In this A Level course you will develop accuracy in written and spoken Italian and learn about Italian society, culture and recent history. You will also study a film and a novel in Italian. An additional language is always respected by universities and employers, who appreciate that this is a challenging course and value your commitment to it.
A minimum of five GCSEs at grade 4 and above, including Maths and English, with at least two at grade 6. A grade 7 in GCSE Italian is preferred, or native speakers can take a written assessment in college to give evidence of their level, as we recognise that GCSE Italian is not widely available.
Speakers of Modern Languages bring with them many transferable skills as well as cultural awareness, and are highly valued by employers in jobs such as international sales and marketing, business, journalism, teaching, the tourist industry, translation & interpreting, and the Diplomatic Service.
Aspects of Italian society, culture and history that we study include:
- L’evoluzione della famiglia italiana - The evolution of the Italian family
- L’istruzione - Education
- Il mondo del lavoro - The world of work
- La musica - Music
- I Media - Media
- Il patrimonio culturale - Cultural heritage
- L’impatto positivo dell’immigrazione in Italia - The positive impact of immigration in Italy
- I problemi della migrazione in Italia - Migration problems in Italy
- Il divario Nord/Sud - The North/South divide
- L’ascesa di Mussolini al potere - Mussolini's rise to power
- Il Fascismo durante la Seconda Guerra Mondiale - Fascism during the Second World War
- Dalla dittatura alla democrazia - From dictatorship to democracy
We also study an Italian film and a novel.
Assessment
Listening, Speaking, Reading and Writing skills will all be examined. The writing sections include translation skills and essay writing.
Examination
There is no coursework element to this course. Everything is examined in the three end-of-course exams. However, the speaking test includes examination of a culturally appropriate topic, chosen and prepared by the students during their second year.
Exam Board
Edexcel
