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JOHN CABOT UNIVERSITY

COURSE CODE: "IT 101-14"
COURSE NAME: "Introductory Italian I"
SEMESTER & YEAR: Fall 2024
SYLLABUS

INSTRUCTOR: Angela Eliseo
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: By appointment, after class
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:
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.
LEARNING OUTCOMES:

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

  • satisfy a very 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.

 

Letter Grades and Numerical Values

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
Un nuovo giorno in Italia A1 Loredana Chiappini e Nuccia De Filippo Bonacci9788820127985  Hard Copy  
REQUIRED RESERVED READING:
NONE

RECOMMENDED RESERVED READING:
NONE
GRADING POLICY
-ASSESSMENT METHODS:
AssignmentGuidelinesWeight
2 Tests Tests evaluate vocabulary and structures learned together in class, on Moodle, or by self-study.15 %
Oral ProficiencyOne in class Dialogue (5%); One Oral Exam (5%); All everyday in class or on Moodle activities in which speaking is required (10%)20 %
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.30 %
Participation and HomeworkStudents are expected to come prepared to class, and participate in all activities (individual, small groups, whole class works etc.). Active participation is crucial, since the learning process requires considerable practice. Participation also includes cooperation among students, and sharing doubts or ideas about homework, class assignments or new topics that were studied. Self-study is crucial to reinforce what learned in class and to be ready to move on on different and new topics. Homework will be assigned at the end of each session, and will be visible on current Moodle Week at the label called "Homework". Make sure your Homework is always submitted before next class. Possible types of Homework: writing or recording on Moodle Forum, answering questions in the Moodle assignment activity, work on specific exercises on paper or online, listening practice, reading, writing sentences or vocabulary lists. The activity completion and the login activity will be tracked by the platform. 15%
Midterm ExamThe Midterm Exam 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:
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:

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 class participation. Students are allowed three unjustified absences. The final grade will be lowered for additional absences.

Students seeking an exemption from attendance must submit an online petition to the Academic Dean’s Office. Professors should not receive or see medical documentations from students. 

Non-remote students occasionally joining online will be marked as absent.

Two late entrances count as one absence.

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).

FLRC

The JCU Foreign Language Resource Center offers tutoring sessions free of charge. The FLRC is located at the Tiber Campus on the first floor. To schedule an appointment with a tutor (or a writing coach for upper-level courses), please use the online booking system.

 
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

Unit

Communicative Functions

Grammar

Vocabulary and Culture

 

Week 1

2, 4 Sept.

 

 

Prima di tutto



 

Introducing yourself.

Present tense of the verbsEssere(to be),Chiamarsi(my name is....).

 

The Italian Alphabet.

 

Pronunciation of soft and hard sounds.

Numbers from 0 to 20.

 

Nationality adjectives.

 

Italy and Italian symbols

Week 2

9, 11 Sept.

 

 

 

 

Episode 1

 

Milano: Stazione Centrale, ore 8.15

Asking "Where are you from?"

Nouns genders and numbers.

 

Indefinite articles.“Dov’è?” “Chi è?” .

Some adverbs of place.

 

Names of some everyday objects.

Week 3

16, 18 Sept.

 

 

 

 

Episode 1 (Cont)

Asking and telling the time.

Prepositions a\all’\alle

Position of objects in space.

 

The Train Station: people, places and services.

 

 

Week 4

23, 25 Sept.

 

Test 1 on Wednesday

 

Episode 2

 

Dov’è Piero Ferrari e perché non arriva

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Use of TU and LEI informal\formal.

 

Be able to thank, accept or reject something; describe moods, needs and feelings.

Present tense of the verbAvere(To have). Present tense ofStare.

 

Present tense of regular verbs in the 3 conjugations, singular subjects.

 

The negative sentence.

Idiomatic expressions withAvereorEssere.

 

The weather.

 

Greetings.

 

Secondo me / secondo te…

 

Use of conjunctionPerché.

Week 5

30 Sept, 2 Oct.

Episode 3

 

Com’è bella Milano d’estate al mattino!

Describe environments and people.

 

 

Adjectives-nouns agreement.

 

Present tense ofAndare(To go).

Colours; Ways of Transport; Adjectives to describe someone’s appearance and personality.

 

Milano: the city and its most interesting places.

Week 6

7, 9 Oct.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Episode 3 (Cont.)

Understand simple informative texts.

Ask and give directions.

 

Ask and say the date.

Use ofC’è/ Ci sono(There is\ There are).

Seasons and months.

Days of the week.

The apartment; the neighborhoods; the bedroom.

Week 7

14, 16 Oct.

 

Oral Exam 1

 

 

 

 

 

General Review

 

 

Week 8

21, 23 Oct.

 

 

Midterm exam on Monday

Episode 4

Passeggeri

 

 

 

 

Describing activities.

 

Describe a typical day.

 

Making simple hypothesis about your own needs.

 

Present tense of regular verbs. The 3 conjugations.

People and objects in a train.

 

Daily and free time actions.

 

Parts of the Day

Week 9

28, 30 Oct.

 

 

 

 

Episode 4 (Cont.)

 

 

 

 

 

Episode 7

 

La ragazza con I capelli viola

Talking about frequency of actions.

 

Talking about jobs.

 

Present tense of irregular verbs.

 

Adverbs of frequency.

 

 

 

Present tense of reflexive verbs.

 

 

Work and professions.

 

Positive and negative characteristics of different jobs.

 

Daily actions and routines.

 

Compare different habits and attitudes of different countries

 

Week 10

 

4, 6 Nov.

 

 

 


 

 

Episode 5

 

Il treno corre

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Go grocery shopping; making requests in a polite way.

 

Talk about what one want and have to do; talk about your own abilities.

Definite articles. article+noun+adjective agreement.

 

Present tense of modal verbs and verbSapere.

 

 

Italian Food.

 

Own abilities.

 

Vorrei…(to ask for something politely)

 

Emilia Romagna (Italian Region)

Week 11

11, 13 Nov.

 

 

 

 

 

Test 2 on Wednesday

Episode 6

 

Giovani viaggiatori

 

 

Talk about family.

 

Express preferences and tastes.

Present tense of regular verbs and verbs ending in ISC.

Possessive Adjectives.

Idiomatic use of fare verb;

Use of Mi pace/mi piacciono.

 

Family members names.

 

Week 12

18, 20 Nov.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Episode 6 (Cont)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Episode 8

 

Bologna, piazza Grande

Ask and say what you like, don’t like, prefer.

 

Read/Write about your own family, your life, hobbies and studies.

 

Description in the past; talk about past events.

Verb Piacere, use and conjugation.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Past tense Passato prossimo with essere or avere.

Activities and sports.

Week 13

25, 27 Nov

 

 

 

 

Week 14

2, 4 Dec.

 

 

Oral Exam 2

Episode 8 (Cont.)

Final