The College of New Jersey

ITALIANO 203

ADVANCED GRAMMAR REVIEW

 

 

 

Prof. Monica Rossi-Miller

Office # BH 304

Tel.: 771 3398

E-mail: rossimm@tcnj.edu

Class meeting times: Tue. Fri.  BL 147 3:30 – 4:50 PM

Office Hour: Wed. 5-6 PM; Thur. 12-1 PM. Students are welcome to contact me anytime and schedule an appointment.

 

COURSE DESCRIPTION: This course is designed to provide an intensive intermediate grammar review as well as an intensive practice in oral and written Italian. Active class participation in all aspects of the course, discussion, oral presentations, etc., is essential and constitutes a significant portion of the final grade. 

 

I.                     Course Objectives:

 

A.            In depth grammar review.

 

                B.            Through vocabulary building, reading, composition and class

                                discussion students will develop oral and written fluency in Italian

and refine existing linguistic skills thus enabling them to continue in advanced courses in Italian.

       

C.                   Through selected readings and sustained discussions students will be able to examine the different distinguishing features of Italian culture and civilization and compare them to their own.

 

II.                   Course Content:

 

Communicative Function                                                                    Grammatical Structure

 

Descrivere                                                                                             agreement; stare; essere; avere;

                                                                                                                participles as adjective; articles

Confrontare                                                                                           comparisons of equality;

                                                                                                                comparisons of inequality;

                                                                                                                irregular comparatives;

                                                                                                                superlatives

Raccomandare e esprimere opinioni                                 tenses of the subjunctive;

                                                                                                                subjunctive in noun clauses;

                                                                                                                commands

Raccontare del passato                                                                       passato prossimo and imperfect;

                                                                                                                pluperfect tenses; passato remoto

                                                                                                                past participle agreement

Parlare dei gusti                                                                                    direct and indirect object

                                                                                                                pronouns; double pronouns;

                                                                                                                piacere and similar verbs

Fare ipotesi                                                                                           imperfect and pluperfect

                                                                                                                subjunctive; conditional; periodo

                                                                                                                ipotetico

Parlare del futuro                                                                                  future tense; future of probability

               

III.           Teaching Methods:

 

                A.            Grammar exercises on textbook assigned and extra handouts;

 

B.                   Class discussion in seminar and group formats; 

 

C.            Weekly written assignments;

 

D.            Oral presentations in Italian by students on topics approved by the

                                instructor; 

 

E.             Reading of an Italian short play to be performed in class by students;     

 

F.             Viewing of a selected Italian film and in depth study of the idiomatic expressions of current spoken Italian

 

IIIV.        Assessment of Student Performance:

 

                Individual student performance will be assessed on the basis of:

 

A.            One mid-term exam and a final comprehensive examination, testing

                                vocabulary, grammatical structures,  clarity and correctness of written

                                expression in essays based on topics discussed in class. (15% + 25%)

 

B.            Compositions - formal out-of-class "papers" relating to topics discussed in class (occasionally involving outside research).  The instructor evaluates all compositions and a revised version is re-submitted by student. (15%)

 

C.            Oral reports: each student will present a 5-10 minute oral report in

                                Italian on a topic relating to the course material.  Material for oral

                                 reports may be researched with the help of Internet technologies and

                                will be evaluated on the basis of preparation, presentation, 

                                grammatical correctness. (10%)

       

D.            Class participation: in order to develop oral fluency all students will

                                actively participate in class discussions. (25%)

 

E.                   Mandatory out of class activities:

1)       participation in the Italian Club and all its campus activities (once a month)

2)       participation in field trips (opera-museum outings etc.)

3)       participation in the weekly conversation hour (once a week)

4)       participation in the TCNJ Cine Club Italiano (at least twice)

5)       viewing and commenting of the screened movies

 

GRADING

 

A     = 95 - 100% of all possible points

A-    = 90 - 94%    "      "       "

B+   = 88 - 89%    "     "       "

B      = 83 - 87%    "     "       "  

B-     = 80 - 82%     "     "       "

C+    = 78 - 79%     "     "       "

C       = 73 - 77%     "     "       "

C-      = 70 - 72%     "     "       "

D+     = 68 - 69%     "    "        "

D       = 65 - 67%    "     "        "

F       = Any student earning less than 65% of the points.

 

 

HOMEWORK

 

The written exercises are to be handed in whenever assigned. Students are responsible for doing, dating, correcting and keeping all homework in a folder during the semester. Original work such as dialogues, answers to questions, will be collected and mistakes will be marked so that students can make corrections. When homework is assigned in the book exercises will be corrected in class (orally, on board). Homework must be made up in case of absence.

 

LANGUAGE CLUBS

 

The Department of Modern Languages has a strong commitment to cultural diversity inside and outside the classroom. The fundamental task of teaching a language is to inspire students to understand, appreciate and enjoy a different way of life and thinking. For this reason at The College of New Jersey different Language Clubs have been founded and are supported by the administration, the faculty and the students. We would like to see our students grow in an environment where diversity is encouraged and appreciated, therefore we invite all TCNJ students to participate; in the various activities of the Clubs. We need your support and enthusiasm in order to make your college years exciting as well as culturally enriching!

 

Summer Program in Treviso, Italy (2002-2004-2006)

Summer Program in Ravenna, Italy (2003-2005-2007)

 

Every year The Department of Modern Languages organizes a Summer Program in Italy. Students can spend four weeks in the medieval town of Treviso or the Byzantine Ravenna and follow courses in Italian. Students are encouraged to participate. The best way to learn a language and to familiarize oneself with the culture of the country is to be immersed in its society and to partake in its every day life. Ask the instructors for more information or contact Dr. Simona Wright, BH 303, X 2996 or Dr. Monica Rossi-Miller, BH 304, X 3398.

