presents
Italian How to get a H1 in the Leaving Cert Italian Exam
by Aoife B. Aoife got a H1 in her higher Leaving Cert Italian paper. She’s now doing Accounting and Finance in DCU. Here she shares what she learned.
Contents The Oral Exam
3
The Journalistic Passage
11
The Opinion Piece
14
The Guided Composition
17
The Formal Letter
20
The Aural Exam
23
Some final tips
27
2
The Oral Exam The Italian oral is probably the most daunting aspect of the exam. Accounting for 25% of your overall grade, this exam tests your ability to understand spoken Italian and your confidence in speaking it. Although you can never be sure what exactly you’ll be asked, I have some general tips and tricks that will help you along the way and get you through difficult questions! ______ Knowing the structure of the exam is absolutely essential so you know what exactly you’ll be getting yourself in for before entering the room. The exam will be about 15 minutes in total. You can be rest assured that the exam will always take this format: ‣ Greeting: When you enter the room, you will be asked your to give your name, your exam number, and to sign your name on a sheet for administrative purposes. Then the examiner will click start on the recording machine - the exam has begun! It’s really important that you know about these things before going in so you’re not thrown off! ‣ General Conversation: The examiner will start off by asking you general questions about yourself. Knowing the basics is essential - the examiner isn’t looking to catch you out, they are actually looking to give you marks and want you to be comfortable speaking to them. This section lasts about 8 minutes and goes for 50 marks. ‣ Role Plays: Next up are the role plays! Typically, the examiner will lay out the 5 role plays face down on the table and will ask you to choose one. The best thing about the role plays are that you can have them prepared before entering the exam. You’ll be so used to them and will be ready for all possible questions. These last 3-4 minutes and go 3
for 25 marks. ‣ Picture Sequence: Finally, you will be asked to choose one of the five picture sequences. This is by far the easiest part of the exam! As boring as it is, all you have to do is learn off by heart a story of the pictures. They take 3 or 4 minutes and are worth 25 marks. You will be asked no questions and the examiner won’t interrupt. Know these inside-out and upside-down and there’s no doubt that you will get full marks! Before I go into the different sections in more detail, here are some general tips for the exam: ‣
Don’t be nervous: As much as
enthusiasm in your voice and you’ll
possible, try to remain cool, calm
sound 100 times better! Your Italian
and collected. If you’re nervous,
will sound more natural and fluent
you’ll find it difficult to remember
to the examiner.
everything you’ve learned. Bring a
bottle of water in if you think you’ll need it for your voice.
‣
‣
Prononciation: When writing in Italian,
pronunciation
is
not
important. However, in this exam
Speak with enthusiasm: There’s
good pronunciation is key to earning
nothing worse than someone who
high marks. Incorrect pronunciation
speaks with no expression in their
sometimes changes the meaning of
voice. The oral exam is no
the word and will really confuse the
exception!
in
examiner! Eg; pesce (“pess- shay”)
monotone, your sentences will
means fish but adding a h changes
sound ‘learned off’ and will really
the pronunciation to pesche (“pess-
bore the examiner. Try to put some
kay”) and means peaches! Ask your
If
you
speak
4
teacher how to say certain words
or to go over a particular area you
and write the phonetics above
find difficult after school. You could
difficult words!
also find an Italian study buddy, with whom you could practice things that
are hard to study alone, such as the
‣ Also, don’t be embarrassed to try to
role plays. Speaking to yourself in
roll your Rs. Even if you find it
the mirror is another great way to
difficult, you should make an effort
practice. (Obviously, if you have a
and the examiner will see this and
family member who can speak
reward it. You’ll sound so much
Italian, you should take advantage of
more fluent if you do this!
this and speak as much Italian as
you can with them!)
