Course Description
Intensive elementary and beginning intermediate Italian
emphasizing speaking, listening, reading, and writing skills.
Athena Title
Intensive Italian
Non-Traditional Format
Satisfies Romance Language graduate research skills
requirement, but not the undergraduate language requirement.
Successful completion allows undergraduates to enroll in
Intermediate Italian or Italian Conversation and Composition,
depending on proficiency. Open only to students with knowledge
of another foreign language.
Prerequisite
Permission of department
Semester Course Offered
Offered every year.
Grading System
A - F (Traditional)
Student learning Outcomes
- By the end of the semester, successful students will have attained the ACTFL “Intermediate Low” to “Intermediate Middle” levels in all four language skills (listening, speaking, reading, and writing) through incremental learning of the Italian language.
- When the successful student speaks in Italian, they will be able to handle successfully a number of uncomplicated communication tasks by using the language creatively in straightforward social and transactional situations. They will be able to engage in concrete exchanges and predictable topics necessary for survival. Topics relate to basic personal information such as self and family, some daily activities, personal preferences, and interests; and some immediate needs, such as ordering food and making simple purchases, as well as physical and social needs, such as travel and lodging. They will be capable of asking a variety of questions to obtain information to meet basic needs, such as instructions, prices, and services.
- When the successful student writes in Italian, they will be able to meet some limited practical writing needs, as well as be able to write short, simple communications, compositions, and requests for information in loosely connected texts about personal preferences, daily routines, common events, and other personal topics. They will be able to create statements and formulate questions based on familiar material, and combine short, simple sentences by recombining learned vocabulary and structures using basic word order, present tense and past tenses, and conversational style.
- The successful student will be able to use some culturally appropriate vocabulary and expressions when participating in everyday interactions. They will be able to recognize that differences exist in cultural behaviors and perspectives and can conform in familiar situations. They will be able to reflect on some knowledge of cultural differences related to spoken communication. Through cultural explanations in the textbook and supplementary materials, students will be able to connect cultural concepts to their language learning. This approach encourages critical thinking while sparking their interest in Italian culture.
- Students engage in routine conversations in class - both free form and simulated - with peers. Students write compositions on relevant thematic topics that highlight the skills learned during the semester.
- The students’ language and cultural skills are assessed by oral and written tests, as well as by their daily in-class performance. By completing exercises and receiving feedback, they can reflect on mistakes and develop strategies to improve their work.
Topical Outline
- Performing certain functions in the target language such as
ordering a meal, making reservations at a hotel, sustaining a
simple conversation with someone who only speaks Italian, etc.
- Learning some of the formal structures of the language through
grammatical paradigms.
- Learning basic vocabulary that will facilitate communication
in the target language.
- Learning important aspects of Italian culture which would
affect the student if s/he were in Italy.
General Education Core
CORE IV: World Languages and Global Culture
