Upper Intermediate

Prerequisite: Completion of Intermediate B1.3

In the Intermediate levels, students will learn to fluently communicate in the Italian language, read a broad variety of texts, speak and understand Italian through a rich vocabulary and correctly apply grammar rules.

Il corso si rivolge a studenti di livello intermedio che desiderano approfondire la conoscenza della lingua italiana, acquisire sicurezza nella comunicazione spontanea, perfezionare le capacita’ espressive e la competenza d’uso di strutture grammaticali e lessico.

Gli approfondimenti grammaticali riguarderanno: l’uso dei tempi passati dell’indicativo (passato prossimo, imperfetto e passato remoto) e la differenza fra imperfetto e passato prossimo; i pronomi/aggettivi indefiniti; il congiuntivo con gli indefiniti; i verbi pronominali; l’uso del condizionale per esprimere una notizia non certa; l’uso del congiuntivo nelle frasi relative; le frasi interrogative indirette; il periodo ipotetico.

I contenuti comunicativi includeranno: raccontare un evento e riportare un fatto storico; esprimere accordo o disaccordo e sostenere il proprio punto di vista in contesti informali; fare una richiesta e rispondere in modo formale; esprimersi in modo chiaro e cortese in un contesto formale; esprimere emozioni in base al registro linguistico adottato.

Al fine di ampliare la competenza lessicale si approfondiranno aree semantiche relative al mondo della scuola, al cibo, ai media, al mondo del lavoro e alla sfera dei sentimenti e delle emozioni.

Prerequisti: B1.3/Conversation 3/ Bridge to B2

Libro di testo:

Maria Bali’ – Irene Dei, Nuovo Espresso 4 (libro dello studente ed esercizi) Alma Edizioni, Firenze 2017

Unita’ 1-4

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Prerequisite: Completion of Upper Intermediate B2.1

In the Intermediate levels, students will learn to fluently communicate in the Italian language, read a broad variety of texts, speak and understand Italian through a rich vocabulary and correctly apply grammar rules.

Il corso si rivolge a studenti di livello intermedio che desiderano approfondire la conoscenza della lingua italiana, acquisire sicurezza nella comunicazione spontanea, perfezionare le capacita’ espressive e la competenza d’uso di strutture grammaticali e lessico.

Gli approfondimenti grammaticali riguarderanno: la posizione dell’aggettivo e dell’avverbio; l’uso del congiuntivo con la frase principale negativa, con le frasi comparative, con alcune espressioni consecutive; i pronomi relativi; i diversi usi del futuro; l’uso del gerundio; i sostantivi con due plurali e il plurale delle parole composte; le preposizioni in e a.

I contenuti comunicativi includeranno: raccontare la trama di un film e farne la recensione; descrivere un’opera d’arte; esprimere un giudizio estetico; esprimere desideri, dubbi, perplessita’; contraddire un’opinione diffusa; condurre un’intervista.

Al fine di ampliare la competenza lessicale si approfondiranno aree semantiche relative al cinema, all’arte e ai musei, all’ecologia e ai problemi ambientali, alla geografica.

Prerequisti: B2.1

Libro di testo:

Maria Bali’ – Irene Dei, Nuovo Espresso 4 (libro dello studente ed esercizi) Alma Edizioni, Firenze 2017

Unita’ 5-7

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Prerequisite: Completion of Upper Intermediate B2.2

In the Intermediate levels, students will learn to fluently communicate in the Italian language, read a broad variety of texts, speak and understand Italian through a rich vocabulary and correctly apply grammar rules.

B2.3

Grammar coverage includes the distinction between  principal and secondary phrases, il congiuntivo presente, il congiuntivo in secondary phrases. L’imperativo di cortesia. Literal and figurative adjectives. The use of certain verb phrases. The formation of words: nouns, adjectives, verbs. Vocabulary (the semantics of psychology). Il congiuntivo imperfetto. Modes of affirmation, negation. Feminine nouns of profession. Collocations with verbs: essere, condurre, imprimere, suscitare, sottoporre, fare, stabilire, intensificare. Several compound words. Unstressed and stressed pronouns. The plural of compound nouns. Il trapassato prossimo. Gerunds, the past and present participles. Use of verb forms: capace di, fino a, a cavallo tra, in questo senso, in fondo, a discapito di. Communication goals include having an ironic conversation, discussing the sexism of the Italian language, and interviewing two authors.

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Our new conversation courses offer an ideal occasion for students to strengthen their understanding of the Italian language and to improve their listening and comprehension skills while conversing in Italian and gaining self-confidence in conversation. The aim of these courses is to enable students to express themselves with ease in a variety of situations, from simple and informal to more complex and formal, in the context of everyday life, while socializing and traveling.  Each lesson is structured around a specific topic that fosters interaction among the students and the learning of new vocabulary and expressions. A vast array of activities oriented towards the development and the solidifying of oral communication skills will be proposed to the students: audiovisual material to enhance listening skills as well as educational activities and role-play to sharpen accuracy and fluency in verbal expression. Authentic materials, written texts, multimedia content, grammatical charts, and pronunciation exercises enrich each lesson.  

Our new conversation courses offer an ideal occasion for students to strengthen their understanding of the Italian language and to improve their listening and comprehension skills, while conversing in Italian and gaining self-confidence in conversation. The aim of these courses is to enable students to express themselves with ease in a variety of situations, from simple and informal to more complex and formal, in the context of everyday life, while socializing and traveling.

Each lesson is structured around a specific topic that fosters interaction among the students and the learning of new vocabulary and expressions. A vast array of activities oriented towards the development and the solidifying of oral communication skills will be proposed to the students: audiovisual material to enhance listening skills as well as educational activities and role play to sharpen accuracy and fluency in verbal expression. Authentic materials, written texts, multimedia content, grammatical charts and pronunciation exercises enrich each lesson.

No book required for this class.  Printed materials will be provided.  For those who have completed study through the B2.3 level.

Bridge to C1

This final Bridge course emphasizes the development of students' reading, listening, writing and speaking abilities, offering a review of the grammar covered so far in A1, A2, B1 and B2. Students will improve their understanding and use of the discorso indiretto, la concordanza dei tempi dell’indicativo e del congiuntivo, among others. There will also be emphasis on cultural context, allowing the students to deepen their knowledge of Italy and Italian culture.

Prerequisite: Completion of B2.3.

Italian through Literature

This course, held entirely in Italian, is an introduction to contemporary Italian literature. The teacher will lead students in discovering Italian writers, such as Dino Buzzati, Dacia Maraini, Natalja Ginzburg, Stefano Benni, and many others, offering students a chance to read excerpts from short stories and novels.

The texts will be used to stimulate conversation in class and as a source for focusing on more complex linguistic structures.