Italian (Version 8.4)

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Context statement

The place of the Italian language and culture in Australia and the world
Italian, also known as Standard Italian or italiano standard, is the official language of Italy, the Vatican City, San Marino and parts of Switzerland.

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PDF documents

Resources and support materials for the Australian Curriculum: Languages - Italian are available as PDF documents. 
Languages - Italian: Sequence of content
Languages - Italian: Sequence of Achievement - F-10 Sequence
Languages - Italian: Sequence …

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Years 9 and 10

Years 9 and 10 Band Description

The nature of the learners

Students have prior experience of learning Italian and bring a range of capabilities, strategies and knowledge that can be applied to new learning. They are expanding the range and nature of their learning experiences and of the contexts in which they communicate with others. They have a growing awareness of the wider world, including the diversity of languages, cultures and forms of intercultural communication. They are considering future pathways and prospects, including how Italian may feature in these.

Italian language learning and use

This is a period of vocabulary and grammar expansion and of experimentation with different forms of communication (for example, digital and hypermedia, collaborative performance and group discussions). Learners use Italian to communicate and interact with each other and with online resources, to access and exchange information, to express feelings and opinions, to participate in imaginative and creative experiences, and to design, interpret and analyse a range of texts and experiences. They develop strategies for self-correction by referencing their developing understanding of grammar and context. They explore language variation and change, noticing how intercultural experience, technology, media and globalisation influence language use and forms of communication. Learners investigate links between the Italian language and cultural representation and expression. They learn to analyse and reflect on different viewpoints and experiences, including their own cultural stance, action and responses.

Contexts of interaction

Learners interact with peers and teachers in local contexts that relate to their social and learning worlds, and with some members of broader Italian-speaking communities and cultural resources through virtual and online environments.

Texts and resources

Students work with a range of texts, tasks and experiences which involve both independent and collaborative planning and performance, as well as some resource development, and intentional and strategic use of language and cultural resources. They learn to interpret, create, evaluate and perform different types of texts (for example, procedural, persuasive, narrative) across a range of domains. Genres such as media resources, fiction and nonfiction texts, performances and research projects allow for exploration of concepts of personal and contemporary relevance (such as the environment, identity, relationship, diversity and inclusivity).

Features of Italian language use

Learners experiment with intonation and supporting gestures to convey emotion or create emphasis in texts. They learn to use possessive, reflexive, demonstrative and relative pronoun forms. They are encouraged to extend their use of language beyond familiar contexts. They use verbs (irregular and reflexive) and increase their range of adjectives and adverbs, comparatives and superlatives. Students learn to construct more extended texts by using relative clauses and by relating episodes in time (for example, prima … poi … infine). They use the present perfect, imperfect and future tenses, and begin using the conditional tense. They continue to expand language for interaction, initiating and maintaining conversations, seeking clarification and repetition, and contributing to structured discussions in Italian.

Level of support

While learners are increasingly autonomous when using Italian in familiar domains, they require continued scaffolding and support when using the language in less familiar contexts involving more abstract concepts. They draw on peer support, working collaboratively with each other, sharing knowledge to construct meaning. They are supported in relation to language use through explicit teacher instruction and feedback, and are provided with opportunities for reflection through structured tasks and scaffolded discussion. Students extend their critical analysis skills and autonomy as learners through activities such as evaluating the effectiveness of dictionaries and online translators, managing records of their learning, and building resources for independent work.

The role of English

Some of the discussion and reflection in relation to learners’ developing communicative competence, intercultural capability and language analysis are carried out in English, to allow for more elaborated discussion, but learners are increasingly supported to build language to express ideas, opinions and reactions in Italian.


