The Italian language is taught at Glenferrie Primary School. All students are taught the Italian language once a week for a 50 minute session. The language is taught in a classroom where all students are immersed in the Italian Program through a variety of resources and tactile activities including technology.

The students are taught both the micro and macro skills to encourage language competency and cultural comparisons between languages. The teaching of the Italian language supports the linguistic and cognitive development of the students as well as cultural diversity and supporting classroom literacy practises. Aspects of CLIL – (Content and Language Integrated Learning) and components of the Inquiry process are an integral part of the planning and teaching process. Pedagogy reflects current educational methodology and the students are very much part of the planning and evaluation process of the program and on student individual growth. The Victorian Curriculum framework is used as a guide for planning and teaching purposes.

As part of our language program, the students take part in The Annual Dante Alighieri Junior School state wide poster competition. Students work and develop a poster around a theme given by The Dante Alighieri Society. Our school has consistently received Prize winners for the last 12 years receiving First, Second and Third placings where students have formally been presented with a trophy at The University of Melbourne and have had their photo taken for the Italian newspaper ‘Il Globo’.
The program also sees our Year 5 and 6 students apply to be Italian Language Leaders. The role of a the Language Leader is to assist with the planning, organisation and the running of the Italian Activity Day. This event involves the participation of the whole school community as well as our Parent and Friends and outside community organisations.

The Lunchtime Italian Club is when the Italian Room is opened once a week during lunchtime for students to practise their Italian skills through conversational work or a time and place for students to be immersed in the language with a variety of resources.

The Italian language program at our school is a highly engaging and popular curriculum area in our school curriculum.