‣ Practice: Most of us aren’t lucky
enough to have family members who can speak Italian with, but practicing is a must! If you don’t practice, you won’t feel comfortable speaking Italian and when it comes to the day of the exam it will be much more daunting. I would really recommend asking your teacher to
‣
Record yourself speaking: This is a great way to test yourself and highlight areas which you find difficult. Try recording yourself reciting the picture sequences and listen to them on your trip to school! I found this really helped me study!
do a practice oral exam before class
1. The General Conversation This is definitely one of the most demanding aspects of the exam. You will have to think on the spot and be ready for all types of questions. However, it is important to remember that 5
although the examiner asks questions, it is you that leads the conversation. Here are my tips to get you through… ‣ Topics are predictable: Even though the questions are never exactly the same from oral to oral, don’t worry because the examiners will always touch on certain topics: ❏ Yourself ❏ Your family and friends ❏ Your house and area ❏ Your hobbies and past-times ❏ Sport ❏ Your school and subjects ❏ Holidays ❏ Weekends ❏ Your part-time job ❏ Your future job ❏ College ❏ Italy vs Ireland ❏ Difficult topics (usually not asked unless you specifically bring them up) ‣ Keep an oral copy: To help you study for the oral exam, it is so important that you keep an oral copy/notebook and write sample answers for each subject area. Keep lists of possible questions and handy phrases and vocabulary. ‣ It’s okay if you don’t understand the question: Sometimes the examiners’ accents can be difficult to understand or they can phrase things in ways you’re not completely used to. BUT, if you don’t understand, just have a sentence ready to ask the examiner to 6
repeat the question, e.g. “Può ripetere per favore?” (Don’t worry if you have to do this once or twice, you won’t lose any marks!) ‣ You control the conversation: You don’t have to talk about something if you don’t want to. For example, if you dislike sports and don’t have much to say and the examiner asks you about it, it is perfectly fine to tell the examiner that you’re not interested in it. BUT you must either give reasons why you’re not interested or else expand on your answer by talking about something else you’re interested in instead! (“Non mi piace per niente lo sport MA AMO LEGGERE…….) ‣ Try to avoid single-sentence responses: Apart from your name, address and exam number, there is absolutely no excuse to ever give a one line answer. The trick is to just keep talking until the examiner interrupts. This shows that you’ve plenty to say and are comfortable chatting. For example, if they ask you “How many are in your family?” instead of just saying the number, you can expand on it by describing your family, then going on to talk about where you live, what your area is like and then could go on to talk about facilities in your area and school etc. ‣ Be aware of ‘Leading Topics’: If you are unprepared for certain questions it is absolutely vital that you recognise that you must avoid talking about certain things that could potentially lead the examiner to question you about your undesired topic. In my experience, I really didn’t want the examiner to ask me about Brexit, so I completely avoided talking about doing business or economics in school, just in case it led into a conversation about the economy! ‣ REMEMBER though, you can use these leading topics to your advantage! If you have a 7
particular thing which you want to talk about, you can bring it up. For example, I really wanted to talk about mental health, so I used sport as my gateway to this topic. I mentioned how sport can benefit your mental health and then this lead me onto the subject of mental health! ‣ Have a few handy colloquial phrases: It is important that you have a few useful connecting phrases that make your conversation flow more fluently. (Eg; “senza dubbio” = without a doubt, or “piove a catinelle” = it is raining cats and dogs etc)
2. The Role Plays These are a very challenging aspect of the exam. Even though you know all five of them before going in, there are no ‘set’ questions, and the examiner has the power to make them as simple or difficult as they like. However, I have a few tips to help: ‣ What are they?: Making sure you know how this part of the exam works is essential. When you choose the Role Play, the instructions will be written in ENGLISH, but you must answer in Italian! You usually take one minute or so to compose yourself and read through it... ‣ Speak in the formal: It is vital that you speak to the examiner in the formal. Using third person singular (LEI form) and the pronouns LE and LA. ‣ Know them inside out: Make sure you know what happens in each role play and that you are aware of the different questions the examiner asks and what points you need to make. Even though you do have the instructions in front of you, once you get started, it 8
will not be easy to keep referring to them. ‣ Keep it simple: If you write out sample dialogues before the exam, you really should keep them as simple as possible. Don’t over-complicate them as it will inevitably confuse you! ‣ Practice: This is by far the most important of all of my advice! Practicing is the key to a good grade. You become more comfortable speaking and you get used to the different routes the examiner can take with the questions. (E.g. knowing the examiner might say that the ticket machine is broken, etc.)