Years 9 and 10 Content Descriptions

Socialising

Initiate and sustain interaction to develop relationships with peers and adults, and to exchange and compare ideas, experiences, opinions and feelings

[Key concepts: naming, relationships, generational change, values; Key processes: exchanging, comparing] (ACLITC115 - Scootle )

  • Literacy
  • Critical and Creative Thinking
  • Personal and Social Capability
  • Intercultural Understanding
  • sharing experiences and describing events, expressing hopes, opinions and ambitions, and giving reasons for plans, for example, Penso di [+ infinitive]; preferisco…e tu?; E tu, cosa pensi? Sono d’accordo con te/lei…; Sei d’accordo? Non m’interessa; Puoi venire a …? No, devo studiare / Non ora. Oggi … A presto. Divertiti!
  • narrating past experiences and events of significance, for example, holidays, special events, travel (prima … poi … dopo … infine …)
Participate in individual and collective action by deciding, explaining and justifying

[Key concepts: environment, fairness, community; Key processes: discussing, debating, commenting, comparing] (ACLITC116 - Scootle )

  • Literacy
  • Information and Communication Technology (ICT) Capability
  • Critical and Creative Thinking
  • Personal and Social Capability
  • participating in planning and decision making with others, for example, arranging an event, class debate, performance, excursion or guest speaker, or organising a petition or a letter to the principal/local council (Devo/Dobbiamo organizzare Cosa dobbiamo fare? Chi invitiamo? Bisogna [+ infinitive]. Vuoi venire al dibattito con me? Come possiamo convincere il comune a … ? Scriviamo una lettera per convincere il preside a … )
  • expressing, contrasting and comparing views on particular expectations and issues such as the use of social media at school, by writing blogs, emails and letters, for example, sono d’accordo, non sono d’accordo; vorrei dare la mia opinione
Participate in spoken and written transactions, including obtaining and negotiating different services and problem-solving

[Key concept: value; Key processes: comparing, negotiating] (ACLITC117 - Scootle )

  • Literacy
  • Numeracy
  • Critical and Creative Thinking
  • Personal and Social Capability
  • Intercultural Understanding
  • participating in negotiations in conversation and correspondence, for example, discussing possibilities regarding travel to Italy or the purchase of goods such as fashion items, musical equipment, a mobile phone (Quanto costa il biglietto per … ? Vorrei il biglietto più economico. Posso vedere l’ultimo modello del telefonino Ha una custodia colorata? Queste scarpe sono piccole; ho bisogno di un numero più grande. I pantaloni sono troppo larghi. C’è la taglia più piccola?)
  • corresponding to express a complaint about a poor-quality service and suggest a way to improve it
  • applying for a part-time job and participating in a mock interview
  • requesting a service, for example, changing a flight, exchanging currency, purchasing a SIM card or confirming accommodation
Use classroom language to question, elicit and offer opinions, and compare and discuss ideas

[Key concepts: compromise, debate; Key processes: expressing, questioning, presenting, representing] (ACLITC118 - Scootle )

  • Literacy
  • Critical and Creative Thinking
  • Personal and Social Capability
  • using communication strategies such as questioning further or asking for repetition or clarification, for example, Scusi, non ho capito; puoi/potresti ripetere? Puoi aiutarmi a [+ infinitive]?
  • participating in reflective activities and evaluations of classroom experiences, for example, Perché/come mai …? È giusto? Secondo te …? Forse …, Dal mio punto di vista …, A mio avviso …, Penso che sia …, Sono sicuro che …, È chiaro che

Informing

Select and organise information from a range of spoken, written and multimodal texts in Italian; process and analyse ideas; and represent meanings, opinions and perspectives as appropriate to particular audiences

[Key concepts: visual images, media, representation, relationship; Key processes: identifying diverse perspectives, transposing, connecting, applying] (ACLITC119 - Scootle )

  • Literacy
  • Numeracy
  • Information and Communication Technology (ICT) Capability
  • Critical and Creative Thinking
  • Personal and Social Capability
  • Intercultural Understanding
  • listening to, viewing or reading texts that depict aspects of Italian culture, art, history or geography, and sharing the information with others, for example, comparing online tourist brochures, and reading or viewing a series of advertisements and creating own advertisement to attract Italian tourists to an Australian city/town/area
  • researching, recording and synthesising information from texts, including television programs, reports, interviews, video clips, documentaries, graffiti and social networks, using tools such as tables, concept maps, webbing and charts to organise and order information and inform others of findings
  • deducing meaning, evaluating and synthesising information and identifying cultural references in texts that show different representations of Italian culture
  • conducting online surveys to report on attitudes towards topics such as water usage, consumer choice, technology use, music or celebrities
Convey information and compare diverse perspectives from multiple sources in Italian

