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JOHN CABOT UNIVERSITY

COURSE CODE: "IT 102-2"
COURSE NAME: "Introductory Italian II"
SEMESTER & YEAR: Spring 2024
SYLLABUS

INSTRUCTOR: Anna Mauceri Trimnell
EMAIL: [email protected]
 HOURS: TTH 8:30 AM 9:45 AM
TOTAL NO. OF CONTACT HOURS: 45
CREDITS: 3
PREREQUISITES: This course carries 3 semester hours of credit. Prerequisite: Placement or IT 101(As of Fall 2022: Placement or IT 101 with a grade of C or above)
OFFICE HOURS:
COURSE DESCRIPTION:
A continuation of IT101. This course aims at developing and reinforcing the language skills acquired in Introductory Italian I, while placing special emphasis on oral communication.
SUMMARY OF COURSE CONTENT:

This course presents the first principles of Italian language, geography and culture in a student-centered learning environment.
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-paragraphtexts with limited formulaic information by using elementary functions.

Students will study in depth the following grammar points:
Present tense of regular and irregular verbs; Past tense (Passato Prossimo- Imperfetto); Possessive adjectives; Present and Past tense of reflexive verbs. Direct\ Indirect Pronouns; Future Tense; Imperative.
LEARNING OUTCOMES:

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

  • understand written and spoken Italian, through the knowledge of simple structures. Situations will be varied, but general and such as to require an interchange of every day information and routine tasks. 
  • participate in simple, direct conversations on generally predictable topics related to daily activities and personal environment. 
  • satisfy simple personal needs and social demands to survive in the target language culture. 
  • comprehend the general meaning and some details of texts on familiar topics.
  • produce brief texts on topics of personal interests and social needs, primarily in the present, past, and future.

    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
TEXTBOOK:
Book TitleAuthorPublisherISBN numberLibrary Call NumberCommentsFormatLocal BookstoreOnline Purchase
New Italian Espresso Workbook Beginner and pre-intermediate UPDATED EDITION ebookGruppo italiaideaAlma Edizioni978-88-61827301     
New Italian Espresso Textbook Beginner and pre-intermediate Updated edition Textbook+ebookGruppo italiaideaAlma Edizioni978-88-61827240  Hard Copy  
REQUIRED RESERVED READING:
NONE

RECOMMENDED RESERVED READING:
NONE
GRADING POLICY
-ASSESSMENT METHODS:
AssignmentGuidelinesWeight
TESTSThe two tests are designed to evaluate the student's knowledge of the grammar, vocabulary coverd, their reading and listening comprehension and written ability.20%
Compositions2 Short Written compositions in class10%
Oral ProficiencyIn-class oral activities and 2 Oral presentations. Students are examined singularly and in pairs or small groups. The types of tests are: conversation between the two students or the small groups, monologues, role playing. Conversations, monologues and role playing are elicited by visual stimuli or questions from the instructor.15%
Class attendance\participation\Forum and HomeworkStudents are expected to come prepared to class and participate in all activities. Active participation is crucial in class since the learning process requires considerable practice. Students must show interest through asking questions, responding to the professor or other students, overcome shyness and showing interest in what they are learning Students must try to use the Italian language in group or pair activities and follow class rules. It is mandatory for the students to have and use both the student’s book and the workbook in the format required. Students are expected to log into the Moodle platform at least once a week and complete all the required Moodle activities ( assignments, videos, written assignments etc.). The activity completion and the login activity will be tracked by the platform. Homework must be done using the dedicated platforms (BlinkLearning and Moodle).15%
Final ExamThe final exam is designed to evaluate the student's knowledge of the grammar and vocabulary covered, their reading and listening comprehension, and the written ability. The Final will include a final project.20%
Midterm examThe midterm exam is cumulative and is designed to evaluate the student's knowledge of the grammar and vocabulary covered, their reading and listening comprehension, and the written ability. 20%

-ASSESSMENT CRITERIA:
AExcellent command of the language consistent with the level of proficiency. Appropriate command of sentence structure, lexis, register and idiom
BGood command of the language, consistent with the level of proficiency. Competent manipulation of sentence structure, with some evidence of development and complexity; small occurrence of grammatical errors. Work will be broadly coherent and comprehensible, good manipulation of sentence structure; grammatical and other errors will not impede comprehension.
CEvidence of the ability to control the language for the purpose of effective communication, consistent with the level of proficiency. Work will be comprehensible; sentence structure will be very simple and grammatical and other errors will be frequent but not as serious to impede comprehension.
DLittle evidence of the ability to control the language for the purpose of making oneself understood. Little awareness of sentence structure and numerous grammatical and other errors.
FNo evidence of the ability to control the language; failure to make oneself understoo
-ATTENDANCE REQUIREMENTS:

Students are expected 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 class participation. Students are allowed three  absences. The final grade will be lowered by 2 points for each additional absence.

