Course syllabuses


Examination  Our students do not need to have previous knowledge of the Italian language in order to attend our courses. At the start of the course, foreign students who already have some knowledge of grammar will take a test. This test has the sole purpose of assessing the student's level of knowledge and determining the appropriate course level for each student.
At the end of the course students take a final exam on the materials included in the syllabus and, if successful, shall receive a certification of progress from the Institute. Should the final exam results be unsatisfactory, students can repeat the course for a price of only € 200. 
For the oral exam in the fourth course, the student is asked to prepare a thesis on a topic agreed upon with the teacher (customs, history, art, etc.), to get the Institute Diploma.
Beginners

Students with little or no knowledge of Italian

  • Basics of Italian grammar: declension of article, noun and adjective; simple and contracted prepositions; possessive adjectives and pronouns; personal pronouns; indicative tense
  • Present, present perfect, imperfect, future and future perfect, subjunctive and conditional.
  • Perfect (optional); pronominal form of the verb.
  • Exercises in pronunciation, accent and intonation.
  • Sentence construction; oral and written exercises.
  • Current phraseology: easy readings and conversation.
  • Dictation.
Intermediate

Students with knowledge of the grammar taught in the first course and with fairly good expressive ability

  • Grammar: relative pronouns; all the tenses of the indicative and sequence of tenses; conditional; subjunctive; imperative; use of gerund, infinitive and participle; hypothetical sentence;
  • Rudiments of passive form and indirect speech (optional).
  • Exercises in syntax and style.
    Idioms: oral and written exercises.
  • Reading and discussion of topical subjects.
  • Composition and summary.
  • Dictation.
Advanced

Students with a good knowledge of Italian

  • In-depth revision of all the subjects (see Beginners and Intermediate) with particular attention to the use of prepositions, pronouns and verb (subjunctive, passive, indirect speech).
  • Oral and written exercises on grammar, style and syntax.
  • Dictation.
  • Idioms: oral and written exercises.
  • Reading and discussion of topical subjects; composition and summary.
  • Reading and discussion of a contemporary literary text.
Superior Students with a very good knowledge of Italian
  • Careful study of particularly difficult grammar subjects, with reference to texts used in Secondary School. Study of verb tenses usage.
  • Phrase syntax. Subordinate clauses. Complements and specific use of prepositions.
  • Analysis of contemporary literary texts: discussion, summary, composition.
  • Final thesis and oral-written exam in order to get the DIPLOMA.

© 2007 - Bertrand Russell

Via E. Filiberto, 6 - 35122 Padova - Italy - Tel .: +39 049 654051 - Fax .: +39 049 8754133 - school@bertrand-russell.it