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JOHN CABOT UNIVERSITY

COURSE CODE: "IT 101-7"
COURSE NAME: "Introductory Italian I (Note:This course carries 4 semester hours of credit.)"
SEMESTER & YEAR: Spring Semester 2012
SYLLABUS

INSTRUCTOR: Maggini Stefania
HOURS: TTH 16:30-18:20
TOTAL NO. OF CONTACT HOURS: 60
CREDITS: 3
PREREQUISITES: This course carries 3 semester hours of credit.
OFFICE HOURS: by appointment: [email protected]

COURSE DESCRIPTION:
This course is focused on the city of Rome and its local culture and high culture, such as city maps and districts, food, paintings, architecture, movies, songs, traditions, history, using multi-media on line teaching materials and based on the premise that the learning of culture can, and should, occur parallel to, and in natural harmony with, language acquisition. We will have several cultural experiences outside class.

N.B. The professor will only use the Italian language to teach. The course will be in Italian and students are expected to use only Italian in class.
This being a language course, emphasizes teaching through stimulating class conversations and interactions rather than lectures. We use the language rather than just study it.


SUMMARY OF COURSE CONTENT:
 

To acquire the skills necessary to better understand Rome and Italians.

To derive useful information from authentic Italian visual, oral and written materials.

To communicate with Italians in Italian.

To study and understand grammar starting from examples rather than rules.

To engage in simple conversations in Italian on a wide variety of topics, both cultural and practical.

To talk about your preferences, needs, and interests and to describe and comment on images, activities,  places, movies, and works of art.

To read and write in present tense.


LEARNING OUTCOMES:



You will feel confident in being exposed to Italian culture and language in taking risks, making mistakes and learning from your mistakes; you will communicate with Italians and Italian speakers on a simple level; you will learn how to learn, according to your personal learning style, about a new culture and a new language enjoying it; you will understand how to become a better “traveler”.

 

TEXTBOOK:
Book TitleAuthorPublisherISBN numberLibrary Call NumberCommentsFormatLocal BookstoreOnline Purchase
I piccoli Dizionari Garzanti-ItalianoGarzantiGarzanti978884800642-2     
Corso Italia 123Andreini,Bolognesi,Valeri,Zaccone,ZingoniM.I.R. Edizioni978-88-8895594101     
REQUIRED RESERVED READING:
NONE

RECOMMENDED RESERVED READING:
NONE
GRADING POLICY
-ASSESSMENT METHODS:
AssignmentGuidelinesWeight
nb<span style="line-height: 115%; font-family: arial,sans-serif; font-size: 7pt;">Homework 10%<br /> <br /> Participation 20%<br /> <br /> Tests 20%<br /> <br /> Mid Term Exam 15%<br /> <br /> Oral Exam 15%<br /> <br /> Final 15%<br /> <br /> All the tests are mandatory.<br /> <br /> There are no makeup tests.<br /> <br /> Please make your travel plans so as not to interfere with the classes and tests.<br /> <br /> <br /> </span>nb
   

-ASSESSMENT CRITERIA:



A = 94-100 B = 83-86 C = 70-74
A- = 90-93 B- = 80-82 D = 60-69
B+ = 87-89 C+ = 75-79 F = 0-59


A/A- = Excellent command of the language consistent with the level of proficiency. Appropriate command of sentence structure, lexis, register and idiom. Also to get an A/A- evidences of excellent extra work and partecipation are required.

B+ = 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.

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.

D = 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.

F = No evidence of the ability to control the language; failure to make oneself understood.

NB: in case, for a better assessment, you may be asked to bring your performance evidences of the course to your professor.



-ATTENDANCE REQUIREMENTS:

In order to receive a high grade for your attendance (5%):

Students are expected to come prepared to class and participate in all activities. Active participation is crucial, since the learning process requires considerable practice. It is imperative that you come to every class. Absences will be minimally penalized up to two. The final grade will be lowered by two points for each additional absence - whatever the circumstances. Make sure your travel plans do not interfere with the class schedule.

You are allowed to arrive later or to leave class earlier only with your professor authorization. Otherwise that incomplete day of attendance will be considered an absence.



