AATI National Italian Examination

As Italian instructors, we encourage you to invite your students to participate in the AATI Nation Italian High School Examinations. This examination serves many purposes:

TIMELINE

• November 15, 2017 to February 7, 2018: Registration Period
• February 15, 2018 to February 25, 2018: Late Registration Period, NOTE: the late registration fee is $30 per order.
• February 26, 2018 to February 28, 2018: Registration Closed.
• March 1, 2018: Exam Opens
• March 15, 2018: Payments must reach AATI by this date. If payments are not received by this date, students will be automatically disqualified.
• March 31, 2018: Exam Closes
• April 30, 2018: Results Are Announced

IMPORTANT INFORMATION

• All exams will be administered online in an electronic format.
• Teachers can register their students at www.quia.com/nieorder.
• The cost per exam is $8.00 per student. The Certificates will be available online at no cost.
• Each exam consists of 75 questions . Students have 70 minutes to complete the exam and its preliminary questions.
• Each student needs access to a computer or tablet connected to the Internet. We strongly recommend reviewing Quia's technical requirements at http://www.quia.com/help/tech/system-requirements.html
• We recommend reading the answers to some questions many teachers have been asking: click here.
• Before administering the National Italian Exam, please familiarize yourselves with the Test Administration Instructions: click here.
• Please note that in order for your students to participate in this examination, you must be a member of the National AATI in good standing during the year in which the exam is taken. To become a members of the AATI, please visit the AATI website.

• To pay your order for the AATI National Italian Exam, please visit: https://bancheri.utm.utoronto.ca/aati_membership/NIE_payment.html.
• If you have any questions or require further information, please send an e-mail to Salvatore Bancheri at aati@utoronto.ca.
  

EXAM LEVELS

The 2018 AATI National Italian Examination comprises 6 levels: Novice Level, Level I, Level II, Level III, Level IV, Level 5. There are specific criteria to consider when selecting the appropriate exam level for our students. The table below describes the criteria:

EXAM CATEGORIES

Considering the wide variety of students' language background and the impact that it might have on the exam outcomes, the NIE presents a series of categories for each of the exam levels. The correct placement of students in the appropriate category is crucial to obtaining reliable and valid results. Teachers and test administrators are encouraged to verify the accuracy of placement and refer it to the exam director who may elect to verify. Whenever there are borderline cases, the teacher and the administrator will decide on the basis of good judgement and consistency or contact the Exam director.

The Novice Level has only one category. In Level I and II we have two categories (A and B), In Level III, IV and V we have 3 categories: (A, B, and C).

CATEGORY A: A student who has studied Italian only in the classroom.

CATEGORY B: A student who:

•  has or has had consistent exposure to Italian outside of the classroom (including heritage speakers and students who might hear or speak some Italian);

•  lived for more than a year in Italy;

•  studied more than 4 months in Italy;

•  has studied or is studying the third year of another romance language or a romance language is his/her native or principal language.

CATEGORY C: A student who:

•  has grown up in a home where Italian is regularly used (predominantly orally);

•  within the last three years attended school for a period of one year or more where Italian was the primary language of instruction.

FORMAT OF THE EXAM

The format of the exam for the school year 2018 is structured on the following sections:

•  Language competence which includes:

1. Grammar knowledge , which comprises the knowledge of lexis, morphology, syntax, and other language aspects;
2. Pragmatic competence: the ability to use the language effectively in a contextually appropriate fashion and involves the functional use of the language (such as formulating a request or a command, giving compliments, formulating apologies, etc.);
3. Sociolinguistic competence: the ability to use the language effectively in a social context and involves a sensitivity to social norms and customs (such as the use of appropriate registers, rules of address, greeting and politeness, idiomatic, expressions, and various cultural references);

•  Reading Skills . Interpreting Written Text.

•  Listening or/and Viewing Skills . Interpreting Aural Input.

EXAM SPECIFICATIONS

For detailed exam specifications click here. To see the the Development Committee Members and Reviewers, please click here.

QUESTIONS

Each exam consists of 75 questions. Students have 70 minutes to complete the exam and its preliminary questions. The format will be the same for all levels as follows (please note that some minor changes in the number of questions for each section might be possible):

COST OF EXAM AND CERTIFICATES

The cost per exam is $8.00 per student.

The Certificates will be available online at no cost. Teachers will be able to download the certificates from the AATI webpage (information will be added later).

Disclosure: It is an academic infraction to alter any information about a student's award on the certificate the student receives. Any deliberate offences will result in the school being excluded from future competitions.

MEDALS, CERTIFICATES

All students in all levels (Novice, Level I-V) and categories (A,B, C) will receive a medal or a certificate, according to the table below.

MONETARY PRIZES

The value and the criteria for the monetary prizes as well as the prizes assigned by the Società Onoraria Italica will be posted at a later stage.

2-WEEK STUDY COURSES IN ITALY FOR STUDENTS AND TEACHERS

The following language schools will be participating in a scholarship program for the AATI National Italian Exam. They have offered a total 6 scholarships. Each scholarship consists of a 2-week course in one of the above schools. Accommodations and tuition expenses are included. The flight will be at the recipient's expense; however, AATI will we contribute a cash award of $500. Five scholarships will go to the top students in each level; one scholarships will go to teachers of those top students. A draw might be necessary. The recipients will be notified via email.

The language schools participating in this scholarship program are:

• A Door to Italy , Genova (Director Lara Avvenente; https://www.adoortoitaly.com/ )
• Accademia Italiana , Salerno (Director: Francesca Romana Memoli; http://www.accademia-italiana.it/en/ )
• Sant'Anna Institute - Sorrento Lingua, Sorrento (Director: Cristiana Panicco; http://www.santannainstitute.com/en/index.php )

NATIONAL ITALIAN EXAM WINNERS: 2017 | 2016 | 2015 | 2014 | 2013 | 2012 | 2011 | 2010 | 2009 | 2008 | 2007