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JOHN CABOT UNIVERSITY

COURSE CODE: "IT 201-1"
COURSE NAME: "Intermediate Italian I"
SEMESTER & YEAR: Fall 2017
SYLLABUS

INSTRUCTOR: Anna Mauceri Trimnell
EMAIL: [email protected]
HOURS: TTH 3:00-4:15 PM
TOTAL NO. OF CONTACT HOURS: 45
CREDITS: 3
PREREQUISITES: Prerequisite: Placement, IT 102, or IT 103 (As of Fall 2022: Placement or IT 102 with a grade of C or above)
OFFICE HOURS:

COURSE DESCRIPTION:
A continuation of IT 102. This course focuses on consolidating the student’s ability to use Italian effectively. Emphasis is given to grammar review and vocabulary expansion. Selected readings and films acquaint students with contemporary Italy.
SUMMARY OF COURSE CONTENT:

Italian 201, which is conducted solely in Italian, is designed to review and study in-depth the following grammar points:

pronomi personali diretti, indiretti e combinati, pronomi e aggettivi possessivi, aggettivi comparativi e superlativi, differenza tra imperfetto e passato prossimo, condizionale semplice (Review);

trapassato prossimo, futuro, condizionale passato (o composto), congiuntivo presente e passato, indicativo vs. congiuntivo, imperativo, verbi impersonali, aggettivi e pronomi indefiniti (in-depth).

Class discussion is an important part of the course and participation is necessary to determine the final grade.

LEARNING OUTCOMES:

Upon completing this course, students will possess the ability to:

  • Understand written and spoken Italian at the intermediate level
  • Participate in conversations on a variety of topics using present, past, conditional, future and some subjunctive tenses
  • Ask for and obtain information
  • Express opinions, feelings, needs, approval and disapproval
  • Comprehend the general meaning and details of intermediate level texts.
Produce brief texts on a variety of topics using present, past, future, conditional, imperative
TEXTBOOK:
Book TitleAuthorPublisherISBN numberLibrary Call NumberCommentsFormatLocal BookstoreOnline Purchase
Percorso Italia B1-B2G. Patota, N. Romanelli De Agostini Scuola 9788848040426     
REQUIRED RESERVED READING:
NONE

RECOMMENDED RESERVED READING:
NONE
GRADING POLICY
-ASSESSMENT METHODS:
AssignmentGuidelinesWeight
TestsThe two tests are designed to evaluate the student's knowledge of the grammar, vocabulary covered and their reading comprehension.15%
Midterm examThe midterm exam is designed to evaluate the student's knowledge of the grammar and vocabulary covered up to this point and their reading and listening comprehension.20%
Final exam The final exam is designed to evaluate the student's knowledge of the grammar and vocabulary covered, and their reading and listening comprehension.25%
oral proficiencyIn-class oral activities and presentation. Students are examined singularly and in pairs or small groups. The types of tests are: conversation between the two students or the small groups, monologues, role playing. The multiplicity of situations and the request to express personal opinions increases from the elementary level to the advanced level. Conversations, monologues and role playing are elicited by visual stimuli or questions from the instructor.10%
Written compositionTwo written texts of increasing length, formality and complexity on topics of every day life, personal feelings, impressions, experiences, and opinions of common and social interest.10%
Class Participation and homework  20%

-ASSESSMENT CRITERIA:
AExcellent command of the language consistent with the level of proficiency. Appropriate command of sentence structure, lexis, register and idio A = 94-100 A- = 90-9
BGood command of the language, consistent with the level of proficiency. Competent manipulation of sentence structure, with some evidence of development and complexity; small occurrence of grammatical errors. Work will be broadly coherent and comprehensible, good manipulation of sentence structure; grammatical and other errors will not impede comprehension. B+ = 87-89 B = 83-86 B- = 80-82
CEvidence of the ability to control the language for the purpose of effective communication, consistent with the level of proficiency. Work will be comprehensible; sentence structure will be very simple and grammatical and other errors will be frequent but not as serious to impede comprehension. C+ = 77-79 C = 73-76 C-= 70-72
DLittle evidence of the ability to control the language for the purpose of making oneself understood. Little awareness of sentence structure and numerous grammatical and other errors. D+=67-69 D = 63-66 D-= 60-62
FNo evidence of the ability to control the language; failure to make oneself understood. F= 0-59

-ATTENDANCE REQUIREMENTS:
ATTENDANCE REQUIREMENTS AND EXAMINATION POLICY
You cannot make-up a major exam (midterm or final) without the permission of the Dean’s Office. The Dean’s Office will grant such permission only when the absence was caused by a serious impediment, such as a documented illness, hospitalization or death in the immediate family (in which you must attend the funeral) or other situations of similar gravity. Absences due to other meaningful conflicts, such as job interviews, family celebrations, travel difficulties, student misunderstandings or personal convenience, will not be excused. Students who will be absent from a major exam must notify the Dean’s Office prior to that exam. Absences from class due to the observance of a religious holiday will normally be excused. Individual students who will have to miss class to observe a religious holiday should notify the instructor by the end of the Add/Drop period to make prior arrangements for making up any work that will be missed. 

