SML2014 : An Introduction to Italian language and culture
- Offered for Year: 2020/21
- Module Leader(s): Ms Barbara Guidarelli
- Owning School: Modern Languages
- Teaching Location: Newcastle City Campus
Semesters
| Semester 1 Credit Value: | 10 |
| Semester 2 Credit Value: | 10 |
| ECTS Credits: | 10.0 |
Aims
At the end of the year, students will have acquired basic oral and written communication skills in Italian, consistent with the European Framework of Reference level A2. Furthermore, they will have been acquainted with a range of topics forming a cultural background to the language instruction. These may vary but may include aspects of Italian politics, history, literature, and translation theory.
Outline Of Syllabus
Grammatical structures and lexical material will be introduced and practised in common types of situations of communication. Grammatical categories acquired will include: article, full noun, personal and possessive pronoun, prepositions, present tense and compound past with regular as well as with some irregular verbs, imperfect.
One in four one-hour classes will be a cultural context class, covering aspects like politics, history, literature and cinema.
Teaching Methods
Teaching Activities
| Category | Activity | Number | Length | Student Hours | Comment |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Scheduled Learning And Teaching Activities | Lecture | 12 | 1:00 | 12:00 | N/A |
| Scheduled Learning And Teaching Activities | Practical | 36 | 1:00 | 36:00 | N/A |
| Guided Independent Study | Independent study | 1 | 152:00 | 152:00 | N/A |
| Total | 200:00 |
Teaching Rationale And Relationship
Practical language skills and knowledge can best be acquired in an interactive classroom setting. The cultural context classes have the format of a lecture, although they will be interactive, too. The target language will be used as much as possible in both lectures and seminars.
Assessment Methods
The format of resits will be determined by the Board of Examiners
Exams
| Description | Length | Semester | When Set | Percentage | Comment |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Written Examination | 90 | 2 | A | 50 | Reading comprehension and writing tasks |
| Aural Examination | 15 | 2 | M | 20 | Listening assessment |
| Oral Examination | 5 | 2 | M | 20 | 5 minute conversation |
Other Assessment
| Description | Semester | When Set | Percentage | Comment |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Portfolio | 1 | M | 10 | Portfolio of homework items. Writing task. |
Formative Assessments
| Description | Semester | When Set | Comment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Written exercise | 1 | M | Both semesters. Weekly homework. |
Assessment Rationale And Relationship
- The written exam includes a variety of reading and writing tasks. Students may be allowed to type their own answers provided that spell check / grammar check has been disabled.
- The oral exam is a 5-minute conversation with the teacher in the target language. This assessment will test students’ ability to produce and present their own output orally. This will take place in Semester 2 in class time.
Reading Lists
Timetable
- Timetable Website: www.ncl.ac.uk/timetable/
- SML2014's Timetable