Lesson notes

Italian Beginners: Ciao! Greetings and names

Learning intention. We are learning to greet people at different times of day and to say our name.

Booklet. Unit 1 booklet: the greetings list

Key language. ciao · salve · buongiorno · buonasera · buonanotte · arrivederci · a presto · piacere

Grammar. Asking and answering: io and tu: Italian often leaves out io (I) and tu (you): the verb ending already tells you who. Mi chiamo = my name is (literally, I call myself). Ti chiami = your name is.

With the teacher

1. Say each greeting; students echo twice.
2. Sound rule: c before i or e sounds like ch in “church” (ciao, piacere).
3. Name chain round the group: “Mi chiamo… E tu?”
4. Which greeting? Show a clock time; students say the greeting.

On their own

• Match the greeting
• Which greeting fits?
• Finish the conversation

Exit ticket. Write: Ciao! Mi chiamo … Piacere! · Which greeting do you use at 9 pm? · Say goodbye to your teacher.

Student page · Slides

Italian Continuers: Chi sono? Introducing yourself

Learning intention. We are learning to introduce ourselves in more depth and to read a short personal text closely.

Booklet. Who am I booklet (Topic 1.1)

Key language. sono nato · sono nata a · i miei nonni sono di · tranquillo · tranquilla · timido · timida · tranne · il disegno · mi dava fastidio · mi fa ridere

Grammar. Sono nato, sono nata: the past with essere: Nascere (to be born) forms its past with essere, so the ending agrees with the person: sono nato (boy), sono nata (girl), siamo nati (we). Mi piace + one thing or a verb; mi piacciono + more than one thing.

With the teacher

1. Each student gives five facts; the group asks one follow-up question each.
2. Board: the difference between sono nato (I was born) and sono (I am).
3. Read Luca's text aloud together after the questions.

On their own

• Luca (written for this plan, teacher to check)
• Your five facts

Exit ticket. One fact about Luca. · Write: I was born in … (for you). · One adjective that describes you.

Student page · Slides

Italian Beginners: Come stai? Come sta?

Learning intention. We are learning to ask how someone is, and to choose the friendly or the polite form.

Booklet. Unit 1 booklet: how are you, formal and informal

Key language. Come stai? · Come sta? · Sto bene. · benissimo · così così · Non sto bene. · grazie · signora · signore · professoressa

Grammar. Stare and the polite form Lei: Stare is used for how you are: sto bene. With people you do not know well, and with teachers, use Lei. It takes the same verb form as lui and lei: Come sta?

With the teacher

1. Two columns on the board: tu (friends, family, other students) and Lei (adults you do not know well, teachers).
2. Echo the four model lines.
3. Role-play: a student greets you as a teacher, then a classmate. Listen for stai and sta.

On their own

• Tu or Lei?
• Put the conversation in order
• Fill the gap

Exit ticket. Ask your teacher how she is. · Ask a friend how they are. · Say you are so-so.

Student page · Slides

Italian Continuers: Essere: forms and uses

Learning intention. We are learning every form of essere and five ways to use it.

Booklet. Who am I booklet: essere

Key language. io sono · tu sei · lui · lei · Lei è · noi siamo · voi siete · loro sono

Grammar. Essere: forms and uses: Essere is irregular: learn all six forms. Use it for who you are, where you are from, nationality, description and job. With a job, leave out un/una: è medico.

With the teacher

1. Chant the six forms; then ask quick questions: Di dove sei? Siete stanchi?
2. Five uses on the board with one example each.
3. No article before a job after essere: è medico, not è un medico.

On their own

• The right form of essere
• HSC 2020 Question 1 (2 marks)

Exit ticket. Write the six forms of essere. · Translate: We are from Sydney. · How has Marco changed?

Student page · Slides

Italian Beginners: Numbers 0 to 20

Learning intention. We are learning to count to twenty and to say how old we are.

