Teaching Staff, Methods and Teaching material |

Members of the Dante Alighieri center teaching staff are all humanities graduates and have followed teacher training courses in the teaching of Italian as a second language. They keep abreast of new teaching concepts, methods and tools.

The method adopted by the teachers is the communicative grammar method. Each lesson is structured in two parts: in the first, morpho-syntactical structures are presented and written and oral exercises immediately assess the individual student’s level of understanding and reproduction. In the second part, the student learns to apply the new linguistic structures in the most varied situations from the colloquial to the more formal and bureaucratic, broadens his personal vocabulary and practices using the idiomatic expressions of spoken Italian.

The teaching material have been developed from years of experience and successful teaching methods used at the school: the books are the result of co-operation between language specialists and teachers themselves who have a more direct experience of the problems and needs of the students.

Certificates
European Language Portfolio
Syllabus

The Centro Linguistico Italiano Dante Alighieri is an approved centre for the CILS exam (June & December).

At the end of a course of at least 4 weeks, the student can choose to sit written and oral tests to obtain a certificate of knowledge and competence at different levels (A1-C2).
Even the students who don’t attend the school can sit the tests to certify their level of Italian knowledge.
You must pay for the exams.
The school provides, free of charge, Certificates of attendance.

Proficient User	C2	Can understand with ease virtually everything heard or read. Can summarise information from different spoken and written sources, reconstructing arguments and accounts in a coherent presentation. Can express him/herself spontaneously, very fluently and precisely, differentiating finer shades of meaning even in more complex situations.
Proficient User	C1	Can understand a wide range of demanding, longer texts, and recognise implicit meaning. Can express him/herself fluently and spontaneously without much obvious searching for expressions. Can use language flexibly and effectively for social, academic and professional purposes. Can produce clear, well-structured, detailed text on complex subjects, showing controlled use of organisational patterns, connectors and cohesive devices.
Independent User	B2	Can understand the main ideas of complex text on both concrete and abstract topics, including technical discussions in his/her field of specialisation. Can interact with a degree of fluency and spontaneity that makes regular interaction with native speakers quite possible without strain for either party. Can produce clear, detailed text on a wide range of subjects and explain a viewpoint on a topical issue giving the advantages and disadvantages of various options.
Independent User	B1	Can understand the main points of clear standard input on familiar matters regularly encountered in work, school, leisure, etc. Can deal with most situations likely to arise whilst travelling in an area where the language is spoken. Can produce simple connected text on topics which are familiar or of personal interest. Can describe experiences and events, dreams, hopes & ambitions and briefly give reasons and explanations for opinions and plans.
Basic User	A2	Can understand sentences and frequently used expressions related to areas of most immediate relevance (e.g. very basic personal and family information, shopping, local geography, employment). Can communicate in simple and routine tasks requiring a simple and direct exchange of information on familiar and routine matters. Can describe in simple terms aspects of his/her background, immediate environment and matters in areas of immediate need.
Basic User	A1	Can understand and use familiar everyday expressions and very basic phrases aimed at the satisfaction of needs of a concrete type. Can introduce him/herself and others and can ask and answer questions about personal details such as where he/she lives, people he/she knows and things he/she has. Can interact in a simple way provided the other person talks slowly and clearly and is prepared to help.

To reach Elementary levels A1-A2:

	First module* 0 → A1	Second module → A1-A2	Third module → A2
TOPICS	Articles, simple and articulated prepositions, common regular and irregular plurals, possessive and demonstrative adjectives. Present, present perfect in the three regular conjugations and of the most common irregular verbs. Reflexive and interrogative pronouns. Direct personal pronouns.	Use of “ci” and “ne”. Indirect pronouns. Demonstrative pronouns and agreement with the past participle. Study of the future and imperfect. Use of the present perfect and the imperfect. Some irregular plurals. The conditional.	The degrees of the adjective. Relative pronouns. Direct, indirect and reflexive personal pronouns plus “lo, la, li, le, ne”. Use of the indicative. Pluperfect tense. Use of the subjunctive with the most common verbs.
EXERCISES	Easy reading, basic vocabulary, giving personal details, simple listening, games, simple dialogues. Role play	Reading, basic vocabulary, everyday conversation, simple listening, games, simple dialogues, basic writing. Role play	Reading simple newspaper articles; listening (announcements, adverts and songs); describing your country; writing about personal interests. Role play.

To reach Higher Intermediate levels B1-B2:

	Fourth module A2 → B1	Fifth module → B1-B2	Sixth module → B2
TOPICS	Conditional statements. Use of the remote past. Use of the conditional. Use of the subjunctive with the most common conjunctions. Exercises on the use of the moods and tenses. Pronominal verbs. Positive, negative and pronominal imperative.	Other uses of the subjunctive with conjunctions. Indefinites. Exercises on the use of moods and tenses. Other double pronouns. Gerund, participles and infinitive. The passive form. Idiomatic expressions.	Sentence analysis. Direct and reported speech. Syntax. Diminutives. Nouns with double plural. Plural of compound nouns. Prepositions (complete use with verbs and adjectives). Exercises on the use of moods and tenses.
EXERCISES	Reading newspaper and other articles to improve vocabulary; listening (news programmes); debates (for and against); writing about family and familiar subjects Watching films (with a simple summary and comments)	Reading and paraphrasing literary texts and instruction manuals; watching news programmes; debates (for and against); writing on subjects chosen by the teacher.	Reading newspapers; listening to radio programmes; summarising readings both orally and in writing. More difficult listening to improve comprehension and summarising skills.

