This course is designed for students with little or no prior knowledge of the language.
By the end of the course, the successful student will develop a basic foundation in the five skills: intercultural communication, reading, writing, listening, and speaking to accomplish a variety of basic everyday needs in the host culture as described in the learning outcomes below.
Attendance policy:
Successful progress of the program depends on the full cooperation of both students and faculty members: regular attendance and active participation in class are essential parts of the learning process. Attendance and participation in all class meetings and field-studies are required. For language classes, more than TWO unjustified absences (that are not medically excused with a written certificate of the doctor or caused by serious sudden family and/or personal occurrences, as for example death of a family member) will result in a lowering of your grade. No extra lessons are foreseen for those who frequently miss class or those who are tardy.
Learning outcomes:
By the end of the course, students will be able to achieve some of the outcomes for the Novice Abroad level as defined by the MAP for Language and Intercultural Communication. The key learning outcomes from the MAP are summarized below:
I. Intercultural Communication
Students will be able to meet basic everyday needs using verbal communication, use compensatory strategies when they do not know the word or expression (repetition, body language, etc.), and identify some basic nonverbal communication strategies.
Students will be able to recognize basic appropriate and inappropriate expressions and behaviors in the host language.
Students will be able to distinguish between basic representations of formality and informality in the language.
Students will understand that there may be differences between cultural stereotypes and generalizations between the home culture and host culture.
II. Listening
Students will be able to understand basic statements, requests, descriptions, and questions in specific cultural context relevant to them (hosts’ interactions, Center interactions, studying, shopping, transportation, meals).
Students will be able to use context to understand the gist of some basic spoken language they overhear, including the media, conversations between others, and announcements.
III. Speaking
Students will be able to use some basic phrases appropriately in some everyday situations (home, the IES Abroad Center, the community).
Students will be able to express some basic needs by asking questions, and get what they need in uncomplicated, everyday situations.
IV. Reading
Students will be able to identify and understand basic sentences.
Students will be able to interpret main ideas in short passages and news headlines, but their understanding is often limited to the words or groups of words that they have seen in class.
V. Writing
With limited accuracy, students will be able to write short sentences and short paragraphs about basic and concrete topics they have studied, such as themselves, their families, their friends, their likes and dislikes, and their daily routines.
Students will be able to send basic emails, text messages, postcards, and online posts, and fill out some basic forms.
Method of presentation:
The teaching method is based on a communicative approach. This involves: emphasis on communication, with the objective to enable the student, from the beginning, to speak and interact in Italian. Each lesson is structured with an activity to build vocabulary and an oral or written text. The text guides the student to recognize and analyse grammatical structures. Those structures are used in oral and written exercises that the students tackle in pairs or in small groups. Free oral and/or written production exercises give students the opportunity to communicate between themselves in Italian in realistic situations.
Required work and form of assessment:
Active participation and class discussion (15%); homework, special assignments, moodle assignments (10%); 2 quizzes (20%); mid-term written exam and oral exam (25%); final written exam and oral exam (30%).
Assessment Methods Listening In-class listening activities: students will listen to the instructor and to recorded texts of varying length. Students will have to answer (orally and in writing) an increasing number of questions that test their comprehension.
Speaking In-class oral activities and exams: conversations, monologues and role play will be elicited by visual stimuli, texts, or questions from the instructor. Students are expected to do 2 oral presentations.
Reading In-class activities and exams: students will have to read an increasing number of texts of increasing length and complexity and they will have to answer in writing several questions that test their comprehension.
Writing: Homework assignments and exams: students will have to answer written questions and
produce written texts of increasing length, formality and complexity.
Grading Scale
A 100-96; A- 95-91; B+ 90-86; B 85-81; B- 80-76; C+ 75-71; C 70-66; C- 65-61; D60; F 59 and below
content:
Week 1 (intensive)
Presentation of the course, syllabus, classes, books and expectations Unità 1: Primi contatti (pp.8-19) Grammar: Eessere, Chiamarsi, Avere, alphabet, adjectives of nationality, regular verbs (first and second person singular), numbers from 0 to 20. Communicative functions
Greeting people, introducing yourself, asking about nationality, interacting in class, asking information about people, asking phone numbers, saying goodbye.
