What makes the nation of the
language you teach famous, unique
and special?
Fostering an interest and a passion
for the country to help motivate
students’ learning.
Italy as an example.
This can be modified for any other
country.
K: What do I know about Italy?
Think Pair Share
• Pizza, Leonardo da Vinci, Gucci, football ….
W: What do I want to know about
Italy?
Ask students to do a short
presentation on any aspect of the
country.
This short investigation assignment is fun, educational
and motivational. It is also a key assignment
requirement for LCA modern language.
H: How do I find out more about
Italy?
Finding out more = research
How to research the topic
• Interviews: Talk to an Italian person or someone
who has been there. Ask questions, record
answers.
• Links with the local community: local library for
research/ books/ DVDs.
• Surveys: find out what others know about/ think
about Italy.
• Internet/ books: name them.
• Personal experience: what have you learned?
Interest in Italy? Why?
Decide. Research. Record. Tell.
Let’s look at some ideas
to help you decide………
Italy has many cities and regions. Can you name
any cities or regions?
Italy is famous for its beautiful cities.
Florence is a good example.
or Venice….
or Turin?
How about skiing in Italy?
Italy is famous for its artists.
Do you know who painted this?
Italy has many famous buildings and chapels.
This comes from the Sistine Chapel
Do you know what this building is? Can you see it in the next film clip?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IvTT29cavKo&feature=related
Any aspect of Italy’s rich and diverse
history would make a great
investigation.
Anticipation exercise
“Italy has won more World Cups
than any other nation in the world.”
Agree or disagree?
Disagree: Italy has won 4 times 1934,
1938, 1982, 2006
however Brazil has won 5 times.
http://www.aneki.com/cup.html
“Il calcio” is how you say football in Italian. An
investigation into Italian football is great. A team/
national team/ corruption problems in Italian football
are all interesting investigations.
Italy is famous for how well they
play soccer. A well known song
Nessun Dorma is often used as a
theme song.– World Cup
champions.
Listen to this famous music:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Rd
TBml4oOZ8
Italy is famous for its music. You have just heard
Pavarotti. An investigation into his career would be
interesting.
Italy has won more “Oscars for best
foreign film” than any other country
in the world.
Agree or disagree?
Agree: France has the highest number
of nominations (39) and (12) wins
however Italy has won more Oscars
(14) in the foreign film category.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_countries_by_number_of_Academy_Awards_for_Best_For
eign_Language_Film
The Oscar-winning actress Sofia Loren who was very famous
during the 1960s hails from Naples. Italy has many famous
films and film makers also. The films/ film makers/ actors
would make a good investigation.
Italy has a proud tradition in cinema.
Many soundtracks are much loved
and familiar.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q
MgTCtSxOHE
The Spaghetti Western….
• The term was used by
American critics
because most of these
westerns were directed
and produced by
Italians.
• Sergio Leone is a
famous example.
Can you think of films that were set in
Italy or that used Italian music and /or
images in them?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lSz
atzy8WvM
• One of the characters in Shawshank says that he
didn’t have any idea to this day what those two
Italian ladies were singing about, and that it did
not matter. Some things are best left unsaid.
Music can make a man “feel free”.
• Italian music is used in lots of films like the one
above.
• Do you think the Italian music for the prisoners
was inspirational, and helped people feel free?
An investigation into Roberto Saviano, a famous Italian
journalist who wrote about the Neapolitan mafia would
make an interesting topic.
Roberto Saviano is an Italian writer
and journalist from Naples.
Since 2006, following the publication of his
bestselling book Gomorrah where he describes
the illegal activities of the Camorra, Saviano has
been threatened by several Neapolitan
“godfathers”.
The Italian Minister of the Interior has granted him
a permanent police escort due to the threat to
his life.
Because of his courageous stance, Umberto Eco
considers him a "national hero“.
Two other heroic Italians stood up for what is right and just.
Falcone and Borsellino also fought against organised crime and
paid the ultimate price in Sicily. An investigation into their work
and life stories would make an interesting topic.
Italy has world famous products/
services/ industry. Can you name the
worlds most famous brand name?
Italy is famous for it culinary tradition.
You could do an investigation into the history
and tradition of the beloved pizza!
www.slowfood.com
• Have a look at what the founder of the “slow
food” movement Carlo Petrini says about the
importance of food!
• The slow food movement which began in Italy
would make an excellent aspect of an
investigation into Italian food heritage. You
could also stage an event that would raise
awareness of the movement along with
healthy Italian food.
After the students present their topic to
the class, ask ...
L: What have you learned about this
topic?
Food for thought..
So now it’s over to you…
What aspect of Italy interests you?
What type of investigation would you like to
do?
What are you good at? Would you like to find
out more about... an Italian person/
place?Food? Environment?
Differentiation in the classroom
Time to research: research on their own? Or
Groups? Extra time? Less time?
Presentation time: outline. 5 mins/ 5 slides
to 10….more
Simple Poster or detailed written work with
headings?
Ask students to list 20 new key words of
vocabulary linked to their theme? Present this
also to the class?