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JOHN CABOT UNIVERSITY

COURSE CODE: "IT 101-16"
COURSE NAME: "Introductory Italian I"
SEMESTER & YEAR: Fall 2018
SYLLABUS

INSTRUCTOR: Sarah Franceschi
EMAIL: [email protected]
 HOURS: MW 5:00-6:50 PM
TOTAL NO. OF CONTACT HOURS: 60
CREDITS: 3
PREREQUISITES: This course carries 3 semester hours of credit.
OFFICE HOURS:
COURSE DESCRIPTION:
This course is designed to give students basic communicative ability in Italian. By presenting the language in a variety of authentic contexts, the course also seeks to provide an introduction to Italian culture and society. Students work on all four language skills: speaking, listening comprehension, reading, and writing. Note: This course carries 4 semester hours of credit during the Fall and Spring terms, 3 hours in Summer.
SUMMARY OF COURSE CONTENT:

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

  • Satisfy a limited number of immediate needs.
  • Understand and convey some spoken Italian through the knowledge and usage of familiar and memorized structures, on the most common features of daily life that require the interchange of simple and direct information.
  • Understand the general meaning of oral announcements and brief texts on familiar subjects with simple morphology and lexicon.
  • Produce one-paragraph texts with limited formulaic information by using elementary functions
LEARNING OUTCOMES:

Listening

  • In-class listening activities: Students will listen to the instructor and to recorded texts the duration of which will be at least 250 words. Students will have to answer (orally and in writing) an increasing number of questions that test their comprehension of what they have heard.

Speaking

  • In-class oral activities and exams: Students will be examined singularly and in pairs. The type of tests will be: conversation between two students, monologues, role playing. The multiplicity of situations and the request to express personal opinions will increase from elementary level to advanced level. Conversations, monologues and role playing will be elicited by visual stimuli, texts, or questions from the instructor.

Reading

  • In-class activities and exams: Students will have to read an increasing number of texts of increasing length, complexity and of different genres. They will have to answer in writing several questions that test their comprehension of what they have read.

Writing

  • Homework assignments and exams: Students will have to answer written questions and produce written texts of increasing length, formality and complexity on topics of every day life.
TEXTBOOK:
Book TitleAuthorPublisherISBN numberLibrary Call NumberCommentsFormatLocal BookstoreOnline Purchase
Percorso Italia A1-A2Patota-RomanelliGarzanti linguistica9788848040419     
Gramm.itIacovoni-Persiano-FiorentinoBonacci9788875734305     
REQUIRED RESERVED READING:
NONE

RECOMMENDED RESERVED READING:
NONE
GRADING POLICY
-ASSESSMENT METHODS:
AssignmentGuidelinesWeight
4 quizzesThe 4 quizzes are designed to evaluate the student's knowledge of the grammar, vocabolary covered, their reading and listening comprehension, and written ability.20%
Oral presentation/oral proficiencyIn-class oral activities and one oral presentation. Students are examined singularly, in pairs and in a small groups.The types of tests are: conversations between the two students or the small groups, monologues, role-playing. Conversations, monologues and role-playing are elicited by visual stimuli or questions from instructor.20%
Class partecipation/HomeworkStudents are expected to come prepared to class and participate in all activities. Active participation is crucial, since the learning process requires considerable practice.20%
Final examThe final exam is designed to evaluate the student's knowledge of the grammar and the vocabolary covered, their reading and listening comprehension and written ability. 30% 20%
Midterm examThe midterm exam is designed to evaluate the student's knowledge of the grammar and vocabulary covered up to this point, their reading and listening comprehension and written ability.20%

-ASSESSMENT CRITERIA:
AWork of this quality directly addresses the question or problem raised and provides a coherent argument displaying an extensive knowledge of relevant information or content. This type of work demonstrates the ability to critically evaluate concepts and theory and has an element of novelty and originality. There is clear evidence of a significant amount of reading beyond that required for the course.
BThis is highly competent level of performance and directly addresses the question or problem raised.There is a demonstration of some ability to critically evaluatetheory and concepts and relate them to practice. Discussions reflect the student’s own arguments and are not simply a repetition of standard lecture andreference material. The work does not suffer from any major errors or omissions and provides evidence of reading beyond the required assignments.
CThis is an acceptable level of performance and provides answers that are clear but limited, reflecting the information offered in the lectures and reference readings.
DThis level of performances demonstrates that the student lacks a coherent grasp of the material.Important information is omitted and irrelevant points included.In effect, the student has barely done enough to persuade the instructor that s/he should not fail.
FThis work fails to show any knowledge or understanding of the issues raised in the question. Most of the material in the answer is irrelevant.
-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. The final exam period runs until December 14.