Week 2 (intensive) Unità 2: Buon Appetito (pp.20-31) Unità 3: Io e gli altri(pp.32-35 ) Grammar: nouns of the first group (“o” or “a”) and of the second group (“e”), “questo” and “quello” definite and indefinite articles, numbers from 20 to 100, verbs in –ARE + essere (third person singular) and irregular verbs: fare, names of occupation. Communicative functions: ordering in a caffè, ordering in a restaurant, asking for the check, asking prices, introducing someone, asking and giving personal details, talking about work.
Week 3 (extensive) Unità 3 (pp.36-41) Grammar: names of occupations, peculiarities of nouns, simple prepositions (a, in per, di), numbers from 100 onwards, formal and informal communication.
Week 4 (extensive) Unità 4: Tempo libero (pp.44-48) talking about your work, speaking formally.
General review Quiz #1 Grammar: fare, andare and stare: third person singular, regular verbs: Presente indicativo, verbs sapere and conoscere. Communicative functions: talking about leisure time.
Week 5 (extensive) Unità 4 : Tempo libero (pp.49-55) Grammar: Adverbs of frequency, the verb piacere, asking questions. Communicative functions: talking about how often you do something, expressing likes and preferences.
Week 6 (extensive) Unità 5: In giro per l’Italia (pp.56-60)
Grammar:Adjectives of the first group, simple prepositions, irregular verbs: Presente indicativo Communicative functions: describing a place
Week 7 (extensive) Unità 5. In giro per l’italia (pp.61-67) Grammar: C’è/ ci sono, adjectives of the second group, asking the time. Communicative functions: asking and giving directions, asking and telling time.
Week 8 (extensive)
General review
Midterm exams (written and oral)
Week 9 (extensive) Unità 6: In albergo (pp.68-73) Grammar: modal verbs, Bene/Buono- Male/Cattivo. Communicative functions: booking a hotel room. Complaining, offering a solution.
Week 10 (extensive) Unità 6: In albergo (pp.74-79) Grammar: The months, ordinal numbers, compound prepositions, what time..? Communicative functions: describing a house, asking and giving information about a house, asking and giving timetable information.
Week 11 (extensive) Unità 7: Un fine settimana (pp.80-85) Grammar: Passato prossimo, irregular past participles. Communicative functions: planning a trip, talking about a trip, talking about the weather.
General review Quiz#2
Week 12 (extensive) Unità 7: Un fine settimana (pp.86-88/ 90-93) Grammar: past time expressions, Ci vuole/ Ci vogliono. Communicative functions: asking information in a travel agency.
Week 13 (extensive) Unità 8: Vita quotidiana (pp.94-97) Grammar: Reflexive verbs: Presente indicativo Communicative functions: describing a typical day and describing your daily routine.
General review
Week 14 (extensive) Final exams (written and oral)
The schedule is flexible and can change during the semester, according to the situation of the class or to particular needs. New field-studies and activities (such as visits to museums, exhibitions, watching a movie or assigned interviews of local people) can be introduced at any time, according to the students’ interests and commitments.
Required readings:
ITALIAN ESPRESSO 1, Textbook and Workbook by Gruppo Italiaidea, Alma Edizioni, Firenze 2006
Supplementary material will be provided by the teacher during the course.
Recommended readings:
Strongly recommended a good pocket dictionary Italian/English.
Brief Biography of Instructor:
Rita Rossi earned a degree in Modern Foreign Languages and Literatures from the University of Perugia in 1991 with a dissertation in French Literature. She has completed specialization and refresher postgraduate courses in Teaching Methodology of Foreign Languages and Linguistics.
In 1995 she earned the DITALS Certificate for Teaching of Italian as a Foreign Language from the University for Foreigners of Siena. In 2003 she was a Teacher of the L2 series in training and refresher courses for teachers of Italian Language as a second language at the Dante Alighieri Society in Siena.
