Italian 101
Time and place: Spring 2007
Instructor and e-mail:
Office and Office Hours:
Required materials: Prego text (6th edition!), Workbook, Laboratory Manual: UIC Bookstore.
Optional: English/Italian dictionary
Course Description: Benvenuti/Welcome to Italian 101. Class is conducted in Italian. NOTE: To avoid being dropped
from the class if you have taken Italian, lived in Italy, or are a native Italian speaker and did not take the placement
test, talk to your instructor immediately.
The purpose of the two-semester 101-102 introductory Italian sequence is to introduce students with little or no knowledge of
Italian to the fundamentals of the Italian language, and to promote the acquisition of communicative language skills. Class
activities focus on the four skills of listening, speaking, reading and writing. Students are expected to prepare assigned
material thoroughly before coming to class. Working with your peers and your instructor, in class you will practice, and
exchange ideas and information based on your homework. Making mistakes while speaking Italian is part of learning, so plan
to speak lots of Italian in class; the more you speak, the more feedback you will get. Because the study of a foreign language
is cumulative, regular attendance and daily practice are crucial. Plan on a minimum of two hours study/work at home for
each hour spent in class.
Goals: By the end of Italian 101, students will be able to understand native Italian speech within the limits of their
vocabulary; to comprehend short conversations, monologues, and readings on topics with which students are generally
familiar, and express personal reactions on them; to carry out simple conversations on a variety of practical topics; to express
themselves in limited writing tasks (letters, forms, lists, journal entries, brief essays) and apply familiar material. They will
have gained basic knowledge about Italian and English grammar, insights into how languages work in general, and a greater
knowledge and understanding of the Italian culture.
Student Responsibilities: READ SYLLABUS AND PREPARE FOR CLASS DAILY. Homework is part of your
preparation for class. NO LATE WORK ACCEPTED. TURN OFF CELL PHONES, PAGERS, LAPTOPS, I-PODS OR
ANY OTHER ELECTRONIC DEVICES YOU MAY HAVE BEFORE COMING TO CLASS!!!
EVALUATION GRADING SCALE
Attendance, Preparation and Participation 15% 90 - 100 A
Pop quizzes (1 dropped) 5% 80 - 89 B
WB and Lab manual (1 dropped) 10% 70 - 79 C
Oral grade (2 exams and proficiency) 10% 60 - 69 D
Compositions (4) 10%
Exams (1 dropped) 25%
Midterm 10%
Final exam 15%
Weekly Preparation/Participation Grade breakdown: Every week you will be assigned a preparation and participation
grade based on your performance in class, as well as on attendance and punctuality. Cell phones, I-pods and other
electronic devices are considered a cause of disruption and distraction, so if you use them in class, this will
automatically lower your participation grade by 10 points. The grade will be assigned as follows:
90-100(A): On time, volunteers frequently, speaks well for level, works well with others, is well-prepared for class.
Contributes ideas and opinions to class, shows willingness to learn, speaks Italian at all times.
80-89 (B): On time, speaking needs some improvement, well prepared, volunteers occasionally, works well with others,
speaks Italian mostly.
70-79 (C): Late and/or 1 unexcused absence. Some preparation, speaking needs improvement, speaks only when spoken
to, sometimes contributes to group work, some English.
60-69 (D): Often late and/or 1 unexcused absence. Minimally prepared, speaks mostly English, listens passively, rare and
reluctant participation.
0-59 (F): Often late and/or two or more unexcused absences. No preparation, speaks English, does not contribute to
group work, distracts others.
Absences: 4 unexcused absences allowed. “Unexcused” = no documentation that absence was due to illness, family
emergency, or death in family. Each additional absence (after the 4th) will significantly lower your preparation and
participation grade. Documentation must be provided in order for an absence to be excused. Documentation: an official letter
from a doctor with contact phone number, death notice/obituary, program from funeral, official note from UIC coach, etc. When
in doubt of the kind of documentation needed, please ask your instructor.
Class materials:
Prego Text: Read before class, as assigned on the schedule. Classtime is not for grammar but for review and application
of new structures in listening, speaking, reading and writing activities. Grammar is studied at home the night before.
