Language(s)

Italian

Learner level

Intermediate

Institution

JMU

Name(s)

Contact details

Objectives

The task aimed at teaching the language of job advertisements, CVs and covering letters in Italian, through the use of authentic material available on the net and with specifically created exercises. Through these tasks, the students could familiarise themselves with the Web and foster their skills in searching the net.

Implementation

For each of these three aspects of business Italian we concentrated on, i.e. job adverts, CVs and covering letters, a web-page was initially set up. These pages included an introduction to the particular language used in each aspect and external and/or internal links to some samples, to the glossary/vocabulary section and to the final part containing exercises of various kinds (comprehension, composition, analysis) that had been specifically created. The task was introduced during a class arranged in the I.T Suite, where the students worked on the job adverts' web-page together with the tutor. This page in particular was more challenging for the students as it contained an external link to an Italian newspaper homepage, where the students could find other links leading eventually to a list of job vacancies. The homework set was an analysis of some adverts, which obliged the students again to search the net. As a second step, the students were asked to prepare for the following class on the subject of covering letters and CVs, by reading and completing the exercises on the remaining two web pages, so that during the class more time could be spend practising what they had learnt.

Outcome

The task had two objectives: firstly it aimed at making more stimulating a part of the course which is rather uninteresting and time-consuming when taught in class because it is mostly concerned with vocabulary and description of layouts. Secondly, this exercise was aimed at creating an interest in using the Web more extensively. The first objective was easily reached as classes were spent practising skills rather then just listening to the tutor, and the time of contact with the tutor was used more effectively. As far as the second objective is concerned, the feedback received from the students was generally positive. They felt that, as a method of language learning, the web-based activities were most effective. The instructions for accessing and using the Web sites were clear and simple, helping the students become more familiar with the whole process of searching the net. However, when asked specifically about how much the project stimulated their interest in using the Web for research and learning, they gave the lowest average score from the whole questionnaire: 3.6, in a scale from 1 (very poor) to 5 (very good), with 3 being 'indifferent'. A couple of students added some comments, which partly explained this answer: They indicated that they enjoyed the tasks, but still preferred the direct contact with the tutor. In contrast with this position, however, some students found the task a real stimulus, but felt frustrated at the limited access to computers, particularly during assessment time.

Evaluation

The construction of the three web-pages was time-consuming, and they also presented a few technical problems, particularly when the external link to the Italian newspaper's homepage was used, because it did not allow the students to return automatically to the initial page. This made the completion of the exercises a long and frustrating process for the students, and therefore a simplification of this external link will be needed for future use of this web-page. Moreover, an improved integration of the task with the other parts of the course, which were traditionally taught, would probably benefit the perception of the project by the students. One of the major difficulties encountered during the task was that the newspaper changed its homepage layout during the period of time we were to use it with the students and, for that reason, it was not always available on the net. When it became available, my instructions became partly obsolete due to the changed layout of the other site. Although these problems were not unsolvable and caused by an unusual situation, they did create distraction and it is worth considering such occurrences when setting similar future tasks. However, it must also be mentioned that the time spent in preparing and setting up the sites was worthwhile for the results provided. As a further consideration: because the web-page was linked to continuously revised external sites, the material the students used was, and remains, authentic and always updated, making the task more interesting and closer to reality.

Project url

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