Unit rationale, description and aim

Teaching Italian to primary school students requires an understanding of language acquisition theory and practice, and a repertoire of age–appropriate practical strategies, activities and resources that engage and stimulate thinking and creativity.

This unit is designed to establish a knowledge base for pre–service teachers in the area of Italian curriculum, pedagogy and assessment for primary (F–6) students. Areas explored include relevant curriculum and policy documents, Italian–specific vocabulary and grammar, current languages pedagogy including comprehensible input and intercultural language learning, strategies for teaching receptive and productive skills, sourcing and developing resources, including authentic, long– and short–term planning and evaluation, age– and stage–appropriate assessment and feedback, general capabilities and cross–curriculum priorities, and professional standards for accomplished teaching of languages and cultures.

Extending the learning in EDLA290, this unit aims to provide pre–service primary teachers with an Italian specialisation experience in teaching Italian using effective contemporary languages pedagogy and apply those skills through undertaking a professional experience placement.

2025 10

Campus offering

No unit offerings are currently available for this unit

Prerequisites

EDLA290 General Language Curriculum, Pedagogy and Assessment

Learning outcomes

To successfully complete this unit you will be able to demonstrate you have achieved the learning outcomes (LO) detailed in the below table.

Each outcome is informed by a number of graduate capabilities (GC) to ensure your work in this, and every unit, is part of a larger goal of graduating from ACU with the attributes of insight, empathy, imagination and impact.

Explore the graduate capabilities.

Describe underpinning principles and practices of ...

Learning Outcome 01

Describe underpinning principles and practices of teaching and learning Italian at primary school level through the development of a personal learning plan (APST 2.1, 6.2)

Demonstrate understanding of models of pedagogy fo...

Learning Outcome 02

Demonstrate understanding of models of pedagogy for teaching and assessing Italian across the range of learners (APST 1.2, 2.1)

Demonstrate knowledge of Italian cultural concepts...

Learning Outcome 03

Demonstrate knowledge of Italian cultural concepts relevant to the teaching of Italian at primary school level (APST 2.1)

Develop a range of Italian language learning and t...

Learning Outcome 04

Develop a range of Italian language learning and teaching activities and sequences for primary students (K-6), which involve a variety of pedagogical approaches and resources (including safe and ethical use of ICT resources) (APST 1.2, 1.3, 2.2, 2.3, 2.6, 3.2, 3.3, 3.4, 4.5)

Complete a successful professional experience in a...

Learning Outcome 05

Complete a successful professional experience in a classroom setting (APST 2.1, 2.2, 2.3, 3.1, 3.2, 3.3, 3.4, 3.5, 4.2, 4.4, 4.5, 5.1, 6.1, 6.3, 7.1)

Content

Topics will include:

  • The Australian Curriculum: Italian, and relevant state/territory curriculum and policy documents.
  • The application of contemporary research, theories and understandings of language acquisition, including the Communicative Approach and Comprehensible Input, with iterations such as Total Physical Response and Teaching Proficiency through Reading and Storytelling, and intercultural language teaching and learning, to the development of sequences of learning Italian.
  • Strategies for effective teaching and learning languages and developing the skills of Communicating and Understanding including listening (and viewing), speaking, reading and writing.
  • Sourcing and developing age-appropriate resources, tasks and activities that scaffold Italian learning and maintenance, including ICTs.
  • Planning, implementing and evaluating sequences of Italian-learning for specific school and student contexts.
  • Catering for a range of learners from diverse educational and cultural backgrounds.
  • Age- and stage-appropriate diagnostic, formative and summative assessment, and feedback.

Assessment strategy and rationale

A range of assessment procedures are designed to allow pre-service teachers to progressively demonstrate achievement of the unit learning outcomes and to develop graduate attributes consistent with University assessment requirements. The focus of this unit is what Italian to teach, how to teach it, and, from that knowledge and skill, how to prepare unit and lesson plans. This is reflected in the assessment tasks:

Assessment Task 1: analysis of the Italian curriculum – knowing what vocabulary, grammar, and cultural concepts to teach.

Assessment Task 2: resource folio and reflection – knowing how to teach it: putting into tangible and practical form the knowledge of how to teach Italian to young learners (theoretical basis of current languages pedagogy), what resources and strategies to use to cater for diverse learners, together with valid justification.

Assessment Task 3: unit and lesson plans: putting into usable form the knowledge and skills gained in the development of Assessment Task 1 and Assessment Task 2 - the product needed to confidently enter a classroom and teach effectively.

Minimum Achievement Standards

The assessment tasks and their weighting for this unit are designed to demonstrate achievement of each learning outcome. In order to pass this unit, students are required to submit all assessment tasks, meet the learning outcomes of the unit and achieve a minimum overall passing grade of 50%.

Pre-service teachers must attain a Pass for the Professional Experience Hurdle Task.

