Course Outline

This course is for those with very little or no knowledge of Italian. Students will learn to understand, express and read simple words and phrases and take part in straightforward conversation. The aim is to introduce you to the basic linguistic skills and culture necessary for you to communicate simply but effectively. 

After completing this course students will be able to identify and pronounce competently some vocabulary, expressions, intonations and pronunciations, be able to communicate using basic sentences, interrogatives and requests, have some basic grammatical concepts: nouns, adjectives and verbs and sentence structure, have some basic reading skills, be able to appreciate the Italian culture and have confidence in using basic forms of the Italian language.! !
Students will also learn how to identify simple text, converse using negatives and questions, exchange information in a variety of familiar situations, have better fluency in conversation, have a more extensive vocabulary content, gain better learning skills and strategies for language acquisition and have a better knowledge of the country, and its culture and customs. In each session there will be great emphasis given to pronunciation (in groups and pairs), which will enhance one’s fluency for communicating in Italian. Additional materials may be used in the classroom (music, video, etc.) where available and where suitable for the needs of the class.

Topics include:
Identification and Pronunciation (vowels, consonants, tones in words and structures).
Greetings (meeting people) - Introducing and describing yourself and others.
Asking and responding: your and someone’s name; country of origin; your well being (for example ‘how are you?’ ‘where are you from?’ or 'what’s your name?').
Using basic communicative expressions in formal and familiar forms
Small talk – idioms
Time – time of the day, days of the week, months; birthdays
Numbers – For example telephone number, address, money, age
Cultural Perspective – geography, demography, and social customs
Practice – Some language learning/study strategies
Greetings and describing yourself and others, professions, finding out more about somebody
Restaurants – ordering food, drinks etc.
Directions
Likes and dislikes, hobbies, activities, negatives, agreeing and disagreeing, personal opinions, social life, daily activities and routines, family and friends
Grammar practice, pronouns, possessives, demonstratives, present and past time relations,
singular and plural
Practice, dialogues in formal and informal context – role plays, strategies for language learning, reading texts. 
Present tense of regular verbs.

Please Bring

‘BUONGIORNO ITALIA’ by Joseph Cremona - New Edition - (approximate cost $35) 
Pen and notebook.

Where to buy the book:

Abbey’s Bookshop, 313 York Street, Sydney www.abbeys.com.au
or www.amazon.com.au
or www.bookdepository.com

NOTES
There are many bookshops shops, or options to order the book online in addition to the recommended outlets above. Please note it is quite common for a textbook not to be available at the commencement time of your course. If this becomes the case, your tutor will have photocopied handouts available until your book arrives.
Make sure you check with the college that the course has definitely got the numbers to run before purchasing the text books. The college will not accept responsibility if you have purchased the text book and the course is subsequently cancelled. Please contact us on phone (9970 1000) or email enquiries@nbmc.nsw.edu.au to see if the course is running.

About the Tutor

Rosa Santi moved from Italy to Mosman. She studied cinema and communication in Rome and worked many years in tourism, wedding and events planning on the Amalfi Coast. She obtained a full qualification to teach Italian according to the newest standards of the University for Foreigners of Siena and is experienced teaching Italian to both professionals and amateurs. Believing that language is alive, she uses mostly authentic resources, to let you learn having fun and at your own pace!!