Italian Language Studies
Beginners - Elementary - Improvers - Level 3

To join us in these groups you need to be a member of the Dorchester & District u3a

Italian Beginners
1st and 3rd Thursdays

We are starting a new, fourth group for those who speak no Italian but would like to learn the basics.  There will be systematic covering of grammar, the nuts and bolts without which we can't put together the words we learn, and there will be homework.  Learning a language is like learning a musical instrument - little and often is the only way to fix it in the memory - but the approach in meetings will be very much activity based from the start.  So come prepared to speak to a total stranger in a foreign language.  Breaking the ice with the initial activity will be the hardest task of the whole course but the whole group will be involved simultaneously so you won't have to be self-conscious about everyone listening  
to your first attempts.  ​

We meet in the Holy Trinity Centre, Upper Classroom on Thursdays 09:30, starting on 21st October.
For further details contact the group leader, Anneli Fisher.
  Email:  italianbeginners@dorchesteru3a.org.uk
​  telephone number in the newsletter.

Italian Elementary
2nd, 4th and an odd 5th Wednesday mornings

In the autumn of 2021, we should complete Talk Italian 2 starting  from Chapter 9, while also revising verbs in the past tense (passato prossimo).  In 2022, we will need to start a new course book which will be decided after discussion and assessment of individual needs and objectives. 

Meetings are in the Holy Trinity Parish Centre, Upper Classroom, 11:00 to 12:30.
Do contact me for further information.
José Hinton (Group Leader)
    email:  italianelementary@dorchesteru3a.org.uk
    tel:   01305 261494

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Italian Improvers
2nd, 4th and sometimes 5th Monday mornings

This class is using Al Dente 2.  The book comes with CD, DVD and a wealth of written exercises.     We are using it as a spring board for conversation, grammar revision and extension, plus more practice in all four language skills using a wider vocabulary. Other appropriate materials and activities are brought into the course in response to needs and interests.

Meetings are in the Holy Trinity Parish Centre, Upper Classroom, 11:00 to 12:30.
​Do contact me for further information.
José Hinton (Group Leader)
   email:  italianimprovers@dorchesteru3a.org.uk
   tel:   01305 261494

Italian Level 3
Thursday mornings

As the title suggests, Italian continues for those who have already a good grasp of the language.  This is an informal group whose activities include general conversation, such as might arise at a coffee morning; anecdotes (usually prepared beforehand) from a member who has something interesting or amusing to relate; occasional listening comprehensions (recordings); occasional onslaughts on grammar prompted by an area where the leader has spotted a gap to be plugged or a member has asked for clarification (NB there is no attempt at a systematic coverage of grammar as such); games – anything from ad hoc word games such as l’impiccato (hangman) to Italian Trivial Pursuits or Scarabeo (Scrabble) – has been known to include Strip Poker with an Italian twist – and wading through a weekly chunk of a reader.

This term, starting in October, we shall be reading Lessico famigliare, Natalia Ginzburg (no need to bring it on 30th Sept, we won't use it in that session).

We meet in the Holy Trinity Centre, on Thursdays 11:10 to 12:45, restarting on 30th September.  (Lower Classroom on 20 January, 3 February, 3,17 and 31 March and 7 April, otherwise Upper Classroom)
For further details contact the group leader, Anneli Fisher.
  Email: italianl3@dorchesteru3a.org.uk 
​  telephone number in the newsletter.

Go to Timetable

Page maintained by Alan Hopwood email: arh@dorchesteru3a.org.uk