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  • Years F–10 Sequence
  • Years 7–10 (Year 7 Entry) Sequence
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Years 7 and 8

Years 7 and 8 Band Description

The nature of the learners

Students are beginning their study of Italian and typically have had little prior exposure to the language and associated cultures. Many will have learnt an additional language in primary school, some have proficiency in different home languages and bring existing language learning strategies and intercultural awareness to the new experience...

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The nature of the learners

Students are beginning their study of Italian and typically have had little prior exposure to the language and associated cultures. Many will have learnt an additional language in primary school, some have proficiency in different home languages and bring existing language learning strategies and intercultural awareness to the new experience of learning Italian. Students’ textual knowledge developed through English literacy learning supports the development of literacy in Italian. Skills in analysing, comparing and reflecting on language and culture in both languages are mutually supportive. Students may need encouragement to take risks in learning a new language at this stage of social development and to consider issues of how the experience impacts on their sense of ‘norms’ associated with their first language and culture.

Italian language learning and use

Students work with different modes of communication and with different text genres, with reference to their own social, cultural and communicative interests. They learn to use modelled and rehearsed language in familiar contexts and begin to use the language to create and communicate their own meanings. They work with others collaboratively to plan, problem-solve, monitor and reflect on aspects of their learning. They learn how to make observations about the relationship between language and culture, particularly through comparing what they learn in Italian to their own language(s) and culture(s). They identify cultural references in texts and consider how language reflects practices, perspectives and values. They reflect on the process of moving between languages and cultures and developing their capability as learners of Italian.

Contexts of interaction

Opportunities for interaction in Italian are provided through working with the teacher and peers in class, and using resources and materials, including online resources as appropriate; there is also some interaction beyond the classroom with members of Italian communities. Italian is used by the teacher in classroom routines, structured interaction and learning tasks.

Texts and resources

Students listen to, read, view and interact with a range of texts for a variety of purposes, such as personal, social, informational, transactional, imaginative and expressive. They develop skills in planning, drafting and presenting descriptive and informative texts and participate in collaborative tasks, games and discussions. They compose and present simple texts such as stories, poems, songs/raps, blogs, advertisements, reports and journal entries. They develop metalanguage for referring to Italian language and learning, and use processing strategies, such as comparing and categorising, that draw on their developing understanding of text conventions and patterns. They learn to identify how cultural values and perspectives are embedded in texts and become aware that language choices determine how people and circumstances are represented.

Features of Italian language use

Students become familiar with the pronunciation and sound system of Italian, noting similarities and differences with English. They build a vocabulary relating to people and objects in their immediate worlds. They learn how to use definite and indefinite articles. They learn how to form singular and plural nouns, to recognise patterns of noun categories and to understand the general rule of gender and agreement. Students learn simple sentence construction (subject–verb–object), which is enriched by the use of adjectives. They create their own texts mainly using the present tense of regular and common irregular verbs. They gradually build more extended texts, using cohesive devices. Students develop language for interacting with the teacher and each other. They learn to distinguish between formal and informal register. They develop a metalanguage to describe and discuss features of Italian.

Level of support

Students require support to build on existing language-learning strategies and knowledge, such as using mnemonic devices and developing a metalanguage to talk about language and culture and about language learning. Scaffolding is continuously provided by the teacher and by support materials such as word banks, focused language activities, and interactive models of language use and analysis.

The role of English

English serves two main functions in the Italian class: it represents a point of reference for Italian learning by enabling students to compare structures, features, and cultural meanings in both languages; and it is used when appropriate for explanation, reflection and discussion.

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Years 7 and 8 Content Descriptions

Communicating
Socialising

Socialise with peers and adults to exchange greetings, good wishes, factual information and opinions about self, family and friends, routines, shared events, leisure activities, interests, likes and dislikes
[Key concepts: naming, friendship, family, celebration, leisure, neighbourhood; Key processes: interacting, exchanging, describing]
(ACLITC096)

Literacy Critical and Creative Thinking Personal and Social Capability Intercultural Understanding

Participate in individual or collective action, both orally and in writing, by making arrangements, inviting, planning, deciding and responding
[Key concepts: activity, rules, politeness; Key processes: arranging, negotiating alternatives, deciding, responding]
(ACLITC097)

Literacy Information and Communication Technology (ICT) Capability Critical and Creative Thinking Personal and Social Capability Intercultural Understanding

Participate in spoken and written transactions, including purchasing goods and services, and give and follow directions and instructions
[Key concepts: social exchange, etiquette; Key processes: negotiating, describing, transacting, ordering]
(ACLITC098)

Literacy Numeracy Critical and Creative Thinking Personal and Social Capability

Develop language to interact in classroom routines and tasks, for example, posing questions, asking for repetition, rephrasing, explaining, asking how to say something in Italian, expressing opinion, and giving and following instructions
[Key concepts: class routine, responsibility, community; Key processes: questioning, negotiating]
(ACLITC099)

