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Italian Language Studies

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Italian civilization needs no presentation, as its present and past artistic, poetic and cultural achievements passionately engage with the major questions of today’s world. Italy boasts the largest number of UNESCO sites: from Roman and Greek heritage to Medieval architecture, from the stunning achievements of the Renaissance to the the charm of its cinema. Italy’s controversial modern politics and its history of a migrating nation all contribute to the allure of a civiltà that is not only the cradle of Western Civilization; but also a place of encounter for cultures, people and ideas. Located in the heart of the Mediterranean sea, Italy plays today a key role in the challenging negotiations between Europe, Africa and the Middle-East.

Italian at Bard

  • Italian Studies Program
    The Italian Studies program at Bard encompasses various disciplines: from literature to art, from political science and history to music, students have the opportunity to deepen their knowledge of Italian culture and study it in a broader transnational context.
    Italian Studies Website
  • Language Support
    Bard College offers a variety of valuable Italian language resources for students, faculty, and staff.
    Italian Language Resources
    Italian Media Portal
    Language Lab and Tutors
    Language Tables
  • Study Abroad
    Bard College offers a number of study abroad opportunities for students. While some programs have a strong focus on basic language acquisition coupled with an intensive program abroad, other programs allow exploration in advanced liberal arts courses through affiliated or independent institutions.

    Study Abroad

    Bard College offers a number of study abroad opportunities for students. While some programs have a strong focus on basic language acquisition coupled with an intensive program abroad, other programs allow exploration in advanced liberal arts courses through affiliated or independent institutions.

    Every Spring, the Italian Department offers an Intensive Language course (8 credits): students can subsequently spend one month in June at the Babilonia Italian Language School in Taormina, Sicily. At Babilonia, students can take classes of Italian language and culture while viewing the astonishing beauty of the Sicilian landscape, tasting the finest Italian food, sunbathing on the wonderful seaside or enjoying live music and theatre in the evocative Ancient Greek Theatre of Taormina.

    Contact: Franco Baldasso (baldasso@bard.edu)  
    Website: For more details, visit the Italian Studies Website.
    Pre-Trip Requirements: In order to study abroad and receive full credit, students must submit a Petition for Study Abroad, which must be approved by the student’s academic advisor, the Study Abroad Adviser, and the Dean of Studies; full info here: https://www.bard.edu/bardabroad/bard/.
    Beginning Italian Intensive  Expand
    The Beginning Italian Intensive (12 credits) consists of two integral parts:
    1. Bard, Annandale: Spring Intensive (8 credits)
    2. Taormina, Sicily—Babilonia Italian Language School: Summer Intensive (4 credits)Every year in June, the Italian Department offers an Intensive program for students at the Babilonia Italian Language School in Taormina,Sicily. The program is designed as an indivisible, one-year sequence and includes a semester of language study in the fall (4 credits); the Intersession Intensive Italian Program in Italy, an accelerated course in the spring, followed by the Intensive Italian Program in Italy in the summer. 

    At the Babilonia Italian Language School, students will be studying in a lively program that combines challenging academics with a wealth of extracurricular activities in and around Sicily. A major focus at Babilonia will be an intensive Italian language class, which will meet every day for three hours (Monday through Friday), providing a robust and energetic language training.

    Students will also be exposed to the study of Italian art, cinema, and literature. All courses are taught in Italian, by experienced Italian academics based in Taormina.

    Pre-Trip Course Requirements:
    Spring Semester

    ITAL 106: Intensive Italian (12 credits)
    This beginning course is designed for the student with little or no prior exposure to Italian. The course will cover the major topics of grammar and give intensive practice in the four skills (speaking, comprehension, reading and writing). The grammar textbook will be supplemented by traditional homework exercises and a variety of multimedia work. Student must also enroll in a required weekly tutorial to practice oral skills with native speaker of Italian. The course is designed as an indivisible sequence and includes a semester of language study on campus (in the Spring), 8 credits, and a 4-week session in Italy, in June, 4 credits. Class size: 22

    Contact: Franco Baldasso (baldasso@bard.edu)
    Next Program: June 2016

    Semester Abroad Expand
    For more details, contact Professor Franco Baldasso. 
    Università degli Studi di Bologna
    In collaboration with the ECCO Program, Bard College also offers the opportunity to study a semester or a year in Italy at the Università degli Studi di Bologna. Students will have the chance to critically improve their language skills as well as be able take courses in their field of specialization in Italian in one of the most thriving and prestigious academic environments of Europe. Università di Bologna is, in fact, the oldest University of the Western World, as it was founded in 1088.

