B8257 - SEMINARIO DI LINGUA E CULTURA ITALIANA

Learning outcomes

By the end of this course students are able to: 1. Acquire foundational Italian language skills, including greetings, common phrases, and basic vocabulary, enabling simple conversational exchanges. 2. Demonstrate an understanding of cultural etiquette and customs in Italy, fostering respectful and informed interactions in cross-cultural settings 3. Identify key elements of Italian culture and articulate their significance within a global context 4. Recognize the specificities of the italian economic environment 5. Develop an appreciation for Italy’s contributions to fields such as art, music, literature, and architecture and their enduring impact on world culture

Course contents

This course provides an introduction to the Italian language and culture, focusing on the development of basic linguistic skills and cultural awareness essential for effective communication in Italian contexts. Students learn basic grammar, vocabulary, and conversational structures, while engaging in practical exercises to enhance oral comprehension and speaking.

Alongside language acquisition, the course explores Italian customs, social etiquette, and key aspects of the country’s cultural and economic environment. Through the analysis of authentic texts and multimedia materials, students gain insight into the artistic, literary, and architectural heritage of Italy and its influence on global culture. By the end, participants are equipped to interact confidently and competently in Italian-speaking settings

Structure of the course:

1 Course Presentation, Methodologies and Materials Used and Recommended Text book

Introduction: Living and Studying in Bologna; Italy and its Identity; Pivotal Historical Moments and Italy made of Regions

Assessment test with Google forms

Basic vocabulary for:

introducing oneself

asking for information

traveling;

seasons/months/days.

Basic grammar:

parts of the speech,

agreement and use of the simple present tense;

cardinal numbers and numerals;

the alphabet.

Italian Cultural Life and Social Culture. A brief historiography of Italy and Emilia-Romagna. The Renaissance, Unification of Italy, War of Liberation and Northern vs. Southern Italy

Speaking and role play

Listening and watching activities

2 Goods and Shopping. The “Made in Italy” brand.

Economic Vocabulary for types of shops, types of goods, clothing and accessories, adjectives for clothing. Vocabulary for fashion, food, and design.

Excellences, supply chains, and valleys. Key sectors of “Made in Italy”.

Listening and watching activities

Reading Comprehension photocopied worksheet

Speaking and role play

Family, Physical Appearance, Past and Current Educational Experience

Vocabulary: family, physical appearance, and personality.

Parts of the body.

School experience.

Grammar: The Imperfetto Tense; pronouns; verb-pronoun agreement.

Italian communicative peculiarities and differences with English.

Reading Comprehension photocopied worksheet

Listening and watching activities

Speaking and role play

Grammar 2:

Direct object pronouns, activities with worksheet on Virtuale Articles

Conjugations exercises with photocopied worksheet

Imperfect tense worksheet Worksheet in possession

Passato Prossimo (Present Perfect/Simple Past) photocopied worksheet Passato Prossimo vs. Imperfect photocopied worksheet

Listening comprehension: Worksheets in possession; tracks from Contatto A2; listening Mondadori with photocopies

Reading Comprehension photocopied worksheet

Bologna and the Founding Places of its History; Bologna’s Porticoes, UNESCO World Heritage Sites named in 2021.

Speaking and role play

Review and conclusions.

Readings/Bibliography

Reference texts used for lessons and material:

Nuovo Contatto Corso di lingua e civiltà italiana per stranieri di Rosella Bozzone Costa, Chiara Ghezzi, Monica Piantoni.

Loescher Editore

 

Teaching methods

The main instructional approaches used in the course are:

- Lectures with the use of paper or interactive and web material for listening and watching,  writing and reading execises.

Assessment methods

Though not compulsory, class attendance and participation in team-work assignments is strongly encouraged.

Course evaluation will be as detailed in the following:

Component Weight (%)

Final Exam 100

- Exam structure:

The final exam is a reading comprehension exam where students have to solve different exercises; cloze exercises and multiple choice questions.

A given maximum number of points is associated with each exercise, and to get it the student has to solve correctly the exercises.

The theoretical maximum number of points achievable in case of a perfect exam is 32.

- Exam policy:

Registration must be completed via AlmaEsami, and results will be published on the same platform.

Students who fail the exam will have the opportunity to retake it in the next session.

Grading scale:

< 18: failed

18-23: sufficient

24-27: good

28-30: very good

30 e lode: outstanding

Students with disability or specific learning disabilities (DSA) are required to make their condition known to find the best possible accommodation to their needs.

Teaching tools

Tools, platforms, or resources used during the course:

- Learning platform: Virtuale (virtuale.unibo.it) contains the slides and the team-work assignments

- Presentation software: PowerPoint

- Other digital tools/software: Contatto A1 and A2 e books; Loesher Italian L2 portal;

Rai Play Italian L2 videos; adverts and songs.

Office hours

See the website of Maria Concetta Di Capua