Italian Language and Culture: Beginner to Advanced
Offered By: edX
Course Description
Overview
Designed for complete beginners, this program introduces you to the basics of the Italian language in the context of major themes in Italian culture, and progresses steadily through the intermediate and advanced levels: when you complete this program, your will be able to express opinions and hypotheses, and sustain an argument.
The cultural content of the course is rich, varied and contemporary. It includes a variety of video interviews with native speakers on different aspects of contemporary Italian life, from fashion to cuisine, from cinematography to the recent immigration crisis. This program also features an exciting "virtual tour" to three Italian piazzas and six Italian towns.
The guiding principle behind these courses is "variety". We have designed many tools that will help you learn in different ways:
- Situational videos: a great way to learn authentic conversational Italian.
- Voice recognition: become a participant and practice your speaking skills in Italian with immediate feedback.
- Grammar charts: study and review grammar through concise, clear and downloadable pdf files.
- Short video lessons: learn each new topic, as if in a real classroom, with the teacher’s direct guidance.
- Self-correcting activities: practice and test the skills you have just learned.
In short, our program is designed to fit all learning styles. Since 2015, many thousands of online learners like you have successfully completed the three courses in this program (beginner, intermediate and advanced). These courses have also been taught to hundreds of students on our campus. When you learn Italian on edX, you also experience how languages are taught at Wellesley College, a leading liberal arts institution of higher education.
At the end of this Program, you will be able to present yourself as a knowledgeable Italian speaker to any employer, particularly to those companies and institutions doing business in Europe and working in the field of international relations. The language proficiency and the multi-cultural perspective you will have acquired will be impressive assets that are highly valued in all job markets.
In addition, you can present this Professional Certificate to any educational institution as an important recognition of academic achievement as well as language and cultural proficiency.
We hope you will decide to start this new learning adventure and be ready to immerse yourself in the rich culture of Italia, the Bel Paese.
Arrivederci a presto!
Please take note of the following:
We estimate that learners will take about nine months to complete this program. A Course Certificate will be rewarded at the course-level in addition to a Program Certificate once learners meet all requirements for all courses.
In order to best track and manage your progress, please consider that you need to reach a passing score by August 31, 2024, the day when this program will be archived. After August 31, 2024, you will retain access to all course materials, but your scores on graded assignments will no longer be recorded. You can find more information on Course End Dates in this article and on Course Access here.
Syllabus
Course 1: Italian Language and Culture: Beginner (2023-2024)
Learn the basics of the Italian language and culture through videos, podcasts, interviews, and much more.
Course 2: Italian Language and Culture: Intermediate (2023-2024)
Improve your Italian language skills and expand your vocabulary while you learn about Italian art, literature and contemporary society.
Course 3: Italian Language and Culture: Advanced (2023-2024)
Enhance your knowledge of the Italian language and learn about Italy’s culture and history including theater, opera and the poet Dante.
Courses
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Benvenuti e Benvenute! (Welcome!)
In this language course, you will enhance your Italian language skills, enrich your vocabulary and expand your conversational skills. You will learn how to have exchanges on a variety of topics, and continue your immersion in the Italian culture through unique videos and interviews. You will also become more confident as you continue practicing your reading and writing skills.
This course offers a variety of tools that will help you learn in different ways:
- Situational videos (called Ciak! , which means “clapperboard” in Italian): you will follow eight Italian students in their daily lives and interactions on our campus. What a great way to learn authentic conversational Italian!
- Downloadable Podcasts: become a participant in each Ciak! video and practice Italian when and where you want on your portable device!
- Grammar charts, with or without audio files: study and review grammar through concise, clear and downloadable pdf files, and practice pronunciation with our embedded audio files.
- Short video lessons: as if in a real classroom, learn each new topic with the instructor’s direct guidance.
- Video interviews: learn from various native speakers as they talk about different aspects of Italian culture.
- Short “Letture” (readings): practice reading comprehension while learning about Italian culture.
- Discussion board: your chance to communicate (in Italian!) with other students on a variety of suggested topics.
- Ready to test your skills? Practice and review with a variety of self-correcting activities.
