Italian

Skills

Extending sentences with sequences (poi, dopo, quando, etc…)

Including a variety of opinion and viewpoints

Checking accents and spelling

Learning sentences/phrases meaning the same

Dealing with unpredictable questions

Joining ideas with a variety of connectives

Knowledge

Theme:   Problemi Sociali                 Key Language, vocabulary and Grammar

Le stragi del sabato sera          

Aiutiamo gli altri

Niccolò Ammaniti

‘Io non ho paura’

Authentic text 14                       

Rationale

This second unit enables learners to practise the important skill of sequencing their responses into a logical coherent structure and to extend sentences as overtly practised in the previous unit. This is to ensure learners are getting into the habit of systematically expanding their responses to reach the highest marks on their Speaking and Writing assessments.

This unit is designed around themes that learners can easily relate to and engage with allowing for Learners to draw on familiar contexts as a starting base.

 Learners are expected to create content providing detailed information about the sub topics specified above and relating to their own experiences and those of other people, including people in countries /communities where Italian is spoken.

The introduction of Debate phrases will help them to express knowledge as specified in the specification for this unit and to apply it progressively throughout the course across any topics.

They are expected to acquire knowledge as specified in the specification for this unit and to apply it progressively throughout the course across the topics and across the skills in order to understand the importance and relevance of transferring skills and knowledge.

Skills

Revising and reusing basic vocabulary in a different context

Conjugation of verbs in future tense

Giving a range of opinions + justify them convincingly

Agreeing/disagreeing with exam stimuli

Constructing a useful phrases list for revision

Using questions to form answers

Knowledge

Theme:   Come vedi il futuro?              Key Language, vocabulary and Grammar

I nostril sogni                                

Amici per sempre

Rationale

This unit will be used to encourage learners to reuse key phrases from prior learning in their interactions with each other and with the Teacher in order to develop accurate pronunciation, intonation and to work actively on expanding their answers as this is a key part of the GCSE.

There is an opportunity to engage Learners further through the use of songs, tongue twisters and phonetics in order to develop fluency as well as transcribe texts.

In order to be familiar with a variety of accents and idioms, learners will be exposed to Italian from different regions and be expected to transfer the skills they have learnt above to extract key meaning and confidently translate new words.

They are also expected to use increasingly accurate sentences in two tenses in order to fully prepare for the Speaking and Writing assessments for their GCSE exam thereby building on the key grammar points learnt in year 9.

They are expected to acquire knowledge as specified in the specification for this unit and to apply it progressively throughout the course across the topics and across the skills in order to understand the importance and relevance of transferring skills and knowledge.

Skills

Identifying false friends

Noticing distractors in listening activities

Extracting core information and disregarding irrelevant information

Responding to questions in 3^rd person in Italian

Manipulating answers

Using adverbs of time and frequency

Understanding some specialist vocabulary

Knowledge

Theme:   Reading and Listening         Key Language, vocabulary and Grammar

Higher / Foundation Listening activities

Manipulating verbs from 1^st to 3^rd person

Rationale

This fourth unit enables Learners to enhance their reading and listening skills with particular emphasis on noticing the key information, distractors and false friends designed to catch them out.

In order to reach levels 7-9, learners need to manipulate vocabulary and adapt tenses accurately, and be able to differentiate between the different types of past and tenses. To that end, learners will be focussing on the subtle nuances between the Imperfect and perfect tenses alongside noticeable changes between first and third person.

Learners are expected to acquire knowledge as specified in the specification for this unit and to apply it progressively throughout the course across the topics and across the skills. Therefore, while being tested reference to past units will be made to ensure learners understand the importance of transferring knowledge and skills.

Skills

Improving pronunciation through practice

Revising key vocabulary and structures across all 3 themes

Extending spoken answers with complex sentences

Using a variety of adjectives and intensifiers in responses

Analysing role-play and photo-card stimuli to develop appropriate answers

Predicting the surprise questions

Learning and using delaying strategies (È una bella domanda…)

Revising a reusing Italian idioms

Knowledge

Theme:   Speaking exam         Key Language, vocabulary and Grammar

Describing a photo-card

General conversation topics

Rationale

This fifth unit will allow learners to focus on their speaking skills, paying particular attention to their pace and pronunciation in order to fully prepare for their speaking exam. Key speaking skills will be revisited and tested through the three components of the speaking exams in order to make sure learners know how to respond adequately to the varied stimuli and surprise questions.

Furthermore, Learners will gain further practise of using a wide range of tenses appropriately and accurately in preparation of their speaking exam. Learner will demonstrate use of critical thinking to decide on which tense to use.

This unit will also remind Learners of the vital GCSE skill of transferring language across contexts and themes. Learners will demonstrate how to recall and use previous knowledge to facilitate this unit. This is also an opportunity to revisit mind maps and highly frequent language in order to create meaningful revision notes.

Skills

Exam Skills

Revising key vocabulary and structures across all 3 themes

Extending verbal answers with complex sentences

Analysing and responding to the bullet points in detail

Revising translation strategies vs literal translation

Using exclamations to convey emotions

Revising and reusing Italian idioms

Proof reading for accuracy and SPAG

Referring to other people’s viewpoints

Knowledge

Theme:   Written exam                        Key Language, vocabulary and Grammar

Translations

Rationale

In this last unit, Learners will gain further practise in their writing skill by using a wide range of tenses appropriately and accurately. Learner will demonstrate use of critical thinking to decide on which tense to use for their essay.

Furthermore, Learners will practise decision-making skills on how to translate using the translation strategies used in this and previous units. They will demonstrate their ability to differentiate between literal translation and adaptation in order to get full marks for their exam.

In this unit Learners will also be expected to self-assess their written work through proof reading in order to be able to critically judge and improve their own essay in an exam situation.

Time management will be practised as well as specific word counts, both of which are important to success at GCSE.