Prego Workbook and Laboratory manuals: To be done daily and turned in on exam days. Do them bit by bit, as assigned,
and as we go over material in class. That way you will know where you have questions and can come to office hours before
the exam. Self-correct in a contrasting ink color, using the Answer Key. The Answer Key to the workbook will be provided to
you by your instructor, the one to the lab. manual is in the back of the manual itself. The Audio program for the Lab manual is
available online on the Prego website at www.mhhe.com/prego6 (you can also find it at the Language Lab in Douglas Room
304). Copying answers is a violation of the UIC guidelines for Academic Integrity and will result in a zero for the
assignment (more serious consequences may include an F in the class or expulsion from UIC).
Why self-correction? Identifying and correcting your own mistakes is an important part of learning a language, and allows
you to take charge of your own learning progress. Noticing what kinds of mistakes you make (are they just careless errors?
could you get the answer if you read the textbook? or do you really not understand the ideas?) helps you to figure out which
ideas you understand but need to practice, and which ideas you may need help understanding. By completing the workbook
section by section and self-correcting carefully, you will have ample time to study problem areas and/or get help from your
teacher.
HOW TO SELF-CORRECT: 1) Do all written exercises, using the textbook. 2) Check answers with Answer
Key. Correct all mistakes clearly in a different color of ink. Sections with no errors must be marked with a
C[orrect]. If you don’t understand corrections for a particular section, ask your teacher for help. The better you
self correct, the better your grade; grade for self-corrected portions is based on how well/completely you correct
mistakes.
Workbook and Lab manual grading: Your instructor will grade your WB and Lab manual as noted below.
90/100: All exercises completed and self-corrected (see above for rules). Very few errors in non self-corrected
exercises.
80-89: All exercises completed and mostly self-corrected. Non self-corrected exercises fairly well done, some
errors that could be avoided by using the book or asking questions before turning work in.
70-79: Some exercises incomplete, not adequately self-corrected. Non self-corrected exercises incomplete, not
well done, significant errors that suggest student did not consult the book or ask questions before turning work
in. (No more than 2-3 incomplete exercises)
60-69: Homework is incomplete (up to 4 incomplete exercises), and/or does not show that the student took time,
used textbook, understood lesson.
0-59: Late, not turned in at all, mostly incomplete, or one or more answers copied from answer key (this is
cheating and may result in more serious consequences).
Prego Website (Online Learning Center): www.mhhe.com/prego6 Self-correcting quizzes, fun facts, activities for extra
practice and as assigned. The Audio Program for the laboratory manual is also on the website.
Pop Quizzes: They will test you on the materials studied the night before. Come prepared every day!
Exams: Quizzes containing listening, grammar, reading and writing sections. The day before the exam, your instructor will put
on Blackboard a review with relative answer key. You are responsible for taking and correcting the review on your own. The
day of the quiz, the instructor will answer up to two questions on the review and/or other doubts you may have.
Oral grade: Based on 2 oral Exams and level of proficiency. NB: Work carefully on listening and speaking skills with the
Lab manual. A handout on the exams will be provided to you by the instructor. The oral grade is based on the oral exams,
as well as on the degree of oral proficiency shown every day in class (the ability to understand and express yourself clearly
in Italian). At the end of both oral exams, your instructor will give you both a grade for the exam and one for your
proficiency. The final grade will be an average between the two.
Final exam: A cumulative exam that will test you on listening, grammar, reading, and writing. You will also be tested on the
readings and the other activities done during the semester. The exam will be on Monday May 7, 6-8pm. Notify instructor
immediately if you cannot come to the exam. If you have a conflict with another exam, make arrangements with your
instructor well in advance of the final. NO INCOMPLETES (unless in very special cases, if documentation is provided
and accepted by the instructor ahead of time).
Compositions: Three one-page (double-spaced, typed) compositions and one dialogue in Italian in 2 drafts. Each draft will be
graded individually. If you don’t turn in the second draft, your second grade will be a zero. The dialogue will be based on
a movie that you are responsible to watch on your own, outside class. Possible movie titles: “Pane e Tulipani,”
“Mediterraneo,” “Stanno tutti bene”. If you decide to watch a different movie, you will need to discuss your choice with your
instructor.