Literacy Critical and Creative Thinking Personal and Social Capability Intercultural Understanding
Informing

Identify factual information from a range of spoken, written and multimodal texts, and process and represent meaning through, for example, classifying, sequencing and summarising
[Key concepts: concepts drawn from selected texts and from learning areas across the curriculum; Key processes: locating, ordering, classifying, comparing, tabulating]
(ACLITC100)

Literacy Numeracy Critical and Creative Thinking Personal and Social Capability Intercultural Understanding

Convey factual information and ideas through a range of spoken, written and multimodal texts, using information from a range of sources
[Key concepts: society, event, fact, opinion; Key processes: describing, comparing, presenting]
(ACLITC101)

Literacy Numeracy Critical and Creative Thinking Personal and Social Capability Intercultural Understanding
Creating

Participate in listening to, reading and viewing imaginative texts and make connections with characters, events, actions, settings, and key ideas and messages
[Key concepts: moral/message, sequence, performance, identity, imagination, character; Key processes: understanding, connecting; Key text types: description, narrative, cartoon]
(ACLITC102)

Literacy Critical and Creative Thinking Personal and Social Capability Intercultural Understanding

Create imaginative texts that present events, characters and emotions from their own experiences
[Key concepts: imagination, message; Key processes: expressing, connecting; Key text types: narrative, description]
(ACLITC103)

Literacy Information and Communication Technology (ICT) Capability Critical and Creative Thinking Personal and Social Capability
Translating

Translate phrases and short texts from Italian to English and vice versa, identifying how cultural concepts are embedded in language and explaining differences in meanings
[Key concept: equivalence; Key processes: translating, interpreting, comparing]
(ACLITC104)

Literacy Information and Communication Technology (ICT) Capability Critical and Creative Thinking Intercultural Understanding

Create bilingual texts related to experiences in contexts where Italian and Australian realities might differ
[Key concepts: bilinguality, appropriateness; Key processes: noticing, comparing] (ACLITC105)

Literacy Information and Communication Technology (ICT) Capability Critical and Creative Thinking Intercultural Understanding
Reflecting

Reflect on own and others’ responses to intercultural experiences and interactions
[Key concepts: agreement/disagreement, positioning, norms, comfort/discomfort; Key processes: comparing, noticing, reflecting]
(ACLITC106)

Literacy Critical and Creative Thinking Personal and Social Capability Intercultural Understanding

Reflect on own identity, including identity as a user and learner of Italian, through connecting observations made about experiences over time
[Key concepts: membership, sequence; Key processes: connecting, exchanging, reflecting]
(ACLITC107)

Literacy Numeracy Information and Communication Technology (ICT) Capability Critical and Creative Thinking Personal and Social Capability Intercultural Understanding
Understanding
Systems of language

Develop awareness of features of the Italian sound system, including pronunciation, syllable stress, rhythm and intonation, and how these are represented in written form (ACLITU108)

Literacy Critical and Creative Thinking

Understand and use key features and patterns of the Italian grammatical system, including definite and indefinite articles, gender and agreement, present tense of regular and common irregular verbs, and simple sentence construction (ACLITU109)

Literacy Critical and Creative Thinking

Understand the features of common spoken, written and multimodal texts (ACLITU110)

Literacy Information and Communication Technology (ICT) Capability Critical and Creative Thinking
Language variation and change

Analyse variable linguistic features present in the learning contexts and texts to develop an understanding that language use varies depending on participants, their roles and relationships, and according to the contexts of situation and culture (ACLITU111)

Literacy Critical and Creative Thinking Personal and Social Capability Intercultural Understanding

Analyse and understand the dynamic nature of the Italian language, and of languages in general (ACLITU112)

Literacy Critical and Creative Thinking Intercultural Understanding

Analyse and understand the place of Italian locally and internationally, including the relationship between Standard Italian and regional dialects, and Italian in the ecology of languages in Australia (ACLITU113)

Literacy Numeracy Critical and Creative Thinking Intercultural Understanding
Role of language and culture

Reflect on the role of language and culture in interaction and how language constructs and reflects assumptions and values (ACLITU114)

Literacy Critical and Creative Thinking Personal and Social Capability Intercultural Understanding

Years 7 and 8 Achievement Standard

By the end of Year 8, students engage in social interaction to exchange greetings and to share ideas and information related to their personal, social and school worlds. They use known phrases to exchange ideas and opinions, for example, Non mi piace la pallacanestro. They use language to interact and to respond to classroom instructions, questions and directions. They approximate Italian sound patterns such as consonant combinations, clear vowel sounds and unaspirated consonants. They use gesture and some formulaic expressions to support oral interaction. Students use well-rehearsed language related to their personal experiences (for example, stating preferences in sports, leisure activities and entertainment), in both spoken and written forms, and predominantly in the present tense. They demonstrate understanding of information from a range of factual and creative texts. They use learnt structures to create texts such as, captions, descriptions, conversations and correspondence, providing information about themselves, their personal worlds and immediate needs, interests and preferences. They produce simple descriptions with appropriate use of definite and indefinite articles...

