Promotion of languages at OSZ Mals

Language support is of great importance at the High School Centre Mals. That is why we would like to provide interested students, parents and teachers with important information in this regard.

• Marika Ceol (Marika.Ceol@scuola.alto-adige.it)

Dealing with language diversity at he OSZ Mals

All school sections of the High School Centre in Mals are public secondary schools with German as their official language of teaching and education.
However, we offer additional counselling for German and Italian within the financial and human resources available to us. A1-level language skills are highly recommended for students entering first grade.

For students who have low language skills in German or Italian:

• 1st class:
  German:
  Depending on the available resources , the students are taken out from regular classes and taught in DFI lessons (German as Foreign Language). If the required competences are not achieved at the end of the school year, pupils will be given the opportunity to fill their gaps over the summer and take a catch-up examination on the A2 language level at our school or obtain a A2 language certificate from an accredited institution.
  Italian:
  Depending on the available resources, the pupils are taken out from regular classes and taught in IFI lessons (Italian as Foreign Language).

• 2nd class:
  German:
  Depending on the available resources , the students are taken out from regular classes and taught in DFI lessons (German as Foreign Language). If the required competences are not achieved at the end of the school year, pupils will be given the opportunity to fill their gaps over the summer and take a catch-up examination on the B1 language level at our school or a B1 language certificate from an accredited institution.
  Italian:
  Depending on the available resources , the pupils are taken out from regular classes and taught in IFI lessons (Italian as Foreign Language).
• 3rd class:
  German:
  Depending on the available resources , the students concerned are taken out from regular classes and taught in DFI lessons (German as Foreign Language). If the required competences are not achieved at the end of the school year, pupils will be given the opportunity to fill their gaps over the summer and take a catch-up examination on the B1+ language level at our school or a B1+ language certificate from a accredited institution (see Curriculum).
  Italian:
  Depending on the available resources , the pupils are taken out from regular classes and taught in IFI lessons (Italian as Foreign Language).

• 4th and 5th class:
  It is now assumed that the students can follow the regular German or Italian lessons.

For students who have low language skills in German and Italian:

• 1st class:
  German:
  Depending on the available resources , the students are taken out from regular classes and supervised in DFI lessons (German as Foreign Language). If the required competences are not achieved at the end of the school year, pupils will be given the opportunity to fill their gaps over the summer and take a catch-up examination on the A2 language level at our school or obtain a language certificate A2 from an accredited institution.
  Italian lessons are decided upon according to individual skills and competences of the student.

• 2nd class:
  German: Depending on the available resources , the students are taken out from regular classes and taught in DFI lessons (German as Foreign Language). If the required competences are not achieved at the end of the school year, pupils will be given the opportunity to fill their gaps over the summer and take a catch-up examination on the B1 language level at our school or a B1 language certificate from an accredited institution.
  Italian: Depending on the available resources , the pupils are taken out from regular classes and taught in IFI lessons (Italian as Foreign Language). If the required competences are not achieved at the end of the school year, pupils will be given the opportunity to fill their gaps over the summer and take a catch-up examination on the A2 language level at our school or obtain a language certificate A2 from a accredited institution.

• 3rd class:
  German:
  Depending on the available resources , the students concerned are taken out from regular classes and taught in DFI lessons (German as Foreign Language). If the required competences are not achieved at the end of the school year, pupils will be given the opportunity to fill their gaps over the summer and take a catch-up examination on the B1+ language level at our school or a B1+ language certificate from a accredited institution (see Curriculum).
  Italian:
  Depending on the available resources , the pupils are taken out from regular classes and taught in IFI lessons (Italian as Foreign Language). If the required competences are not achieved at the end of the school year, pupils will be given the opportunity to fill their gaps over the summer and take a catch-up examination on the B1 language level at our school or obtain a B1 language certificate from an accredited institution.