3. The Picture Sequence The picture sequence is the easiest 25 marks you will pick up. As I have said earlier, you won’t be interrupted and you know exactly what you will be saying. ‣ Short and simple: There are 6 pictures in each picture sequence. All you need to do is describe what is happening in each picture. About 4 simple sentences each will do. ‣ Learn it off by heart: Your teacher will either give you a script, or else ask you to write one out. Make sure you learn it off by heart, inside out and upside down so that you are 100% confident reciting it off without mistakes. ‣ If you forget...: If for example, on the day you have a blank and can’t remember it, the main thing is not to panic. You have been studying Italian for years and will be well able 9
to string sentences together! The examiner won’t notice so long as you don’t panic! ‣ Identify which picture you’re referring to: To be sure that the examiner is following along with you, it’s a good idea to say which picture you’re talking about. (“Nella prima immagine” etc) ‣ Practice: Constant practice is the only way to guarantee you won’t forget it on the day!
10
The Written Exam - Journalistic Passage The Journalistic Passage is the first question, Section A, of the written paper. I think that feeling comfortable answering this question is of utmost importance, as it sets your mood for the entire exam. If it goes well, you will be confident starting the paper. ‣ This one question accounts for 15% of your overall grade (60 marks!). The subject matter is completely unpredictable and the passages tend to be very factual, with quotes and statistics. Although the writing can be quite formal, with a high level of vocabulary, if you practice regularly and use my advice, you will find this question a very handy way to earn marks! Here are some of my top tips… ‣ Know the format of this section: There are typically 5 questions which you must answer. ‣
Questions 1-4 are in Italian and must be answered in Italian. They are composed of 2 parts: (a) and (b).
‣
Question 5 is in English and must be answered in English. It relates to the passage as a whole and usually asks you to write about 60 words
‣
Where to find the answers: Each
paragraph one and so on. This
question relates to a different
makes answering much easier as
paragraph, i.e. The answers to
you can be sure where the answer
question one will be found in
is to be found. 11
‣
‣
question: Knowing the question
Before you start: The first thing I did when answering this question
words (Eg; perché/ chi/ quali sono/
was read question 5. This is the
spiegate…) is essential, otherwise
general question in English relating
you will give the wrong answer!
to the entire passage. I liked to
have time to mull over in the back
‣
of my mind when answering the
‣
Understand the wording of the
Only answer what is asked: Your answer should fit on the lines
other questions, and I found that
given. It should not be too long and
reading the complete passage
should definitely not contain any
before looking at the questions
irrelevant information. (e.g. if you
wasted too much time, so I instead
were asked where she got married,
read each paragraph as I answered
you shouldn’t include the date of
each question. (E.g. read question
the wedding in your answer). This
one, then read paragraph one, then
information is not needed and
write the answer, etc.)
makes the examiner think that you
didn’t understand what you were
Do not copy your answers directly
asked. I found that highlighting the
from the text: All of your answers
answer in the text was really useful
need to be written in your own
while answering as it meant I didn’t
words. Once you find the answer in
lose the answer and could easily
the text, manipulate the wording
see it.
and the order of the sentence to
write the same thing in a different way. You will lose lots of marks if
‣
Guess if you’re not sure: Even if you have no clue what the answer
you don’t do this!
is, make sure you write something.
Hazard a guess and you never 12
know, you might pick up a few
zero! The examiner wants to give
marks. Remember that if you write
you marks.
nothing, you automatically score Some typical questions: Be prepared for these common questions: ❏ Find a phrase in the text that means X : For this question just copy the exact phrase straight from the passage ❏ Find certain grammar forms: Again, just take the words directly from the piece. Also make sure you are able to recognize and understand these grammatical terms and forms in Italian. E.g. find a verb in the infinitive/ find a feminine plural noun etc) ❏ Find words that reference X: For example, find words that refer to the city. ‣ Practice makes perfect: As always, the more of these you practice, the better you will get. They get much easier with constant practice. Make sure you set yourself time limits (30 mins approximately) and practice using the past papers (made easy by Studyclix)!