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By the end of Year 8, students engage in social interaction to exchange greetings and to share ideas and information related to their personal, social and school worlds. They use known phrases to exchange ideas and opinions, for example, Non mi piace la pallacanestro. They use language to interact and to respond to classroom instructions, questions and directions. They approximate Italian sound patterns such as consonant combinations, clear vowel sounds and unaspirated consonants. They use gesture and some formulaic expressions to support oral interaction. Students use well-rehearsed language related to their personal experiences (for example, stating preferences in sports, leisure activities and entertainment), in both spoken and written forms, and predominantly in the present tense. They demonstrate understanding of information from a range of factual and creative texts. They use learnt structures to create texts such as, captions, descriptions, conversations and correspondence, providing information about themselves, their personal worlds and immediate needs, interests and preferences. They produce simple descriptions with appropriate use of definite and indefinite articles, adjectives and adverbs. They connect ideas using conjunctions such as e, ma, però, anche, perché- and invece to create simple texts using known vocabulary and structures.

Students identify similarities between Italian and English and understand that they are related languages which borrow from each other. They know that that literal translation between languages is not always possible. They reflect on how culture is evident in experiences, images and texts. They understand and use metalanguage to explain aspects of language and culture, and use simple statements to identify features of different text types. They know that language reflects contexts of situation and culture, and identify differences between standard, dialectal and regional forms of Italian. They analyse the impact of technology and media on communication and language forms, the influence of Italian and English on one another, and the interrelationship of language and culture. They reflect on how they interpret and respond to aspects of Italian language and culture, and to intercultural experience, and identify how their response may be shaped by their own language(s) and culture(s).

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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...

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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.

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Years 9 and 10 Content Descriptions

Communicating
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)

Literacy Critical and Creative Thinking Personal and Social Capability Intercultural Understanding

Participate in individual and collective action by deciding, explaining and justifying
[Key concepts: environment, fairness, community; Key processes: discussing, debating, commenting, comparing]
(ACLITC116)

Literacy Information and Communication Technology (ICT) Capability Critical and Creative Thinking Personal and Social Capability

Participate in spoken and written transactions, including obtaining and negotiating different services and problem-solving
[Key concept: value; Key processes: comparing, negotiating]
(ACLITC117)

Literacy Numeracy Critical and Creative Thinking Personal and Social Capability Intercultural Understanding

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)

Literacy Critical and Creative Thinking Personal and Social Capability
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)

Literacy Numeracy Information and Communication Technology (ICT) Capability Critical and Creative Thinking Personal and Social Capability Intercultural Understanding

Convey information and compare diverse perspectives from multiple sources in Italian
[Key concepts: public perceptions, representation, globalisation; Key processes: reporting, relating, comparing]
(ACLITC120)

Literacy Information and Communication Technology (ICT) Capability Critical and Creative Thinking Personal and Social Capability Intercultural Understanding Sustainability
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)

Literacy Information and Communication Technology (ICT) Capability Critical and Creative Thinking Personal and Social Capability Intercultural Understanding

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)

Literacy Critical and Creative Thinking Personal and Social Capability
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)

Literacy Information and Communication Technology (ICT) Capability Critical and Creative Thinking Personal and Social Capability Intercultural Understanding

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)

Literacy Information and Communication Technology (ICT) Capability Critical and Creative Thinking Intercultural Understanding
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)

Literacy Critical and Creative Thinking Personal and Social Capability Intercultural Understanding

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, judgment; Key processes: connecting, evaluating, reflecting]
(ACLITC126)

Literacy Information and Communication Technology (ICT) Capability Critical and Creative Thinking Personal and Social Capability Intercultural Understanding
Understanding
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)

Literacy Information and Communication Technology (ICT) Capability Critical and Creative Thinking

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)

Literacy Critical and Creative Thinking

Analyse the features of a range of spoken, written and multimodal texts, recognising grammatical structures, cohesion and coherence (ACLITU129)

Literacy Critical and Creative Thinking
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)

Literacy Critical and Creative Thinking Intercultural Understanding

Analyse and understand the dynamic nature of Italian (and languages in general) recognising the impact of technology, media and intercultural contact (ACLITU131)

Literacy Information and Communication Technology (ICT) Capability Critical and Creative Thinking Intercultural Understanding

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)

Literacy Critical and Creative Thinking Personal and Social Capability Intercultural Understanding Asia and Australia’s Engagement with Asia
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)

Literacy Critical and Creative Thinking Personal and Social Capability Intercultural Understanding

Years 9 and 10 Achievement Standard

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, local 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.

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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, local 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.

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