Italian culture is an integral part of this course. Through our interviews and readings you will learn about:
- the origins of the “made in Italy” in fashion;
- Italian Renaissance and Baroque art and poetry;
- the Italian health care system;
- shopping for clothes and food in Italy.
Whether you are a traditional, visual or auditory learner, you will find the tools that best fit your unique way to learn a foreign language.
After completing this course, continue learning Italian with Italian Language and Culture: Advanced.
Finally … buon lavoro e buon divertimento!
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Benvenuti e Benvenute! (Welcome!)
Learn how to perfect your skills in Italian (speaking, listening, reading and writing), and by the end of this course you will be able to express opinions and hypotheses, and sustain an argument using a variety of registers. You will also expand your vocabulary to include topics beyond everyday conversation.
This language course offers a variety of tools that will help you learn in different ways:
- Situational videos (called Ciak! , which means “clapperboard” in Italian): you will follow eight Italian students in their daily lives and interactions on our campus. What a great way to learn authentic conversational Italian!
- Downloadable Podcasts: become a participant in each Ciak! video and practice Italian when and where you want on your portable device!
- Grammar charts, with or without audio files: study and review grammar through concise, clear and downloadable pdf files, and practice pronunciation with our embedded audio files.
- Short video lessons: as if in a real classroom, learn each new topic with the teacher’s direct guidance.
- Video interviews: learn from various native speakers as they talk about different aspects of Italian culture.
- Short “Letture” (readings): practice reading comprehension while learning about aspects of Italian culture.
- Discussion board: your chance to communicate (in Italian!) with other students on a variety of suggested topics.
- Ready to test your skills? Practice and review with a variety of self-correcting activities.
Italian culture is also an integral part of this course. Through interviews and readings you will learn about:
- the challenges that the Italian economy is currently facing;
- the origin and nature of the Italian Constitution;
- Italian environmental challenges and solutions;
- the significance of Dante’s journey in the Divine Comedy;
- the “Commedia dell’Arte”, an Italian theatrical genre;
- the origins of the Mafia;
- the “Taranta” or “Pizzica”, a traditional style of music and dance from Southern Italy;
- the recent immigration and the Italian citizenship law.
Whether you are a traditional, visual or auditory learner, you will find the tools that best fit your unique way to learn a foreign language.
Buono studio e buon divertimento!
-
Benvenuti e Benvenute! (Welcome!)
In this language course you will learn the four basic skills (speaking, listening, reading and writing) in the context of major themes in Italian culture. By the end of the course you will be able to describe people, events and situations, both in the present and the past, and you will have acquired the necessary vocabulary to communicate about everyday situations.
This course offers a variety of tools to help you learn “ la lingua del sì ” in different ways:
- Situational videos (called Ciak! , which means “clapperboard” in Italian): you will follow eight Italian students in their daily lives and interactions on our campus. What a great way to learn authentic conversational Italian!
- Downloadable Podcasts: become a participant in each Ciak! video and practice Italian when and where you want on your portable device!
- Grammar charts, with or without audio files: study and review grammar through concise, clear and downloadable pdf files, and practice pronunciation with our embedded audio files.
- Short video lessons: as if in a real classroom, learn each new topic with the instructor’s direct guidance.
- Video interviews: learn from various native speakers as they talk about different aspects of Italian culture.
- Short “ Letture ” (readings): practice reading comprehension while learning about Italian culture.
- Discussion board: your chance to communicate (in Italian!) with other students on a variety of suggested topics.
- Ready to test your skills? Practice and review with a variety of self-correcting activities.
Italian culture is also an integral part of this course. Through our interviews and readings you will learn about:
- daily life in a small hill town in Northern Italy;
- major differences between Italian and American universities;
- Italian films that won the Academy Award for Best Foreign Film;
- summer vacations in Italy;
- Italian cuisine.
Whether you are a traditional, visual or auditory learner, you will find the tools that best fit your unique way to learn a foreign language.
After completing this course, continue learning Italian with Italian Language and Culture: Intermediate and Italian Language and Culture: Advanced.
Buon divertimento!
Taught by
Daniela Bartalesi-Graf
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