Booklet. Unit 1 booklet: numbers

Key language. zero · uno · due · tre · quattro · cinque · sei · sette · otto · nove · dieci · undici · dodici · tredici · quattordici · quindici · sedici · diciassette · diciotto · diciannove · venti

Grammar. Avere for age: ho, hai, ha: Italian uses avere (to have) for age: ho sedici anni = I am sixteen. Learn the three forms you need now: ho, hai, ha.

With the teacher

1. Count round the group; anyone who says a multiple of three claps instead.
2. Write the number you hear: teacher says, students write in digits.
3. Note: Italian says “I have sixteen years” (ho sedici anni). We meet the verb avere properly in Week 3.

On their own

• Hear it, write it
• Sums in Italian
• Ages

Exit ticket. Write 14 and 17 in Italian. · Ask a classmate their age. · Say your age.

Student page · Slides

Italian Continuers: Che tipo di persona sei?

Learning intention. We are learning personality adjectives and how they agree with the person.

Booklet. Who am I booklet: personality

Key language. sincero · sincera · generoso · generosa · disordinato · disordinata · simpatico · simpatica · socievole · gentile · pigro · pigra · testardo · testarda · allegro · allegra · affidabile

Grammar. Adjective agreement: four endings: Adjectives in -o have four forms: -o, -a, -i, -e. Adjectives in -e have two: -e, -i. Words in -co usually become -ci in the masculine plural and -che in the feminine plural: simpatici, simpatiche.

With the teacher

1. Agreement table: -o / -a / -i / -e; adjectives in -e only change to -i.
2. Watch simpatico → simpatici, simpatiche.
3. Students describe the person next to them in two adjectives.

On their own

• Che tipo di persona sei? (written for this plan, teacher to check)
• Make it agree

Exit ticket. Three adjectives for you, with the right ending. · Make it plural: simpatica. · What job does the writer want?

Student page · Slides

Italian Beginners: Real Italian: at the bar

Learning intention. We are learning to order something simple and to understand a short real exam conversation.

Booklet. None: this lesson uses HSC 2017 Question 1

Key language. vorrei · un caffè · un cappuccino · una cioccolata calda · da portar via · Altro? · Basta così. · per favore

Grammar. Un, una: a and an: Every Italian noun is masculine or feminine. A masculine noun takes un, a feminine noun takes una. Most words ending in -o are masculine, most ending in -a are feminine. Caffè and cappuccino are masculine; cioccolata is feminine.

With the teacher

1. Echo the ordering lines.
2. Role-play: one student is the barista, one orders. Swap.
3. Before the recording: what words do you expect to hear in a café?

On their own

• HSC 2017 Question 1 (1 mark)
• Week 1 word check

Exit ticket. Order a hot chocolate to take away. · Answer: Altro? · Say that is all, politely.

Student page · Slides

Italian Continuers: Speaking: present yourself

Learning intention. We are learning to give a one-minute presentation about ourselves and to answer a follow-up question.

Booklet. Who am I booklet: speaking

Key language. la patente · il foglio rosa · ancora · da un anno · prendere la patente · guidare

Grammar. Da with the present tense: To say how long something has been going on, Italian uses the present tense + da: Ho la patente da un anno = I have had my licence for a year. Ask with Da quanto tempo…?

With the teacher

1. Each student gives the one-minute presentation; the teacher notes one target.
2. Then the oral question: Hai la patente? Push for a reason and a detail.

On their own

• Your one-minute presentation
• Notes for your presentation (key words only)

Exit ticket. Your target from the teacher. · Answer: Hai la patente? · Ask: How long have you been studying Italian?

Student page · Slides

Italian Beginners: How do you feel?

Learning intention. We are learning to say how we feel, with the right ending for a boy or a girl.

Booklet. Unit 1 booklet: feelings, match the pictures

Key language. stanco · stanca · contento · contenta · triste · arrabbiato · arrabbiata · nervoso · nervosa · annoiato · annoiata · Ho fame. · Ho sonno.

Grammar. Adjectives agree: -o and -a: An adjective describing a boy ends in -o; describing a girl it ends in -a. Adjectives ending in -e stay the same for both: triste, felice.