Italian Language Resources

  • Italian Language Dictionaries

    Italian Language Dictionaries


    All Languages Dictionaries
     
    Collins Dictionary
    The Collins Italian Dictionary has 182,000 words and phrases with 247,000 translations. It is an easy-to-use dictionary for Italian-English, in addition to a variety of other languages. Includes a translator and games to help improve language skills!
    Level: A1 – C2

    Linguee
    Finds ways phrases and idioms have been translated to and from English, Spanish, German, Italian, Russian, French, Chinese, Japanese.
    Level: A1 – C2

    Ultralingua
    Useful online dictionary for English, Italian, Spanish, German, French, Portuguese, and Latin!
     
    Italian Dictionaries
     
    Lingro 
    Read Italian websites and much more with this awesome dictionary that allows you to click on words and get their immediate translation. On the main page, choose the respective languages (i.e. Italian–English), and insert the website you want to read! Lingro also remembers your recent vocabulary searches so you can return and review words you have defined.
    Level: A1 – C2

    WordReference
    The WordReference English-Italian Dictionary is a living, growing dictionary. It contains over 50,000 terms and 100,000 translations in both English and Italian and continues to grow and improve. In Italian-English, thousands more terms that are not included in the main dictionary can be found in the WordReference Italian-English forum questions and answers. If you still cannot find a term, you can ask in the forums where many native English and Italian speakers from around the world love assisting others to find the right translation!
    Type a word in the search box above to look up a word.
    Level: A1 – C2

     
    Thesaurus and Other Tools
     
    Virgilio Parole
    This website offers a great thesaurus for Italian words. All you need to do is type in the word for which you need a synonym or antonym and a list of both will be generated for you! This website also offers many other helpful grammar tools, such as a verb-conjugator and a rhyming tool.
  • Placement Tests and Practice Exams

    Placement Tests and Practice Exams


    The following resources will help you determine your language level, practice for exams, or understand the certificates you need to attend Italian Colleges and Universities.Most exams to apply to undergraduate or graduate schools are aligned with the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages (CEFR)—the international standard for describing language ability. Find out what level you are or need to have. 



    Language Proficiency
    ILUSS Italian Online
    The ILUSS website offers both quick and in-depth tests for Italian-learners to explore. The quick tests briefly gage grammar level while the in-depth test includes grammar, reading, listening, and vocabulary.

    Transparent Language Italian Proficiency Test
    A proficiency test broken into four parts: two grammar sections, one vocabulary section and one reading comprehension section. This is a good follow-up to simpler tests that focus only on grammar.

    University of Oxford Placement Test
    This placement test is a quick and easy way to test your proficiency in Italian through grammar knowledge.

    Practice Exams
    Heinle Cengage Learning Center
    This website provides several practice tests for each chapter of the Oggi In Italia textbook that students of Intensive and Intermediate Italian will use to learn the language. Other helpful guides are also available for each chapter.
    Levels: A1–B2

    Italian Language Test
    This site offers tests for beginning, intermediate, and advanced levels of Italian. Varying tests within each proficiency level are offered as well: grammar, vocabulary, and pronunciation.
    Levels: A1–C2
  • Resources for All Language Learners

    Resources for All Language Learners


    These resources are related to cultural literacy, especially within entertainment and the media. Some podcasts may be of particular interest to certain corresponding majors or just interesting subjects—find one that “speaks” to you! These also include vocabulary, speaking and writing practice. Some of these resources come in the form of smartphone apps (for both iPhone and Android), allowing for fun language-learning on the go.

    Reading and Writing
    Lingro 
    Read Italian websites and much more with this awesome dictionary that allows you to click on words and get their immediate translation. On the main page, choose the respective languages (i.e., Italian–English), and insert the website you want to read!

    Italian Language Blog
    This blog is a great way for beginners to read Italian and learn about the culture as well! The blog contains almost-daily entries about topics rangings from places in Italy to specific grammar-breakdowns of the language. All entries that are written in Italian are accompanied by and English translation for better comprehension.
    Levels: A1–A2

    Grammar and Vocabulary
    Anki: Flashcards
    Anki is a free program that allows you to create your own flashcards from which to study vocabulary, conjugations, or grammar. Flashcards can be downloaded from Quizlet, and Anki can be used on multiple devices, so you can practice on the go! The program allows you to categorize the cards by how well you know the information, presenting cards you are less familiar with more frequently and helping you learn more quickly!

