SYLLABUS
Rev. 1
20.11.2009
RMD
PALAZZI - FLORENCE ASSOCIATION FOR INTERNATIONAL EDUCATION
FLORENCE UNIVERSITY OF THE ARTS
APICIUS INTERNATIONAL SCHOOL OF HOSPITALITY
SCHOOL OF ITALIAN STUDIES AND LINGUISTICS
DEPARTMENT OF ITALIAN LANGUAGE
COURSE TITLE: ITALIAN LANGUAGE BEGINNER
COURSE CODE: IS IT IB 101
SECTION: 301
3 semester credits (45 lecture hours)
Class Meetings: Monday through Friday AM (3 hours) and 2 days a week in the afternoon (3 hours)
There is also one cooking and language lab the 2nd or 3rd week of the program.
Instructor:
Instructor Availability: Please schedule an appointment before or after class.
Contact:
The Italian language department offers a tutoring service.
TUTORING SCHEDULE: SIGN UP AT THE FRONT DESK IS MANDATORY
1. COURSE DESCRIPTION
The intensive three-credit Italian course gives students the opportunity to experience total
immersion in the language. Students will develop the four cornerstones of foreign language study,
comprehension, reading, writing, and, above all, speaking. All lessons will be taught in Italian.
This class meets Monday to Friday for three weeks per session; in addition there is a Monday
lecture and Tuesday film series as well as mandated hours in the language lab. Students will have
a one-time cooking and language lab and dinner together.
The beginning levels concentrate on the development of the spoken language and on the ability to
understand. The intermediate levels help students to master more complex grammatical structures
and to enrich their vocabulary with the use of contemporary material such as newspapers and
videos. In addition, students will compose short written essays. At the advanced levels students will
develop what they have learnt in the previous levels and will further progress in their ability to
produce written texts and to be able to discuss specific topics without pre-preparation.
2. OBJECTIVE
WEEKS ONE TO THREE:
Grammar
•
Acquiring the basic structures of the language.
•
Simple grammatical structures and sentence patterns.
Vocabulary
•
Understanding and using the basic vocabulary regarding the concepts of space, time,
quantity and quality.
•
Mastering the basic vocabulary necessary for the most common and concrete
communicative situations.
Listening
•
Understanding the most commonly used expressions in daily verbal communication, such a
simple information and very brief dialogues, instructions addressed carefully and slowly.
Speaking
•
Using the most common colloquial expressions in daily social communication for selfidentification, greetings, asking for and giving basic information.
Using the language in order to identify and describe (in limited terms).
Reading
•
Understanding simple texts for practical use.
Writing
•
Writing simple dictated texts.
•
3. REQUIREMENTS
•
•
•
This level is for absolute beginner students who have never studied Italian before.
Lectures are held in Italian
Individual study of the notes, the readings, the handouts etc. at home is required after every
class
•
•
•
Homework should always be completed before class and it will be part of the final grade.
No eating is allowed in class
A responsible and active class participation is expected at all times and activities
4. TEACHING METHOD
The teaching method is based on a communicative approach, while part of the study also will be
dedicated to the Italian grammar. In order to facilitate the learning progress special emphasis will
be given to conversational techniques and communication skills.
5. TEXT BOOK AND ACADEMIC RESOURCES
COURSE TEXT BOOK
There are TWO required texts for this course: M. Mezzadri – P. Balboni, Italiano: Pronti, Via! 1,
Guerra Edizioni, as well as the Oxford Italian dictionary.
These texts have been pre-ordered and should be purchased after the FIRST class meeting at
FELTRINELLI INTERNATIONAL, Via Cavour, 19
Open Monday to Friday from 9 to 7:30 pm and on Saturday from 10:30 to 7:30 pm.
The school will provide the students with a HANDOUT with Grammar and Vocabulary insights and
further exercises at the price of Euro 5.00
LIBRARIES IN FLORENCE
Students have access to the two school libraries at Apicius International School of Hospitality and
Florence University of the Arts:
Florence University of the Arts: The FUA and Apicius library is located on the first floor of Corso
Tintori, 21. Please consult the posted course schedules for official opening times.
