Course Syllabus

JOHN CABOT UNIVERSITY

COURSE CODE: "IT 103"
COURSE NAME: "Intensive Italian I"
SEMESTER & YEAR: Spring 2014

SYLLABUS

INSTRUCTOR: Sarah Franceschi
EMAIL: [email protected]
HOURS: MTWTH 10:00 AM 11:15 AM
TOTAL NO. OF CONTACT HOURS: 90
CREDITS: 6
PREREQUISITES: This course, which is the equivalent of IT 101 + IT 102, carries 6 semester hours of credit.
OFFICE HOURS:

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.

This six-credit course meets four times per week and covers the equivalent of a full year of language study (Introductory Italian I and Introductory Italian II). The course is designed for highly motivated students who wish to develop communicative ability in Italian in a relatively short time.

Italian 103 is conducted mainly in Italian. Students must actively participate in class activities and participation is necessary to determine the final grade.

SUMMARY OF COURSE CONTENT:

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, conditional and imperative.

LEARNING OUTCOMES:

Listening

· In-class listening activities: Students will listen to the instructor and to recorded texts the duration of which will be at least 250 words. Students will have to answer (orally and in writing) an increasing number of questions that test their comprehension of what they have heard.

Speaking

· In-class oral activities and exams: Students will be examined singularly and in pairs. The type of tests will be: conversation between two students, monologues, role playing. The multiplicity of situations and the request to express personal opinions will increase from elementary level to advanced level. Conversations, monologues and role playing will be elicited by visual stimuli, texts, or questions from the instructor.

Reading

· In-class activities and exams: Students will have to read an increasing number of texts of increasing length, complexity and of different genres. They will have to answer in writing several questions that test their comprehension of what they have read.

Writing

· Homework assignments and exams: Students will have to answer written questions and produce written texts of increasing length, formality and complexity on topics of every day life.

TEXTBOOK:

Book Title	Author	Publisher	ISBN number	Library Call Number	Comments	Format	Local Bookstore	Online Purchase
Percorso Italia A1-A2	Patota, Romanelli	Garzanti linguistica	9788848040419
Gramm.it	Iacovoni-Persiano-Fiorentino	Bonacci	9788875734305

REQUIRED RESERVED READING:

NONE

RECOMMENDED RESERVED READING:

NONE

GRADING POLICY
-ASSESSMENT METHODS:

Assignment	Guidelines	Weight
6 quizzes	The six quizzes are designed to evaluate the student's knowledge of the grammar, vocabolary covered, their reading and listening comprehension, and written ability.	20%
Midterm exam	The midterm exam is designed to evaluate the student's knowledge of the grammar and vocabolary covered up to this point, their reading and listening comprehension and written ability.	20%
Final exam	The final exam is designed to evaluate the student's knowledge of the grammar and the vocabolary covered, their reading and listening comprehension and written ability.	20%
Oral proficiency	In-class oral activities and presentations. Students are examined singularly, in pairs and in a 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 instructor.	20%
Class partecipation and Homework	Students are expected to come prepared to class and partecipate in all activities. Active partecipation 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:
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 four (six if it’s an six-credit course) 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.

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 13,14,15,16

UNITA’ 1

Incontri

Salutare e presentare una persona

CONTENUTI LINGUISTICO GRAMMATICALI

Pronomi personali soggetto

Presente indicativo: essere-chiamarsi-presentare (prime tre persone)

Numeri 0-20

Interrogativi: Come ? Qual è ?

UNITA’ 2

Fare conoscenza

Chiedere e dire la provenienza, la nazionalità

Ordinare al bar

CONTENUTI LINGUISTICO GRAMMATICALI

Presente indicativo verbi regolari.

Verbo essere

Preposizioni a,di,in, per

Numeri 20-100 Articoli indeterminativi Preposizioni a in, di.

Numeri 20-100.

Nomi

Frasi negative /interrogative.

Week 2

Jan. 20,21,22,23

UNITA’ 3

Che lavoro fai?

Chiedere che lavoro fa una persona

Chiedere e dire l’indirizzo

Parlare della famiglia

Dire e chiedere l’età

Nomi di famiglia

CONTENUTI LINGUISTICO GRAMMATICALI

Presente indicativo dei verbi avere-fare

Articoli determinativi

Interrogativi che? quanto? quale?