• 4th class:
  It is now assumed that the students can take part in the German-language lessons.
  In Italian, the students are taken out from regular classes and taught in IFI lessons (Italian as Foreign Language), depending on the available resources . If the required competences are not achieved at the end of the school year, pupils will be given the opportunity to fill their gaps over the summer and to take a catch-up examination
  on the B1+ language level at our school.

• 5th class:
  It is assumed that students can now take part in Italian-language classes. However, the learning councelling offered at the OSZ remains open to all students on a voluntary basis and is seen as a supporting measure.

You want to be one step ahead of others in preparing for your studies or a job? Then take the opportunity of language certificates for your CV.

Language skills increasingly need to be shown for later studies and jobs in the form of language certificates – unless it is your own mother tongue.
There are language certificates for almost all foreign languages.
In order to compare the results achieved in language examinations, the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages has been developed. This divides the language level of the learners into six different levels of competence from A1 (beginners) to C2 (experts).

For English, a preparatory course for the FCE language examination (Cambridge Exam: First Certificate) on B2 level is offered if requested by enough students. This level of language competence corresponds to the official level of English forseen to acquire with the final examination after fifth form High School.
For detailed information on the FCE language exam go to:
http://www.cambridgeenglish.org/de/exams-and-tests/

It is possible to take this exam three times a year at Alphabeta Piccadilly in Merano and Bolzano:
- March (enrolments within mid-January)
- June (enrolments within mid-March)
- December (enrolments within mid-October)

For signing in to the exams:
http://www.alphabeta.it/de/englisch-sprachpruefungen-161.html

For English there is also the IELTS language exam. Here you do not register for a certain level, but your current language level is determined and certified in all skills (listening, reading, writing and speaking) during the examination.
For detailed information on the IELTS language exam:
https://www.britishcouncil.de/pruefung/ielts

There are various test centres and different dates: e.g. in Innsbruck and Trento.
https://www.uibk.ac.at/isi/pruefungen/ielts/index.html.de
https://www.britishcouncil.it/esami/ielts/date-sedi

For students of non-German mother tongue there is the GOETHE language examination for taking the German language exam.

For more information on the language exam:
https://www.goethe.de/ins/it/it/index.html

The test can be done in Bolzano and other places.

Contact person at the Office for Bilingualism and Foreign Languages is Donatella Ricchetto
Phone: +39 0471 411273
donatella.ricchetto@provincia.bz.it
For more information and exam dates:
donatella.ricchetto@provincia.bz.it

For more information and exam dates:
http://www.provincia.bz.it/cultura/lingue/2025.asp

All these certificates can be counted as educational credits in the 3rd, 4th or 5th grade for the final examination.

Language courses and Work and Travel

Language courses in summer

If you want to deepen your language skills, get to know new people and the culture of other countries, but have little time (e.g. during summer or semester holidays) then a languagetrip is the right thing for you!

A stay of two to three weeks is recommended here.
For information on language travel providers, go to the Infopoint in the library where you can find brochures that have been sent to the school, or go to:
https://www.sprachreisen.info/n-Sprachreisen-Anbieter.php
http://www.provincia.bz.it/cultura/lingue/consulenza-soggiorni-studio-estero.asp

Here more detailed information on the access requirements:
http://www.provinz.bz.it/bildungsfoerderung/zuschuesse-sprachkurse.asp

Information for 18-year-olds and for the period after the state final examination

Are you already 18 years old and looking for additional ways to promote your language skills, travel the world cost-effectively and possibly earn pocket money? Then one of these offers could be right for you now or for the time after the state final exam:

• Work and Travel,
• Volunteering abroad,
• Farm & Ranch Work,
• Au pair
• Childcare/ Jobben in Summer Camps,
• work placements and holiday jobs abroad or in the rest of Italy;

Here are some valuable tips on all these possibilities:
http://www.auslandsaufenthalt.org/auslandsaufenthalte-moeglichkeiten.php

For further information, please visit the Language Promotion Infopoint in the library where you can find brochures that have been sent to the school.