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JOHN CABOT UNIVERSITY

COURSE CODE: "IT 101-15"
COURSE NAME: "Introductory Italian I"
SEMESTER & YEAR: Fall 2019
SYLLABUS

INSTRUCTOR: Elena Grillo
EMAIL: [email protected]
HOURS: MW 1:00-2:50 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 RomanelliGarzanti978-88-6964-324-8     
REQUIRED RESERVED READING:
NONE

RECOMMENDED RESERVED READING:
NONE
GRADING POLICY
-ASSESSMENT METHODS:
AssignmentGuidelinesWeight
3 tests 15%
midterm exam  25%
Final Exam  25%
Oral proficiency 15%
Class participation 10%
Homework 10%

-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 co
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:

Students are supposed to come prepared to class and participate in all activities. Active participation is crucial, since the learning process requires considerable practice. Regular attendance is an essential component of classparticipation.Students are allowed three (four if it’s an eight-credit course) unjustified 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.

Two late entrances count as one absence.

MAKE-UPS

Individual arrangements for make-ups will be done only for students with medical emergencies or any other valid reasons. The Midterm and Final Exam can only be made up with approval from the Dean of Academic Affairs (Please see the John Cabot University Catalogue and Student Handbook).

Please refer to the university catalog for the attendance and absence policy.

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

Please note that the schedule is subject to change at the professor’s discretion



Week 1



UNIT 1_ Incontri

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.

Greetings. Introducing a person (formal and informal)

Present tense of the verb Presentare (to introduce).

Asking and telling a phone number.

 

Week 2



UNITA’ 2 Fare conoscenza

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

UNIT 3_Che lavoro fai?

Talking about work. Jobs. Asking for address. Present tense of Avere (to have) and Fare (to do). Definite articles.

Week 4

UNIT  3 (cont.)

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

Week 5

UNIT  4_ Un giorno in famiglia

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

UNIT  5_ A scuola di italiano

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).

 

Week 7

UNIT 6 _Nel tempo libero

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). In direct pronouns. Present continuous.

 

Week 8

Midterm Review

MIDTERM EXAM

 

 

Week 9

UNIT  7 _Fare la spesa (prima parte + pag. 144 da unità 9)

Grocery shopping. Describing food and eating habits.

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

 

Week 10

 

UNIT 11_Un fine settimana a Roma

Talking about a trip.

Past tense (passato prossimo). Past tense time adverbs.

Week 11

UNIT 11 (cont.)

Past tense of irregular and reflexive verbs.

Shopping for clothes. Giving a physical description of someone. Giving a description of someone’s personality.  Clothes. Colors.

Week 12

UNIT  8 _In giro per Siena

Asking and giving directions. Talking about the weather.

Present tense of sapere and conoscere (to know).

Week 13

Possessive adjectives.

Packet.

Oral presentation



Week 14

Final Review

 

Final Examination