In order to receive a high grade for your homework (10%):

you need always come to class having completed your homework and ready to use it, since great emphasis will be placed on pre-class preparation, and the teacher will regularly conduct activities in class based on homework completed at home.

Homework consists of the following: memorizing vocabulary, verb conjugations, and grammatical structures, exercises from the course textbooks and on line materials, brief compositions or pre-class writing activities,on-line research, hypothesis and comparison on cultural as well as grammar/linguistic topics. An absence from class does not justify missing a homework assignment. Be sure to check your email for homework postings and announcements every day. No late homework assignments will be accepted. N.B. Online translating programs are not allow as well as any help from others.


In order to receive a high grade for your participation (20 %):

in class volunteer to answer questions and ask questions; volunteer to take risks and speak only in Italian; be attentive and ready; be highly engaged and collaborative in group activities and projects; show signs that you are engaging with the material and with your professor in class; bring your homework, your text book, your notes, the course material and dictionary to every class; insert all activities, assignments, and web research into a ring binder and print the course documents from the online course, study and do homework, add new vocabulary to your notes, make your in-class oral presentations a true representation of the best you or your group can present; make a continuous effort to communicate only in Italian during class, both with the teacher and the other students, in couple and group activities. You will be asked to complete a number of assignments at home that will be used for in-class oral assignments, included memorizing vocabulary and rules, and on-line research.

This course, being a language one, emphasizes teaching through stimulating class conversations rather than lectures. We use the language rather than just study 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

week 1:

Course Introduction, Greetings, Alphabet, Pronunciation, Basic Expressions.

In classe. Introducing yourself. Present tense of Essere and Gender and numbers of nouns, adjectives of nationality. Idiomatic Expressions.
Arianna - Ascolto


week 2:

Al bar. Present tense of Avere e Prendere. Numbers from 0 to 100; days of the week; months and seasons.

Il Trionfo di Galatea di Raffaello Sanzio alla Villa La Farnesiana. Nouns and adjectives in -o and in -a vs nouns and adjectives in -e. Agreements, Construction of the phrase.
- Cultural Activity: cost around 10 euros

week 3:

Al ristorante. Formal and informal communication. Definitive and indefinitive articles.
 Film Un Americano a Roma - Nando e i maccheroni -Review.
Test 1 - Thursday


week 4:

Un giorno a Roma. Verbs in are, ere and ire. Formal and informal communication. Numbers from 100 onwards.

week 5:

Alla Fontana di Trevi. Una scena dal flm di F.Fellini "La Dolce Vita" Verbs STARE, FARE, ANDARE, STARE. Verbs in ISC; Verbs SAPERE and CONOSCERE. Names of occupations; peculiarities of nouns. Simple prepositions.
- Cultural Activity: cost around 10 euros

week 6:

Il tempo libero. Adverbs of frequency; verb PIACERE; asking questions.
La giornata tipo di Arianna- Ascolto 

week 7:
Review and Midterm Exam
MIDTERM EXAM

week 8:
La danza di Sylvia da La Dolce Vita -Present tense of irregular verbs; simple prepositions. C'è vs Ci sono. Adjectives of the second group. Asking the time.
- Cultural Activity: cost around 10 euros

week 9:
Aeianna e Trastevere- Ascolto - Fare e ricevere inviti.
Modal verbs; bene/buono and male/cattivo.
Ordinal numbers; compound prepositions. "A che ora?".

week 10:
La prima sera di Dora e Guido da "La Vita è Bella" .Il fine settimana passato. Passato prossimo with essere and avere; Irregular Past Participles.
Past time expressions; adverbs of time; Ci vuole vs Ci vogliono.

week 11:
Il fine settimana passato di Arianna - Review for Test 2. Class Activities.
- Cultural Activity: cost around 10 euros

week 12:
Passato prossimo. Review.
Cultural Activity.

week 13:
Vita quotidiana. Reflexive verbs; position of the reflexive pronouns; possessive adjectives.
La famiglia. Possessive adjectives.


week 14:
Review for Final Exam
Oral Presentations.
Oral Presentations
- Cultural Activity: cost around 10 euros

week 15:
FINAL EXAM