A few months ago, this catchy tune sparked a reels frenzy on Instagram and TikTok.
I could have my Gucci on (Gucci on)
I could wear my Louis Vuitton
But even with nothin' on
Bet I made you look (I made you look)
Yeah, I look good in my Versace dress (take it off)
But I'm hotter when my morning hair's a mess
'Cause even with my hoodie on
Bet I made you look (I made you look)
It's the latest hit by Meghan Trainor titled “Made You Look” and yes, if you look closely at the lyrics, you’ll notice three big Italian fashion brands.
Gucci. Louis Vuitton and Versace.
For many people, that’s their immediate understanding of Italy, a global fashion powerhouse. In fact, Milan is one of most renowned the fashion capitals in the world apart from New York, Paris and London — fashion weeks locations.
That’s why many fashion lovers from across the globe dream of landing a career in Italy. And whether you like it or not, your Italian language proficiency will certainly come in handy.
The best proof of your Italian language competency? A legit certificate that shows your proficiency in your listening, speaking, reading and writing skills in Italian.
In this article, we will be taking a look at some aspects of taking an Italian language-related exam/certificate and the best preparation tips to ace it.
Discovering Your Motivation For Learning & Mastering Italian
First things first. We have to sort out your true intentions before you commit to a long-term language-learning journey.
We are not talking about those random “eureka” moments where you simply want to learn how to say “Good morning” or “I love you” in Italian.
Let’s review some of the most common factors that drive people to learn Italian.
Reason 1: You are planning to study or work in Italy one day.
Italy is a country that takes pride in its national language. The Italian language is the medium of instruction that is used in all universities and major corporations. So if you are determined to stay there for a period of time, it’s best to start learning Italian now to have a seamless communication process with the locals.
Reason 2: You are opting for a locally based career (in Malaysia) that requires Italian fluency
You’ll be surprised that there is a demand for Italian speakers in the Malaysian job market. Remember what we mentioned in the introduction of this article? Fashion powerhouses like Gucci and Louis Vuitton?
Well, Gucci Malaysia does have a preference to hire candidates who are effectively bilingual in Italian and English. Furthermore, if you have a business in Malaysia that have strong relations with Italy, your ability to read and write in Italian will certainly lead you to greater opportunities in terms of economic collaboration and social connection.
Photo by Dima Pechurin on Unsplash
You could also launch a full-time career or side hustle related to languages such as being a translator, interpreter or even language tutoring. The sky is the limit.
Reason 3: You are passionate about learning languages and your ultimate goal is to be a multilinguist
There’s also the third group of people. You just have a passion for language learning and it somehow comes naturally to you. Mastering English, Malay and Mandarin are just the tip of the iceberg and you are always looking to challenge yourself with more languages.
You probably trust yourself more than Google Translate.
Find out where you can find a reliable Italian tutor here.
Important Tips When You’re Preparing For A Language Proficiency Test
If you have learnt Italian for a period of time and thinking of taking it to the next level, we highly recommend you to sit for a language proficiency test.
Here are four tips to take note of during your preparation.
Tip 1: Review the latest format and marking scheme of the test
Be sure to check the breakdown of the tested components of the language proficiency test that you are sitting.
Whether it is an A-Level Italian subject or a more formal exam like Certification of Italian as A Foreign Language, it’s always important to know how you will be graded accordingly, and whether there are multiple-choice options or whether will it be 100% subjective.
Tip 2: Start searching for past year papers and sample questions
Once you have reviewed the examination structure and grading scheme, it is time to start practising with the actual questions that are asked. The more you practice, the more confident you will be.
That’s because you already know what to anticipate for each section and you are well-versed in how the marks are awarded accordingly.
Tip 3: Talk to someone who has sat for the test
Sometimes you end up getting nervous and overwhelmed before the big day. Trust us, we totally get it, especially if it’s your first time. It would be great to learn some know-how to ace the test and also just listen to how someone actually prepared for the test mentally.
Learning about someone’s language journey will encourage you greatly and grant you the confidence that you can also achieve the same feat.
Photo by Trung Thanh on Unsplash
Tip 4: Connect with a language tutor
Last but not least, you can always hire a reliable Italian tutor to ease your language-learning journey.
Not sure where to find one?
Head to the Superprof homepage and start browsing the tutors’ profiles.
In just a few clicks, you will be able to find out about the following basic information:
- The tutor’s teaching experience
- The tutor’s teaching qualification
- The tutor’s teaching methodology
- The tutor’s teaching scope and levels
- The tutor’s teaching mode
- The tutor’s hourly rate and package rates
- Their previous students’ reviews
Once you have decided on the tutor, you can then proceed to connect with them to discuss your future lessons. Bonus point: 95% of tutors at Superprof offer their first lessons for free, so be sure to seize this great opportunity!
Read more about the average price range of Italian lessons here.
Benefits Of Having A Private Tutor When You’re Learning A New Language
If you are still on the fence about whether you should hire an Italian tutor, you can review some of these benefits that you can enjoy when you enrol for private tutoring lessons.
Benefit 1: Having a clear direction of where you’re heading
One of the most obvious reasons for hiring an Italian tutor is to have someone experienced to guide you. You don’t have to worry about the lesson curriculum and direction because your tutor will take care of that. Your Italian tutor will come out with a personalised lesson plan based on your current pace and progress.
