QCAA Italian study plan

QCAA Italian · Give each week a clear focus.

8 weeks · About 7 hours per week

Week 1

Interpersonal communication (spoken exchange in Italian) & Interpretive communication (listening and reading comprehension)

Sustain a 4-minute unscripted Italian exchange about daily routines, using circumlocution instead of English when a word is missing
Transcribe and shadow a 90-second authentic Italian audio clip (podcast or news segment), marking where comprehension breaks down
Build and drill a personal list of 40 high-frequency discourse markers (allora, comunque, invece, appunto) and deploy at least 10 in speech
Listen to three short clips at natural speed and summarise each in two Italian sentences without replaying

A recorded 4-minute self-dialogue in Italian plus a written transcript of one 90-second clip with an error log of unfamiliar structures

Week 2

Role-play four transactional scenarios (pharmacy, train station, rental enquiry, restaurant complaint) with a partner or AI interlocutor, recording each
Identify the main idea, two details and the speaker's attitude in five unseen B1-level listening passages
Practise asking clarifying questions in Italian (Puoi ripetere? Cosa intendi con...?) until they are automatic
Read two short authentic articles and infer meaning of 15 unknown words from context before checking a dictionary

Four recorded role-plays with a self-assessment rubric scoring fluency, range and accuracy out of 5 each

Week 3

Convert each recorded role-play from week 2 into a 120-word written dialogue, correcting grammar and upgrading vocabulary
Produce a 200-word opinion text on a familiar topic using a clear introduction, two arguments and a conclusion
Master subjunctive present forms of the 20 most common verbs and use at least six correctly in writing
Self-correct three pieces of own writing using a checklist covering agreement, tense consistency and register

A 200-word opinion piece with a marked-up first draft showing at least 12 self-corrections

Week 4

Compare how two Italian regions differ in food customs, using information from two authentic sources
Answer 10 interpretive reading questions on an authentic text about an Italian cultural tradition, justifying each answer with a quotation
Listen to a dialect-influenced or regional-accented clip and identify three phonetic features that differ from standard pronunciation
Explain in Italian, in 90 seconds, one aspect of Italian society (e.g. family, school, festa) to an imagined exchange partner

A one-page comparison in Italian of two regional traditions, citing two sources and including five comprehension questions you wrote yourself

Week 5

Draft a 250-word formal email (request, complaint or application) using appropriate greetings, closing formulas and Lei forms
Deliver a 3-minute prepared monologue on a cultural topic, then answer three impromptu follow-up questions
Use connectors of cause, concession and consequence (poiché, benché, quindi, tuttavia) accurately in at least eight sentences
Record and review the monologue, identifying three specific pronunciation or intonation fixes

A 250-word formal email plus a recorded 3-minute monologue with a written self-review listing three concrete improvements

Week 6

Complete a full timed listening section (three passages) under exam conditions and score it against a rubric
Complete a full timed reading section (three texts) and analyse every wrong answer for cause
Write a 300-word text under a 40-minute time limit, planning for five minutes before starting
Paraphrase five complex sentences from authentic texts into simpler Italian without losing meaning

A timed mock of the interpretive and presentational sections with a scored results sheet and error analysis

Week 7

Hold a 10-minute conversation covering personal, social and cultural topics with only Italian prompts
Debate one contentious cultural topic, defending a position and conceding a counterpoint using appropriate register
Describe three differences between Italian and Australian everyday customs, using comparatives and cultural vocabulary
Repair communication breakdowns in conversation using five different strategies (rephrasing, asking for clarification, circumlocution)

A recorded 10-minute conversation with a partner or tutor, annotated with timestamps showing five repair strategies used

Week 8

Sit a full mock exam across all four domains under strict timing and mark it against the syllabus criteria
Re-drill the 30 highest-frequency errors from the week 6 and week 8 error logs
Record a final 5-minute spoken response and compare it to the week 1 recording to document measurable progress
Write a one-page personal exam strategy covering time allocation, planning and checking routines

A completed full mock exam with scores per domain, a corrected error list and a one-page exam-day strategy sheet

Week 2: Can sustain a 4-minute exchange and answer comprehension questions on unseen B1 audio with at least 70% accuracy

Week 4: Can write 200 words of accurate Italian and explain two regional cultural differences with sourced evidence

Week 6: Timed mock of interpretive and presentational sections completed with a written error analysis and a score at or above target

Week 8: Full mock exam across all four domains completed, with spoken fluency measurably improved against the week 1 baseline recording