Regular attendance is an essential component of class participation. Students are allowed 4 absences. The final grade will be lowered by 2 points for each additional absence. Make sure your travel plans do not interfere with the class schedule. Arriving in class with more than 15 minutes late will be considered half absence.



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

 

 

 

SCHEDULE

 

PLEASE NOTE THAT THE SCHEDULE IS SUBJECT TO CHANGE AT THE PROFESSOR’S DISCRETION

 

 Week 1 

 

September 3,5

 

Introducing yourself . Present tense of the verbs Essere (to be), Chiamarsi (my name is....), Avere ( to have), Abitare (to live), and Studiare (to study). The Italian Alphabet. Pronunciation of soft and hard sounds. Numbers from 0 to 20. Idiomatic expressions with Avere or Essere.

UNIT 1                

Greetings. Introducing a person (formal and informal)

Present tense of the verb Presentare (to introduce).

Asking and telling a phone number.

 

Week 2

 

Sept. 10,12

 

UNIT 2

Asking nationality. Nationalities. Ordering in a caffè.                      

Present tense of regular verbs and verbs in _ISC. Undefinite aticles. Nouns ending in –o and –a. Nouns ending in –e.

Prepositions a, di, da.

Numbers from 20 to 100.

 

 

Week 3 

 

Sept.17,19

 

UNIT 3

Talking about work. Jobs. Asking for address.

Present tense of Avere (toh ave) and Fare (to do). Definite articles.

 

 

September 19            QUIZ 1

 

 

 Week 4 

 

Sept. 24,26

 

UNIT 3

Talking about family. Telling age and asking for age. Family nouns.

 

                       

 Week 5 

 

October 1,3                   

 

UNIT 4

Talking about a typical day.Talking about how often you do something. Asking and telling time. Days of the week.

Present tense of reflexive verbs. Adverbs of frequency. Present tense of irregular verbs andare (to go), uscire (to go out) and stare (to stay/to be).

 

 

 

 

 

 Week 6 

 

Oct. 8,10

 

UNIT 5 

Enrolling in a class. Seasons and months. Asking and giving timetable information. Writing a letter.

There is and there are. Simple prepositions. Compound prepositions. Present tens of Volere (to want).

 

 

 

October 8           QUIZ 2

 

 Week 7 

 

Oct. 15,17           

Midterm Review

 

October 17  MIDTERM

 

 Week 8 

 

Oct, 22, 24

 

UNIT 6

Talking about leisure time. Expressing likes and preferences. Inviting someone. Best wishes and congratulations.

Present tens of modal verbs. Mi piace/mi piacciono (I like). Indirect pronouns. Present continuous.

 

 

Week 9 

 

Oct. 29,31

 

UNIT 11

Talking about a trip.

Past tense. Past tense time adverbs.

 

 

 

 

 Week 10 

 

November 5,7

 

UNIT 11

 

Past tense of irregular and reflexive verbs

November 7              QUIZ 3

 

 Week 11 

 

Nov. 12,14

 

UNIT 7

Grocery shopping. Describing food and eating habits.

Direct pronom ne. Ci vuole/ci vogliono (you need).

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 Week 12 

 

Nov. 19,21 

 

UNIT 8

Asking and giving directions. Talking about the weather.

Present tense of sapere and conoscere (to know).

 

 

 Week 13

 

Nov. 26,28

 

November 26                      Unità 8 cont.

November 28           QUIZ 4

 

 Week 14

 

Dicember 3,5           

 

December 3 Oral presentation

                       
December 5 Final Review

 

 

 

 

December 10-14 Final Examination