13
The Opinion Piece The Opinion Piece is often considered the most challenging question on the exam. Not only are they completely unpredictable and require a lot of thought and personal knowledge, they also test your ability to express your opinion in Italian, which usually implies the use of the subjunctive form (a very complicated grammar area). This question is based on the Journalistic Passage and usually asks you for your thoughts on some of the discussed topics. ‣ This particular question goes for 25 marks (6.25% of the overall grade!) With lots of practice and the use of my tips and tricks though, I guarantee you that this difficult question will be a walk in the park! ‣ Know the format: A good opinion piece requires 3 parts: ❏ Strong opening: Grab the reader’s attention. Give your general ‘take’ on the question and reference the main ideas expressed in the journalistic passage. Explain what you are going to talk about. ❏ 3-4 short paragraphs: This is where you answer the questions you have been asked. It is your chance to express your personal opinion and make general comments. It is essential to reference your own personal experiences too. ❏ Conclusion: Every opinion piece’s conclusion MUST BEGIN WITH ‘IN CONCLUSIONE’. It is vital that you include this phrase in your final paragraph. Here you can give your final impressions and opinions on the topic you have been discussing.
14
➧
Answer every question asked:
(Eg; ‘secondo me è vantaggioso’ is
There are usually between 3 and 5
much easier than ‘penso che sia
questions asked. You must answer
vantaggioso’)
each of these, giving your OWN PERSONAL OPINION!
➧
➧
your answer short, snappy and
Be enthusiastic: No matter how
simple with careful attention to
dull and boring the subject of the
detail, grammar and spelling. About
question
is extremely
one A4 page will be enough. (The
important that you come across
length of the lined page in the
really enthusiastic about it and
answer-book is perfect if you have
show an interest in it. Even if you
medium sized writing). But, for a H1
don’t have opinions, MAKE THEM
answer, it is vital that you expand on
UP! This engages the examiner and
your
makes it more relatable and
paragraphs
interesting. If you’re bored writing
information and details.
is,
it
it, think how bored the examiner will be reading it! ➧
Quality, not quantity: As usual, keep
points.
Bulk by
out
adding
your extra
➧
How is it marked: There are 25 marks in total on offer, divided into
Avoid the subjunctive: As I’ve said,
10 marks for language (i.e. quality of
the subjunctive tense is very
expression, grammar and spelling)
complicated and difficult to master.
and 15 marks for content (i.e.
It is used when expressing opinions
referencing all of the questions,
and doubts and must also be used in
presenting a logical series of
impersonal sentences. However, in
arguments and keeping on topic at
my notes I have some clever phrases
all times). HOWEVER, it’s important
which don’t need the subjunctive!
to note that if you score below 5 in 15
the language section, your content
opinion
will be marked out of 10 instead of
connected, but the opinion piece is
15. Basically, if you lose 5 marks for
looking
bad spelling, grammar etc you
OPINION!
automatically lose 5 marks for ➧
YOUR
they are PERSONAL
Know your conjunctions: To write a H1 Opinion Piece you must use
Follow the order: Try to answer this
connecting words to link your ideas
directly
the
and allowing them to be read easily.
question!
(eg; insomma /quindi/ anche se/
after
Journalistic
completing
Passage
Seeing as these two questions are
dato che etc.)
linked, it’s a good idea to do them
one after the other. In this way, the
➧
ideas will be still fresh in your head!
Don’t
Practice makes perfect: This goes without saying! Practice, practice
➧
for
Yes,
content, so be careful!
➧
piece.
and more practice is your key to copy
sentences
from
those 25 marks! You will become
Journalistic Passage: You can of
more aware of how to avoid the
course use the passage to get ideas
subjunctive and the connecting
or one or two key words, but you will
phrases will come more naturally to
be heavily penalised if you copy and
you!
paste sentences straight from the comprehension
text
into
your
16
The Guided Composition The guided composition was definitely one of my favourite aspects of the written exam. This question gives you the freedom to create your own short story, while being guided by key words in the question. Even though they only go for 25 marks, they’re still extremely important, accounting for 6.25% of your overall grade. They may look easy at first glance, but examiners penalize heavily for incorrect spelling and bad grammar. However, with the use of my top tips below, those 25 marks will be within reach! ➧
Follow the guide: This is crucial if you want to earn full marks. Make
➧
sure you clearly reference the key
applies to all of the written pieces;
points laid out in the box at the top
the more you write, the more the
of the page. Yes, you can make the
examiner has to judge you on, and
story as personal as you like, but you
the greater the likelihood of spelling
MUST show the examiner that you
mistakes! Once again, about one A4
understand the question!
page will be enough.
