65091 - ITALIAN LANGUAGE

Learning outcomes

This course unit aims at providing the students with the linguistic skills suitable for the understanding and the production of short written and oral Italian texts. It also intends to develop the interpersonal relationships in the horizon of the Italian-speaking culture. In particular, this course unit will focus on selected aspects of the Italian language, namely those that may be more useful for facilitating communication and interactions.

Course contents

- Pronunciation & Alphabet

- Presentazioni (Introductions): formal vs informal

- Grammar: Subject Pronouns / Verb Forms / Present Tense

- Vocabulary: I giorni, i mesi e le stagioni (Days, Months, & Seasons)

- Vocabulary: L’ora e i numeri (Time & Numbers)

- Italian Culture: La bella figura

- Vocabulary in context: Means of transportation & directions (aereo, treno, taxi, bus e metro; le indicazioni)

- Dialogue 1: presentazioni, airport, train, directions

- Grammar: Reflexive verbs

- Vocabulary in context & Italian Culture: Il cibo italiano – Italian Food (Le pietanze – Dishes). An Italian Meal

- Vocabulary in context & Italian Culture: Fare la spesa (Food shopping): supermercati e mercati all’aperto

- Vocabulary in context & Italian Culture: Al ristorante & Al bar (Italian restaurants, Italian aperitivo: the spritz, Italian wine culture)

- Dialogue 2: restaurant, bar, food shopping

- Grammar: Past Tenses: passato prossimo vs imperfetto

- Vocabulary in context: free time (il tempo libero: music, sport, hobbies)

- Italian Culture: Multicultural Italy (ius soli/ius culturae law / LGBTQ Italy / Italian feminism)

- Dialogue 3: traveling in Italy

Readings/Bibliography

- Parlo Italiano. Manuale pratico per stranieri, Giunti, 2017.

- PowerPoints, handouts, and all the other course materials will be posted online in Virtuale.

The bibliography remains the same also for non-attending students.

Teaching methods

- Interactive and dialogic lectures

- Work in pairs and small groups

- Exercises (grammar, audio-visual, listening, reading, speaking)

- Class discussion

- Presentations

- Feedback

- Peer feedback

- Peer assessment

Assessment methods

There will be a final exam divided in two parts:

1) a written test of 60 minutes about the main grammar, vocabulary, and communicative topics and skills acquired during the course

2) an individual oral conversation with the professor to verify the communicative skills acquired during the course

Active class participation and positive contribution during small groups activities will also be taken into consideration (only for attending students).

See Virtuale (under "Settimana 5") for a detailed "Study Guide for the Exam" and a series of questions in order to prepare for the oral part of the exam ("Questions for the Oral Exam").

Teaching tools

- PowerPoints

- Handouts

- Grammar & Vocabulary Charts

- Audios

- Videos

Students with a form of disability or specific learning disabilities (DSA) who are requesting academic adjustments or compensatory tools are invited to communicate their needs to the teaching staff in order to properly address them and agree on the appropriate measures with the competent bodies.

Office hours

See the website of Michele Rossi