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JOHN CABOT UNIVERSITY

COURSE CODE: "IT 101-14"
COURSE NAME: "Introductory Italian I"
SEMESTER & YEAR: Fall 2023
SYLLABUS

INSTRUCTOR: Elena Grillo
EMAIL: [email protected]
 HOURS: MW 10:00 AM 11:15 AM
TOTAL NO. OF CONTACT HOURS: 45
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.
SUMMARY OF COURSE CONTENT:
This course presents the first principles of Italian language, geography and culture in a student-centered learning environment.
LEARNING OUTCOMES:

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

        Students will study in depth the following grammar points:

        Definite and indefinite articles;  agreement nouns / adjectives;

        Present tense of regular and irregular verbs: past tense Passato prossimo

        Possessive adjectives; present of reflexive verbs.
TEXTBOOK:
Book TitleAuthorPublisherISBN numberLibrary Call NumberCommentsFormatLocal BookstoreOnline Purchase
New Italian Espresso WB Workbook_Beginner and pre-intermediategruppo italiaideaAlma Edizioni9788862827240  Hard CopyLa Feltrinelli, Largo di torre Argentina 
New Italian Espresso TX_Textbook_Beginner and pre-intermediategruppo italiaideaAlma Edizioni9788862827240  Hard CopyLa Feltrinelli, Largo di torre Argentina 
REQUIRED RESERVED READING:
NONE

RECOMMENDED RESERVED READING:
NONE
GRADING POLICY
-ASSESSMENT METHODS:
AssignmentGuidelinesWeight
2 tests 20%
Midterm Exam 15%
Final Exam  20%
Oral Proficiency (2) 15%
Class Partecipation and Homework 20%
Activities 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
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 ____________
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

 

 First Class

Competencies: Introducing yourself and a friend.

Grammar: Present tense. Alphabet. Pronunciation. Numbers from 0 to 20.

Vocabulary: Idiomatic expressions with Avere or Essere.

UNIT 1    Primi contatti            

Competencies: Introducing a person (formal and informal). Greeting people. Asking about pronunciation and spelling. Asking and giving phone number.

Grammar: First conjugation verbs. Preposition di, in.

Vocabulary: Greetings. Classroom objects. Adjectives of nationalities.

Culture: Saluti.

 

 

Week 2

 

 

UNIT 1 cont.

 

UNIT 2      Buon appetito!

Competencies: Ordering in a café and in a restaurant. Asking in a polite way. Asking for the bill. Asking for price.

Grammar: Plural and singular nouns. Interrogatives che cosa?,quanto?. Definite articles. Indefinite articles. Numbers from 20 to 100.

Vocabulary: Food and beverage. Meals.

Culture: Gelato che passione

 

                                                                       

Week 3

 

 

UNIT 2 cont.

 

 

Week 4

 

 

UNIT 3  Io e gli altri

Competencies: Introducing someone. Describing people’s activities. Asking for age and profession. Telling dates.

Grammar: Singular forms of present tense. Prepositions in, a, per. Formal.

Vocabulary: Professions. Days of the week. Workplaces.

Culture: Donne e lavoro in Italia

 

 

Week 5

 

 

UNIT 4         Tempo libero

Competencies: Talking about free time. Talking about how often one does something. Talking about people’s interests. Expressing preferences.

Grammar: Plural persons of present tense. Adverbs of frequency. Interrogatives. Present tense of irregular verbs.

Vocabulary: Leisure activities. Parts of the day. Expressions with the verb avere.

Culture: Ristorante, trattoria o…?

 

Attività 1

 

 

Week 6

 

 

UNIT 5   In giro per l’Italia

Competencies: Describing a city. Following and giving directions. Asking and telling time.

Grammar: Present tense of irregular verbs. Prepositions a, in. C’è, ci sono. Adjectives. Noun-adjective agreement.

Vocabulary:  Street directions. Shops and stores.

Culture: Quanta Italia c’è in te?

 

 

Week 7

 

Review Midterm 

Midterm Exam

    

Week 8

 

 

UNIT 6  In albergo

Competencies: Describing one’s favorite hotel. Describing a room. Asking for information on accommodation. Talking about one’s holiday activities. Describing a perfect vacation.

Grammar: Present tense of modal verbs. Preposition a + time. Compound prepositions.

Vocabulary: Time expressions. Home furniture and features. Months and seasons. Holiday activities.

Culture: Mancia e scontrino, che cosa sono

         

Week 9

 

 

UNIT 6 cont.

 

 

 

Week 10

 

 

UNIT 7      Un finesettimana

Competencies: Describing a perfect weekend. Talking about past actions. Understanding descriptions of past events. Specifying when a past event took place.

Grammar: Past tense passato prossimo .Forms and agreement of past participle. Irregular past participle. Ci vuole, ci vogliono.

Vocabulary: Weather conditions. Time expressions.

Culture: Dove Andiamo in vacanza?

 

 

Week 11

 

 

UNIT 7 cont.

 

              12

 

 

UNIT 8  Vita quotidiana

Competencies: Describing one’s work habits. Describing and asking about someone’s daily routine. Congratulating someone on special occasions and holidays. Saying the date.

Grammar: Prepositions da, a. Present tense of reflexive verbs. Possessive adjectives mio, tuo.

Vocabulary: Everyday actions. Congratulations and wishes.

Culture: Cosa regalano gli italiani.

 

 

Attività 2

 

Week 13

 

 

ORAL PRESENTATION

 

 

Week 14

 

 

 

Final Review

 

 

Final Examination