Course Designed for Spanish Speakers uses Language Similarities to Teach Italian at Accelerated Rate
New class embraces diversity of Montclair State’s plurilingual campus
Posted in: Homepage News and Events, Uncategorized, World Languages and Cultures
Designed for students starting Italian in college with knowledge of Spanish as native, heritage, or second-language speakers, Italian 111: Comprehensive Beginning Italian for Spanish Speakers is an introductory course on the fundamental skills of speaking, reading, writing and comprehending Italian with an emphasis on the numerous linguistic similarities between Italian and Spanish, as well as the fascinating commonalities between Italian and Spanish/Latin American cultures (food, music, art, fashion, architecture).
The course, developed in connection with the University’s designation as a Hispanic Serving Institution, leverages the similarities between Italian and Spanish in vocabulary and grammar in order to accelerate the Italian language acquisition of Hispanic students. Italian 111 fast-tracks the student’s path across ITAL101-102 and takes them directly to ITAL 140 (Intermediate). It counts for both 101 and 102 and provides 3 credits towards the language graduation requirement at Montclair State.
Italian and Spanish as languages, along with Italian and Spanish/Latin American cultures, are presented as close relatives and friends throughout the course, so that students can quickly recognize themselves in the content and medium of learning, and thus thrive in a short period of time, thanks to the valuable Hispanic heritage they bring to the class.