Sixth Form College Colchester

2016

IB

Ita

lian

(Ab

init

io)

Assessment

Assessment will take place continuously throughout the course to help reinforce learning and to measure progress. An internal end of year examination will be set in the summer term of the first year, and a mock IB exam following the pattern of the External Assessment will take place early in the spring term of the second year. A piece of controlled writing for external assessment will be produced in the second year. The final oral examination will take place in the second half of the spring term of the second year, and the final written examinations are taken in May of that year. Controlled Written assignment: 20% of total marks A descriptive and reflective piece of work (200-350 words) independently researched with access to dictionaries, grammar books, stimulus texts and online resources. Students must choose a topic area to focus on, and the assessment emphasis is on intercultural reflection relating to this topic. Individual Oral (10 minutes): 25% of total marks Presentation based on a picture chosen from two visual stimuli (10 minutes preparation time), general conversation on topics from the core syllabus, and response to questions on the students own controlled written assignment. Paper 1: Text Handling 1 hours 30% of total marks

40 questions to show comprehension of 4 different texts Paper 2: Written Production 1 hour 25% of total marks

Two short written responses to a chosen question from a variety of options, totalling a minimum of 150 words.

Further Information

Students are encouraged to participate in cultural activities such as film and theatre visits, art exhibitions etc. There are periodic trips to an Italian destination which all students have the opportunity to join in one or other year of their course. We also regularly meet visiting Italian students who are staying in Colchester.

Progression If you want to continue Italian at university, check with the relevant department there to see how many points they require. Most university Italian departments accept students at all levels, from ab initio to students with an A level qualification. Students often choose to study Italian in combination with another foreign language or with a subject such as English, Art History, European Studies, Business Studies, Marketing, Law, International Relations, Politics or History. Italy is a popular tourist destination and has a large economy. It is a language that few English people speak, so acquiring a qualification in Italian puts you at an advantage over other job applicants. Internationally minded students may wish to apply to the Erasmus Programme to spend a year studying at a university in the EU, and those with some knowledge of Italian will be considered favourably for places in Italy.

ib-italian-ab-initio-2016IB Italian (Ab Initio) 2016