    Quizlet: Flashcards
    A great website to create your own vocabulary lists, print flashcards, test yourself with the “testmaker,” combine lists to study a select number of words from the last semester, etc. Can also be used for individual classes, and as an app on your mobile device.

    Italian Flashcards
    This website provides a collection of flashcards to improve your vocabulary in different topics. It also offers the possibility to play online games in order to have fun while learning the language. A mobile app is available through the App Store for Android and iPhone.
    Levels: A1–B2

    Italian Grammar
    This website has detailed explanations for all Italian grammar concepts. Helpful and thorough examples and descriptions are provided for anything from pronouns and conjugations to demonstrative adjectives! The website also has other useful tools, including vocabulary, language tools, cultural information, and much more.

    Word of the Day!
    This website generates a different Italian word daily, providing a quick way to learn new vocabulary! Along with the word itself, the website provides an English definition, the word's part of speech, Italian pronunciations, and both Italian and English examples of the verb used in context. There are options to sign up through various social media websites to receive the word of the day at your convenience.

    Virgilio Parole
    This website offers a variety of helpful grammar and vocabulary tools, including a verb-conjugator, rhyming tool, thesaurus, and much more. If you're beginning to write in Italian, this website is a great resource that can help make your writing smoother and sophisticated!
    Levels: B1–C2

    Speaking and Comprehension
    Italian Table: Wednesdays, 6pm–7:30pm
    All students of Italian are welcome to join Italian Table every Wednesday for extra practice speaking outside of class.


    Learn Italian with OUINO™ (Youtube)
    Develop speaking skills further by practicing with the "conversation" videos. These videos are a good way to perfect pronounciation and understanding, and students can go at a pace with which they feel comfortable! Other videos concerning vocabulary and grammar are available on this playlist.
    Levels: A1–A2

    Pronunciation Guide
    A simple guide to help learn the pronunciation of Italian vowels, letters, and words.

    Meetup.com
    Search for an Italian community nearby, whether you're home, at school, or on vacation. You can sign up to be notified of when members of the community will meet, in addition to which events they will be attending. Attending events with community members is a great way to practice speaking with varying types of conversation.

    Film and Video
    RAI Italian Radio and Television
    This is the official website for Italian TV and radio broadcasting. Here you can find links to Italy’s public TV stations, stream radio online (including podcasts), and find news on a variety of subjects.

    Podcasts
    AudioCast
    The largest available collection of podcasts in Italian. This website gives you the opportunity to search for the podcast you are interested in by subject (art, food, cinema...)
    Levels: B1–C2

    LearnItalianPod
    Throughout this 50-lesson "Beginner Level" series you will learn how to greet people, introduce and talk about yourself, ask questions, dealing with restaurants and hotels, how to ask the time, formal and informal modes, present tense verbs, articles, pronouns, adverbs, and adjectives. You will hear Italian spoken in a variety of "real-life" situations.
    Levels: A1–A2

    News in Slow Italian
    In these weekly podcasts, lasting about 2-3 minutes each, listeners can learn about current events and Italian grammar and expressions, all at a slow enough pace for beginning students to understand each word.
    Levels: A1–B2

    Lyrik Line
    This website allows you to listen to poems from a huge selection of languages and countries read by their authors. It also provides written translations in several languages depending on the poem. An excellent resource for all language learners to improve listening and reading skills.
  • Resources for Advanced Language Learners

    Resources for Advanced Language Learners


    The following resources include bibliographies and citation help, research databases for locating scholarly publications as well as selected online journals in fields from poetry and music to history and journalism.

    Bibliographies and Citations
    Information to be placed.

    Literature and Art
    LITERATURE
    Biblioteca della Letteratura Italiana
    This website has an amazing compilation of Italian literature. The full texts are available and the literature is easily searchable by author (gli autori) or title (le opere).

    Liber Liber
    This free digital library offers digital versions of books and audiobooks.

    ART/MUSIC
    Finestre sull'Arte
    These art history podcasts provide information about famous Italian artists and their works, including artists such as Giuseppe Arcimboldi, Mattia Preti, and Jacopo Ligozzi.

    Sito Ufficiale dell’Orchestra Filarmonica Italiana
    The official website of the Italian Philarmonic Orchestra (Orchestra Filarmonica Italiana), including their repertoire, their events calendar, and their biography.

