Course Syllabus

JOHN CABOT UNIVERSITY

COURSE CODE: "IT 101-2"
COURSE NAME: "Introductory Italian I"
SEMESTER & YEAR: Spring 2020

SYLLABUS

INSTRUCTOR: Elisa Marani
EMAIL: [email protected]
HOURS: TTH 9:20 AM 11:10 AM
TOTAL NO. OF CONTACT HOURS: 60
CREDITS: 3
PREREQUISITES: This course carries 3 semester hours of credit.
OFFICE HOURS: by appointment

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 completion of this course, students can understand and use familiar everyday expressions and very basic phrases aimed at the satisfaction of needs of concrete type. They can introduce themselves and others and can ask and answer questions about personal details such as where they live, people they know and things they have. They can interact in a simple way provided the other person talks slowly and clearly and is prepared to help.

Listening Proficiency Scales: Students can understand everyday expressions dealing with simple and concrete everyday needs, in clear, slow and repeated speech. They can follow speech which is very slow and carefully articulated, with long pauses for them to get the meaning and can understand questions and instructions and follow short, simple directions. They can understand numbers, prices and times.

Reading Proficiency Scales: At this level, students can understand the general idea of simple informational texts and short simple descriptions, especially if they contain pictures which help to explain the text. They can understand very short, simple texts, putting together familiar names, words and basic phrases, by, for example, rereading parts of the text. They can follow short, simple written instructions, especially if they contain pictures. They are able to recognize familiar names, words and very simple phrases on simple notices in the most common everyday situations. They can understand short, simple messages, e.g. on cell phones.

Speaking Proficiency Scales: Students at this level can ménage very short, isolated, mainly pre-packaged utterances, with much pausing to search for the expressions, to articulate less familiar words, and to repair communication. They have a very basic range of simple expressions about personal details and needs of a concrete type. They have a basic vocabulary repertoire of isolated words and phrases related to particular concrete situations. They show only limited control of a few simple grammatical structures and sentence patterns in a learnt repertoire. Pronunciation of a very limited repertoire of learnt words and phrases can be understood with some effort by native speakers used to dealing with speakers of their language group. They can establish basic social contact by using the simplest everyday polite forms of: greetings and farewells; introductions; saying please, thank you, sorry, etc. They can link words or groups of words with very basic linear connectors like 'and' or 'then'.

Writing Proficiency Scales: They can write simple notes to friends, can describe where they live and can fill in forms with personal details. They are able to write simple isolated phrases and sentences and can write a short simple composition. They can write short letters and messages with the help of a dictionary.

LEARNING OUTCOMES:

Students will be able to use the following:

Functions: Directions; describing habits and routines; giving personal information; greetings; telling the time; understanding and using numbers; understanding and using prices.

Grammar: Adjectives: common and demonstrative; agreement nouns - adjectives; definite and indefinite articles; adverbs of frequency; present tense of regular and irregular verbs; how much/how many and very common uncountable nouns; intensifiers (basic); modals; (passato prossimo); possessive adjectives; prepositions (simple and combined); prepositions of time and space; direct pronouns (basic); I like it - I don't like it; I would like; there is / are; reflexive verbs and pronouns.

Discourse Markers: Connecting words, and, but, because.

Lexis: Food and drink; Nationalities and countries; personal information; things in town, shops and shopping; description of people, places and objects.

Topics: Family life; college life; hobbies and pastimes; holidays; leisure activities; shopping; work and jobs.

TEXTBOOK:

Book Title	Author	Publisher	ISBN number	Library Call Number	Comments	Format	Local Bookstore	Online Purchase
New Italian Espresso Textbook Livello A1-A2	Gruppo Italiaidea	Alma	9788861823549

REQUIRED RESERVED READING:

NONE

RECOMMENDED RESERVED READING:

NONE

GRADING POLICY
-ASSESSMENT METHODS:

Assignment	Guidelines	Weight
3 Tests		20 %
Midterm Exam		20 %
2 Oral Presentations		20 %
Final Exam		30 %
Attendance, Participation, and 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 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

Students are supposed to come prepared to class and participate in all activities. Active participation is crucial, as the learning process requires considerable practice. Regular attendance is an essential component of class participation. Students are allowed two (2) 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.

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. Students who are 5 or more minutes late to class will be counted tardy. Students will receive two "free tardies". These provide for valid reasons. A third tardy in a class will constitute an 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

Settimana

Martedì

Giovedì

Lezione 1

Primi contatti

21

Competencies: Greetings, introducing oneself, asking personal questions (name, nationality, place of origin)

Grammar: Present tense of essere, chiamarsi and first conjugation verbs (singular forms: io and tu),the alphabet, singular forms of adjectives ending in -o and -a

23

Competencies: Giving one's phone number, asking someone how he/she is and saying how one is doing, formal and informal address, asking how to say something in Italian

Grammar: Country names, preposition di + city names and in + city and country names, negation non, numbers from 0 to 20

Lezione 2

Buon appetito

28

Competencies: Order in a cafè, asking for things in a polite way, pointing at close/far away objects