➧
Quality, not quantity: This tip
Use all the points given: There are usually about 8 different ideas which
➧
Details: For a H1 answer, it is vital that you expand on your points. Bulk
you need to include, BUT if you don’t
out your paragraphs by adding extra
understand (and can’t guess) one of
information and details. My advice
them, the marking scheme says that
would be to write about 4 SIMPLE
it is okay to omit one element. If you
sentences on each idea given.
can however, it’s best to include them all. 17
➧
Past Tense: This particular exercise examines your knowledge of the past tense. REMEMBER, in Italian, we use a variety of past tenses. This question is your way to show these off to the examiner! ❏ Il Passato Prossimo: for completed actions in the past (eg; ‘ho mangiato’) ❏ l’Imperfetto: for descriptions and habitual actions in the past (eg; ‘mangiavo’) ❏ Il Trapassato Prossimo: for actions which happened before a completed action (eg: ‘avevo mangiato’) ❏ Il Passato Prossimo Progressivo: for continuous past actions (eg; ‘stavo mangiando’)
➧
Order is important: You need to
change andare from the infinitive to
order your story as the words are
‘siamo andati in gita scolastica’).
ordered in the question. This gives your story a good structure.
➧
Have a few key phrases to use: Even though it is almost impossible
➧
Manipulate the question phrases:
to predict what will come up, I
The key phrases in the question are
guarantee you that there are some
deliberately without verbs or else the
sentences and topics you can talk
verbs are not conjugated. It is
about in most answers.
absolutely
essential
that
you
recognize when a verb is needed
➧
(question says ‘momenti di panico’,
opening line:: (E.g. I will never forget
you could say in your story ‘ho avuto
that day/Listen to what happened!)
dei momenti di panico’), or when
you need to conjugate the verb used in the question (question says ‘andare in gita scolastica’ you will
Grab the reader's attention in the
➧
Include emotions: Know how to express
your
feelings
about 18
situations (I was happy/ I was upset/I
making your story clearer and easier
was surprised etc.)
to follow. (Eg; l’estate scorsa/ l’anno scorso/ inseguito/ ieri etc)
➧
Make a reference to the weather: In nearly every story you can say
➧
something about the weather. (Eg; It
general proverbs will really impress
was a stormy day so we stayed…../
the examiner! They are a great way
the sun was shining so we went..)
to finish a story too. (Eg; Don’t judge a book by it’s cover etc)
➧
Know your conjunctions: To write a good Guided Composition you must
➧
Practice makes perfect: As always,
use connecting words to link your
the more of these you practice
story and make it flow naturally. (eg;
before the exam, the better you will
dopo/ poi/ di conseguenza/ inoltre/
get. Try doing one a week and time
comunque etc.)
yourself (20-25 mins). It won’t take
➧
Include proverbs: knowing a few
Use time expressions: These are of utmost importance to give the
long and you will become so much more confident! Use the past exam papers as examples too!
