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IT401-30 Modern Italian Language IV

Department
School of Modern Languages and Cultures
Level
Undergraduate Level 3
Module leader
Valentina Abbatelli
Credit value
30
Module duration
22 weeks
Assessment
100% exam
Study location
University of Warwick main campus, Coventry
Introductory description

This module will consolidate linguistic skills acquired in the intermediate year and extend them through translation, writing, reading, speaking and listening activities.

A range of assessments will be offered for students to track and reflect on their progress through the provision of regular feedback. Students will also be provided with complementary autonomous learning activities and directed to appropriate activities for self-study in order to develop independent learning strategies.

Module web page

Module aims

The aim of this module is to refine fluency in spoken and written Italian, working towards a C2 standard of the CEFR. Emphasis will be placed on sophisticated translation and writing, as well as oral and comprehension skills, using an appropriate range of complex linguistic structures, vocabulary, register and style. The module will be shaped around translation exercises and analysis, oral presentation and discussion, and sophisticated writing activities.

Outline syllabus

This is an indicative module outline only to give an indication of the sort of topics that may be covered. Actual sessions held may differ.

The course is divided into writing, translation, and oral work. The writing part of the course aims to consolidate and refine students’ comprehension of contemporary Italian text types encompassing fiction and non-fiction. In particular students will be encouraged to learn how to write argumentative pieces using a variety of registers. This class will also foster language awareness through translation from English into Italian and Italian into English. Translation workshops will enable students to translate from and into a range of registers, e.g. contemporary fiction, journalism, critical writing. Students will engage in conversation and learn how to sustain an oral presentation and sustain an argument.

Learning outcomes

By the end of the module, students should be able to:

  • The acquisition of sophisticated skills in grammar, translation, writing and reading in Italian and the ability to apply complex syntax in various contexts.
  • The acquisition of sophisticated skills of aural comprehension and oral communication over a wide range of topics, showing familiarity with different registers and styles
  • Sophisticated ability to understand and critically engage with aspects of contemporary Italian society and culture and intercultural issues associated with them
  • A systematic approach to proof reading with due attention to accuracy
  • Highly proficient independent language-learning and research skills
Indicative reading list

Martin Maiden and Cecilia Robustelli, A reference grammar of modern Italian, Routledge, 2013 (second edition).

Il Ragazzini 2008-Dizionario inglese-italiano, italiano-inglese, Zanichelli.
Collins-Sansoni: Italian Dictionary: complete and unabridged, Collins.

View reading list on Talis Aspire

International

All modules delivered in SMLC are necessarily international. Students engage with themes and ideas from a culture other than that of the UK and employ their linguistic skills in the analysis of primary materials from a non-Anglophone context. Students will also be encouraged to draw on the experiences of visiting exchange students in the classroom and will frequently engage with theoretical and critical frameworks from across the world.

Subject specific skills

This module will build students’ linguistic skills through activities that stimulate authentic target language production and develop sensitivity to the transference of meaning across languages. Students will work towards the production of nuanced, accurate and contextually sensitive materials through a range of language classes and guided independent learning.

Transferable skills

All SMLC culture modules demand critical and analytical engagement with artefacts from target-language cultures. In the course of independent study, class work and assessment students will develop the following skills: written and oral communication, creative and critical thinking, problem solving and analysis, time management and organisation, independent research in both English and their target language(s), intercultural understanding and the ability to mediate between languages and cultures, ICT literacy in both English and the target language(s), personal responsibility and the exercise of initiative.

Study time

Type Required Optional
Lectures (0%) 20 sessions of 1 hour
Seminars 60 sessions of 1 hour (20%)
Private study 240 hours (80%)
Total 300 hours
Private study description

Students will be expected to make use of the TRC, Virtual Learning Environment (Moodle) and directed learning and self-study options to complement taught class hours

Costs

No further costs have been identified for this module.

You do not need to pass all assessment components to pass the module.

Students can register for this module without taking any assessment.

Assessment group B1
Weighting Study time
In-person Examination - Writing 38%

Translation into and out of Italian


  • Answerbook Green (8 page)
  • Dictionary
In-person Examination - Translation 37%

Writing exam


  • Answerbook Green (8 page)
Final oral exam 25%

Individual presentation followed by questions and general discussion

Feedback on assessment

In-class methods: oral feedback, peer discussion, self-correction and scrutiny of common errors.
Outside-class methods: provision of written and oral feedback.

Past exam papers for IT401

Pre-requisites

To take this module, you must have passed:

Courses

This module is Core for:

  • Year 4 of ULNA-R300 BA in Italian Studies
  • Year 4 of ULNA-QR38 Undergraduate English and Italian
  • Year 4 of ULNA-RR15 Undergraduate French and Italian
  • Year 4 of ULNA-R4RH Undergraduate Hispanic Studies and Italian
  • Year 4 of UITA-R3V2 Undergraduate History and Italian
  • Year 4 of UITA-RQ38 Undergraduate Italian and Classics
  • Year 4 of ULNA-R3L4 Undergraduate Italian and Economics (4-year)
  • Year 4 of ULNA-R3Q3 Undergraduate Italian and Linguistics
  • Year 4 of UITA-R3W5 Undergraduate Italian with Film Studies
  • Year 4 of UFRA-R900 Undergraduate Modern Languages
  • Year 4 of UITA-R3V3 Undergraduate Taught Italian and History of Art

This module is Core optional for:

  • Year 3 of UHAA-V3R3 Undergraduate History of Art with Italian
  • Year 3 of ULNA-R902 Undergraduate Modern Language Studies
  • Year 4 of UFRA-R900 Undergraduate Modern Languages
  • Year 3 of UFRA-R903 Undergraduate Modern Languages (3 year)
  • Year 3 of ULNA-R9LA Undergraduate Modern Languages and Economics (3-year)
  • Year 4 of ULNA-R9L1 Undergraduate Modern Languages and Economics (4-year)
  • Year 4 of UPOA-M165 Undergraduate Politics, International Studies and Italian

This module is Core option list A for:

  • Year 4 of ULNA-R9Q1 Undergraduate Modern Languages and Linguistics
  • Year 3 of ULNA-R9QB Undergraduate Modern Languages with Linguistics (3 year)

This module is Core option list B for:

  • Year 4 of ULNA-R4RL Undergraduate Hispanic Studies with Italian
  • Year 4 of ULNA-R9Q2 Undergraduate Modern Languages with Linguistics

This module is Core option list C for:

  • Year 2 of UPOA-M165 Undergraduate Politics, International Studies and Italian

This module is Unusual option for:

  • Year 4 of ULNA-R1A3 Undergraduate French with Italian