[Key concepts: public perceptions, representation, globalisation; Key processes: reporting, relating, comparing] (ACLITC120 - Scootle )

  • Literacy
  • Information and Communication Technology (ICT) Capability
  • Critical and Creative Thinking
  • Personal and Social Capability
  • Intercultural Understanding
  • Sustainability
  • reporting on current events and topics related to personal worlds, through reports, summaries, biographies or journal entries, for example, presenting a profile of a favourite artist or a famous person; or reporting the findings of a survey (Il documentario … presenta la storia di …, l’articolo parla di …, rappresenta il punto di vista di …, [lo scrittore] pensa …; La maggior parte di/la minor parte di/il 20 per cento di persone [+ verb] …; entrambi, tutti/pochi studiano ogni sera; a differenza di, però; Il depliant australiano sottolinea di più )
  • connecting and presenting information showing varying perspectives, such as child/adult, Australian/Italian, insider/outsider or rural/urban, using present, past and future tenses as appropriate, for example, Il mondo è pieno di cibi diversi; ci sono bambini che hanno poco da mangiare
  • conveying information and justifying personal opinions with evidence from the text, for example, Mi è piaciuto molto l’articolo perché
  • creating a poster, blog or advertisement to promote awareness of a particular issue, event or behaviour, such as recycling, conservation, sustainability, healthy food choices, sport and fitness options
    • Sustainability
  • presenting information about the movement of people globally, including to and from Italy, for example, comparing stories of migration, or the phenomenon of asylum seekers in Italy and in Australia

Creating

Respond to imaginative texts, stating views about themes, events and values, and making connections with own experiences as appropriate

[Key concepts: relationship, imagination; Key processes: comparing, connecting/relating; Key text types: narrative, biography, song] (ACLITC121 - Scootle )

  • Literacy
  • Information and Communication Technology (ICT) Capability
  • Critical and Creative Thinking
  • Personal and Social Capability
  • Intercultural Understanding
  • listening to and reading narratives, biographies and autobiographies to explore representations of life experience in relation to concepts such as adolescence, relationships and roles
  • identifying practices, values and beliefs of characters in extracts from contemporary Italian literature, film and popular culture, comparing these with texts in own language and culture and with their own experiences
  • exploring how values and practices may have changed over time by comparing texts from different eras, for example, analysing the lyrics of Italian popular songs and singer/songwriters (cantautori), for example, ‘L’italiano’ by Toto Cutugno
  • reflecting on own experiences, practices, attitudes, interpretations and reactions and those of characters in imaginative texts, for example, Anch’io penso che …, In Australia invece …; Non credo di [+ infinitive …] …, Anch’io ho avuto/sperimentato …
  • changing aspects of a story (for example, locating it in a different time or place, or developing an alternative ending) and explaining the significance of such changes
  • writing poems, letters or emails to characters from a story or film, for example, Pinocchio
  • interpreting how sounds, images, body language and language choices in texts such as songs and films carry Italian values, for example what aspects of the film, in La vita è bella convey the importance of love and family in Italian culture
Create imaginative texts to express experiences, ideas and emotions

[Key concepts: life, experiences, change; Key processes: creating, expanding, connecting; Key text types: autobiography, biography] (ACLITC122 - Scootle )

  • Literacy
  • Critical and Creative Thinking
  • Personal and Social Capability
  • creating texts based on examples or models, for example, depictions of characters, children’s stories
  • creating texts to entertain others, expressing real and imagined experiences, ideas and emotions, for example, a rap about being young, a video about a fictional school, a cartoon about a real or fictitious hero, a short story about an inanimate object coming to life

Translating

Translate texts from Italian to English and vice versa, and compare different versions for different audiences and contexts

[Key concept: representation; Key processes: translating, considering alternatives, interconnecting, explaining, reflecting] (ACLITC123 - Scootle )