Grammar: plural and singular nouns, interrogatives (che cosa, che, quanto), demonstrative (singular) pronouns (questo, quello), definite articles

Vocabulary: food and beverages, meals

30

Competencies: Order in a restaurant, getting someone's attention, asking for price/ the bill, thanking someone

Grammar: indefinite articles, conjugation o, cardinal numbers from 20 to 100

Vocabulary: food and beverages, meals

III

Lezione 3

Io e gli altri

4 febbraio

Competencies: Introducing someone, describing people's activities on a specific day of the week, asking for/giving someone's age , asking for someone's profession and mentioning one's occupation

Grammar: third singular person of essere, present tense: third singular person of first, second and third conjugation verbs, present tense singular forms of irregular verbs (avere, fare, andare, stare),

Vocabulary: world languages, professions, days of the week, workplaces

- Test 1 review

6

Test 1

IV

Lezione 4

Tempo libero

Competencies: :Giving personal details on someone, telling dates, talking about free time and leisure activities, talking about how often one does something (Lezione 4)

Grammar: prepositions in + country names and per + city and country names, present tense plural persons of first, second and third conjugation verbs, adverbs of frequency, mai + non, interrogatives (com'è, con chi, di che cosa, quanti, perchè, dove, come) (Lezione 4)

Vocabulary: leisure activities, parts of the day, main university programs

13

Competencies: talking about people's interests and occupations, expressing one's likes and dislikes

Grammar: present tense complete conjugation of avere, andare, fare, essere, stare, bere. Sapere vs conoscere, piacere

Vocabulary: leisure activities, parts of the day, main university programs

Lezione 5

In giro per l' Italia

18

Competencies: Describing a city, a neighborhood, a street, talking about the quality of life in a given city

Grammar: present tense complete conjugation of dare, dire, rimanere, uscire and venire, preposition a vs preposition in + means of transport, c'è/ci sono

Vocabulary: Italy's major cities and monuments, means of transport, opposite pairs of common adjectives

20

Competencies: following and giving street directions, asking and telling the time

Grammar: singular and plural forms of adjectives ending with -o,-a,and -e, noun-adjective agreement, prepositions of place

Vocabulary: street directions, street furniture and urban environment, shopes and stores, Italian equivalent for PM and AM

Lezione 6

In albergo

25

Oral Presentation I
(Specific instructions will be posted on myjcu)

27

Competencies: booking a hotel room, asking for information on accommodation, other communicative activities

Grammar: present tense modal verbs dovere, potere and volere, adverbs bene and male

Vocabulary: hotel room types and features, home furniture and features

- Midterm review

VII

3 marzo

Midterm Exam

5

(10-12 Spring Break)

VIII

Lezione 8

Vita quotidiana

17

Competencies: Activities on modal verbs, describing and asking about one's work habits and daily routine, saying the date (Lezione 8)

Grammar: modal verbs, present tense reflexive verbs, the date, possessive adjectives singular and plural form of mio and tuo (Lezione 8)

Vocabulary: everyday actions

19

Competencies: Describing and asking about one's weekly agenda

Grammar: reflexive verbs, prepositions da...a, finire and cominciare + prepositions di and a

Vocabulary: everyday actions, congratulations and wishes for special occasions

Lezione 7

Un fine settimana

24

Competencies: understanding travel brochures, describing a weekend, talking about past actions

Grammar: past tense passato prossimo, forms and agreement of the past participle, few irregular past participle

Vocabulary: time expressions

- Test 2 review

26

Test 2

X

Lezione 7

Un fine settimana

Competencies: specifying when a past event took place, asking for and providing information on means of transport, prices and time

Grammar: passato prossimo, other irregular past participle, verbs taking essere as an auxiliary, ci vuole/ci vogliono

Vocabulary: time expressions

2 aprile

Competencies: communicative activies on the passato prossimo

Grammar: past tense regular and irregular

Vocabulary: time expressions

Lezione 9

La famiglia

7

Competencies: describing a family tree, talking and writing about one's family and family habits

Grammar: possessive adjectives (all forms), possessive adjectives + nouns referring to family relashionships

Vocabulary: family relashionships

9

Competencies: talking about past events, inquiring about someone's past actions

Grammar: passato prossimo of reflexive verbs

Vocabulary: family relashionships

- Test 3 review

XII

Lezione 10

Sapori d' Italia

14

Test 3

16

Competencies: talking about one's eating habits, doing grocery shopping, indicating quantities

Grammar: direct pronouns forms and position, partitive use of preposition di
Vocabulary: food and dishes, measurements units, food packaging

XIII

Lezione 11

Fare acquisti

21

Competencies: shopping for clothes and shoes, making a polite request

Grammar: direct pronouns forms and position

Vocabulary: colors, fabrics, clothing

23

Oral Presentation II
(Specific instructions will be posted on myjcu)

XIV
Review week

   28
Final Review

30
Final Review
Last day of classes

Homework will be assigned on a daily basis on myjcu.
Please keep track of it and keep up with it.
Please note that the distinction between competencies and grammar is purely indicative. Each class will include a grammar and vocabulary part along with the related communicative activities.
Please note that the schedule is subject to change at the professor’s discretion