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JOHN CABOT UNIVERSITY

COURSE CODE: "IT 201-2"
COURSE NAME: "Intermediate Italian I"
SEMESTER & YEAR: Fall 2024
SYLLABUS

INSTRUCTOR: Ada Bertini Bezzi
EMAIL: [email protected]
 HOURS: MW 11:30 AM 12:45 PM
TOTAL NO. OF CONTACT HOURS: 45
CREDITS: 3
PREREQUISITES: Prerequisite: Placement, IT 102, or IT 103 (As of Fall 2022: Placement or IT 102 with a grade of C or above)
OFFICE HOURS:
COURSE DESCRIPTION:
A continuation of IT 102. This course focuses on consolidating the student’s ability to use Italian effectively. Emphasis is given to grammar review and vocabulary expansion. Selected readings and films acquaint students with contemporary Italy.
SUMMARY OF COURSE CONTENT:

Students who enroll in Italian 201 are supposed to hav a strong knowlegde of the topics convered in IT 101 and IT 102. There will be a Placement Test the first day of class: students who have gaps are responsible to make up what they missed in the previous levels. The FLRC can provide tutoring sessions and the Instructor will be provide digital resources to help students in their review.

Italian 201, which is conducted solely in Italian, is designed to review and study in-depth the following grammar points:

·         Review: Present Perfect and Present Perfect with Modal Verbs

·         Review: Imperfect Tense 

·         Present Perfect Vs. Imperfect 

·         Conditional Tense

·        Review: Future and Futuro di Probabilità (Simple and  Perfect)

·         Review: Direct, Indirect, and Reflexive Pronouns

·         Pronouns Ci and Ne

·         Combined Pronouns

·         Informal Imperative with Pronouns

·         Pronominal Verbs

·         Impersonal Tense with "SI"

·         Relative Pronuns (che, cui, chi)

·         Comparative and Superlative Forms 

·         Indefinite Adjectives and Pronouns 

·         Introduction to Subjective  Verbs. Present Subjective.
LEARNING OUTCOMES:
Upon completing this course, students will possess the ability to:
  • Understand written and spoken Italian at the intermediate level
  • Participate in conversations on a variety of topics using present, past, conditional, future and some subjunctive tenses
  • Ask for and obtain information
  • Express opinions, feelings, needs, approval and disapproval
  • Comprehend the general meaning and details of intermediate level texts.

Produce brief texts on a variety of topics using present, past, future, conditional, imperative.

GRADING SCALE

A                                          Excellent                            94-100

A-                                                                                     90-93

B+                                                                                    87-89

B                                          Good                                  84-86

B-                                                                                     80-83

C+                                                                                    77-89

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 2 + ESERCIZIARIO + DVDMaria Gloria Tommasini, Mimma Flavia DiacoLOHESHER 9788820136314     
Grammar.it - Grammar for English -speakersGRUPPO CSCBONACCI978-88-7573-430-5     
REQUIRED RESERVED READING:
NONE

RECOMMENDED RESERVED READING:
NONE
GRADING POLICY
-ASSESSMENT METHODS:
AssignmentGuidelinesWeight
2 tests The two tests are designed to evaluate students on: grammar, vocabulary, reading and writing skills. NO MAKE-UP WILL BE PROVIDED.10%
Midterm ExamIn-class Exam composed of the following parts: 1) listening comprehension 2) grammar and vocabulary 3) reading comprehension; 4) brief composition. 15%
Final examCumulative exam divided in the following sections: 1) grammar 2) vocabulary in the context 3) listening comprehension 4) reading comprehension 4) brief composition. 25%
HomeworkStudents are supposed to actively participate to in-class activities and to come to class with all the homework done. Students without official permission to attend in remote ARE EXPECTED TO BE IN CLASS. Doctor's notes can excuse absences, not missed homework and lack of class participation. All the home assignments must be submitted on Moodle BY THE DUE DATE. More than 3 assignments missed or submitted after the deadline will result in a 0 for this portion of the grade. 20%
Oral Proficiency 20 %
Class ParticipationStudents are supposed to actively participate to in-class activities and to come to class with all the homework done. Students without official permission to attend in remote ARE EXPECTED TO BE IN CLASS. Doctor's notes can excuse absences, not missed homework and lack of class participation. All the home assignments must be submitted on Moodle BY THE DUE DATE. More than 3 assignments missed or submitted after the deadline will result in a 0 for this portion of the grade.10%

-ASSESSMENT CRITERIA:
AA/A- = Excellent command of the language consistent with the level of proficiency. Appropriate command of sentence structure, lexis, register and idiom
BB+ = Very good command of the language consistent with the level of proficiency, showing facility and very few errors. Ability to handle sentence structure naturally, and to demonstrate some awareness of stylistic variation. B = Good 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. B- = Satisfactory command of the language, consistent with the level of proficiency. Work will not be coherent but comprehensible; sentence structure will be simple; medium frequency of grammatical and other errors
CC/C+ = Evidence 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. C- = Some evidence of the ability to control the language for the purpose of effective communication, consistent with the level of proficiency. Some awareness of sentence structure and high frequency of grammatical and other errors.
DD = Little 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
FF = No evidence of the ability to control the language; failure to make oneself understood

-ATTENDANCE REQUIREMENTS:

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 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 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

Please be informed that:

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.

How to get the most out of your tutoring session:

  • Come early in the semester. You will benefit more from tutoring if you come when you first begin having problems. 
  • Come prepared. Bring your textbook, notes, and review sheets with you. 
  • Attend classes regularly. Tutoring is designed to supplement class instruction, not to replace it.

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

 

SCHEDULE (Please note that the Instructor might make changes to the schedule) 

 

BENVENUTI

Week 1 -

Introduction to the Course.

Review: Present Perfect and Present Perfect with Modal Verbs

Week 2 -

Review: Present Perfect Vs. Imperfect

Past Perfect.
Direct, Indirect, and Reflexive Pronouns. (Pronomi diretti, indiretti, riflessivi)

 

Week 3 -

Review: Direct, Indirect, and Reflexive Pronouns.   
Pronouns CI and NE
Pronominal Verbs.

QUIZ 1- NO MAKE UP

Week 4-

Combined Pronouns
Informal Imperative (imperativo informale)

 

Week 5 -

Informal Imperative with Pronouns

 

Week 6 -

Composition 1 due.
Simple Future- Futuro di Probabilità (with Simple and Perfect Future)
Group Oral Presentations on a topic assigned but the Instructor.

Week 7 -



Review and Practice for Midterm
Midterm Exam

 

Week 8 -

Present Conditional
Impersonal verbs (verbi impersonali)

 

Week 9-

 Relative Pronouns 
                                                          

Week 10 -

Comparative and Superlative- 
Indefinite Adjectives and Pronouns 
Italian Film with in-class activities

 

Week 11 -

Indefinite Adjectives and Pronouns. Continue.
QUIZ 2

Week 12 -

Introduction to Subjunctive (Il Congiuntivo)

Week 13 -

Composition 2 Due
Present Subjunctive
Oral Presentations
 

Week 14 -

Review
Oral Exams