  • Literacy
  • Information and Communication Technology (ICT) Capability
  • Critical and Creative Thinking
  • Personal and Social Capability
  • Intercultural Understanding
  • comparing different translations of the same message in Italian and English, for example, Devo scappare/andare/correre can be translated as 'I must/have to run/go' or 'I got to run/go
  • translating texts such as public signs and explaining choices in different renderings, for example, Non calpestare l’erba (Keep off the grass, Don’t walk on the lawn, Don’t trample the grass)
  • using print and digital dictionaries, selecting appropriate meaning from alternatives provided; comparing translations with peers and explaining cultural references and expressions such as fuori (literally ‘outside’; ‘out of your mind’) or su di giri (literally ‘revved up’; ‘excitable, elated’) and any aspects ‘lost in translation’
  • comparing different translations of a text, including versions created by online translators, and discussing any issues that emerge
  • translating and discussing idiomatic expressions in both Italian and English, for example, Non vedo l’ora! (I can’t wait!), Era ora! (Finally! It was about time!), Lasciami stare! (Leave me alone!), Ma dai! (Come on!), Tocca ferro (Touch wood)
Create bilingual texts related to experiences in which aspects of Italian and Australian culture might differ

[Key concept: interculturality; Key processes: comparing, reflecting, evaluating, explaining] (ACLITC124 - Scootle )

  • Literacy
  • Information and Communication Technology (ICT) Capability
  • Critical and Creative Thinking
  • Intercultural Understanding
  • creating bilingual resources to support the sharing of experiences, for example, a photographic display or a digital presentation with captions, a bilingual guide/handbook for a particular group
  • creating a photographic display with bilingual captions depicting important social occasions in comparative perspective, for example, the ways in which weddings, Christmas, Labour Day are celebrated
  • adding subtitles and captions in English to complement the Italian language audio of video clips and photo stories

Reflecting

Interact in Italian with the teacher, peers and others, and exchange reactions and responses to ideas, issues and experiences being discussed

[Key concepts: comfort/discomfort, multiplicity, reflective literacy; Key processes: connecting, decentring, reflecting, questioning assumptions] (ACLITC125 - Scootle )

  • Literacy
  • Critical and Creative Thinking
  • Personal and Social Capability
  • Intercultural Understanding
  • noticing differences between Italian and English ways of communicating which involve cultural dimensions, for example, when corresponding with an Italian peer and analysing the other student's references to aspects of culture, particularly the language choices the student makes such as E tu, cosa ne pensi …?
  • decentering from their own primary linguistic and cultural world to reflect on being a communicator and user of Italian in a variety of social situations, considering their own positioning and values in relation to others
  • reinterpreting own experiences of using and learning Italian across diverse experiences: listening to/reading others’ perspectives and language use, comparing and connecting these to own experiences, forming an opinion and articulating own reactions to another person’s responses, and recognising comfort/discomfort in the use of language in interactions with diverse others, for example, Sono d’accordo. Mi sento a disagio
  • developing a metalanguage for discussing ideas, issues and experiences related to intercultural communication
Reflect on own identity in general and as a user and learner of Italian by sharing personal experiences, perspectives and values and considering their influence

[Key concepts: memory, language affiliation, judgement; Key processes: connecting, evaluating, reflecting] (ACLITC126 - Scootle )

  • Literacy
  • Information and Communication Technology (ICT) Capability
  • Critical and Creative Thinking
  • Personal and Social Capability
  • Intercultural Understanding
  • recounting personal experiences and expressing opinions through a range of texts, using present and past tenses as appropriate, for example, writing an autobiography indicating how their identity has changed and why; writing a narrative about their family history and generational influences (Ammiro … Giovanni perché è venuto in Australia da solo quando aveva diciotto anni)
  • reflecting on texts such as diaries, articles and documentaries about the lives of Italians in the diaspora; making comparisons with learners and speakers of Italian, for example, through interviews, social media, wikis and video; discussing how people’s identities, values and beliefs (including their own) are maintained and/or change over time
  • comparing and contrasting Italian and Australian experiences such as a concert or celebration, or teenage use of technologies (mobile phones, social networking), and considering how their own and others’ identity may shift according to place and time; discussing cultural notions of ‘self’ as public or private
  • engaging with other learners and speakers of Italian such as through social media, wikis and video, to describe experiences of using and learning Italian, seeking advice on how to learn and navigate aspects of Italian language and culture such as taboo topics, personal space, and perceptions of image (for example, È permesso parlare di politca/religione? Con chi? Perché no?); surveying class-/schoolmates, relatives, neighbours and friends to examine how identities may vary
  • reflecting on choices made to present self to others in particular ways or to conceal aspects of identity when interacting across cultures; noticing the adjustments made when interacting with different people

