By studying a foreign language, students can gain an understanding of other cultures or their family background and heritage.
They will be able to expand their worldviews and develop their communication skills. The way languages are taught involves great creativity, analytical and problem-solving skills. Furthermore, studying a foreign language can assist students in international travel, future work prospects and can even help them improve general language skills. Students studying a language learn how to speak, write, read and understand the language as well as gain knowledge and insight into the culture by immersing themselves into various aspects including food, festivals, music and film.
In an increasingly global society and marketplace learning a foreign language can enhance career and travel opportunities.
“One language sets you in a corridor for life. Two languages open every door along the way.”
Stage 4 Italian
The Italian course is studied in Year 8 and provides opportunities for students to engage with the linguistic and cultural diversity of the Italian-speaking communities. Through learning Italian, students develop communicative skills in the language, an understanding of how languages work as a system and intercultural understanding capability.
Stage 5 Italian (Elective)
By the end of Stage 5, students manipulate Italian in sustained interactions with others to exchange information, ideas and opinions. They participate in a range of collaborative tasks, activities and experiences that involve making plans, negotiating and solving problems. They identify and interpret information from a range of written, spoken, visual or multimodal texts and evaluate and respond in English or Italian to information, opinions and ideas, using a range of formats for specific contexts, purposes and audiences. They compose informative and imaginative texts to express ideas, attitudes and values, experimenting with linguistic patterns and structures, and using different formats for a variety of contexts, purposes and audiences. They create a range of bilingual texts and resources for the school and wider community.
Stage 6 Languages (Italian – others via Distance Education)
Learning languages opens minds to difference where diversity is seen as a regular part of society. Proficiency in languages provides a national resource that encourages more effective engagement with the global community.
The rich linguistic and cultural diversity of New South Wales provides an educational environment where the study of languages and cultures is valued as a unique and integral part of the curriculum.