Please note that both libraries are consultation only and thus it is not possible to remove texts. It is
possible to make photocopies (fee-based).
Students are encouraged to take advantage of Florence’s libraries and research centers:
Biblioteca Palagio di Parte Guelfa
Located in Piazzetta di Parte Guelfa between Pza della Repubblica and Ponte Vecchio. Telephone:
055.261.6029. The library is open Monday thru Saturday. This library is open until 10:00pm during
weekdays.
Biblioteca delle Oblate
Located in via dell'Oriuolo 26 (across the street from SQUOLA Center for Contemporary Italian
Studies) Telephone: 055 261 6512. Please consult the website www.bibliotecadelleoblate.it for
current opening times under “orario”.
2
The Harold Acton Library at the British Institute of Florence
Address: Lungarno Guicciardini 9. For opening times and student membership information:
www.britishinstitute.it/en.This is a fee-based membership library.
6. COURSE SITE VISITS AND FIELDTRIPS
Cucina e Cultura Italiana! We will begin the semester with an early-evening cooking and language
lab where we will prepare a traditional regional meal together. This session is held at the Apicius
International School of Hospitality demo kitchens in Via Guelfa
7. COURSE MATERIALS
N/A
8. ADDITIONAL FEES
HANDOUT = 5 EURO
9. EVALUATION AND GRADING SYSTEM
Final Grade Breakdown
20% Quiz
20% Quiz 2
30% Session Exam = Final Exam
10% Oral Presentation
20% Attendance and Participation*
*Attendance and Participation cover class, lecture and film attendance, completion of homework
assignments, contributions and participation during class as well as completion of required assignments and
hours in the language lab.
Please note that a detailed explanation of the above is found in Section 11 (Assignments, Term
Papers and Exams).
Grading Scale
A = 100 – 93%
C+ = 79 – 77%
A - = 92 – 90%
C = 76 – 73%
B+ = 89 – 87%
C- = 72 – 70%
B = 86 – 83% B- = 82 – 80%
D = 69 – 60% F = 59 – 0%
10. ATTENDANCE AND PARTICIPATION
Institutional Attendance Policy: Academic integrity and mutual respect between instructor and
student are central to a positive and productive learning experience. This belief is reflected in the
attendance policy. Attendance will be taken at the start of every class. Attendance is mandatory for
all class meetings. Absence from class will negatively impact the final grade.
Academic integrity and mutual respect between instructor and studente are central to Palazzi’s
academic policies. This is reflected in the attendente policy. Class attendance is mandatory and
counts towards the final grade. Roll will be taken at the beginning and end of each class. Coming
late and leaving earlier affects the attendance and participation grade. It is important that students
come to class on time. Two delays will be considered one absence.
Each absence from class will negatively impact your final grade (Attendance).
After the second absence the instructor will notify the student is at risk.
After the third absence the instructor may lower the final grade by one letter grade at the end of the
term. (Example: 90/A- = B-)
After the fourth absence the student will receive an automatic Failure.
3
It is always the student's responsibility to know how many absences they have in a course.
Late Arrival and Early Departure
Arriving late or departing early from class is not acceptable. Two late arrivals or early departures or
a combination will result in an unexcused absence. Travel is not an exceptional circumstance.
Travel (or delays due to travel) is NEVER an excuse for absence from class.
11. ASSIGNMENTS, TERM PAPERS AND EXAMS
WEEKLY QUIZ AND EXAMS:
Every FRIDAY there is a weekly quiz. On the Third Friday of each Session there will be a
comprehensive exam.
The two quizzes (each worth 20% of the session grade) and the final exam (worth 30% of the
session grade) consist of multiple choice questions as well as an oral review, fill-in the blanks
exercises, find the opposite term exercises, reading with true/false replies and a listening
comprehension. Each quiz will focus on the weekly program while the final exam will be
comprehensive.