Since 1993, she has been a teacher of Italian Language and Culture at private and public Italian Institutes such as the University of California in Siena, the University for Foreigners of Siena and since 2009 for IES ABROAD (IES Siena).
This course is designed for students with little or no prior knowledge of the language.
By the end of the course, the successful student will develop a basic foundation in the five skills: intercultural communication, reading, writing, listening, and speaking to accomplish a variety of basic everyday needs in the host culture as described in the learning outcomes below.
Successful progress of the program depends on the full cooperation of both students and faculty members: regular attendance and active participation in class are essential parts of the learning process. Attendance and participation in all class meetings and field-studies are required. For language classes, more than TWO unjustified absences (that are not medically excused with a written certificate of the doctor or caused by serious sudden family and/or personal occurrences, as for example death of a family member) will result in a lowering of your grade. No extra lessons are foreseen for those who frequently miss class or those who are tardy.
By the end of the course, students will be able to achieve some of the outcomes for the Novice Abroad level as defined by the MAP for Language and Intercultural Communication. The key learning outcomes from the MAP are summarized below:
I. Intercultural Communication
Students will be able to recognize basic appropriate and inappropriate expressions and behaviors in the host language.
Students will be able to distinguish between basic representations of formality and informality in the language.
Students will understand that there may be differences between cultural stereotypes and generalizations between the home culture and host culture.
II. Listening
Students will be able to understand basic statements, requests, descriptions, and questions in specific cultural context relevant to them (hosts’ interactions, Center interactions, studying, shopping, transportation, meals).
Students will be able to use context to understand the gist of some basic spoken language they overhear, including the media, conversations between others, and announcements.
III. Speaking
Students will be able to use some basic phrases appropriately in some everyday situations (home, the IES Abroad Center, the community).
Students will be able to express some basic needs by asking questions, and get what they need in uncomplicated, everyday situations.
IV. Reading
Students will be able to identify and understand basic sentences.
Students will be able to interpret main ideas in short passages and news headlines, but their understanding is often limited to the words or groups of words that they have seen in class.
V. Writing
With limited accuracy, students will be able to write short sentences and short paragraphs about basic and concrete topics they have studied, such as themselves, their families, their friends, their likes and dislikes, and their daily routines.
Students will be able to send basic emails, text messages, postcards, and online posts, and fill out some basic forms.
The teaching method is based on a communicative approach. This involves: emphasis on communication, with the objective to enable the student, from the beginning, to speak and interact in Italian. Each lesson is structured with an activity to build vocabulary and an oral or written text. The text guides the student to recognize and analyse grammatical structures. Those structures are used in oral and written exercises that the students tackle in pairs or in small groups. Free oral and/or written production exercises give students the opportunity to communicate between themselves in Italian in realistic situations.
Active participation and class discussion (15%); homework, special assignments, moodle assignments (10%); 2 quizzes (20%); mid-term written exam and oral exam (25%); final written exam and oral exam (30%).
Assessment Methods
Listening In-class listening activities: students will listen to the instructor and to recorded texts of varying length. Students will have to answer (orally and in writing) an increasing number of questions that test their comprehension.
Speaking In-class oral activities and exams: conversations, monologues and role play will be elicited by visual stimuli, texts, or questions from the instructor. Students are expected to do 2 oral presentations.
Reading In-class activities and exams: students will have to read an increasing number of texts of increasing length and complexity and they will have to answer in writing several questions that test their comprehension.
Writing: Homework assignments and exams: students will have to answer written questions and
produce written texts of increasing length, formality and complexity.
Grading Scale
A 100-96; A- 95-91; B+ 90-86; B 85-81; B- 80-76; C+ 75-71; C 70-66; C- 65-61; D60; F 59 and below
Week 1 (intensive)
Presentation of the course, syllabus, classes, books and expectations
Unità 1: Primi contatti (pp.8-19)
Grammar: Eessere, Chiamarsi, Avere, alphabet, adjectives of nationality, regular verbs (first and second person singular), numbers from 0 to 20.
Communicative functions
Greeting people, introducing yourself, asking about nationality, interacting in class, asking information about people, asking phone numbers, saying goodbye.