Systems of language

Understand and use the features of Italian sound and written systems, including pronunciation, stress and intonation in increasingly complex structures and texts (ACLITU127 - Scootle )
  • Literacy
  • Information and Communication Technology (ICT) Capability
  • Critical and Creative Thinking
  • recognising some common interjections, for example, oh!, e?, cioè, ahimè, ohimè, uffa!
  • recognising the differences in pronunciation of words with similar spelling, for example, sùbito, subito
  • comparing and contrasting the pronunciation of similar-sounding words using text-to-speech software or the audio option of word-processing programs
  • recognising common cognate words in speech, for example, organizzazione, programmare, arrivare
  • identifying and interpreting sounds and textual features and devices such as onomatopoeia, repetition, simile and metaphor, and understanding how they are used to express emotion and convey attitudes
  • analysing personal interactions and audiovisual texts such as films to understand how tone, gesture and body language support meaning
  • recognising the difference between anglicised and Italian pronunciation
Extend knowledge of and use more complex features and patterns of the Italian grammatical system, including possessive, reflexive, demonstrative and relative pronouns; irregular and reflexive verbs; and comparatives and superlatives (ACLITU128 - Scootle )
  • Literacy
  • Critical and Creative Thinking
  • learning how to use:
    • articles — rules for inclusion or omission, for example, mio padre and il mio papà; Buongiorno signora… È la signora
    • nouns — irregular plurals (for example, la città/le città, il dito/le dita), and collective nouns, for example, la gente
    • pronouns — possessive, reflexive, demonstrative and relative
    • comparatives and superlatives (regular and irregular) to make descriptions more precise, for example, Il film è piu bello del romanzo; è bellissimo
    • adverbs of time and manner, for example, ieri, di solito
    • prepositions (articulated or simple) to indicate destinations and directions, for example, in Italia, a Roma, al parco
    • interrogatives, for example, Chi …? Quando …? Come…?
    • verbs indicating action in the present (including irregular verbs and reflexives) and action across time: present perfect; imperfect; exposure to the future and conditional tenses and impersonal si; use of modals to indicate ability/willingness/necessity
    • compound sentences (for example, Mi piace la pizza ma preferisco le lasagne), and complex sentences, for example, La città che ho visitato era bellissima
Analyse the features of a range of spoken, written and multimodal texts, recognising grammatical structures, cohesion and coherence (ACLITU129 - Scootle )
  • Literacy
  • Critical and Creative Thinking
  • comparing procedural, recount and persuasive texts in Italian and English (for example, recipes, advertisements and weather reports) and describing their similarities and differences
  • understanding the elements that create coherence at a whole text level such as the use of cohesive devices, linked paragraphs and sequencing of ideas

