Mendrisio Campus

Interagire nelle situazioni più comuni della vita quotidiana

Candidates must possess the necessary ability to fulfil the essential communicative requirements of normal everyday situations. The course is intended for those students who have a basic knowledge of the Italian language and attended an absolute beginner A1 level course already.

Self-assessment grid for language skills

The self-assessment grid illustrates the levels of proficiency described in the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages (CEFR). It is useful to measure personal knowledge in connection with language acquisition. Assess your current skills level by using the grid below.

Griglia per l’autovalutazione (Portfolio europeo delle lingue)

Self-assessment Grid (European Language Portfolio)

Entrance test

All higher level courses require knowledge of material covered in other courses. A definitive decision about admission can consequently be taken only after the entrance test organised the first day. The lecturer will address participants who chose the wrong level to the correct one after the first lesson. The prerequisites of the A1.2 level course are: numeri, articoli determinativi e indeterminativi singolari e plurali, plurale dei nomi, pronomi personali e riflessivi, ausiliari, esserci, verbi regolari e irregolari al presente, verbi riflessivi, concordanza degli aggettivi, aggettivi e pronomi possessivi, interrogativi.

Course details

The free of charge Intensive A1.2 level course encourage to get fully involved in the language for two weeks. The morning class focus on grammar and writing whereas the afternoon class focus on improving listening and speaking skills, expanding vocabulary and developing confidence. By the end of the course students will be able to employ simple sentences and expressions when dealing with various situations in daily life.

Level: A1.2 of the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages (CEFR)

Where: Università della Svizzera italiana, Accademia di Mendrisio, ground floor Turconi Building

When: from 4 until 14 September 2023

Schedule: 60 hours during two weeks, 6 hours a day from 09:00 until 15:30, from Monday until Friday

Timetable:

	Monday	Tuesday	Wednesday	Thursday	Friday
09:00 – 10:30	Class	Class	Class	Class	Class
10:30 – 11:00	Break	Break	Break	Break	Break
11:00 – 12:40	Class	Class	Class	Class	Class
12:40 – 14:00	Lunch break	Lunch break	Lunch break	Lunch break	Lunch break
14:00 – 15:40	Class	Class	Class	Class	Class

Course objectives: to deal with everyday language and describe events using the present and the future. Unit 4 to 6 are studied.

Course content: differenza tra sapere e conoscere, differenza tra andare e venire, introduzione al condizionale, gli avverbi di frequenza, gli avverbi di modo, i verbi fraseologici, le preposizioni semplici e articolate, l’imperativo regolare e irregolare, l’introduzione al passato prossimo, l’espressione aver bisogno di, i verbi riflessivi (ripasso), l’avverbio di luogo ci, il verbo piacere, i partitivi, gli indefiniti nessuno, poco, alcuni, un po’, molto, troppo, gli aggettivi e i pronomi dimostrativi questo e quello, i nomi irregolari, gli interrogativi (ripasso).

Culture: culture is a major and inseparable component of knowing a language, therefore a guided visit of an exposition and an Italian film viewing on Lugano Campus are organised.

Final test: different assessment procedures are conducted during the course, including an end of term test. This is a two hours test, and includes a short listening and reading comprehension, grammar exercises, one brief essay and a speaking part. The final test takes place the last Thursday of the course.

Handouts: the general objective of Università della Svizzera italiana is to achieve environmental responsibility, the grammar folder is therefore available in PDF format in iCorsi3: https://www.icorsi.ch/login/index.php. Remember to bring your own laptop to class every day.

Handbook: the book is not covered by the University and must be purchased by the student before the start of the course. Title: Marco Mezzadri, “Italiano Plus A1-A2”, Volume 1, Bonacci editore, 2015, ISBN 9788820108816

Certificate of attendance: a regular and active attendance is compulsory once admitted. Students who meet the 75% attendance requirement and pass the final exam will receive a certificate of attendance.

ECTS points: no ECTS are given except for SEMP (ex Erasmus), Swiss Mobility and International Exchange students who will be awarded 2 ECTS credit points after successful completion of the course.

Semestral course: students and professionals of the Accademia willing to continue studying Italian free of charge after the Intensive course can apply for the Corso elementare 2 extensive course (CEFR A2 level) held throughout the Semester on Mendrisio Campus.

Registration: The online application enrolls participants automatically. A detailed informative email confirming the enrolment will however be sent few days before the beginning of each course.

Online application: https://www.italiancourse.usi.ch/architecture/arc-intensive-subscription-sa/