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Italian is not only the official language of Italy, but also one of the four official languages spoken in Switzerland. It is also widely spoken in Croatia, Slovenia and the French island of Corsica; and is surprisingly the second most popular language spoken in Argentina. With its roots firmly in ancient Latin it is classed as one of the Romance languages, like French, Portuguese and Spanish. Italian shares a high degree of grammatical commonality with those languages, and many similar words.
As with other Modern Foreign Language courses, the focus when studying Italian at Key Stage 4 is to gain a good understanding of the spoken and written language, starting with the basics of pronunciation, grammar and vocabulary. Whilst developing their language skills, the GCSE syllabus encourages students to expand their cultural knowledge of Italy, covering day-to-day life, food, travel, family, and hobbies etc. Additional topics include technology, and social and global issues, like the environment and healthy living. By the end of the syllabus students should be able to competently express themselves in conversations and discussions, making good use of grammatical structures, and a wide vocabulary, and with accurate pronunciation that would be understood by a native speaker.
When moving on to Italian A-Level, students are required to further expand their spoken and written skills and begin to discover the rich world of Italian literature, whilst further developing their understanding of Italy's culture and history. The A-Level syllabus also includes covering a topic or research project that will form the basis of an essay in the final written exam. This is usually on one of the following subjects: lifestyles, youth or Italian culture, travel and tourism, or education and employment. Gaining an A-Level in Italian is obviously an ideal option for those wishing to read languages at university, or keen to visit and explore the country for work or pleasure. However, many university courses in other disciplines, including Music, Art History, and Archaeology, can also become far more accessible and rewarding to students with an A-Level in Italian.
