JCU is First Institution to Offer Teaching Italian as a Foreign Language Certificate (DITALS) for American Universities

May 6, 2014

The John Cabot University
Foreign Language Resource Center
is pleased to begin offering:

DITALS
Teaching Italian as a Foreign Language Certificate

DITALS is a professional qualification offered by the Università per Stranieri di Siena for prospective teachers of Italian as a foreign language. DITALS certificates are graded according to levels of competence, allowing students to prepare for those levels which best suit their professional needs. DITALS is recognized worldwide and does not expire.

There are two levels of DITALS:

Level I Certificate (pre-DITALS)
Level II Certificate

I LEVEL DITALS (PRE-DITALS)

WHO IS IT FOR?

All those who want to teach Italian as Second Language, whether in Italy or abroad.

WHAT ARE THE OBJECTIVES?

Possession of the I level DITALS certificate guarantees a basic competence in the teaching of Italian as a second language and confers the holder the right of admission to Level II courses of DITALS in lieu of other prerequisites. It also gives the opportunity to earn credits for the Italian University and for the Ministry of Public Education.

The I level DITALS is divided into six learner profiles, each one reflecting the didactic needs and interests of the prospective candidate: teaching young children, adolescents, adults, university students, immigrants, and learners of Italian with Italian origins. Each candidate is free to choose among these areas. John Cabot University is the first institution to offer a new profile : DITALS for American Universities.

WHAT QUALIFICATIONS DO YOU NEED TO UNDERTAKE IT?

Good knowledge of Italian: for those whose first language is not Italian, this means level C1 of the Framework guidelines.
High school diploma.
60 hours of teaching experience, irrespective of the subject or 60 hours of work placement in the context of teaching Italian. JCU students who attend the Tutor Certificate program or work at the Tutoring Center are eligible.

THE EXAMINATION

Consisting of a written examination divided into three parts, the exam lasts about four hours. Part A examines the ability of the candidate to analyze teaching materials, part B examines the ability to use texts for didactic purposes, and part C examines the understanding of teaching theories. With the exception of certain sections of part C, all these examinations focus on the didactic category chosen by the candidate.

FEE

150 + 20 (taxes) Euros.

Learn more about the Department of Modern Languages and Literature at JCU in Rome.