Pronunciation: Our goal is communication, so if you can make yourself understood (communicate your idea), your
pronunciation is fine. The best way to work on pronunciation is to listen and repeat with the Audio program on the book
website. Expect to listen at least 2-3 times to each exercise. You are also strongly advised to take part in the Italian activities
taking place on campus: Tavola italiana, free tutoring and conversation sessions etc. Ask your instructor for information.
No make-ups on exams, orals, or homework without a documented excuse. If you know ahead of time that you must miss an
exam, make arrangements with instructor. Missed quiz, oral, or composition = zero.
No late work (Workbook, lab, compositions, etc.) will be accepted.
Course drop policy: Course can be dropped within the second week of class without College permission. If you fail to drop the
course you will be assigned a grade of F.
Extra credit: Complete two (maximum) of the below activities for extra credit points. One extra credit activity replaces one
missing workbook, lab book OR a lower score on a workbook, lab book. Get instructor’s permission before starting.
*Italian tutoring and conversation hours: Attend the free tutoring and conversation hours offered by the Italian Division at
UIC at least 5 times. You will need to bring in written proof of attendance: notes with time, date and signature of the Italian
instructor. *Get pre-approval from me.
*Italian Film: Check out a FREE Italian film from the Main Library and write a 1-2 page typed dialogue in Italian based on a
scene that particularly struck you. *I must pre-approve the film.
*Italian activity: Attend any Italian-speaking/themed activity and write a 1-2 page, typed reaction (not a summary of what
happened) in English. *Get pre-approval from me.
EMAIL and Blackboard: Check your UIC email account and our Blackboard website frequently; your instructor may
send you important messages or post assignments at any time.
What is cheating/plagiarism?? Policy on student use of tutors and computer programs: If you are not sure, ask your
instructor. Tutors/Friends: If anyone, including a student or tutor, helps with an assignment turned in for credit, you must
write the name, email, and phone of that person on your paper, and it must be clear that you understand and can account for your
work. You may be asked to perform the same tasks without assistance that you performed with the help of your friend/tutor.
No CD-ROM or on-line translating or writing programs may be used for any assignment turned in for credit. Avoid on-line
dictionaries because they are incomplete and inaccurate. NOTE: Using a computer translating/writing program or not reporting
help received is a violation of the UIC Guidelines Regarding Academic Integrity. *Copying answers to the workbook is also a
violation of these guidelines.
Students are responsible for reading and following the UIC guidelines and procedures for Academic Integrity posted at:
http://www.uic.edu/ucat/catalog/GR.shtml#o.
Students with disabilities who require accommodations for access and participation in this course must be registered with the
Office of Disability Services (ODS). Please contact ODS at 312/413-2183, 312/413-0123 (TTY).
Want more practice in Italian:
Watch Italian Films: Check out a FREE Italian film from the Main Library.
Watch Italian TV (Rai and Rai click): Watch Rai programs at the language laboratory (Douglas Hall Room 304,
http://www.uic.edu/depts/langlab/ ) or on the web at www.raiclick.it.
Read the Italian newspaper:
http://www.lastampa.it
http://www.repubblica.it
http://www.corriere.it
Listen to the Italian radio on the web:
http://www.radio.rai.it
** If you have questions or concerns about this class, please contact the Language
coordinator, Loredana Di Martino, at loredana@uic.edu.
Italian 101: Spring 2007
WEEKLY SCHEDULE
* You are responsible for reading and following this syllabus.
* Questions about what is due, when it’s due, how to do it? Ask your instructor in person, via email, in office hours, or make an
appointment.
*CHAPTER/LESSON: New vocabulary and structures to be studied the night before.
* HOMEWORK: You will complete the Workbook and the Lab manual for Cap. Preliminare-Cap. 8. Self correct (see instructions on
syllabus). Do as assigned and Turn in on exam days. Your instructor may assign some additional homework.
*OPTIONAL HOMEWORK: all computer-corrected, instant feedback. This will better prepare you for exams.