Language variation and change

Analyse lexical and grammatical choices made in a range of texts in different contexts to develop an understanding that language use varies in the contexts of situation and culture (ACLITU130 - Scootle )
  • Literacy
  • Critical and Creative Thinking
  • Intercultural Understanding
  • analysing the appropriateness of language choices for a given context and purpose according to age, relationship and gender, for example, the context of use for phrases such as non mi va as compared to non mi piace
  • analysing differences in communicative style between formal and informal interactions, for example, Come va? Come stai?
  • noticing changes in style, lexicon and grammatical structures, observing how the same facts may be communicated differently by different people in different contexts, for example, describing a school assignment (Non sono stato/a promosso/a; Sono stato/a bocciato/a)
Analyse and understand the dynamic nature of Italian (and languages in general) recognising the impact of technology, media and intercultural contact (ACLITU131 - Scootle )
  • Literacy
  • Information and Communication Technology (ICT) Capability
  • Critical and Creative Thinking
  • Intercultural Understanding
  • developing awareness of the Latin origins of the Italian language and other Indo-European languages, how Italian has developed as a language, and the use of dialects
  • researching the use of dialects within the context of Italian-speaking communities (for example, by developing a portfolio of examples, gathered through interviews, blogs, community radio and events), considering the use of dialect and/or Standard Italian, and reflecting on the findings
  • observing changes over time in levels of formality, particularly in spoken Italian such as forms of address, for example, tu/Lei compared to voi/Loro
  • exploring, expanding and consolidating word usage using online applications relating to proverbs, sayings and set phrases
Compare and contrast aspects of communication and the relationship among languages used in the ecology of languages in Australia, including Aboriginal languages and Torres Strait Islander Languages, Asian languages and world languages (ACLITU132 - Scootle )
  • Literacy
  • Critical and Creative Thinking
  • Personal and Social Capability
  • Intercultural Understanding
  • Asia and Australia’s Engagement with Asia
  • analysing examples of Italian used in the Australian context (for example, by compiling a record of language observed in the community, noting the contexts or domains in which these occur), and comparing own observations with others’
  • discussing the choices made by bilingual users of language about which language to use when, and the influences on such choices
  • researching the changing nature of languages in contemporary Australia, and considering how it relates to issues such as migration

Role of language and culture

Reflect on intercultural exchanges and the ways in which language is used to establish relationships, indicate social values and enhance reciprocity (ACLITU133 - Scootle )
  • Literacy
  • Critical and Creative Thinking
  • Personal and Social Capability
  • Intercultural Understanding
  • examining the link between language and cultural values and practices evident in Italy, for example, the appreciation of things of beauty and style expressed by the concept of la bella figura; the connotations of the concept of mammone
  • examining how their own language and culture influence their responses to others
  • analysing and discussing language choices by asking, for example, Who uses this expression and where? Why is it meaningful? Why is it used?
  • evaluating own and others’ assumptions and generalisations about values, beliefs, cultural norms and practices of Italian-speaking communities and how these influence intercultural exchange
  • sharing own responses in class to a given topic and comparing with those of others, reflecting on how different people are perceived through their use of language and the way it reflects values and beliefs
  • understanding how language and culture convey values such as, respect, for example, Cosa ne pensi? Sei d’accordo? È giusto? In Australia invece … A differenza di …

Years 9 and 10 Achievement Standards

By the end of Year 10, students use a range of everyday language both orally and in writing to exchange information about their personal, social and local world and about broader issues of personal significance. They communicate thoughts and opinions; make comparisons and contrasts (for example, a differenza di; invece), and offer reasons for points of view, opinions and preferences. They express desires and plans for the future. They give presentations, and formulate and respond to a range of questions. They interpret information and attitudes in a range of informational and imaginative texts. They create written texts such as descriptions, narratives and recounts that convey experiences, ideas and emotions. They give detailed descriptions; describe and relate episodes in time (for example, prima … poi … infine); and qualify statements, for example, through the use of relative clauses. They use simple subject–verb–object constructions, extending or qualifying their message by, for example, adding complements or using modal verbs or comparatives. They produce bilingual texts, plan what needs to be communicated to particular audiences and consider different perspectives.

Students use metalanguage to analyse and discuss features of language choice and use and cultural practice. They analyse texts, identifying features such as tone, sequences and relationships of events in time. They communicate their thoughts with awareness of different perspectives on issues or practices being discussed. They explain how Italian language use varies according to context, purpose and mode. They identify social and cultural practices of Italians in Italy and in the diaspora, including communities in Australia. They identify particular issues relating to translating between Italian and English, such as words with similar meanings and 'false friends, and identify certain concepts that cannot be translated readily from Italian to English and from English into Italian. They reflect on ways in which language and culture together create meanings, and on ways in which their own linguistic and cultural assumptions come into play in using and learning Italian. They demonstrate understanding of the role of language and culture in shaping experience, and the ways in which their own past experiences shape their identity.


Years 9 and 10 Work Sample Portfolios