Italian ab initio

Group 2

Course Description

COURSE STRUCTURE

SL only

Prerequisites:

Nil

Exclusions:

No prior learning of Italian, exposure to the language at home or significant time in Italy

The IB DP language ab initio course is designed to provide students with the necessary skills and intercultural understanding to enable them to communicate successfully in an environment where the language studied is spoken.

This process encourages the learner to go beyond the confines of the classroom, expanding an awareness of the world and fostering respect for cultural diversity. The language ab initio course develops students’ linguistic abilities through the development of receptive, productive and interactive skills by providing them opportunities to respond and interact appropriately in a defined range of everyday situations. Language ab initio is available at standard level only.

Coursework

Group 2:	Italian ab initio Standard Level	Recommended Teaching Hours
*Components*		150
*Areas of Study*
Language	Receptive skills: the ability to comprehend straightforward written and spoken language. Productive skills: the ability to write and speak the target language effectively. Interactive skills: the ability to understand and respond effectively to written and spoken language.
Prescribed Themes	Identities – personal attributes; personal relationships; eating and drinking; physical wellbeing. Experiences – daily routine; leisure; holidays; festivals and celebrations. Human ingenuity – transport; entertainment; media; technology. Social organisation – neighbourhood; education; the workplace; social issues. Sharing the planet – climate; physical geography; the environment; global issues.
Texts	During the course, students are taught to understand and produce a variety of spoken, written and visual texts. Use of authentic texts is encouraged. Examples of texts to be studied include articles, letters, maps, timetables and web pages.

Assessment

Year 11

Type of Assessment	*Format of Assessment*
Paper 1	Written productive skills through a series of writing exercises relating to topics studied.
Paper 2	Listening and responding to a range of multiple choice and short answer questions. Reading and responding to a range of multiple choice and short answer questions.
Individual Oral	Conversation with teacher based on visual stimulus and at least one additional course theme.
Vocabulary and grammar Exercises	Completing a range of exercises including translation at vocabulary and sentence level.

Year 12

Group 2:	Italian ab initio Standard Level
*Type of Assessment*	*Format of assessment*	*Time (hours)*	*Weighting of final grade (%)*
External			75
Paper 1	Written productive skills through two writing exercises of 70-150 words each. Receptive skills: Text handling exercises on 4 written texts	1.0	25
Paper 2	Receptive skills through text handling exercises on three audio passages and three written texts, based on all five themes.	1.75	50
Internal: Oral work Individual oral presentation	Conversation with teacher based on visual stimulus and at least one additional course theme.		25

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