reader a sense of time and place,
19
The Formal Letter Formal letters can seem quite daunting at first, and so many people neglect them deeming them unimportant, and ultimately forgetting that they earn TWICE the amount of marks as the two other written pieces (the guided composition and the opinion piece): a staggering 50 marks, which is 12.5% of the overall grade! Definitely don’t disregard this section! Obviously this section isn’t completely simple, but with practice and a good knowledge of some higher level vocabulary, a high grade is very achievable, so don’t let them scare you. ‣ Quality, not quantity: Formal letters are a form of functional writing and definitely shouldn’t be too long-winded as they lose their purpose. Once you hit the targets set in the question and expand on it slightly you will pick up full marks for content. Remember, the more you write, the more they have to judge you on! ‣ They’re predictable: As you know, the majority of the Italian paper is completely unseen and it’s usually very difficult to be certain of what will come up. But luckily for us, this section is extremely repetitive and the topics tend to be similar year after year. Here are the most common topics: ❏ A letter of thanks for your stay/ holiday/year of work in Italy ❏ A job application (often about a job in Italy) ❏ A letter of complaint (usually to a company about a faulty product) ❏ A letter of enquiry (about booking a holiday or asking questions and looking for information) ❏ Scholarship application ‣ Write in a formal tone: This is absolutely KEY when writing a formal letter. Instead of ‘ti scrivo’ we say ‘Le/Vi scrivo’. Failing to do this will mean the letter loses its formality and 20
its functionality. Make sure to use capital letters for La, Le, Lei, il Suo, la Sua, Vi, Voi, il Vostro, la Vostra. ‣ Know the layout: Writing a good formal letter requires perfect format ❏ Your name, address and the date on the top right ❏ Their name and address on the top left, or ‘DESTINATARIO: and OGGETTO:’ for an email (Remember that emails are becoming more and more common on the paper, so don’t let an email address throw you off) ❏ Opening of the letter (i.e. ‘Spettabile Direzione’ / ‘Gentile Famiglia Rossi’ etc.) ❏ A strong opening paragraph explaining your reasons for writing the letter (i.e. Le scrivo per ringraziarLa per….) ❏ An informative body of the letter, which makes reference to all the targets in the question. ❏ A concluding paragraph, usually thanking the person or asking them to write back. (‘In attesa di una Sua risposta’ is a handy sentence which works in every type of formal letter ) ❏ Ending of the letter (Distini Saluti, (insert your name)) ‣ Think about who are you writing to: Recognising whether you’re writing to a single person or a group of people is absolutely essential. Writing using the ‘Lei’ form (i.e. to a single person) when the letter specifically asks you to write to a group of people, requiring the ‘Voi’ form, will cause you to lose a lot of marks, so be careful to read the question carefully. ‣ Use fancy vocabulary: To write a H1 formal letter ‘fancy’ words are a must! For example, a different way of saying ‘to do’ (i.e. Fare) is ‘SVOLGERE’, or instead of saying 21
‘to have’ using the more common verb ‘avere’ you could use ‘POSSEDERE’. Not only do these simple changes to your vocabulary accentuate the formality of the letter, it allows you to show the examiner that you have a wide and broad range of words and verbs. ‣ Practice: Honestly, the more of these you practice, the easier they will get! I would recommend doing extra ones at home and handing them up to your teacher, (Don’t worry, they won’t mind as they’ll be happy to see you doing extra practice!)
22
The Aural Exam If you think the aural exam is something that is either not possible or not worth studying for, you are completely mistaken! 80 marks - 20% of your overall grade - depends on this exam, almost as much as the entire oral exam. It is most definitely worth putting time into and I personally found it a great way to pick up marks. However, don’t trick yourself into thinking you can earn these marks without study! Here are my top tips to ace the aural! ‣ Know the layout: The aural exam is usually approximately 40 minutes long and takes place after the written exam. It is made up of 3 sections: ❏ Section 1: In this part you will hear 8 NEWS STATEMENTS. It’s very simple, you hear each statement twice, you are given 4 options as answers and all you have to do is circle the most appropriate one. Each is worth 2 marks, so this section is worth 16 marks in total. ❏ Section 2: Here we listen to 2 CONVERSATIONS. You hear each conversation three times, with gaps between each question on the 2nd hearing (so you will have plenty of time, don’t worry!). There are usually about 4 questions for each conversation, with the answers being only a line long. Each answer is worth 4 marks, so each conversation goes for 16 marks. ❏ Section 3: And finally we have an INTERVIEW. This part is like the conversations in section two, except it’s just one long piece of dialogue. Again, you will hear it 3 times, with pauses between answers on the 2nd hearing. There are typically 8 questions worth 4 marks each, so this section goes for 32 marks! ➧
Answer in English: Make sure all of
get mixed up and make it difficult for
your answers are in English! Don’t
yourself by trying to answer in 23
Italian! My general rule of thumb is to
you a good idea of what the dialogue
answer in the language the question
will be about. Make sure you take a
is asked in (i.e. if the question is in
highlighter to the key words so you
English, answer in English)
know what to listen out for!