Benefit 2: Flexible learning arrangements
With a private tutor, you are not tied to a fixed schedule. You get to decide the duration of your lessons, the destination of your lessons and the intensity of your lessons beforehand.
For example, if you prefer to take online Italian lessons, you can totally find a reliable online Italian tutor from Superprof. There’s no pressure to commute and spend more on transportation or administration fees than physical lessons at a language school.
Benefit 3: Receiving immediate feedback and corrections
When you have a tutor, you will immediately know what you did right, or what you did wrong. For instance, if you are pronouncing a word incorrectly, your tutor will be able to correct you immediately and guide you to have the right pronunciation.
You won’t be confused or discouraged as compared to when you’re learning on your own. From there, you will be able to progress from an absolute beginner to an advanced learner confidently.
Photo by Ryan Mendoza on Unsplash
Benefit 4: Having an objective view of your true level and progress
Your tutor will evaluate your language skills and all the components objectively. There will be no such thing as being “overly good” or “overly bad” because you are being graded consistently.
Start exploring some of the free Italian learning resources here.
What Should You Know If You’re Sitting For The Cambridge A-Level Italian Subject As A Private Candidate?
If you have just completed your secondary school education and planning your pre-university pathway, you might want to take Italian as a subject for your A-Level studies.
Here’s an overview of the format and overall structure of this paper.
There are altogether five broad topic areas that you will be tested on:
- Everyday activities
- Personal and social life
- The world around us
- The world of work
- The international world
Based on these five broad topics, you will then need to sit for four papers.
Paper 1 [Listening component]
- Total duration: Approximately 50 minutes
- Mark allocation: 40 marks
- Exam structure: You will listen to a couple of recordings and answer multiple-choice and matching questions
- This will be an external assessment
- Weightage: 25%
Paper 2 [ Reading component]
- Total duration: 1 hour
- Mark allocation:45 marks
- Exam structure: You will read a couple of texts and answer a combination of questions which require multiple-choice options and short structured answers.
- This will be an external assessment
- Weightage: 25%
Paper 3 [Speaking component]
- Total duration: Around 10 minutes
- Mark allocation: 40 marks
- Exam structure: You will engage in one role-play and discussion on a given topic
- This will be an internal assessment
- Weightage: 25%
Paper 4 [Writing component]
- Total duration: 1 hour
- Mark allocation:45 marks
- Exam structure: You have to answer one task on filling out a form, complete one directed writing task and another formatted writing task of either an email, letter, blog or article.
- This will be an external assessment
- Weightage: 25%
You can always visit the official Cambridge Italian subject website to learn more about the marking scheme of each tested component.
What You Should Know About The Certification of Italian as A Foreign Language (CILS) & Certificate of Knowledge of Italian Language (CELI)?
If you have sat for the A-Level Italian subject and made up your mind to study or work in Italy, you should start looking into some legit Italian language certifications.
For this part of this article, we will be focusing on the two most common Italian language proficiency tests: The Certification of Italian as A Foreign Language (CILS) and the Certificate of Knowledge of Italian Language (CELI).
Let’s take a look at the basic information of these two Italian language certificates.
Certification of Italian as A Foreign Language (CILS)
- It is established by the University of Siena and officially recognized by EALTA (European Language Testing Association).
- It covers a total of 6 levels (Level A1, A2, B1, B2, C1, C2)
- This test will evaluate candidates’ reading comprehension, listening skills, ability to use communicative structures in Italian, written skills and speaking skills
- The CILS certificate is accepted for education and working purposes in Italy.
- It can also be taken by those who wish to apply for long-term residency in Italy.
- Candidates can sit for this test at the University of Siena and also at the Scuola Leonardo da Vinci.
Source: Education Abroad
Certificate of Knowledge of Italian Language (CELI)
- There are altogether 6 levels of proficiency under this certificate (From CELI 1mpatto to CELI 5)
- The exam is adapted to the standard of the Common European Framework of Reference (CEFR)
- CELI 3 is recognized by the Ministry of Education, University and Research (MIUR) in Italy when it comes to university applications (for foreign students)
- This language test takes place at the University of Perugia for Foreigners and also several Italian culture institutes.
Here’s a breakdown of the Italian proficiency guidelines from CELI 1 CELI 6.
- CELI Impatto: This is the core basic level for absolute beginners.
- CELI 1: This is the elementary level for learners who can construct short phrases and sentences but not an entire complete speech.
- CELI 2: This is the intermediate level for learners who can communicate better than CELI 1.
- CELI 3: This is the higher intermediate level for learners who can communicate comfortably without too many complications.
- CELI 4: This is the advanced level for learners who can comprehend complex sentences and grammar. Long conversations are not a problem at this point.
- CELI 5: The ultimate master level for learners who are close to native speakers. It’s easy to live in Italy.
To kickstart your Italian learning journey, discover what it takes to master the Italian language from scratch.
We hope this article has helped you to develop a newfound passion for this language. In due time, we bet that your amazing Italian skills will make people look, just like Meghan Trainor’s song.
You got this!
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