*ESAMI: 30-40 minute evaluations of global skills at the end of each Chapter. Listening, grammar, reading, culture, and writing sections
like those in the Prego text and Workbook and Lab manual. Be on time.
*COMPOSITIONS/TEMA: Three one-page (double-spaced, typed) compositions in Italian and one dialogue in 2 drafts. Topics will be
assigned by your instructor. For the dialogue, you will be asked to watch an Italian film and to write a dialogue based on a particularly
significant scene from the movie.
* ESAME ORALE (2): They are based on the structures presented during the semester. The first one is a skit to be memorized, the
second a research project on an aspect of Italian culture.
*PAROLE DA RICORDARE: Review of new vocabulary at the end of each chapter.
WEEK CHAPTER/ HOMEWORK OPTIONAL
LESSON from WB: Workbook WEBSITE
Prego Textbook. Lab: Laboratory manual HOMEWORK
To be studied To be done daily and (From Prego Online
the night before turned in on exam days Learning Center)
Website:
www.mhhe.com/prego6
___________ ______________ ______________________
___________________
Week 1
16 gennaio -C. Preliminare Le presentazioni
17 -CP A-B-C, 3-12 WB pp.1-3, Lab 1-8
CP A 1-3
18 -CP D-E-F, 13-20 WB. pp. 3-6 (up to F), Lab 8-
CP A 4-6 and LC 1-2
e “Parole da 11
ricordare” 23-24
19 -C1 V-A, 26-30 WB pp. 11-14, Lab 13-16 C1 V 1-2, G 1
Week 2 Website:
23 gennaio -C1 B, 32 WB pp. 15-17, Lab 16-17 C1 G 2
24 -C1 C, 34-36 WB pp. 17-18, Lab 17-19 C1 G 3
25 -C1 D, 38-39, WB pp. 19-22, Lab 20-23 C1 G 4
“Parole da
ricordare” 45-46
26 -Lettura “Le venti Prego, Capire e Scrivere 43 C1 LC
regioni d’Italia”41-
42 e Video 44
Week 3 Website:
30 gennaio Ripasso veloce e turn in WB and Lab
esame 1
31 -C2 V-A, 48-52 WB pp. 25-30, Lab 25-28 C2 V1-2, G 1
1 febbraio -C2 B, 54-55 WB pp. 30-31, Lab 28-29 C2 G 2
2 -C2 C, 57-59 e WB pp. 31-33, Lab 30-31 C2 G 3
Nota culturale “La
scuola italiana” 57
Week 4 Website:
6 febbraio -C2 D, 61 e WB 33-35, Lab 31-33, C2 G 4
“Parole da
ricordare” 67
7 -Lettura “In Sicilia” Prego, Capire e Scrivere 65 C2 LC
64 e Video 66
8 -Ripasso veloce e WB pp. 37-38 and turn in
Esame 2 WB and lab
9 -C3 V-A, 69-73 WB pp. 39-44, Lab 35-38 C3 V 1-2 and G 1
Week 5 Website:
13 febbraio -C3 A-B, 71-77 Composition # 1; WB pp. 44- C3 G 2
47, Lab 38-40
14 -C3 C-D, 79-80, WB pp. 48-50, Lab 40-43 C3 G 3-4
82 e “Nota
culturale” 79
-C3 E, 83-85 e WB pp. 50-52 (up to vero o
15 “Parole da falso), Lab 43-46, C3 G 5
ricordare” 91-92
- Lettura “In
16 Umbria” 79, 88 e Prego Capire e Scrivere 89 C3 LC
Video 90
Week 6 Website:
20 febbraio -Ripasso veloce e turn in WB and Lab
Esame 3
21 -C4 V-A, 94-98 WB pp.57-63, Lab 47-50 C4 V1-2 G 1
22 -C4 B, 100-102 WB pp. 64-66, Lab 50-51 C4 G2
23 -C4 C, 103-105 e WB pp.66, Lab 52-53 C4 G3
Nota culturale “Le
nuove passioni
sportive degli
italiani” 103
Week 7 Website:
27 febbraio -C4 D, 106-108, WB pp. 67-70 (up to vero o C4 G4
e“Parole da falso), Lab 53-56
ricordare” 114-15
28 febbraio -Lettura “In Prego, Capire and prepare C4 LC
Trentino-Alto orally Scrivere 112
Adige e in Valle
d’Aosta” 111 e
Video 113
1 marzo -Flash culturali
“Gli sport e i
passatempi” 116-17
e Oral exam
2 -Oral exam
Week 8 Website:
6 marzo -Ripasso
7 -Midterm turn in WB and Lab
8 -C5 V, 119-120 e WB pp. 73-75, 84, Lab 57-59 C5 V 1-2
lettura dal WB 84
9 -C5 A, 122-24 WB pp. 75-78, Lab 59 C5 G 1
Week 9 Web
13 marzo -C5 B, 125-128 Composition #2 : dialogue on C5 G 2
film, WB pp. 78-79, Lab 60
-C5 C, 130-132 e WB pp. 80-81, Lab 61
14 Nota culturale “Il
C5 G 3
bar italiano” 130
15 -C5 D, 134-135, WB pp. 82-84, Lab. 61-65 C5 G 4
“Parole da
ricordare” pp.