➧
Guess if you’re not sure: I can’t
‣
Details: For section 2 and 3 you have
stress enough how important it is to
loads of time to listen to the details
write something down, even if you
and write them down, so make sure
think it’s completely wrong. Don’t be
your answers contain as much
embarrassed by guessing! I promise
information
you that you will pick up attempt
marking schemes change year on
marks, even if you get only one or
year, and they can be picky about
two words! Most questions are easy
including certain words etc. In this
to guess anyway, and you can
way you don’t give the examiner any
usually make a good estimate! (Eg..
opportunity to dock you marks!
“Why did he want to go to Ireland?” – is pretty self-explanatory!)
‣ Read
possible.
The
‣
as
Read through at the end: When the exam finishes, make sure you re-read
through
the
questions
your answers, making sure you have
beforehand: Before each section
answered (or guessed) every single
you will be given a minute or so to
question on the paper. Make sure
read through the questions. Don’t sit
your writing is legible and that your
and stare into space! This is valuable
sentences make sense.
time for you to familiarise yourself with the questions and it also gives ‣ Sometimes the news is predictable:
Here are some common topics that usually appear. Make sure you create 24
lists of vocabulary that relate to
themselves more manageable!
these topics! ❏ Weather forecast
‣
❏ Incident (fire/storm/ floods/
Even if you don’t practice in school, doing one a week is still great! Or
robbery etc)
better
still,
using
Studyclix’s
❏ Strikes
resources to do a shorter part of a
❏ Statistics
listening each day. (E.g. do the 2012
news statements Section A on Monday)
‣ Practice: To get a H1 in your aural exam it is absolutely essential that you maintain consistent practice
‣
Use the marking schemes: It’s good
throughout 5th and 6th year. I found
practice to use the marking scheme
the past papers great for getting
to test yourself- see how many
myself used to the exam structure
marks you would have lost, or what
and style of questions. The voices
words you missed.
tend to be the same year on year, so going over past papers is such a fantastic way to get used to the accents!
‣
Make a list of new vocab: The only way you will improve at your aural comprehension is to improve your general vocabulary. The marking
‣ If you’re in 5th year and are finding
scheme contains the written script of
the higher level papers too difficult,
the dialogue, which is a brilliant
try using the ordinary level papers.
resource to use to find and highlight
The actual tape is the exact same,
new words. I kept a word-bank in my
but the questions are easier. In this
copy of new words I learned in each
way, you tune your ear into the
listening. Not only did this make my
Italian, while finding the questions 25
level of vocabulary better, I also
my scores on each listening exam
found that the difficult words seem
as I practised. I think it’s such a
to come up again and again each
great motivator when you see
year, so it’s worth knowing them!
yourself improve week after week with practice. A great incentive to
‣
study!
Track your progress: I kept a list of
26
Some final tips Learning a new language is never easy, and I gladly welcomed any extra help I could get. Making small changes to your everyday routine to benefit your Italian is a great way to subconsciously study! Here’s what I did! ➧
Set your phone to Italian: Seeing Italian popping up on your screen will really help you to familiarize yourself with the language!
➧
Listen to Italian podcasts: This really benefited my Italian. I found some really interesting Italian podcasts which I listened to on my trip to school or even before bed. There are even ‘Italian for Beginners’ podcasts where the speakers speak more slowly to aid your understanding.
➧
Watch Italian TV and movies: There are some really great Italian tv shows and movies out there which are not only super enjoyable, but also of great help to your Italian. Reading the English subtitles while listening to Italian is great practice! Either change the language on the movie or watch actual Italian movies and shows on Netflix.
➧
Read Italian books and magazines: Just like movies and tv, these are great ways to learn Italian, (while not getting bored!). Reading Italian improves your level of vocabulary. Keep a dictionary beside you to look up new words!
➧
Download some apps: Apps like Duolingo and other Italian games are super handy to learn Italian on the go. Even 10 minutes a day is great to learn one or two new words or phrases. 27
➧
Speak to a classmate in Italian: Find a classmate which you are comfortable speaking Italian to. I personally think this is the best way to practice your spoken Italian. You can talk about things you’re interested in, while speaking in Italian and becoming really confident. You’ll notice your Italian will flow much faster with regular practise. By the time you get to your oral exam, speaking Italian will feel so natural!
➧
Check out YouTube: Having trouble with the subjunctive? Forget how to conjugate ‘isc’ verbs? Just pull up Youtube on your screen and there are bank of videos waiting for you!
28