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The WebQuest A Summer Study Holiday in Italy has been designed for the students of Italian at the University of Missouri-Columbia in their second semester. It can be used over a period of a few weeks or set as an end-of-semester project.

The aim of the WebQuest is to plan a five-week summer study holiday in Italy on a budget of 3,500 euros and produce a PowerPoint presentation to show to a representative of the Italian Consulate in Chicago in order to get financial support.

The students have had about 80 hours of classroom instruction by the time they start the WebQuest and their level of Italian can be defined as "elementary". They are at the A1 level of language proficiency of the Common European Framework and are heading towards level A2. The Common European Framework is a document issued by the European Union to set the standards of proficiency for the languages of the union.

This means they can understand the main points of clear input on familiar matters regularly encountered in work, school, leisure, etc. They can deal with most situations likely to arise when traveling in Italy. They can produce simple connected text on topics which are familiar or of personal interest. They can understand sentences and frequently used expressions related to areas of most immediate relevance (e.g. very basic personal and family information, shopping, local geography, employment). They can communicate in simple and routine tasks requiring a simple and direct exchange of information on familiar and routine matters. They can describe in simple terms aspects of their background, immediate environment and matters in areas of immediate basic need.

The WebQuest addresses standards 2.1 and 2.2 within the area of "Cultures" as defined in Standards for Foreign Language Learning: Preparing for the 21st Century commissioned by the US Department of Education and the National Endowment for the Humanities.

Standard 2.1
Students demonstrate an understanding of the relationship between the practices and perspectives of the culture studied.

Standard 2.2
Students demonstrate an understanding of the relationship between the products and perspectives of the culture studied.

The Quest also addresses the Technology Foundation Standards for All Students, as defined by the National Society for Technology in Education (ISTE) , in particular standards 3, 5 and 6.

3. Technology productivity tools

5. Technology research tools

In conclusion, by doing the WebQuest students will have the opportunity to

a) revise/practice/expand the language they already know,
b) gain insight into the products of the culture studied (standard 2.2 of the Standards for Foreign Language Learning);
c) compare what they have found about Italy with their own country,
d) engage in pair work, decision making, negotiating and problem solving;
e) use technology to locate, evaluate, and collect information;
f) use technology to solve problems and make informed decisions and last, but not least ….
g) ….. have fun!

Download the WebQuest in PDF format