Liceo linguistico
Liceo linguistico (Italian: [liˈtʃɛːo liŋˈɡwistiko]; literally "linguistic lyceum") is a type of secondary school in Italy. It is designed to give students the skills to progress to any university or higher educational institution.[1] Students can attend the liceo linguistico after successfully completing middle school (scuola media).
The curriculum is devised by the Ministry of Education, and emphasises the link between multiculturalism and language learning.[1] It covers a complete and widespread range of disciplines.[2]
Students typically study for five years, and attend the school from the age of 14 to 19. At the end of the fifth year all students sit for the esame di Stato, a final examination which gives access to every university course.
A student attending a liceo is called liceale, although the more generic terms studente (male) and studentessa (female) are also in common use. Teachers are known as professore (male) or professoressa (female).
Subjects
During five years, students learn three foreign languages (including English) and acquire a rich humanistic and scientific culture.
At the end of the final year, the language proficiency of students is minimum B2.
This is the weekly schedule of liceo linguistico in 5 years:
- Italian language and literature - Four hours during 5 years
- Latin language and literature - Two hours in the first and second year
- English language and literature - Four hours in the first and second year, then three hours in the last three years
- Second foreign language and literature - Three hours in the first and second year, then four hours in the last three years
- Third foreign language and literature - Three hours in the first and second year, then four hours in the last three years
- History and geography - Three hours in the first and second year
- History - Two hours in the last three years
- Philosophy - Two hours in the last three years
- Mathematics and computer science - Three hours in the first and second year
- Mathematics - Two hours in the last three years
- Biology, chemistry and earth science - Two hours during 5 years
- Physics - Two hours in the last three years
- History of art - Two hours in the last three years
- Physical education - Two hours during 5 years
- Religious education or other activity - One hour during 5 years
Final exam
According to the law, students of the liceo linguistico must sit several written tests alongside a final interdisciplinary oral test. The first written exam is the Italian one, in which the student has to choose one text to analyse between three main categories: a poetic text, an argumentative essay or a contemporary essay. The second written test includes two texts in two languages (English obligatory + another language) to analyse and two essays to write. Finally, there is an oral exam, in which the candidate is tested in several subjects.
EsaBac
If students study French language and literature in an EsaBac course, at the end of high school they must take a French history and French literature exam. Once passed, the students receive the Esame di Stato (the final exam in Italy) and the Baccalauréat (the final exam in France). The language proficiency of students that attain that exam is minimum B2.
University
After Liceo Linguistico, a student can enter any university faculty (from foreign languages to philosophy, mathematics, physics, medicine, chemistry, etc.). As well as in other licei in Italy, academic preparation is performed from the first to the last year.