 

TEXTBOOK AND MATERIALS

 

Textbook: IN VIAGGIO Moving Towards Fluency in Italian, Olson, Edwards, Foester, Mc Graw Hill, New York, 2003.

 

Supplementary material provided by the instructor:

 

PASSEGGIATE ITALIANE, Paola Marmini, Giosi Vicentini, Bonacci Editore, Roma, 1998

 

IN ITALIANO. Angelo Chiuchiu. Edizioni Guerra, Perugia, 2000.

 

INSIEME. Workbook Manual, Habekovic - Mazzola. Mc Graw Hill, Boston, 1998

 

GRADED ITALIAN READER. Vincenzo Cioffari - Angelina Cioffari. D. C. Heath & Company,

Lexington, 1991.

 

Articles from the Italian newspaper LA REPUBBLICA.

 

TI HO SPOSATO PER ALLEGRIA. Natalia Ginzburg, Aschehoug A/S, Denmark, 1974.

 

TURNE. Grabriele Salvatores director, 1990.

 

Video Cassettes IN ITALIANO, ATTUALITÀ etc. in the Language Laboratory.

 

A grammar textbook for reference: Basic Italian, Prego, Oggi in Italia, etc. Any one will do.

DAILY SYLLABUS

 

WEEK 1

 

Day 1) Capitolo 1 - Percezioni e impressioni

Vocabolario del tema: “Come parlano gli italiani

                Descrivere e confrontare

Grammatica: accordo degli aggettivi

                stare, essere, avere

Day 2) Lavoro di gruppoPresentazioni

                Video + discussione

 

WEEK 2

 

Day 1) Capitolo 1 -  Angolo culturale

                In viaggio per il Nord-Ovest d’Italia

                Un artista Lombardo: Carlo Carra

                Italiani nel mondo: gli Stati Uniti

Grammatica: participio passato come aggettivo

                forma e uso dell’articolo

Day 2) Lavoro di gruppoPresentazioni

                Video + discussione

 

WEEK 3

 

Day 1) Capitolo 2 – I legami affettivi

                La famiglia, la citta d’origine, gli amici

                Vocabolario del tema: I soprannomi

                Raccomandare ed esprimere opinioni

Grammatica: congiuntivo

Day 2) Lavoro di gruppoPresentazioni

                Video + discussione

 

WEEK 4

 

Day 1) Capitolo 2 – Angolo culturale

                In viaggio per il NordEst dell’Italia

                Un artista Veneto: Tiziano

                Italiani nel mondo: Argentina

Day 2) Lavoro di gruppoPresentazioni

                Video + discussione

 

WEEK 5

 

Day 1) Lettura: “I Quattro veli di Kulala”, p. 61

                Discussione in classe

                Lavoro di gruppo

Day 2) Lettura: “Lui e io”, p. 35

                Discussione in classe

                Lavoro di gruppo

 

 

 

 

 

 

WEEK 6

 

Day 1) Capitolo 3 – Quali sono le nostre

                Passioni?

                Vocabolario del tema: “Le passioni

                degli italiani

                Passato

                Grammatica: i tempi passati

Day 2) Lavoro di gruppoPresentazioni

                Video + discussione

 

WEEK 7

 

Day 1) Capitolo 3 – Angolo culturale

                In viaggio per l’Italia Meridionale

                Un artista napoletano

                Italiani nel mondo: la Svizzera

                Grammatica: i tempi perfetti e

                l’imperfetto

Day 2) Lavoro di gruppoPresentazioni

                Video  + discussione

 

WEEK 8

 

Day 1) Lettura: “L’Americana”, p. 88

                Discussione in classe

                Lavoro di gruppo

Day 2) Capitolo 4 – Il lavoro e l’ozio

                Vocabolario del tema: raccontare del

                passato; parlare dei gusti

                Grammatica: l’accordo del participio

                passato; i pronomi personali

 

WEEK 9

 

Day 1) Capitolo 4

                Lavoro di gruppoPresentazioni

                Video + discussione

Day 2) Capitolo 4 – Angolo culturale

                In viaggio per le isole d’Italia

                Un artista siciliano

                Italiani nel mondo: Brasile

 

WEEK 10

 

Day 1) Capitolo 5 – Che influenza hanno su di

                noi i problemi del mondo?

                Vocabolario del tema: fare ipotesi

                Grammatica: l’imperfetto e il trapassato

                Congiuntivo

Day 2) Capitolo 5 – Angolo culturale

                In viaggio per il centro Italia

                Due artisti umbri

                Italiani nel mondo: all’estero

WEEK 11

 

Day 1) Lettura: Casalinghitudine”, p. 147

                Discussione in classe

                Lavoro di gruppo

 

Day 2) Capitolo 6 – Che cosa ci aspetta nel

                Futuro?

Vocabolario del tema: la multietnicita etnica italiana

                Grammatica: i tempi futuri

 

WEEK 12

 

Day 1) Capitolo 6 – Angolo culturale

                In viaggio per il centro Italia

                Un artista toscano

Day 2) Capitolo 6

                Lettura: “Gli anni luce”, p. 181

                Discussione in classe

                Lavoro di gruppo

 

WEEK 13

 

Day 1) Film screening

Day 2) Film screening

                Discussione in classe

                Lavoro di gruppo

 

WEEK 14

 

REVIEW