Electronic Submission, Marking and Return

Turnitin will be used as a means for submitting, marking, and returning of assessment tasks. 

Overview of assessments

Assessment Task 1: Analysis of the Curriculum: a...

Assessment Task 1:

Analysis of the Curriculum: analysis, skills audit and professional learning plan

  1. Analysis of Italian F-2. 3-4 and 5-6 Bands of the F-10 Italian Program, Band Descriptions, Content Descriptions and elaborations, Achievement Standards and Work Samples
  2. Self-audit to identify key gaps in pre-service teacher’s vocabulary, grammar and relevant cultural concepts.
  3. Design of a personal learning plan and timeline to develop the curriculum and Italian knowledge and skills required.  
  4. <

Weighting

20%

Learning Outcomes LO1, LO3

Assessment Task 2: Resource Folio and Critical R...

Assessment Task 2:

Resource Folio and Critical Reflection

1. Creation of a folio of 7 – 10 practical activities, covering K-6 and a range of topics and skills, within which:

  • curriculum objectives and content are addressed;
  • a range of strategies, resources and ICT are used;
  • diverse learner backgrounds and needs are catered for;
  • higher order thinking is promoted;
  • provision is made for assessment of student learning and feedback;
  • general capabilities and cross curricular priorities of the Australian Curriculum are addressed.

2.  Annotation of the activities to explain their effectiveness and justify their inclusion.

Weighting

30%

Learning Outcomes LO2, LO3, LO4

Assessment Task 3: Lesson Planning Development o...

Assessment Task 3: Lesson Planning

Development of a 12 lesson unit of work for a Year 5 or Year 6 class (not festivals or travel) and a series of at least three non-sequential lessons for that unit. The lessons must use a range of strategies and resources, and together with the unit of work must demonstrate knowledge and understanding of:

  • the ways in which students learn Languages;
  • age-appropriate learning objectives, content, teaching and learning strategies and resources, including ICT;
  • a range of strategies that cater for diverse learners and promote critical and creative thinking.

Weighting

50%

Learning Outcomes LO2, LO3, LO4

Hurdle Task: Professional Experience Professiona...

Hurdle Task: Professional Experience

Professional Experience requirements include compilation of evidence as required.

(Refer to Professional Experience Handbook and Report).

Compilation of evidence will include:

  • structured observation and analysis of school and classroom contexts
  • preparation for all teaching episodes including the setting of goals, outcomes, content, assessment criteria catering for a variety of abilities and characteristics
  • relevant teaching resources
  • critical reflection on own teaching experiences
  • feedback from supervising teacher/s and university staff.

This evidence must be compiled into a well-presented and well-organised Professional Experience folder, which must be updated on a daily basis throughout the placement.

Artefacts and reflections may provide evidence of attainment of the Australian Professional Standards for Teachers: Graduate.

Weighting

A pass or fail grade will be awarded for completion of the professional experience days

Learning Outcomes LO1, LO2, LO3, LO4, LO5

Learning and teaching strategy and rationale

Pre-service teachers will be exposed to a range of ideas, strategies, approaches and resources that may differ from how they learned Italian themselves. These need to be analysed, trialled and evaluated to determine those they can implement successfully and which, more importantly, will meet the needs of their future students in school. As a wide repertoire of strategies is essential, and as some presentation skills require rehearsal to develop a natural flow, there will be segments of microteaching, including some where pre-service teachers film themselves and then analyse their performances. This reflective process enables individual and class analysis of the use of voice, complexity of language, logical progression, oral interaction with students and the modelling and reinforcement of the Italian students are acquiring.

This is a 10-credit point unit that requires approximately 150 hours over the semester to complete the learning and skill development required. Required knowledge is disseminated though lectures, reading, reflection, discussion, webinars, podcasts, videos, etc., but real understanding comes when each individual translates theory into action in the planning of learning activities, and from the practical experience of rehearsing and presenting strategies to peers. and students during professional experience.

Technology Enhanced Learning

This unit uses Canvas for the provision of lecture and tutorial content, required and/or further readings, and other unit material. Recorded lectures will be made available to students through Canvas. 

PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE: TEACHING REQUIREMENTS

Within this Effective Teaching unit pre-service teachers will undertake, in pairs where possible, a professional experience placement comprising 10 days in a school in a suitable context. Pre-service teachers will develop the habit of critically reflective practice through guided reflection upon their observations of class and school contexts. In collaboration with class teachers and other professional colleagues, they will develop basic teaching skills through assisting in the delivery of high-quality teaching episodes and teaching small groups and whole classes. They will critically reflect upon their teaching, and self-audit their progression and attainment of key teaching skills and standards.

The recommended arrangement of the 10 days is 10 one day-a-week visits or by negotiation with the school/setting to ensure the language teacher is available to supervise the pre-service teacher.

Recommended Teaching Experiences

The following engagements are recommended across the 10-day placement. They provide a scaffolded, praxis-oriented approach to building experience, competency and confidence, and are designed to align with on-campus content. These engagements are to be discussed, negotiated and planned with the supervising teacher/s.

