S HER BO RNE GIR L S SIX T H FORM
ITALIAN Why study Italian? Not only a language of fine food and beautiful holidays, Italian sits at the heart of so much of the culture that we enjoy today. Those who have studied it at GCSE will appreciate both its beauty and peculiarities, making it such a rewarding language to learn. The A Level Italian course explores a wide variety of themes, with the study of this fascinating language running through them. Pupils will develop a deep and broad knowledge of how the language operates and the culture, history, cinema and literature of Italy and Italian-speaking communities around the world. By the end of the course, pupils are able to interact effectively in a range of situations, while also having an in-depth knowledge of a range of key cultural and political topics that are so important in today’s world. Course content The Edexcel A Level Italian course includes four major themes and either two literature studies or a film study and a literature study. The four central themes: 1. I cambiamenti della società italiana focusing on changes in family life, education and the world of work in Italy over recent decades 2. La cultura politica ed artistica nei Paesi di lingua italiana looking at contemporary music, media and cultural heritage in Italian-speaking countries and communities 3. L’Italia: una società in evoluzione exploring the advantages and challenges of immigration to Italy and the North-South divide within the country 4. Dal fascimo ai giorni nostri deepening understanding of the history of Italy from the birth of Mussolini’s fascist party to the establishment of democracy and its institutions Literature & film studies: During the two years, pupils will study either two literary texts, or a film and a literary text. Such texts include Io non ho paura and Volevo i pantaloni, and films include La vita è bella and Il Postino.
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Assessment Examination board: Edexcel All assessment is carried out at the end of the Upper Sixth Form. Paper 1: Listening, reading and translation (2 hours – 40%) Paper 2: Written response to works and translation (2 hours 40 minutes – 30%) Paper 3: Speaking (21-23 minutes – 30%) which includes a discussion on a theme and the presentation and discussion of a pupil’s research topic of choice Who can give me more information? Mrs Blewitt s.blewitt@sherborne.com