UNITA’ 4

Un giorno in famiglia

Descrivere un giornata tipo

Chiedere e indicare l’ora e i giorni della settimana

CONTENUTI LINGUISTICO GRAMMATICALI

Verbi riflessivi- Presente indicativo di andare, stare, uscire

Avverbi di tempo- avverbi di frequenza

Preposizioni articolate con a

Giorni della settimana, parti della giornata

JANUARY 23 QUIZ 1

Week 3

Jan 27,28,29,30

UNITA’ 5

A scuola di italiano

Iscriversi a un corso

Indicare un periodo di tempo

Esprimere la frequenza di un’azione

Esprimere la data

Scrivere l’indirizzo

CONTENUTI LINGUISTICO GRAMMATICALI

C’è, ci sono

Preposizioni articolate

Tutti i giorni, ogni giorno

Presente indicativo del verbo volere

UNITA’ 6

Nel tempo libero

Parlare del tempo libero

Esprimere i propri gusti

Esprimere accordo e disaccordo

Descrivere un’azione in svolgimento

CONTENUTI LINGUISTICO GRAMMATICALI

Presente indicativi di leggere, giocare, volere, potere, dire

Verbo piacere

Pronomi indiretti

Moltissimo, abbastanza, per niente, affatto

Presente progressivo

Week 4

Feb. 3,4,5,6

UNITA’ 11

Raccontare eventi passati

Descrivere un oggetto

Fare acquisti in un negozio di abbigliamento

Descrivere l’aspetto fisico di una persona

CONTENUTI LINGUISTICO GRAMMATICALI

Passato prossimo

I colori

Uso di quello pronome e aggettivo

FEBRUARY 6 QUIZ 2

Week 5

Feb. 10,11,12,13

UNITA’ 11 CONT.

UNITA’ 7

Fare le spesa

Chiedere qualcosa in un supermercato

Chiede il prezzo

Esprimere la quantità. Capire messaggi promozionali/Leggere annunci economici

CONTENUTI LINGUISTICO GRAMMATICALI

Partitivi

nterrogativi quanto quanta quanti quante

Ci vuole, ci vogliono/ serve, servono

Week 6

Feb. 17,18,19,20

UNITA’ 8

In giro per Siena

Chiedere e dare indicazioni di luogo

Localizzare nello spazio

Parlare del tempo atmosferico

CONTENUTI LINGUISTICO GRAMMATICALI

Determinazioni di luogo: qui, lì, di fronte, a vicino, a desta, a sinistra

Presente indicativo del verbo sapere

Uso delle preposizioni con i nomi di luogo

Numerali ordinali

UNITA’ 9

Al ristorante

CONTENUTI LINGUISTICO GRAMMATICALI

Pronomi diretti

Aggettivi

I numeri da 100 a un miliardo

Feb. 20 QUIZ 3

Week 7

Feb. 24, 25,26,27

Midterm Review

ORAL PRESENTATION

FEBRUARY 27 MIDTERM

Week 8

March 3,4,5,6

UNITA’ 10

Cerco casa a Venezia

Descrivere la casa, leggere annunci immobiliari, parlare dell’arredamento, esprimere il possesso.

Parlare delle vacanze, prenotare una camera in albergo, riferire di vacanze passate

CONTENUTI LINGUISTICO GRAMMATICALI

Gli aggettivi possessivi (anche in relazione ai nomi di famiglia)

Il superlativo assoluto

Il passato prossimo

I pronomi diretti (lo, la, li, le) in accordo con il participio passato

La particella ci

I pronomi diretti e indiretti (dalla grammatica)

I comparativi

L’imperativo informale (tu – voi)

Week 9

March 10,11,12,13

(Unità 1 – libro II)

Un matrimonio a Venezia

Raccontare eventi passati

Indicare una conseguenza

Approvare o disapprovare un’opinione

CONTENUTI LINGUISTICO GRAMMATICALI

Passato prossimo dei verbi cominciare e finire e dei verbi servili

I connettivi quindi, dunque, perciò, l’aggettivo bello

+ attività di rinforzo sull’imperativo –

Il passato prossimo dei verbi servili

MARCH 13 QUIZ 4

MARCH 17-21 SPRING VACATION

Week 10

March 24,25,26,27

(Unità 2 libro II)

Compagni di scuola

Raccontare abitudini passate

Parlare della propria infanzia / adolescenza – indicare una causa

Raccontare fatti del passato – esprimere gioia o delusione, raccontare una storia

CONTENUTI LINGUISTICO GRAMMATICALI

Introduzione all’uso dell’imperfetto

L’imperfetto indicativo

Imperfetto e passato prossimo – connettivi causali (perché, siccome, dato che)

- attività di rinforzo sull’uso dell’imperfetto e del passato prossimo

Week 11

March 31, April 1,2,3,4

Unità 2 cont.

APRIL 3 QUIZ 5

APRIL 4 MAKE UP DAY FOR APRIL 21

Week 12

April 7,8,9,10

Unità 3

Che tipo sei?

Raccontare un’esperienza di studio all’estero

Fare paragoni ed esprimere giudizi di valore

Descrivere il carattere di una persona

Parlare di azioni imminenti

CONTENUTI LINGUISTICO GRAMMATICALI

I comparativi con il “che”

I comparativi irregolari (migliore, peggiore, maggiore, minore)

I connettivi mentre, invece, al contrario, infatti

Il superlativo relativo – la formazione dei contrari – la costruzione stare per+ infinito

Week 13

April 14,15,16,17

(Unità 7 – prima parte)

Notizie per tutti

Parlare del futuro – fare ipotesi sul futuro

Formulare, accettare, rifiutare un invito.

CONTENUTI LINGUISTICO GRAMMATICALI

Il futuro semplice

Il periodo ipotetico della realtà.

APRIL 17 QUIZ 6

Week 14

April 21,22,23,24

April 23 Oral presentation

April 24 Final Review

April 26-May 2 Final Examination