How do we study?
At school…
The teacher sets a goal for the day (what we need to learn during the lesson, our objective).
For example, let’s look at the method for writing an essay. Our teacher suggests a scheme, but we are then asked, with his help, to separate the different sections that compose it (introduction, arguments in favour, arguments against, conclusion).
After finding the several points to make, the scheme is complete. Now we can start writing the essay. Everyone has access to a vocabulary, which is useful to solve doubts about spelling and to check meanings of words. Moreover, some of us read the examples that we find in the dictionary and use them in the essay. The teacher always suggests that we read over what we have written and indeed sometimes we find mistakes this way. If the essay is not completely finished, we can take it home and we have up to a week to improve it and then hand it in. After a few days the teacher gives the essay back to us with a mark and feedback.
At home…
Usually, homework is assigned one week in advance, on Monday we receive grammar homework and on Saturday we are assigned texts to be read. Other than the reading to be done by Wednesday, our teacher suggests that we read something from the class library. Of course we don’t just have Italian homework, we also have homework for every other subject. It will be useful to organize the workload and not leave it to the last minute. That way, it will be less tiring, more productive, and leave more time for play and meetings with friends.
(Arianna, 5th grade)
Translation by Chiara Amoretti