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ITAL2031: Italian Language 2B

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Type Open
Level 2
Credits 20
Availability Available in 2024/2025
Module Cap None.
Location Durham
Department Modern Languages and Cultures (Italian)

Prerequisites

  • Italian Language 1B (ITAL1102)

Corequisites

  • At least one additional level 2 module in Italian Studies

Excluded Combinations of Modules

  • Italian Language 2B (ITAL2031), Italy and the Arts (ITAL1081), Languages and Literatures of Italy (ITAL1091), and Anatomy of Italian Culture (1101).

Aims

  • To improve and expand linguistic competence (oral and written).
  • To expand knowledge of the language-specific culture and stimulate intercultural awareness.

Content

  • To revise and consolidate competence in Italian grammar and syntax, broaden vocabulary, and develop a securer sense for idiom in contemporary spoken and written Italian.
  • To broaden understanding of modern Italian life and culture.
  • Discussion and practice of specific grammatical structures: oral and written exercises in groups and individually.
  • Development of translation skills (from and into Italian).
  • Introduction to different registers of written Italian.
  • Practice in essay writing in Italian.
  • Speaking and listening practice in small groups, based on topical issues.
  • The teaching and resources in this module reflect a commitment to linguistic and cultural diversity. It positions the richness of the Italian-speaking world at the core of its syllabus.

Learning Outcomes

Subject-specific Knowledge:

  • An understanding of:
  • modern Italian life and culture,
  • specific grammatical structures,
  • different registers of written Italian.

Subject-specific Skills:

  • Students will develop their receptive and productive skills in Italian, in line with the level B2 of the CEFR.

Key Skills:

  • Students will improve their written and oral skills, expanding on the foundation of grammatical and syntactical accuracy consolidated at Level 1 to explore more sophisticated modes of verbal expression and registers.
  • Students will gain the ability to present and/or construct an argument effectively in the target language.

Modes of Teaching, Learning and Assessment and how these contribute to the learning outcomes of the module

  • The teaching will consist of three one-hour classes per week. Classes will be conducted in Italian.
  • Students will take part in debates and discussions, participate in listening-comprehension and translation exercises, and prepare short texts and grammatical exercises for correction in class.
  • Appropriateness (accuracy and register) and range (structures and lexis), as well as the ability to manipulate the language will be monitored and assessed through a variety of written and oral tasks.

Teaching Methods and Learning Hours

ActivityNumberFrequencyDurationTotalMonitored
Oral211 per week1 hour21 
Practical211 per week1 hour21Yes
Grammar211 per week1 hour21Yes
Student preparation and reading time137 
Total SLAT hours200 

Summative Assessment

Component: Continuous AssessmentComponent Weighting: 20%
ElementLength / DurationElement WeightingResit Opportunity
300 word essay75No
Oral presentation10 minutes25No
Component: Written ExaminationComponent Weighting: 60%
ElementLength / DurationElement WeightingResit Opportunity
Written examination2 hours100Yes
Component: Oral ExaminationComponent Weighting: 20%
ElementLength / DurationElement WeightingResit Opportunity
Oral examination (in person)10 minutes100Yes

Formative Assessment

Regular written and oral exercises.

More information

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