Ciao Italia

Online Resources
for
Teaching Italian

Colosseum
Home Page
Curriculum
Communication Strand:
Communication tasks in varied social contexts
Language Strand:
Practise structures, intonation and grammar of Italian
Culture Strand:
A look at Italian cities, festivals, music, sport and food
Communicative Competence
 
Site Description
 
Features

Ashcombe School
Streamed Video Resources

Collection of short videos on core topics (eight available so far)

  • Aural comprehension aided by watching the speaker speaking clearly to the camera
  • Quiz element ensures that students listen carefully for information
  • Script available on screen in both Italian and English
  • Being able to pause and replay parts of the video, offers greater flexibility to the student,
  • The quiz is interactive: offers hints and gives instant feedback
  • The subject matter is suitable for essential communication
 
  • Language more suited to students in Year 2
  • Interview style more akin to Soviet-style confessions of the Cold War
  • You will need Windows Media Player, version 7, at least
  • Streamed video prefers travelling by broadband
Languagesonline.org
  • Huge range of themes
  • Variety of multiple-choice exercises
  • Instant verification of answers
  • Suitable for 11-12 year-olds
 
  • It's necessary to complete all the questions in each exercise to get accurate verification
  • All text-based (no audio or video)
Usborne's Italian for Beginners
  • Based on Italian for Beginners
  • Offers links to sites where suitable interactive exercises are available, based on the themes explored in the book
  • Use the page number to find the appropriate worksheet
  • Variety of activities (from different websites)
  • Offers a link to basic Internet Safety Guidelines
 
  • Purchase of book would be a help when navigating. Go on: it's good value and comes with CD!

Cyberitalian.com

Online grammar and vocabulary lessons

  • Free trials of course available
  • Graphics
  • Audio version of expressions and phrases
 
  • $30-$60 dollars per course! (Try it on your principal)

Italianissimo

Based on the BBC TV series

  • Videos of real Italians living in Italy
  • Basic themes covered
  • Vocabulary and dialogue
  • Transcripts and translations available
  • Transcripts of other detailed dialogues which featured in the TV programmes are available
  • Links to quick grammar lessons based on the themes covered
 
  • You'll need to download 10 MB of RealPlayer
  • Poor quality video
  • Some of the links are unavailable

BBC Italian Fix

Online challenge

  • Interactive
  • Instructions in English
  • New topic every day
  • Uses colloquialisms eg ma dai!
  • Independent work possible: put one or two children to answer the challenge
 
  • Text-heavy
  • A little difficult for 11/12 year-olds
Send an E-card, Disney style
  • Compose a simple message filling in name, date etc prompted by textboxes written in Italian
  • Different themes from birthdays to Atlantis

Junior Italian Website

Online activities for Italian children

  • Child-friendly
  • Links to downloadable songs with accompanying lyrics (broadband)
  • Play games with Cartoon Network characters
  • Print out invitation cards in Italian decorated with cartoon animals
   
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