Italian

The A-level Course

Italy is one of the top five economies in the world, and many employers are seeking people who speak both Italian and English. Knowing Italian is greatly beneficial in several career fields; Italy is a world leader in the culinary arts, interior design, fashion, graphic design, space engineering and transportation equipment.  Italian literature also boasts some of the world's most famous writers and thinkers, from Dante, Boccaccio, Petrarch and Machiavelli, to Verga, Svevo, Pirandello, and Gramsci, to name a few.

Italian is currently offered as an AS-level taught over two years. We follow the EDEXCEL course which involves pupils learning about a range of topics relating to the modern world.  We use the 'Progetto Italiano' textbook and supplement this with recent articles taken from the Italian press.  Pupils are encouraged to consolidate their learning by researching topics independently and sharing their resources in class.

The course is divided into the following four topic areas:

• Youth Culture and Concerns
• Lifestyle, Health and Fitness
• Travel, Tourism, Environmentalism and the Italian-Speaking World
• Education and Employment 

Lessons are taught in small groups and conducted largely in the target language.  In addition pupils have a weekly individual speaking session.  Pupils are also prepared thoroughly for formal examinations in Reading, Writing and Listening at the end of the year.