With the teacher

1. Faces on the screen; students say the feeling.
2. Marco è stanco. Giulia è stanca. Ask: what changes, and why?
3. Triste stays the same for everyone: words ending in -e do not change.

On their own

• Marco or Giulia?
• Match the feeling
• Write how they feel

Exit ticket. How do you feel today? Write one sentence. · Write “tired” for a girl. · Ask a friend why.

Student page · Slides

Italian Continuers: Real Italian: a room to share

Learning intention. We are learning to fill in a form from a phone call and to describe what we need from other people.

Booklet. None: this lesson uses HSC 2018 Question 2

Key language. l'alloggio · condividere · amichevole · alla mano · la privacy · sono appassionata di · la compagnia · difficile da accontentare

Grammar. Avere bisogno di and penso di: Avere bisogno di + noun or verb = to need: ho bisogno della mia privacy, ho bisogno di studiare. Di joins the article: di + la = della, di + il = del. Penso di + infinitive = I think I (am, can …).

With the teacher

1. Discuss the answers: why is Tina “difficile da accontentare”? Find the evidence in the transcript.
2. Students say what they would need in a shared flat: Ho bisogno di …

On their own

• HSC 2018 Question 2 (3 marks)

Exit ticket. Why does Tina want a room with a bathroom? · What is Tina's main interest? · Write: I need my privacy.

Student page · Slides

Italian Beginners: The alphabet: Come si scrive?

Learning intention. We are learning the Italian alphabet and the sound rules, so we can spell a name and read a new word aloud.

Booklet. Unit 1 booklet: spell aloud

Key language. a · bi · ci · di · e · effe · gi · acca · i · elle · emme · enne · o · pi · cu · erre · esse · ti · u · vu · zeta · i lunga · cappa · doppia vu · ics · ipsilon

Grammar. Sound rules and double letters: The letters c and g change their sound before i and e. An h after c or g keeps the sound hard. A double letter is held longer, and it can change the meaning: pala (shovel), palla (ball).

With the teacher

1. Letters in groups of five; students echo.
2. The last five letters (j, k, w, x, y) are only in foreign words: i lunga, cappa, doppia vu, ics, ipsilon.
3. Sound rules on the board: ci ce = ch · chi che = k · gi ge = j · ghi ghe = g · gli · gn · sci sce = sh.
4. Spell a classmate's name; they write it.

On their own

• Hear the spelling, write the name
• How does it sound?

Exit ticket. Spell your first name in Italian. · How do you say W? · Read aloud: ciao, chiave, gelato.

Student page · Slides

Italian Continuers: Essere or avere?

Learning intention. We are learning when Italian uses avere where English uses “to be”, so we describe people correctly.

Booklet. Who am I booklet: describing people

Key language. ho diciassette anni · ho fame · ho sete · ho freddo · ho caldo · ho ragione · ho i capelli corti · ho gli occhi azzurri · sono alto · sono alta

Grammar. Essere or avere?: English “to be” is sometimes avere in Italian: age, hunger, thirst, cold, heat, being right. Hair and eyes also take avere: ho i capelli lunghi.

With the teacher

1. Two columns: avere (age, hunger, thirst, cold, hair, eyes, being right) and essere (height, personality, nationality).
2. Common error: sono diciassette anni. Fix it together.
3. Students describe a well-known person; the group guesses who.

On their own

• Essere or avere?
• Describe someone

Exit ticket. Fix it: Sono diciassette anni. · Write: She has short hair. · One adjective that needs essere.

Student page · Slides

Italian Beginners: Where do you live? Real Italian: a phone call

Learning intention. We are learning to say where we live and where we are from, and to follow a short real phone call.

Booklet. Unit 1 booklet: about me

Key language. Dove abiti? · Abito a Sydney. · Di dove sei? · Sono di Roma. · vicino a · a casa · stasera · dopo scuola · con gli amici · la cena

Grammar. A and di with places: Abito a + city: where you live. Sono di + city: where you are from. Use the city name, not the country: sono di Roma.