141-42
16 -Lettura “In
Prego, Capire e Scrivere 139 C5 LC
Campania” 138 e
Video 140
Week 10 Website:
20 marzo -Ripasso veloce e turn in WB and Lab
Esame 4
21 -C6 V, 144-145, WB pp. 87-88, Lab 67-68 C6 V 1-2
Nota culturale “I
pasti italiani” 154
22 -C6 A, 147-149 WB pp. 88-90, Lab 69 C6 G 1
23 -C6 B, 151-152 WB pp. 90-91, Lab 69-70 C6 G 2
Week 11 Website:
27 marzo Vacanza
28 Vacanza
29 Vacanza
30 Vacanza
Week 12
3 aprile -Ripasso V-A-B
4 -C6 C, 155-156 WB pp. 91-95, Lab 70-71 C6 G 3
5 -C6 D, 159-160 e WB pp. 95-97 (up to vero o C6 G4
“Parole da falso), Lab 71-75
ricordare” 167-68
6 - Ripetere C e D- Composition # 3
and lettura “In Prego Capire and prepare C6 LC
Emilia Romagna” orally Scrivere 165
164
Week 13 Website:
10 aprile -Ripasso veloce e WB 98 and turn in WB and lab
Esame 5
11 -C7 V-A, 170- WB pp. 101-103, Lab 77-79 C7 V1-2, G 1
174
12 -C7 B, 176-177 WB pp. 103-104, Lab 79-80 C7 G 2
13 -C7 C, 180-181 e WB pp. 104-105, Lab 80-81 C7 G 3
Nota culturale “La
moda italiana” 179
Week 14 Website:
17 aprile -C7 D 182-183 WB pp. 105-106, Lab 81 C7 G 4
18 -C7 E 184-85, WB pp. 106-108, Lab. 82-85 C7 G5, LC
“Parole da
ricordare”191 and
Lettura “In
Basilicata e in
Calabria” 188
19 -Ripasso veloce e Turn in WB and Lab
Esame 6
20 aprile -C8 V-A, 193-98 WB pp.111-14, Lab 87-89 C8 V 1-2, G1
Week 15
24 aprile -C8 B, 200-201 Composition # 4 WB pp. C8 G2
115, Lab 89
25 - Ripetere A-B Prego, Capire 209
(196-201) e lettura
“In Veneto” 108
-C8 C, 203-04 e C8 G3
26 WB 116-17, Lab 89-90
Nota culturale “La
TV italiana” p. 203
27 -C8 D, 205-06, WB 118-20 and 122-23, Lab C8 G4 and LC
“Parole da 91-95.
ricordare” 211, e
Flash culturali “Il
cinema italiano”
212-13
Week 16
1 maggio -Ripasso veloce e Turn in WB and Lab
Esame 7
2 -Oral exam
3 -Oral exam
4 -Ripasso generale
Final Exam:
Monday,
May 7,
6-8pm