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JOHN CABOT UNIVERSITY

COURSE CODE: "IT 202"
COURSE NAME: "Intermediate Italian II"
SEMESTER & YEAR: Fall 2022
SYLLABUS

INSTRUCTOR: Federica Capoferri
EMAIL: [email protected]
 HOURS: TTH 6:00 PM 7:15 PM
TOTAL NO. OF CONTACT HOURS: 45
CREDITS: 3
PREREQUISITES: Prerequisite: Placement or IT 201 (As of Fall 2022: Placement or IT 201 with a grade of C or above)
OFFICE HOURS:
COURSE DESCRIPTION:
A continuation of IT 201. While continuing the review of grammar, the course emphasizes the development of reading and composition skills. Short stories, newspaper articles, and films supplement the textbook.
SUMMARY OF COURSE CONTENT:
This course concentrates on consolidating specific communicative tasks, including stating opinions and constructing hypotheses, in both speaking and writing. Specialized vocabulary is expanded and appropriate variables in register are introduced in expository writing and conversation. Please note that students who enroll in this level are supposed to have a solid knowledge of the topics covered in the previous levels. A PLACEMENT TEST will be held the first day of class. Students with gaps from previous levels are responsibile to work on them. FLRC can provide help, as well as digital resources provided by the Instructors.
The course is designed to review and study in depth the following grammar items:
  • Subjunctive mode: present, past, imperfect, and trapassato: Indicative Vs. Subjunctive
  • Passato Remoto
  • Formal Imperative
  • Past and present Conditional
  • If clause (periodo ipotetico)
  • Passive voice, impersonal forms, and Si passivante
  • Relative pronouns
  • Gerundio and Infinitive
LEARNING OUTCOMES:

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

-Understand written and spoken Italian at the upper intermediate level

-Participate in complex conversations on a variety of topics, using finite moods (indicative, subjunctive, conditional, and imperative) in present, past and future tense. 

-Ask for and obtain information in a variety of settings.

-Express opinions, feelings, needs, approval and disapproval

-Comprehend the general meaning and details of upper-intermediate level texts

-Produce written texts on a variety of topics.

-Express possibility and impossibility

-Make conjectures.

Numerical scale for grades:

A Excellent 94-100

A- 90-93

B+ 87-89

B Good 84-86

B- 80-83

C+ 77-79

 C Satisfactory 74-76

C- 70-73

D+ 67-69

D Poor but Passing 64-68

D- 60-63

F Failing Below 60 INC Incomplete P Passing (C or higher) NP Not Passing (C- or lower) W Withdrawal 
TEXTBOOK:
Book TitleAuthorPublisherISBN numberLibrary Call NumberCommentsFormatLocal BookstoreOnline Purchase
Spazio Italia. Vol 4 Corso di italiano per stranieri. Manuale+Eserciziario+ DVDM.G. Tommasini- F.M Diaco Loescher 9788820133511     
REQUIRED RESERVED READING:
NONE

RECOMMENDED RESERVED READING:
NONE
GRADING POLICY
-ASSESSMENT METHODS:
AssignmentGuidelinesWeight
Oral presentation10 minutes presentation (without reading) on a topic previously approved by the Instructor. You are welcome to use visual support such as power points but you are required to talk without reading. NO late assignments will be accepted. 5 %
Class Participation Students are supposed to actively participate to in-class activities and to come to class with all the homework done. Students without official permission ARE NOT ALLOWED TO ATTEND IN REMOTE. Students are allowed 3 absences. Any additional absences will result in a reduction of 2 points on the FINAL GRADE for each additional absence. 15%
Midterm ExamDivided in 4 parts: Listening; Grammar and Vocabulary in context; Reading Comprehension; Composition.20%
2 in-class tests Grammar and vocabulary; listening; reading comprehension; composition. NO MAKE-UP QUIZZES. no exceptions.10%
Final examFinal exam is divided in 4 parts: Listening, Grammar and Vocabulary in context, Reading comprehension, and Composition. 25%
   
   
in-class compositiona 100-words composition on a given topic5
HomeworkHome assignments must be submitted on Moodle. BY THE DUE DATE. More than 3 assignments not submitted or submitted after the deadline will result in a 0 for this portion of your grade. Homework should be done with care and attention: 1) NO isolated words as an answer: you need to write the ALL SENTENCE (or take a picture of you workbook), and clearly indicate pages and exercises number on your file. 2) Take time to look at your mistakes. PROGRESSION is a fundamental step for language classes: if you keep repeating the same mistakes, no progression is done. 20%
NUMERICAL SCALE FOR GRADESNumerical scale for grades: A Excellent 94-100 A- 90-93 B+ 87-89 B Good 84-86 B- 80-83 C+ 77-79 C Satisfactory 74-76 C- 70-73 D+ 67-69 D Poor but Passing 64-68 D- 60-63 F Failing Below 60 INC Incomplete P Passing (C or higher) NP Not Passing (C- or lower) W Withdrawal  