To reach Advanced levels C1-C2:

	Seventh module B2 → C1	Eighth module → C1-C2	Ninth module → C2
TOPICS	Grammar revision with active involvement of the student.	Grammar revision with active involvement of the student.	Grammar revision with active involvement of the student.
EXERCISES	Studying texts and analysing complex structures. Writing reports on technical and literary listenings. Comparative analysis of written and spoken expressions in order to master them	Studying texts and analysing complex structures. Writing reports on technical and literary listenings. Comparative analysis of written and spoken expressions in order to master them.	Studying texts and analysing complex structures. Writing reports on technical and literary listenings. Comparative analysis of written and spoken expressions in order to master them.

*Each module lasts 4 weeks (60/80 hours); according to one’s mother tongue, personal abilities, commitment and other circumstances each student can take from nine months to two years to complete the full cycle.

Certificates

The Centro Linguistico Italiano Dante Alighieri is an approved centre for the CILS exam (June & December).

European Language Portfolio

Proficient User	C2	Can understand with ease virtually everything heard or read. Can summarise information from different spoken and written sources, reconstructing arguments and accounts in a coherent presentation. Can express him/herself spontaneously, very fluently and precisely, differentiating finer shades of meaning even in more complex situations.
Proficient User	C1	Can understand a wide range of demanding, longer texts, and recognise implicit meaning. Can express him/herself fluently and spontaneously without much obvious searching for expressions. Can use language flexibly and effectively for social, academic and professional purposes. Can produce clear, well-structured, detailed text on complex subjects, showing controlled use of organisational patterns, connectors and cohesive devices.
Independent User	B2	Can understand the main ideas of complex text on both concrete and abstract topics, including technical discussions in his/her field of specialisation. Can interact with a degree of fluency and spontaneity that makes regular interaction with native speakers quite possible without strain for either party. Can produce clear, detailed text on a wide range of subjects and explain a viewpoint on a topical issue giving the advantages and disadvantages of various options.
Independent User	B1	Can understand the main points of clear standard input on familiar matters regularly encountered in work, school, leisure, etc. Can deal with most situations likely to arise whilst travelling in an area where the language is spoken. Can produce simple connected text on topics which are familiar or of personal interest. Can describe experiences and events, dreams, hopes & ambitions and briefly give reasons and explanations for opinions and plans.
Basic User	A2	Can understand sentences and frequently used expressions related to areas of most immediate relevance (e.g. very basic personal and family information, shopping, local geography, employment). Can communicate in simple and routine tasks requiring a simple and direct exchange of information on familiar and routine matters. Can describe in simple terms aspects of his/her background, immediate environment and matters in areas of immediate need.
Basic User	A1	Can understand and use familiar everyday expressions and very basic phrases aimed at the satisfaction of needs of a concrete type. Can introduce him/herself and others and can ask and answer questions about personal details such as where he/she lives, people he/she knows and things he/she has. Can interact in a simple way provided the other person talks slowly and clearly and is prepared to help.

Syllabus

To reach Elementary levels A1-A2:

	First module* 0 → A1	Second module → A1-A2	Third module → A2
TOPICS	Articles, simple and articulated prepositions, common regular and irregular plurals, possessive and demonstrative adjectives. Present, present perfect in the three regular conjugations and of the most common irregular verbs. Reflexive and interrogative pronouns. Direct personal pronouns.	Use of “ci” and “ne”. Indirect pronouns. Demonstrative pronouns and agreement with the past participle. Study of the future and imperfect. Use of the present perfect and the imperfect. Some irregular plurals. The conditional.	The degrees of the adjective. Relative pronouns. Direct, indirect and reflexive personal pronouns plus “lo, la, li, le, ne”. Use of the indicative. Pluperfect tense. Use of the subjunctive with the most common verbs.
EXERCISES	Easy reading, basic vocabulary, giving personal details, simple listening, games, simple dialogues. Role play	Reading, basic vocabulary, everyday conversation, simple listening, games, simple dialogues, basic writing. Role play	Reading simple newspaper articles; listening (announcements, adverts and songs); describing your country; writing about personal interests. Role play.

To reach Higher Intermediate levels B1-B2:

	Fourth module A2 → B1	Fifth module → B1-B2	Sixth module → B2
TOPICS	Conditional statements. Use of the remote past. Use of the conditional. Use of the subjunctive with the most common conjunctions. Exercises on the use of the moods and tenses. Pronominal verbs. Positive, negative and pronominal imperative.	Other uses of the subjunctive with conjunctions. Indefinites. Exercises on the use of moods and tenses. Other double pronouns. Gerund, participles and infinitive. The passive form. Idiomatic expressions.	Sentence analysis. Direct and reported speech. Syntax. Diminutives. Nouns with double plural. Plural of compound nouns. Prepositions (complete use with verbs and adjectives). Exercises on the use of moods and tenses.
EXERCISES	Reading newspaper and other articles to improve vocabulary; listening (news programmes); debates (for and against); writing about family and familiar subjects Watching films (with a simple summary and comments)	Reading and paraphrasing literary texts and instruction manuals; watching news programmes; debates (for and against); writing on subjects chosen by the teacher.	Reading newspapers; listening to radio programmes; summarising readings both orally and in writing. More difficult listening to improve comprehension and summarising skills.

To reach Advanced levels C1-C2:

	Seventh module B2 → C1	Eighth module → C1-C2	Ninth module → C2
TOPICS	Grammar revision with active involvement of the student.	Grammar revision with active involvement of the student.	Grammar revision with active involvement of the student.
EXERCISES	Studying texts and analysing complex structures. Writing reports on technical and literary listenings. Comparative analysis of written and spoken expressions in order to master them	Studying texts and analysing complex structures. Writing reports on technical and literary listenings. Comparative analysis of written and spoken expressions in order to master them.	Studying texts and analysing complex structures. Writing reports on technical and literary listenings. Comparative analysis of written and spoken expressions in order to master them.