All Italian quizzes are scheduled and announced in advance and no make-up exams will be given.
Quizzes are worth 20% of your overall grade
If you miss a quiz due to an excused absence (this includes an academic field trip) the next quiz
will count twice as much.
If you miss a quiz due to an unexcused absence you will take a zero for that quiz.
Quiz 1 counts for 20% of the final grade
•
The first quiz is cumulative and will be based on grammar topics presented in class from
the beginning of the semester to date.
•
The number of points given for each exercise will be clearly stated at the top of the exercise
itself.
•
The quiz will have a number of exercises that can vary between 4 and 8
•
Each exercise of the quiz will be graded with points that vary between 8 and 20, the sum of
which will give 100 points in case of all perfect answers.
Quiz 2 counts for 20% of the final grade
•
The first quiz is cumulative and will be based on grammar topics presented in class from
the Mid Term exam to date.
•
The number of points given for each exercise will be clearly stated at the top of the exercise
itself.
•
The quiz will have a number of exercises that can vary between 4 and 8
•
Each exercise of the quiz will be graded with points that vary between 8 and 20, the sum of
which will give 100 points in case of all perfect answers.
Oral Presentation counts 10% of the final grade
•
The topic(s) will be announced in class by the teacher
•
The oral presentation will be graded according to vocabulary (25%), comprehension (25%)
and presentation delivery (not reading from notes) (50%)
Session Exam (Final Exam) counts for 30% the final course grade.
•
There will be fill-in-the-blank grammar exercises, a reading comprehension and one or
more multiple choices.
•
The number of points given for each exercise will be clearly stated at the top of the exercise
itself.
•
The exam will have a number of exercises that can vary between 8 and 15
•
Each exercise of the quiz will be graded with points that vary between 4 and 16, the sum of
which will give 100 points in case of all correct answers.
•
The Final Exam is cumulative
4
The written exams consist of:
Grammar and vocabulary test and/or Composition and/or Reading Comprehension
If you need copies of your quizzes and exams you must request them from the front desk at the
beginning of the semester
Should issues of academic dishonesty arise (plagiarism and so on), the teacher will refer to the
institutional written policy on such matters.
Note: the date and time of the exams cannot be changed for any reason
12. LESSON PLAN
LA PRIMA LEZIONE – THE FIRST LESSON
Date
Meet
In class
Lectures FUNZIONI COMUNICATIVE
•
Salutare le persone; Presentarsi; Chiedere la pronuncia e come si scrive una
parola
•
Chiedere il significato e la traduzione di una parola;
GRAMMATICA
- Essere e chiamarsi: prima, seconda e terza persona singolare;
Textbook DISPENSA - HANDOUT
Week One
Date
Meet
In class
Unità 2
Lezioni 3 – 4: Di dove sei? - TU o LEI?
FUNZIONI COMUNICATIVE
• Chiedere e dire la nazionalità; differenze tra TU e LEI.
• Di dove sei?
GRAMMATICA
• Verbi essere e studiare; nomi del primo gruppo (desinenza in “o” o “a”); nomi del
the secondo gruppo (desinenza in “e”)
VOCABOLARIO: nazionalità; regioni italiane
Unità 3
Lezioni 5 – 6: Al telefono – Uno o Tanti?
FUNZIONI COMUNICATIVE
• Chiedere il numero di telefono, l’indirizzo.
• Dove abiti? Qual è il tuo numero di telefono? Come si dice? Come si scrive?
GRAMMATICA
• Verbi avere e abitare singolare e plurale; articolo determinativo singolare e plurale
(1)
VOCABOLARIO: numeri (1); nomi delle strade italiane
VITA ITALIANA: Gli indirizzi italiani. Numeri di telefono di pubblica utilità
Unità 4
Lezioni 7 – 8: In stazione – Comunicare nel XXI secolo
FUNZIONI COMUNICATIVE
•
Viaggiare in Italia in treno.
•
Dove vai? Quando?
