This course was the second iteration of the Italian course. It follows the first five lesson of the first iteration and has added 4 additional lessons.
The course content is presented in terms of the “Can do” statements of the EU Common Framework of Reference at the A1 and A2 level (http://www.coe.int/t/dg4/linguistic/Source/Framework_EN.pdf). For the technical skills, we created a similar “Can do” statement list against which student progress can also be measured. The acquisition of knowledge and skills can be measured against these statements in the final sessions. The course syllabus can be summarised as follows:
Syllabus for the Italian course for Beginners “Alzati e cammina”
The main syllabus framework for the course is the A1-A2 level description of the EFR. However, in the interest of clarification, below is a summary of the main language content areas and “Can do” statements for avatars highlighted during the course.
Lexical areas
Formal and informal greetings
Formal and informal social chit-chat
Formal and informal expressions for social interaction
Introducing yourself
Travel/ Transport
Time of the day
Days of the week
Weather
Numbers
Socialising
Countries/ Nationalities
In the city and outside the city
Giving instructions
Comparisons
Asking the way
Giving directions
Around the house
Animals
Expressing desires
Expressing likes and dislikes
Describing objects and positions
Describing clothes
Complimenting people on their look/clothes
Inviting someone to a social event
Acting as host at a social event
Offering food and drink to others
Introducing others
Making joint decisions
Expressing opinions
Understanding instructions to a treasure hunt
Playing a game
Understanding simple riddles
Colours
Furniture
Placing objects
Grammar:
Verb tenses/ presente indicativo/ imperativo/ passato prossimo
Adjectives / nouns
Comparatives
Prepositions
SL Can do statements for avatars:
I can walk
I can fly
I can stop flying
I can operate voice chat
I can operate text chat
I can turn around
I can touch objects
I can pick up objects
I can open doors
I can teleport
I can teleport others
I know how to work the camera controls
I can save a location in landmarks for future reference
I can use the SL search engine
I can use several basic gestures (i.e. clap, whistle, wave, etc.)
I can sit
I can stand up
I can save the text chat on my computer
I can adjust my volume
I can adjust the volume of avatars in my vicinity
I can mute other avatars in my vicinity
I can take snapshots and save them in my inventory/save them on my computer
I can take a snapshot of myself
I can save objects in my inventory
I can change my appearance
I can accept or decline friendship
I can add friends
I can accept, read and save IMs
I can send IMs
I can accept/decline an object from another avatar
I can give objects to other avatars
I can zoom in on objects
I can read hovering text on objects
I can “buy” clothes
I can change my clothes
I can sit on a poseball
I can dance
I can help others achieve all of the above (in a common language)
Organising a party to show off what you have learned. As students have become more and more familiar with the environment, more confident with the language and with SL skills, it’s time for them to use the language and the environment to “make” something.
They will not asked to build anything or to move objects with precision (too difficult): only to take decision (where to put everything, what to have, what to do etc.) and making suggestions. Of course, being a group, they will have to negotiate them
Main aim: consolidation of language content
Technical learning aim: zooming on objects, reading hovering text on objects.
Welcome and greetings: social chitchat, informal reharsal
The main learning event: planning a party
Language input: expressing desires, expressing likes and dislikes, describing objects and positions.
Follow up activity: prepare material for exhibitions: photos of something you find beautiful/ugly/strange. In each photo there has to be a person (for instance a class mate). The photos will be shown at the party an can be topic of conversation with our guests.
Teacher's flow sheet: lesson six
Going shopping for the party.Now students have become more and more familiar with the main SL skills, and have developed a relationship with their avatar. They have developed as well enough confidence with their fellow students to be able to give them advices.
Main aim: consolidation of language content. Share opinion on how to dress for parties.
Technical learning aim: “buying” and wearing dresses, interact with objects
Welcome and greetings: social chitchat, informal reharsal
The main learning event: presenting photos and objects. Talk about dresses and what one wears at parties. Being the host.
Language input: describing, asking for advice, comparing tastes and likes.
Follow up activity: agree with your partner on how your team will dress up for the treasure hunt.
Teacher's flow sheet: Lesson seven
Treasure hunt (rehearsal).The aim of this session is to make the student aware of how much he/she has learnt and that she can perform different tasks in Italian without the help of the teacher.
Main aim: consolidation of language content
Technical learning aim: consolidation of all technical skills acquired so far
Welcome and greetings: chit chat. Division of students in pairs. Explication of the game/rules. Handing out the starting material.
The main learning event: collaborating in pair students will have to: read and understand instructions. Solve riddles, find hidden clues, interact with space and object. Use voice chat, chat and IM (it is possible to ask help to others group, but not to the teacher).
Language input: rehearsal of all the main points.
Follow up activity: Prepare together with a partner from your course for your final evaluation task.
Teacher's flow sheet: lesson eight
Examination.As students have become more and more familiar with the environment, each other and the language, they can try to use it to create a dialogue.
Main aim: consolidation of language content and awareness of their learning
Technical learning aim: learning to dance
Welcome and greetings: social chit chat
The main learning event: presenting a short dialogue
Language input: all the language input of the course. Expression to greet people and make them feel welcomed.
Follow up activity: invite friends that speak Italian
Teacher's flow sheet: lesson nine
The party.Students are now proud of their progresses and relaxed. It’s time to enjoy, stay together and practice the language in a meaningful, real situation with people outside the class. It’s important to say farewell to old friends, and to close up a course in a nice way
Main aim: consolidation of language, increase of self-esteem
Technical learning aim: practice dance and interacting with objects.
Welcome and greetings
The main learning event: greeting people, chit chat, talk with native speakers
Language input: greetings, being polite, offering drinks/food and making proposals.
Follow up activity: official distribution of the certificate.
Teacher's flow sheet: lesson ten