This open educational resource is meant to help beginner students of Italian language and culture complete their first elementary language level, possibly over two terms or semesters.

The book is divided in two parts of six chapters each, with each chapter covering three to four grammatical topics as well as a vocabulary section related to a specific cultural theme. Video clips, short readings (at least one per chapter) and social media are also integrated in the book and used to summarize the different linguistic and cultural topics. Layout and format of each chapter are very consistent and exercises and grammar explanations are clear and abundant. The book makes a good effort to be inclusive and sensitive and includes numerous points about race relations as well as many interesting note culturali that help educators and students alike to address issues of equality and acceptance.

Intended as “a College Course for American Students”, the course is divided up in two parts with ten chapters in Parte 1 and nine in Parte 2, each expected to be completed over one semester.

Every chapter (Unità) includes five different topics, ranging from grammar-based to functional and communicative, and each topic can be practiced with up to ten H5P interactive exercises. At the end of each Unità, songs by popular Italian artists, short readings, and videos clips of either commercials or movies, each complemented by H5P interactive activities, provide authentic and relevant material. The introduzione provides a summary of basic Italian pronunciation rules, a short history of the country as well as some important elements that represent Italian identity.

The book also includes useful links to dictionary English/Italian and Italian/English (Collins), a Spell and Grammar Checker, an Italian verbs conjugator, a speech to text site and a Glossary of Grammatical terms.

Learners can use the book either independently or as the primary source for an Italian language course. The book is organized in 21 units, each based on a specific theme and each including a contextualized grammar section, further explained through charts and interactive exercises; a set of key vocabulary, conversation activities and readings with H5P comprehension questions.

This online course teaches basic conversational Italian, Italian culture, and the Mediterranean diet. It is divided into thirteen lessons, each including ‘Language Instruction’ or a lesson (with charts, listening exercises and some assignments) on two to three grammar topics, and ‘Cooking instruction’ with one or more recipes of traditional Italian dishes. The lessons can also be watched on videos. Basically, each class is based on the preparation of a delicious dish and on the bite-sized acquisition of parts of the Italian language and culture. The course promises to teach participants to cook a few healthy and tasty recipes and also understand and speak basic Italian.

The two volumes of Voci: Corso elementare di lingua e culture italiane include a textbook, a workbook with answer keys, grammar explanations, and vocabulary lists. Designed for the first and second semester of Beginning Italian at Bryn Mawr College and Haverford College, Voci is a communicative, approach-based textbook that aims to foster students’ comprehension, production, and interaction in Italian by keeping in mind different ways of learning. To promote an inclusive classroom and provide an accurate portrait of contemporary Italian culture, every unit of Voci offers one or more cultural sections, “Cultura”.

Spunti (I) is organized in 5 units, each including straightforward grammatical explanations; printable activity packets for in-class use and interactive exercises for linguistic practice and cultural enrichment. A complete semester lesson plan is included in the appendix for instructors.

Spunti, (II) is organized in 5 units, each including straightforward grammatical explanations; printable activity packets for in-class use and interactive exercises for linguistic practice and cultural enrichment. A complete semester lesson plans included in the appendix for instructors.

This OER textbook contains a variety of at-home and in-class activities to help students gain a comprehensive understanding of Italian language and culture.

Giornate Italiane is divided into two parts: Units 1-6 cover beginners skills in Italian, while Units 7-11 cover intermediate skills. Communicative skills are at the forefront of the language learning experience, allowing students the ability to play with language while learning the valuable skills that comprise our understanding and ability to participate in realistic scenarios.

This resource was designed following the flipped classroom model and is structured in a manner that allows students to learn concepts and lexicon, then check their comprehension with integrated H5P activities with instant feedback. 

The two volumes are tailored to better serve and include BIPOC and minority students in Italian curricula. With "Cotto e Mangiato", students will understand the transformations of 21st-century Italian cultures through cross-cultural comparisons and will familiarize themselves with exclusivity in the Italian language regarding non-binary genders, the plural agreement, and adjectivation. 

This new textbook is derived from "Voci: Corso Elementare di Lingua e Culture Italiane", a former online platform originally authored by Chiara Benetollo, Daria Bozzato, Massimiliano Cirulli, and Metello Mugnai, and used by the Department for the academic years 2022-23 and 2023-24. In this new OER, the authors revamped the way vocabulary related to family is taught, replacing traditional terms with authentic materials that challenge the notion of familial relationships as solely biological or legal bonds, a perspective that many learners find exclusionary.

In this online course the Italian language is taught in the context of major themes in Italian culture. 

This course offers a variety of tools to help students learn in different ways:

• Situational videos 

• Downloadable Podcasts

• Grammar charts, with or without audio files

• Short video lessons

• Video interviews on different aspects of Italian culture.

• Short “ Letture ” (readings)

• A variety of self-correcting activities.

• Voice recognition activities

Through interviews and readings students will learn about:

• daily life in a small hill town in Northern Italy;

• major differences between Italian and American universities;

• Italian films that won the Academy Award for Best Foreign Film;

• summer vacations in Italy;

• Italian cuisine.

Any college, university, or institution where Italian is taught can license and customize their own version of this Italian online course through a special licensing program offered by Wellesley College. 

If you are interested in knowing about licensing and pricing, as well as course contents and tools you’ll be able to customize, please contact Daniela Bartalesi-Graf at dbartale@wellesley.edu, Department of Italian Studies, Wellesley College.

This online course is designed to last six weeks and free access expires six weeks after registration. It's available on the Futurelearn platform.

The course employs a very well developed communicative approach and focuses on skills needed to interact in common conversational situations. Learners practice different ways to how to introduce themselves, answer simple questions, ask for information, and talk about their interests, food and clothes.

According to the course designers, leaners will ...

• develop skills in basic Italian for interacting in common communicative situations;

• engage in simple communication in Italian;

• develop the skills to understand and use everyday expressions in Italian;

• develop the skills to introduce oneself and others in Italian.