    History
    Quiz e test di storia
    This website offers quizzes about the history of Italy and Europe with varying levels of difficulty. Geography quizzes are also offered, as well as many more types!

    News
    Radio in Blu: Oggi in edicola (podcast)
    A review of press publications in Italy each morning.

    RAI Sport Le Ultime 24 Ore
    This is an archive of Rai Sport updates over the past 24 hours. Each headline offers a brief description of a recent event in sports news.

    La Repubblica
    Website of the newspaper La Repubblica.
     
    Il Corriere della Sera
    Website of the newspaper Il Corriere della Sera.
     
    La Gazzetta dello Sport
    Website of the sports newspaper La Gazzetta dello Sport.
     
    Il Sole 24 Ore
    Website of the financial newspaper Il Sole 24 Ore.
     
  • Resources for Faculty and Tutors

    Resources for Faculty and Tutors


    These resources are mainly meant to help teachers and tutors to prepare for daily classes—from creating and/or printing ready-made worksheets to integrating the newest Google tools into language and literature classes. Bard's Foreign Language Tutors are invited to upload their favorite activities to this website by writing to kufner@bard.edu. Students are welcome to use these resources to study, help a classmate, or teach other language learners.

    General Teaching Resources
    Esercizi d’Italiano
    This website offers many exercises for Italian grammar with solutions, and clear charts and explanations of these grammar concepts.
    Levels: A1–B2

    Grammatica italiana
    Grammatica italiana is a website that is divided into sections according to the basic grammar concepts in Italian. Within these sections are a series of charts, exercises, explanations, and images to help language learners in the most efficient way.

    Heinle Cengage Learning Center
    This website provides a helpful chapter-by-chapter guide through the Oggi In Italia textbook that students of Intensive and Intermediate Italian will use to learn the language. Each chapter offers practice tests, along with textbook audio files, video activity worksheets, other links related to the chapter, and web search activities. 

    Impariamo l’Italiano
    Impariamo l’italiano is a free website for all those interested in learning Italian. It offers exercises, online grammar tests, vocabulary, and insight into Italian culture. Games, videos, and audio resources are also available for free.

    Loescher Editore—Italiano per stranieri
    Loescher offers 40 detailed charts and exercises for every Italian grammar concept for beginning and intermediate/proficient language learners.
    Levels: A1–B2

    Mondadori Education—Italiano per stranieri
    Mondadori Education offers a collection of exercises to download for every language level. These exercises include grammatical structure, written, oral, and reading components of the language.
    Levels: A1–C2

    Pinterest
    Collect resources for learning about the target culture with this virtual bulletin board; create a class board, where all students can "pin" images or websites that could later be used to spur discussion.

    Tourbuilder
    Tour Builder is a tool to tell a story. It is a new way to show people the places you’ve visited (literally, virtually or in a text), and the experiences you had along the way using Google Earth. It lets you pick the locations right on the map, add in photos, text, and video, and then share your creation.

    tumblr
    Really simple for people to make a blog and put whatever they want on it. Stories, photos, GIFs, TV shows, links, quips, dumb jokes, smart jokes, Spotify tracks, mp3s, videos, fashion, art, deep stuff. Tumblr is 229
    million different blogs, filled with literally whatever.

    Worksheet Builder
    Create your own fill-in-the blank worksheets quickly—this webpage has a similar tool.

    Tutor Favorites
    Games Folder
    This folder contains worksheets with fun games for beginning and proficient language learners!

    Vocabulary and Grammar Folder
    This folder contains a variety of worksheets and charts covering vocabulary and grammar for beginning and proficient language learners!

    Literature and Culture Folder
    This folder contains activities, worksheets, and other files pertaining to cultural topics such as music, politics, general knowledge, and more!

    LyricGaps
    This is a fun way to learn Italian words and improve listening skills! Fill in the gaps of songs as they play aloud.

In-House Network

  • Italian Tutoring
    Professors:
    • Franco Baldasso
    • Karen Raizen
    Tutor: Valerio Angeletti
    LC Staff: Augusta Spiro Jaeger
  • Language Lab
    Monday–Friday: 8:00 am to 11:00 pm
    Saturday: 1:00 pm to 11:00 pm
    Sunday: 1:00 pm to 11:00 pm
    Contact: Stephanie Kufner
    Email: kufner@bard.edu
    Phone: 845-758-7443
Bard College
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Annandale-on-Hudson, New York 12504-5000
Phone: 800-BARDCOL
Admission Phone: 845-758-7472
Admission E-mail: admission@bard.edu
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