The Advanced Placement Program in Italian: History and Analysis

The Advanced Placement Program in Italian: History and Analysis explores a peculiar aspect of the teaching of Italian in the United States through the Advanced Placement Program in Italian. To date, there is no in-depth analysis; this book offers one. After fifteen iterations of the AP Exam in Italian, it seemed an appropriate time to assess the situation. This book thus offers an initial evaluation of the results of the Advanced Placement Program in Italian. The first chapter deals with a historical reconstruction of the college access exams of Italian: the Achievement Test, the Scholastic Aptitude Test (SAT), the AATI National Italian Exam (NIE), and the APP in Italian. The second and third chapters analyze the AP Italian exams from 2012 to 2022. The data are provided directly by the College Board, and the reports are prepared each year by the AP Italian Language and Culture Chief Readers. The aim is to provide some guidance for teachers, institutional bodies, and organizers. The conclusions represent a contribution to the future of this important educational language policy tool, considered fundamental for the promotion of Italian language and culture in the USA.