After you use all your absences you should fill the Petition to have an excused absence.

This  form for the Petition should only be completed if students have exhausted all absences allowed by the attendance policy . Until you have used all the allowed absences, you should NOT request an exemption from the attendance policy, regardless of the cause for the absence (no matter how dramatic or mundane—from a broken leg to a broken alarm clock). 

 A link to the form is placed in both the student and faculty sections of MyJCU and on the Registrar’s webpage.   

Make sure your travel plans do not interfere with the class schedule.
If you should miss a class, please contact another student to find out what was covered that day so that you will be prepared for the next class.

DURING CLASS, PLEASE DO NOT:

-arrive late or  leave the room as it is distracting to the professor and to your classmates;

- answer your cell phone, read or send text messages;

- use your computer for anything not related to the class 

MAKE-UPS
If you miss an exam or an assignment the professor  decides  to have the weight of the missed exam shifted to another assessment or if is really necessary to organize a make up.
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
  

 

COMMUNICATIVE FUNCTIONS

VOCABULARY

GRAMMAR

CULTURE

Week 1

 

 

UNIT 1-6

Introducing yourself.

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

Entrance Test

Review of Present tense Irregular verbs and agreement

 

 

Italy's most visited cities

Week 2

 

UNIT8

Describing a typical day

Describing your daily routine

Everyday actions

Talking and writing about one’s family

Present tense of

reflexive verbs

Position of reflexive

Italian Public Holiday

I gesti italiani

Italian gift-giving habits

Week 3

 

UNIT 7

 

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

Past Tense review and use. Past participle regular \ irregular. Use of auxiliary essere\avere

 

 

 

Video corso 6 “In vacanza”

Holidays in Italy

Week 4

 

 

UNIT 7 cont.

 

TEST 1

Descriptions in the past. Telling past events

Time expressions: stamattina,ieri, l’altro ieri, scorso, fa, già,appena, non ancora

Present tense of reflexive verbs Past tense of regular verbs. Transitive\intransitive verbs.

Jobs in Italy

Week 5

 

UNIT 9

Talk about family members\relations

 

Possessive adjectives

• past tense: passato prossimo

form of reflexive verbs

Video corso 8 "L'agenda di Laura

 

Week 6

 

UNIT 10

Composition 1

Talking about one’s eating habits

Talking about typical Italian recipes

Describing one’s favorite recipe

Grocery shopping

Indicate quantities

Organizing a picnicfood and dishes

Measurement units: grammo,chilo, etto, litro

food packaging

Direct Pronouns forms and position

Direct pronouns and use of NE

Indefinite Pronouns

 

 

Video corso 10 "Il panino perfetto"

 

•History of pasta

Week 7

 

Unit 11

 

Oral presentation 1

Talking and asking about eventsthat will occur in the future

Writing a short article on future

Fashion styles

Future tense regular and irregular forms
Indirect pronouns

Video corso 11 Come mi sta?

 

Week 8

 

Unit 11

 

Midterm exam

Shopping for clothes and shoes

Making a polite request

Describing one’s look on special occasions

Colors, fabrics and fabricpatterns

Clothing and shoe sizes

Direct and indirect pronouns
Verbs+ indirect pronouns- Piacere+ indirect pronouns

Clothing- Fashion in Italy

Week 9

 

UNIT 12

Describing past situationsand actions that occurredrepeatedly

Talking about one’s childhood

Past tense: Imperfetto regular and irregular forms

Animals and metaphors in Italian

Week 10

 

Unit 12

Composition 2

Writing a short news story

 

 

Passato prossimo vs. imperfetto

Agreement between direct pronouns and past participles

 

Week 11

 

Unit 13

TEST 2

Understanding and givingphysical descriptions

Describing one’s personality

Reading one’s horoscope

Making, accepting and refusingan invitation

Describing actions which aregoing on right now

Writing a short fiction story

Avere with cominciare andfinire

Superlativo assoluto with molto +

adjective or suffix -issimo

Molto (adjective and adverb)

Progressive form with stare +gerundio

Present gerund forms of regularand irregular verbs (dire, fare,bere)

Famous Italians

Week 12

 

Unit 15

Understanding travel brochuresand travel blogs

Understanding and givingorders, recommendations andinstructions

Imperativo informale singolare and imperativo plurale

Position of direct and indirect pronouns with imperativo

Contracted forms of imperative (va’, da’, di’, fa’, sta’)

Irregular forms of imperative (abbi, bevi, sii)

Italians habits and traditions

Week 13

 

Unit 15 cont

Writing a short article on thedo’s and don’ts for tourists

Coming to your country

Underlining cultural differences

Contracted forms of imperative (va’, da’, di’, fa’, sta’)

Irregular forms of imperative (abbi, bevi, sii)

 

Week 14

 

 

ORAL PRESENTATION 2

Final Review

 

 

Week 15

 

Final exam