Regular attendance is an essential component of class participation. Students are allowed three unjustified absences. The final grade will be lowered by 2 points for each additional absence. 

If you should miss a class, please contact another student to find out what was covered that day so that you will be prepared for the next class. 

DURING CLASS, PLEASE DO NOT:

- leave the room as it is distracting to the professor and to your classmates;
- answer your cell phone, read or send text messages; 
- use your computer for anything not related to the class (e.g. Facebook)

The JCU Foreign Language Resource Center offers tutoring sessions free of charge. The FLRC is located at the Tiber Campus on the first floor. To schedule an appointment with a tutor (or a writing coach for upper-level courses), please use the online booking system.

How to get the most out of your tutoring session:

  • Come early in the semester. You will benefit more from tutoring if you come when you first begin having problems. 
  • Come prepared. Bring your textbook, notes, and review sheets with you. 
  • Attend classes regularly. Tutoring is designed to supplement class instruction, not to replace it.
ACADEMIC HONESTY
As stated in the university catalog, any student who commits an act of academic dishonesty will receive a failing grade on the work in which the dishonesty occurred. In addition, acts of academic dishonesty, irrespective of the weight of the assignment, may result in the student receiving a failing grade in the course. Instances of academic dishonesty will be reported to the Dean of Academic Affairs. A student who is reported twice for academic dishonesty is subject to summary dismissal from the University. In such a case, the Academic Council will then make a recommendation to the President, who will make the final decision.
STUDENTS WITH LEARNING OR OTHER DISABILITIES
John Cabot University does not discriminate on the basis of disability or handicap. Students with approved accommodations must inform their professors at the beginning of the term. Please see the website for the complete policy.

SCHEDULE

 

Week 1 (August 29, 31)

Introduce yourself.

Review: Describe with the past tense. Passato Prossimo and Imperfetto.   

 

Week 2 (September 5, 7)

Review: Descriptions. Comparative and superlative adjectives.     

Review: My life. Direct, indirect and reflexive pronouns. Possessive adjectives and pronouns.  

 

Week 3 (Sept. 12, 14)

Unit 4: Life in the city.  

How to express feelings. Present conditional: how to use it and conjugation.

Asking and giving advice.

 

Week 4 (Sept 19, 21)

TEST 1

Review

How to use ne.

The verb fare in the pronominal form.

TEST 1 Sept. 21

 

Week 5 (Sept. 26, 28)

Informal Imperative.

Unit 5: One apple a day.

Congiuntivo presente. Nomi alterati: i diminutivi.

 

Week 6 (October 3, 5)

Unit 5 (cont.) + Unit 7 pag. 121

Congiuntivo presente.

(Homework: composition)

 

Week 7 (Oct. 10, 12      

MIDTERM EXAM   on Thursday 12)

Review

MIDTERM EXAM

 

Week 8 (Oct. 17, 19)

 

Unit 6: Working environment.          

Imperativo informale supported by the pronouns.

The verbs bisogna, occorre, è necessario.

Profession and work lexicon.

 

Week 9 (Oct. 24, 26, 27)

Unit 6 (cont.)

Trapassato prossimo.

Indefinite pronouns and Determiners.

How to use ci.

 

Week 10 (Oct. 31, November 2)

Unit 7: News for everyone.

Condizionale passato (o composto).
(Homework: composition)

 

Week 11 (Nov. 7, 9)
TEST 2

Unit 7 (cont.)

Condizionale passato (o composto).

TEST 2 (Nov. 9)

 

Week 12 ( Nov. 14, 16 )

Unit 8: Looking for a house.

Imperativo formale. Infinitive used to give an order.

Oral Presentations

 

Week 13 Nov. 21

Congiuntivo passato. How to use the adverb insomma.

 

Week 14 (Nov. 28, 30)

General review.                                                                                                  

Final exam