With the teacher

1. Echo the patterns; each student says where they live.
2. Map game: point at an Italian city, students say “Sono di …”.
3. Before the recording: who calls whom? Listen for papà.

On their own

• HSC 2020 Question 1 (2 marks)
• About you

Exit ticket. Write where you live. · Write where you, or someone in your family, is from. · What did Olivia tell her dad?

Student page · Slides

Italian Continuers: Real Italian: before the bell

Learning intention. We are learning school-life language and how to work out where a conversation takes place.

Booklet. None: this lesson uses HSC 2017 Question 2

Key language. la lezione · l'esame · la campana · stressato · stressata · Non ho capito niente. · Ti aiuto io. · Non posso. · Sei un angelo!

Grammar. Double negatives: non … niente, non … mai: Italian keeps non before the verb and adds niente (nothing), mai (never) or nessuno (no one) after it. Non ho capito niente = I did not understand anything.

With the teacher

1. Clue hunt: which words tell you where they are? Underline them in the transcript.
2. Role-play: offer help, refuse with a reason, suggest another time.

On their own

• HSC 2017 Question 2 (1 mark)
• School words

Exit ticket. Which clue tells you they are at school? · Write: I did not understand anything. · Refuse help politely, with a reason.

Student page · Slides

Italian Beginners: Double, part 1: a note to a new classmate

Learning intention. We are learning to write a short note that introduces us and asks questions.

Booklet. None

Key language. Caro Paolo · Cara Anna · sono nuovo · sono nuova · in questa classe · Chi è…? · simpatico · simpatica · Un saluto,

Grammar. Questions with chi, come, dove: Chi? = who? · Come? = how? or what (name)? · Dove? = where? A yes/no question has the same words as a statement; only your voice rises at the end.

With the teacher

1. Read the model note together; find the greeting, three facts and two questions.
2. Plan on the grid: greeting · who I am · where I live · two questions · sign-off.
3. Start the draft; teacher reads one opening aloud.

On their own

• Model note (a different situation)
• Your task (draft, teacher to check)

Student page · Slides

Italian Continuers: Double, part 1: describing yourself in writing

Learning intention. We are learning to plan and write a 75-word note that describes our personality and what matters to us.

Booklet. None

Key language. per me è importante · ci tengo a · di solito · a volte · perché · Un abbraccio,

Grammar. Joining ideas: perché, ma, però, quando: Use perché for a reason, ma or però for a contrast, quando for a time. Di solito (usually) and a volte (sometimes) make your description more precise.

With the teacher

1. Plan on the grid: greeting · personality with examples · what matters most and why · sign-off.
2. One model opening on the board; students write their own opening.

On their own

• Your task (draft, teacher to check)

Student page · Slides

Italian Beginners: Double, part 2: speaking and checking

Learning intention. We are learning to answer four personal questions aloud and to check our writing.

Booklet. None

Grammar. Non: making a sentence negative: Put non straight before the verb: Non abito a Sydney. In an answer you often say no twice: No, non sto bene.

With the teacher

1. The teacher hears each pair once and gives one target.
2. Others practise from the speaking card, then swap partners.

On their own

• Speaking card: ask and answer
• Check your note

Exit ticket. Answer aloud: Dove abiti? · Answer aloud: Quanti anni hai? · Your target from the teacher.

Student page · Slides

Italian Continuers: Double, part 2: speaking and checking

Learning intention. We are learning to answer an oral question at length and to edit our writing.

Booklet. None

Key language. quando · mi sento · rilassato · rilassata · stare con · per esempio

Grammar. Checking agreement in your own writing: Find each adjective in your note and ask: who or what does it describe? Is that masculine or feminine, singular or plural? Check past participles with essere too: sono nata, siamo andati.

With the teacher

1. The teacher hears each pair once on the oral question and gives one target.
2. Others practise and edit their notes.

On their own

• Oral questions
• Check your note

Exit ticket. Your target from the teacher. · Fix it: Le mie amiche sono simpatico. · Answer in one sentence: Quando sei felice?

Student page · Slides