Proposed Teaching Expectations

Days 1 – 2: Orientation, observation and assisting the class teacher/s in the teaching and learning process

Days 3 – 10: Observation and assisting the class teacher/s, plus planning and implementation of one or two teaching episode per day with a focus on small groups and practicing the skills developed through micro-teaching opportunities

AUSTRALIAN PROFESSIONAL STANDARDS FOR TEACHERS - GRADUATE LEVEL

On successful completion of this unit, pre-service teachers should be able to:

AUSTRALIAN PROFESSIONAL STANDARDS FOR TEACHERS - GRADUATE LEVEL

1.2 Demonstrate knowledge and understanding of research into how students learn and the implications for teaching.

1.3 Demonstrate knowledge of teaching strategies that are responsive to the learning strengths and needs of students from diverse linguistic, cultural, religious and socioeconomic backgrounds.

2.1 Demonstrate knowledge and understanding of the concepts, substance and structure of the content and teaching strategies of the teaching area.

2.2 Organise content into an effective learning and teaching sequence.

2.3 Use curriculum, assessment and reporting knowledge to design learning sequences and lesson plans.

2.6 Implement teaching strategies for using ICT to expand curriculum learning opportunities for students.

3.1 Set learning goals that provide achievable challenges for students of varying abilities and characteristics.

3.2 Plan lesson sequences using knowledge of student learning, content and effective teaching strategies.

3.3 Include a range of teaching strategies.

3.4 Demonstrate knowledge of a range of resources, including ICT, that engage students in their learning.

3.5 Demonstrate a range of verbal and non-verbal communication strategies to support student engagement.

4.2 Demonstrate the capacity to organise classroom activities and provide clear directions.

4.4 Describe strategies that support students’ well-being and safety working within school and/or system, curriculum and legislative requirements.

4.5 Demonstrate an understanding of the relevant issues and the strategies available to support the safe, responsible and ethical use of ICT in learning and teaching.

5.1 Demonstrate understanding of assessment strategies, including informal and formal, diagnostic, formative and summative approaches to assess student learning.

6.1 Demonstrate an understanding of the role of the Australian Professional Standards for Teachers in identifying professional learning needs.

6.2 Understand the relevant and appropriate sources of professional learning for teachers.

6.3 Seek and apply constructive feedback from supervisors and teachers to improve teaching practices.

7.1 Understand and apply the key principles described in codes of ethics and conduct for the teaching profession.

Representative texts and references

Required text(s)

Australian Curriculum: Languages – access the appropriate target language. Languages (Version 8.4) | The Australian Curriculum (Version 8.4)

Conti, G. & Smith, S. (2019) Breaking the sound barrier: Teaching languages learners how to listen. ISBN 978-1-0969-7388-1

Scarino, A., & Liddicoat, A. (2009) Teaching and learning languages: A guide. Curriculum Corporation. ISBN: 978-1-74200-081-7

Smith, S. & Conti, G. (2016) The language teacher toolkit.  ISBN: 152321482; ISBN-13: 978-1523214822.

Smith, S. (2018) Becoming an outstanding languages teacher. ISBN: 978-1-138-05662-6 (hbk); 978-1-138-05663-3 (pbk); 978-1-315-1652-2 (ebk). Routledge.

VanPatten, B. (2017) While we’re on the topic: BVP on language, acquisition, and classroom practice. The American Council on the Teaching of Foreign Languages. ISBN: 978-1-942544-57-9

Recommended references

Walz, T. (2015). TPRS with Chinese characteristics: Making students fluent and literate through comprehensible input Lightning Source UK Ltd. ISBN-13: 978-0692442906; ISBN-10: 0692442901.

https://afmlta.asn.au/ (Australian Federation of Modern Language Teachers Associations Inc.)

www.ilta.nsw.edu.au/ (Italian Language Teachers Association, NSW)

https://www.vati.vic.edu.au/ (Victorian Association of Teachers of Italian)

Western Australian Association of Teachers of Italian

https://www.mltaq.asn.au/italian-network.html  (Italian Network of Modern Language Teachers Association of QLD)

https://www.coasit.org.au/services/education-services/ (Comitato Assistenza Italiani)

https://dantealighieri.com.au/ (Dante Alighieri Society)

https://www.all-languages.org.uk/ (Association for Language Learning, UK)

https://www.actfl.org/about-actfl (American Council on the Teaching of Foreign Languages)

Locations
Credit points
Year

Have a question?

We're available 9am–5pm AEDT,
Monday to Friday

If you’ve got a question, our AskACU team has you covered. You can search FAQs, text us, email, live chat, call – whatever works for you.

Live chat with us now

Chat to our team for real-time
answers to your questions.

Launch live chat

Visit our FAQs page

Find answers to some commonly
asked questions.

See our FAQs