Module Catalogue 2025/26

Pre Requisite Comment

N/A

Co Requisite Comment

None

Aims

To provide students with the following:

i. The ability to survive in the most typical situations met by visitors when travelling abroad for a few days.
ii. An awareness of the nature of language and language learning.
iii. An interest in the countries where the language is spoken and the people from these countries.

This is the first part of an Italian Beginners course designed with the non language specialist in mind. It is intended for absolute beginners and covers the four skills: writing, reading, speaking and listening. At the end of the module, the students will have gained an awareness of the basics of the language. They will understand and use some familiar everyday expressions and very basic phrases aimed at the satisfaction of needs of a concrete type.

Outline Of Syllabus

• Personal information
• Work and family
• Daily routine
• Free time
• Likes and dislikes

Intended Knowledge Outcomes

By the end of the module, students will have had the opportunity to acquire:

•       a body of vocabulary sufficient to allow the learner to communicate orally in writing with confidence at a basic user level
•       an understanding of key traditional grammatical concepts and sufficient grasp of the functioning of the language to be able to interact with confidence and some flexibility at the level described above and some knowledge of basic metalanguage.
•       sufficient familiarity with exponents of a functional and notional syllabus to allow the learner to communicate his or her language needs simply and clearly at basic user level
•       some knowledge of the culture of Italy.

Intended Skill Outcomes

By the end of the course the student should be able to:

•       communicate his or her basic needs and opinions simply and clearly in speech or in writing with some regard to appropriateness of register
•       understand the gist of simple authentic written and spoken text and have sufficient linguistic tools to be able to use this information for his or her own purposes
•       deal with some situations which occur predictably whilst travelling in the countries where Italian is spoken
•       discuss or write about present events
•       work as a team member to solve a problem.

Teaching Rationale And Relationship

1. Teaching in the language seminars will focus on communication skills. Grammar will be taught systematically to enable students to produce and manipulate the foreign language. Use of the target language will be made as much as possible to develop listening skills. All four skills: listening, reading, writing and speaking are fully integrated in the language seminars and associated work and preparation, and will be tested equally.

2. Independent learning and learner autonomy are further developed through online guided tasks, pair and group work, assessment preparation and completion, and self-study at home, via the University’s Virtual Learning Environment (VLE) and in the Language Resource Centre. Particular initiative is expected from students, e.g. course participants will be asked to contribute their own materials to the classes and activities.

Assessment Rationale And Relationship

The portfolio will help students assess their progress and identify their strengths and areas for improvement. It will test student’s ability to communicate effectively, identify relevant information and produce a structured text in the target language.

General Notes

N/A