-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.
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 instructor can make changes. Please note that no make-ups are allowed for any of the graded assignments.

WEEK 1 (Sept. 6, 8)

Unit 1: “Ho viaggiato da Nord a Sud”.

Grammar: Review: Passato Prossimo vs. Imperfetto. Communicative Skills: Talks about geographical places, trips, relationships between places and people. Cultural contents:  Italian regions, cities, local and global cultures.

 

WEEK 2 (Sept. 13, 15, 16)

Unit 3: “Il Parlamento è eletto da tutti I cittadini”.

Grammar: Passive form. Communicative Skills: talk about Italian politics and governmental structure; make comparison with other national political structures. Cultural Contents: Introduction to the Italian Constitution

 

WEEK  3 (Sept. 20, 22)

Unit 3. Continue.

Grammar: Passive form with VENIRE E AVERE; passive SI vs. impersonal SI; Indefinitive adjectives (selection). Communicative skills: talk about Italian private and public life; talk about Italian politics and bureaucracy. Cultural Contents: Italian Republic system; Italian President; Italian Constitution

 

WEEK 4 (Sept. 27, 29)

Unit 4: “È importante impegnarsi affinché le cose vadano meglio”

Grammar: Present subjunctive. Communicative Skills: talk about Italian job market and entrepreneurship; express opinions on different working environments; talk about Italian manufacture tradition. Cultural contents: Made in Italy.

 

WEEK 5 (Oct. 4, 6)

Unit 4. Continue

Grammar: Past subjunctive; subjunctive moods in subordinate clauses. Communicative skills: prepare a job interview. Cultural contents: Italian job market. 

Oct. 6 TEST 1

 

WEEK 6 (Oct. 11, 13)

Unit 5 “Credevo che fosse agli Uffizi”.

Grammar: Imperfect Subjunctive. Comunicative Skills: describe art works; talk about your relationship with fine arts. Cultural contents: Italian cultural and artistic heritage.

 

WEEK 7 (Oct. 18, 20, 21)

MIDTERM REVIEW

OCT. 20: MIDTERM EXAM

OCT. 21. MIDTERM EXAM: Oral Comprehension Session

 

WEEK 8 (Oct. 25, 27)

Unit 6: “Avrei fatto volentieri lo scrittore!”

Grammar: Past Participle; Simple and Past Infinitive. Communicative skills: talk about writers and literary works; express ideas and comments on Italian literature. Cultural contents: introduction to the history of Italian language; literature in the era of digital devices

 

 WEEK 9 (Nov. 3)

Nov. 3. In-class composition

 

WEEK 10 (Nov. 8, 10)

Unit 6. Continue

Grammar: Simple and Past conditional; Present and Past Gerundive. Communicative skills: talk literary tests, authors, personal ideas on literature. Cultural contents: Italian literary tradition.

 

WEEK 11 (Nov. 15, 17)

Facciamo il punto! Practice on the consecution temporum.

Nov. 17: TEST 2.

 

WEEK 12 (Nov. 22)

Unit 7. "Se potessi andrei ogni sera a un concerto".

Grammar: Hypothetical tenses. Communicative skills: organize concerts, interview singers and composers. Cultural contents: Italian opera; Italian classic and pop music.

 

WEEK 13 (Nov. 29, Dec. 1,2)

Unit 7. Continue.+ Unit 8. "Alessandra dice che vorrebbe tornare a vivere in Italia".

Grammar: Direct and Indirect Speech. Communicative Skills: discuss regional Italian cultures. Cultural Contents: Dialects, Historical and cultural differences between Northern and Southern Italy.

Dec. 1, 2: Oral presentations

 

WEEK 14 (Dec. 6)

Review for Final