Under the instruction of a specialist teacher, Italian is implemented across Years 3-6 in a weekly hour-long lesson. Students of Italian are reported against the “Communicating” and “Understanding” strands from the WA Languages Curriculum. Selected students can also participate in our school-based Student Engagement Program (SEP) in which they receive an additional hour of Italian cultural and language studies.
Learning Italian not only allows students to communicate in another language, but also strengthens their understanding of language conventions and the process of communication. It shines a cultural spotlight upon Italy and, in doing so, assists in developing their understanding of their own culture, values and identity. Through learning a language, children have an appreciation of diversity and difference; gaining a worldview of experiences and perspectives.
The Languages program at SDPS provides students with opportunities to demonstrate their linguistic skills and knowledge through a variety of engaging activities and tasks such as songs, games and role plays etc. Digital technologies are incorporated into most lessons, assisting students to develop their oral and written Italian language skills via engaging, hands-on tasks. An appreciation of Italian culture is developed though creative arts projects, incursions, cooking and participation in competitions such as those run by the Western Australian Association of Teachers of Italian (WAATI) and the Italo-Australian Cultural Centre.
Students have fun and strive to build on their previous learning and to develop their confidence in communicating in Italian. The language skills taught in Italian often ‘cross over’ and reinforce those taught in English, making meaningful connections between the two languages (and cultures) able to be made.