Week 2 (intensive)
Unità 2: Buon Appetito (pp.20-31) Unità 3: Io e gli altri(pp.32-35 )
Grammar: nouns of the first group (“o” or “a”) and of the second group (“e”), “questo” and “quello” definite and indefinite articles, numbers from 20 to 100, verbs in –ARE + essere (third person singular) and irregular verbs: fare, names of occupation.
Communicative functions: ordering in a caffè, ordering in a restaurant, asking for the check, asking prices, introducing someone, asking and giving personal details, talking about work.
Week 3 (extensive)
Unità 3 (pp.36-41)
Grammar: names of occupations, peculiarities of nouns, simple prepositions (a, in per, di), numbers from 100 onwards, formal and informal communication.
Week 4 (extensive)
Unità 4: Tempo libero (pp.44-48) talking about your work, speaking formally.
General review
Quiz #1
Grammar: fare, andare and stare: third person singular, regular verbs: Presente indicativo, verbs sapere and conoscere.
Communicative functions: talking about leisure time.
Week 5 (extensive)
Unità 4 : Tempo libero (pp.49-55)
Grammar: Adverbs of frequency, the verb piacere, asking questions.
Communicative functions: talking about how often you do something, expressing likes and preferences.
Week 6 (extensive)
Unità 5: In giro per l’Italia (pp.56-60)
Grammar: Adjectives of the first group, simple prepositions, irregular verbs: Presente indicativo
Communicative functions: describing a place
Week 7 (extensive)
Unità 5. In giro per l’italia (pp.61-67)
Grammar: C’è/ ci sono, adjectives of the second group, asking the time.
Communicative functions: asking and giving directions, asking and telling time.
Week 8 (extensive)
General review
Midterm exams (written and oral)
Week 9 (extensive)
Unità 6: In albergo (pp.68-73)
Grammar: modal verbs, Bene/Buono- Male/Cattivo.
Communicative functions: booking a hotel room. Complaining, offering a solution.
Week 10 (extensive)
Unità 6: In albergo (pp.74-79)
Grammar: The months, ordinal numbers, compound prepositions, what time..?
Communicative functions: describing a house, asking and giving information about a house, asking and giving timetable information.
Week 11 (extensive)
Unità 7: Un fine settimana (pp.80-85)
Grammar: Passato prossimo, irregular past participles.
Communicative functions: planning a trip, talking about a trip, talking about the weather.
General review
Quiz#2
Week 12 (extensive)
Unità 7: Un fine settimana (pp.86-88/ 90-93)
Grammar: past time expressions, Ci vuole/ Ci vogliono.
Communicative functions: asking information in a travel agency.
Week 13 (extensive)
Unità 8: Vita quotidiana (pp.94-97)
Grammar: Reflexive verbs: Presente indicativo
Communicative functions: describing a typical day and describing your daily routine.
General review
Week 14 (extensive)
Final exams (written and oral)
The schedule is flexible and can change during the semester, according to the situation of the class or to particular needs. New field-studies and activities (such as visits to museums, exhibitions, watching a movie or assigned interviews of local people) can be introduced at any time, according to the students’ interests and commitments.
ITALIAN ESPRESSO 1, Textbook and Workbook by Gruppo Italiaidea, Alma Edizioni, Firenze 2006
Supplementary material will be provided by the teacher during the course.
Strongly recommended a good pocket dictionary Italian/English.
Rita Rossi earned a degree in Modern Foreign Languages and Literatures from the University of Perugia in 1991 with a dissertation in French Literature. She has completed specialization and refresher postgraduate courses in Teaching Methodology of Foreign Languages and Linguistics.
In 1995 she earned the DITALS Certificate for Teaching of Italian as a Foreign Language from the University for Foreigners of Siena. In 2003 she was a Teacher of the L2 series in training and refresher courses for teachers of Italian Language as a second language at the Dante Alighieri Society in Siena.
Since 1993, she has been a teacher of Italian Language and Culture at private and public Italian Institutes such as the University of California in Siena, the University for Foreigners of Siena and since 2009 for IES ABROAD (IES Siena).