JCU Logo

JOHN CABOT UNIVERSITY

COURSE CODE: "IT 102-8"
COURSE NAME: "Introductory Italian II"
SEMESTER & YEAR: Spring 2025
SYLLABUS

INSTRUCTOR: Sarah Franceschi
EMAIL: sfranceschi@johncabot.edu
HOURS: MW 6:00 PM 7:15 PM
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; 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, future, and imperative.

TEXTBOOK:
Book TitleAuthorPublisherISBN numberLibrary Call NumberCommentsFormatLocal BookstoreOnline Purchase
New Italian Espresso Textbook beginnerGruppo ItaliaideaAlma Edizioni9788861827240     
New Italian Espresso beginner workbookGruppo ItaliaideaAlma Edizioni9788861827288     
REQUIRED RESERVED READING:
NONE

RECOMMENDED RESERVED READING:
NONE
GRADING POLICY
-ASSESSMENT METHODS:
AssignmentGuidelinesWeight
4 Tests ( one will be dropped)The tests are designed to evaluate the student's knowledge of the grammar, vocabulary covered, their reading and listening comprehension, and written ability.40%
Final examThe final exam is designed to evaluate the student's knowledge of the grammar and the vocabulary covered, their reading and listening comprehension, and written ability.25%
Oral proficiencyOral proficiency In-class oral activities and an oral presentation. Students are examined singularly, in pairs and, in small groups.The types of tests are: conversations 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 participation and HomeworKStudents are expected to come prepared to class and participate in all activities. Active participation is crucial since the learning process requires considerable practice.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:
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 May 9 
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 SCHEDULE IS SUBJECT TO CHANGE AT THE PROFESSOR’S DISCRETION

 

Week 1

 

January 20, 22

 

Daily life, introduce yourself and ask about others, express your preferences, what you like and what you don’t.

Present tense of regular, irregular (Review) - article / name / adjective agreement (Review). Use of verb “piacere”.

 

Week 2

 

January 27, 29

 

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: finire di, cominciare a. Prepositions da, a. Present tense of reflexive verbs. Possessive adjectives mio, tuo.

Vocabulary: Everyday actions. Congratulations and wishes.

Culture: Cosa regalano gli italiani.

                                                                      

Week 3

 

February 3, 5, 7

 

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?

 

FEBRUARY 5 TEST 1

 

FEBRUARY 7, MAKE-UP DAY FOR MONDAY APRIL 21

 

Week 4

 

February 10, 12

 

UNIT 7 cont.

 

Week 5

 

February 17, 19

 

UNIT 9      La famiglia

Competencies: Describing a family tree. Talking and writing about family. Talking about past events.

Grammar: Possessive adjectives. Past tense (passato prossimo) of reflexive verbs.

Vocabulary: Family relationships

Culture: I gesti degli italiani.

 

Week 6

 

February 24, 26

 

UNIT 9 cont.

 

FEBRUARY 26 TEST 2

 

Week 7

 

March 3, 5

 

UNIT 10      Sapori d’Italia

Competencies: Talking about one’s eating habits. Writing a shopping list. Talking about typical Italian recipes. Doing grocery shopping. Indicating quantities.

Grammar: Direct pronouns. Ne

Vocabulary: Food and dishes. Measurement units. Food packaging.

Culture: L’Italia nel piatto

 

 

MARCH 10-14 SPRING BREAK

     

Week 8

 

March 17, 19

 

UNIT 11        Fare acquisti

Competencies: Shopping for clothes and shoes. Making a polite request.

Grammar: Direct and indirect pronouns. Piacere + indirect pronoun.

Vocabulary: Colors. Clothing. Clothing and shoes sizes.

Culture: La moda italiana

         

Week 9

 

March 24, 26

 UNIT 12     Il mondo che cambia

Competencies: Talking about technology and your relationship with it. Describing past situation and actions that occurred repeatedly. Talking about your younger days. Write a short story.

Grammar: Past tense imperfetto. Passato prossimo vs imperfetto. Agreement between direct pronouns and past participles.

Vocabulary: Technology. Travels. Time expressions.

Culture: La storia dell’Italia moderna in 6 oggetti

 

MARCH 26 TEST 3

 

Week 10

 

March 31, April 1

 

UNIT 12 cont.

 

Week 11

 

April 7, 9

 

UNIT 13     Come siamo

Competencies: Understanding and giving physical descriptions. Describing one’s personality. Making, accepting and refusing an invitation. Describing actions which are going on.

Grammar: Superlativo assoluto. Present progressive.

Vocabulary: Nouns and adjectives for physical and personality descriptions.

Culture:  Italiani celebri

 

Week 12

 

April 14, 16

 

UNIT 13         cont.

 

APRIL 16 TEST 4

 

Week 13

 

April 23

 

APRIL 23 ORAL PRESENTATION

 

Week 14

 

April 28, 30

 

UNIT 15            Vivere in Italia

Competencies: Comparing Italian social habits and traditions with those of one’s country. Understanding and giving orders, recommendations and instructions.

Grammar: Imperativo informale.

Vocabulary: Italian habits and traditions.

Culture: Che differenza….!

               

APRIL 30   Final Review

 

 

May 5- 9 Final Examinations