GRAMMATICA
• Verbi regolari e finire; verbo andare; alcune preposizioni semplici
VOCABOLARIO: Alla stazione
VITA ITALIANA: I treni in italia (anche sito Trenitalia
5
QUIZ 1
Textbook
Italiano: Pronti, Via! 1
Week Two
Date
Meet
In class
Lecture
Unità 5
Lezioni 9 – 10: Cerco lavoro – I mestieri
FUNZIONI COMUNICATIVE
• Parlare del proprio lavoro o dei propri studi.
•
Dove lavori? Che cosa fai?
GRAMMATICA
•
Numeri fino a 100. Articolo determinativo singolare e plurale (2);
Verbi sapere, fare, potere; sapere + infinito
VOCABOLARIO: Mestieri e professioni
VITA ITALIANA: Italia e Europa
HELP POINT! Come usare il dizionario
Unità 6
Lezioni 11 – 12: Al bar – In famiglia
FUNZIONI COMUNICATIVE
•
Ordinare al bar. Parlare della famiglia. Esprimere possesso
•
Che cosa prendi? Com’è la tua famiglia? Quante persone ci sono?
GRAMMATICA
•
Aggettivi possessivi (singolare)
VOCABOLARIO: Cibi e bevande al bar. La famiglia.
VITA ITALIANA: Al bar; La famiglia
HELP POINT! Come usare il dizionario
Unità 8
Lezioni 15 – 16: Cercare casa – Dentro la casa
FUNZIONI COMUNICATIVE
• Chiedere e dare informazioni su di una casa. Esprimere opinione.
•
Dov’è? Vicino, lontano ecc. Penso di sì/di no.
GRAMMATICA
• C’è/ci sono; preposizioni articolate (1); avverbi e preposizioni di luogo; revisione
degli articoli.
VOCABOLARIO: La casa. I colori
VITA ITALIANA: Una casa “Italian Style”
QUIZ 2
Textbook
COOKING LAB – VIA GUELFA
Italiano: Pronti, Via! 1
Week Three
Date
Meet
In class
Lectures Unità 9
Lezione 18: La vita quotidiana
FUNZIONI COMUNICATIVE
•
Parlare della frequenza circa le azioni quotidiane. Chiedere e dire l’ora.
•
A che ora...?
GRAMMATICA
• Avverbi di frequenza; verbi venire, dire, dovere
• Vocabolario: Date, mesi, stagioni.
6
VITA ITALIANA: Le feste in Italia
Unità 10
Lezioni 19 – 20: Che fatica alzarsi! – Le azioni quotidiane
FUNZIONI COMUNICATIVE
•
Chiedere e dare informazioni sugli orari. Parlare della routine quotidiana
GRAMMATICA
• Verbi uscire e svegliarsi;
• Vocabolario: Azioni della routine quotidiana
VITA ITALIANA: E la sera che cosa si fa?
Unità 12
Lezioni 23 – 24: Il cibo in Italia – Mangiare sano
FUNZIONI COMUNICATIVE
•
Parlare di cibi e bevande; descrivere abitudini alimentari
GRAMMATICA
• Revisione del presente indicativo; verbo bere; uso del partitivo di + articolo
VOCABOLARIO: Cibi e bevande. Unità di misura: grammo, etto, chilo;
VITA ITALIANA: Mangiare in Italia, ma non italiano
SESSION EXAM
Textbook
Italiano: Pronti, Via! 1
ALTERNATIVE LESSON: In the case of the instructor’s absence, a substitute will carry out a preprepared alternative lesson during the regular course time.
ITALIAN SOCIETY
TBA
TBA
TBA
TBA
TBA
TBA
Lecture
Film
Lecture
Film
Lecture
Film
Session presentation/ Italian Republic
HAPPY FAMILY – G. Salvatores
Teenagers in the 80s
NOTTE PRIMA DEGLI ESAMI – D. Luchetti
Calcio Storico in Florence
PANE E TULIPANI – S. Soldini
7