Syllabus - Florida International University

FLORIDA INTERNATIONAL UNIVERSITY
ITALIAN 1131
SPRING 2015
ITA 1131 Elementary Italian II
Prof. Angela Bronsburg: e-mail: bronsbur@fiu.edu
Office hrs. By appointment only
Textbook: Sentieri, Attraverso l’Italia Contemporanea Cozzarelli, Julia M.
Vista Higher Learning, 2011
ISBN: 978-1-60576-259-3
N.B.
1. You must purchase the Text ASAP, preferably at the bookstore. If you order it online, it may
take as long as 1-3 weeks to receive it. You will not be excused for any incomplete work
and/or missed assignments.
2. If you are waiting to receive Financial Aid to purchase your text, It is your responsibility to
make copies of the first chapter of the text book to keep up with the coursework. You will not
be excused for any incomplete work and/or missed assignments. If you do not have a
textbook by the 3rd week of class, your grade will drop a whole grade average.
3. If you choose to share a text with another classmate, you will be asked to drop the class.
4. If you purchase a used text book, you’ll have to buy the Vista Supersite code separately.
Pls. keep in mind that you are required to do activities in the Supersite. (see below)
Course Description
This course is an introduction to the basic structures and vocabulary of the Italian language. Students will
continue to develop the necessary skills for basic communication and comprehension of the Italian language.
The following grammatical concepts are emphasized in this course: the passato prossimo, the imperfect, the
imperative, the future, reflexive verbs and the conditional of all regular and high-frequency irregular verbs.
Customs and cultural insights are also presented. Unità 5-8 of Sentieri covers topics on shopping, rooms of the
house, relationships, health, food, daily routine and daily life activites. Teaching will be in the target
language. Class activities, homework, the language laboratory, participation, and the VHL Supersite are
essential parts of this learning process.
Grading:
4 Exams………….40% (subject to change)
Final (Comprehensive, Unità 4-8) ……………20%
Homework, VHL Supersite, Participation…………..40%
*You MUST achieve a grade of 85% or higher in order to receive the 40% allotted to this part of the
course.
Attendance:
Regular attendance is mandatory. Students may be absent from class 2 times with no penalties. 2 points will
be deducted per absence from the final grade for all other absences.
Tardiness: 3 late arrivals or early departures equal ONE ABSENCE.
It is your responsibility to be in class on the day of an exam. NO make-ups are allowed unless you have a
legitimate written excuse signed and dated from a reliable source regarding a personal or family
emergency: i.e., doctor, hospital, accident report, cronic illness, family death notice, and /or court
appearance. An excuse from home is not acceptable.
You are expected to participate in class activities and to try to speak Italian regardless of any mistakes
you may make in the process. Errors are to be expected and taken as a natural part of language learning.
Classroom Policies:
1. Cell phones, lap tops and / or IPads MUST be turned off before entering the classroom. Students
will be asked to leave if they receive repeated phone calls or leave the classroom to answer the
phone. If you are asked to leave, it will count as 1 absence.
2. NO TEXTING ALLOWED. You will be asked to leave if you are repeatedly caught texting in
class.
3. Textbooks, and other supplemental material used in this course MUST be brought to every class
meeting.
4. Students are expected to conduct themselves properly with respect for the instructor, other students and
themselves. Any student who repeatedly disrupts class will be asked to drop the course.
5. If you have to be absent, contact a classmate to share notes about what you missed in class.
Contact the instructor only in case of an emergency (as specified above) or if you’d like to make an
appointment.
6. Any assignment you are asked to hand in must be typed and double-spaced.
7. All daily homework MUST be completed before class, for these count as part of your participation
grade.
Exams and Final Exam
Exams will be given on the day and hour scheduled. There will be no make-ups without a documented valid
reason.
Extra-credit Policy
Each student may receive up to 5 points on the final course grade by choosing 3 of the following activities:
1. Visit the Language Lab (SIPA 240) at least 6 times for a minimum of 30 minutes each.
2. Participate in 2 activities (Club meetings are NOT considered activities) organized by the FIU Italian
Club. It is your responsibility to register for the Italian Club at orgsync.com. You will NOT receive the
calendar of activities unless you register and become a member of the Club.
N.B. You must do all 3 activities in order to receive the full 5 pts. You will not receive partial credit for
doing part or half of the activities.
Visit to lab 6+ times, 2 Italian Club activities = 5 points.
Grading Scales
A
100-94
C
76-74
A-
93-90
C-
73-70
B+
89-87
D+
69-67
B
86-84
D
66-64
B-
83-80
D-
63-60
C+
79-77
F
59/Below
Tentative Course Calendar
DATA
LEZIONI
ATTIVITÀ
UNITÀ 5: Buon Appetito!
VOCABOLARIO:
La spesa
A tavola
PRONUNCIA:
The letter combination gl
Diphthongs and Triphthongs
GENNAIO
STRUTTURE:
The passato prossimo with essere
Direct and Indirect object pronouns
Partitives and expressions of
quantity
Adverbs
CULTURA:
Mercato o supermercato?
Com’è buona la pasta
I pasti in famiglia
Gualtiero Marchesi: la celebrità
della cucina italiana
PANORAMA:
Gastronomia e arte: EmiliaRomagna e Toscana
LETTURA:
La melenzana rossa
VHL Supersite:
Fare gli esercizi assegnati alle date
nel calendario.
ESAME 1, UNITÀ 5
UNITÀ 6: La salute e il
benessere
VOCABOLARIO:
La routine del mattino
Dal dottore
FEBBRAIO
PRONUNCIA:
Spelling plural exceptions
CULTURA:
Farsi bella la mattina
Bottega verde: la bellezza secondo
natura
L’importante è la salute
Rita Levi Montalcini: una vita per
la ricerca
PANORAMA:
Il Triveneto:
STRUTTURE:
Trentino-Alto Adige, Veneto e
Reflexive verbs
Friuli
Venezia Giulia
Reciprocal reflexives and reflexives
in the passato prossimo
LETTURA:
Ci and ne
Tutti in forma
The imperfetto
Imperfetto vs. passato prossimo
VHL Supersite:
The trapassato prossimo
Fare gli esercizi assegnati alle date
nel calendario.
ESAME 2, UNITÀ 6
UNITÀ 7: Casa dolce casa
VOCABOLARIO:
A casa
La faccende
PRONUNCIA:
I segni diacritici
Spelling changes to maintain the
sound of c and g
MARZO
CULTURA:
Case per tutti i gusti
Andrea Palladio
Un aiuto con i mestieri
Alfonso Bialetti
e la Moka Express
PANORAMA:
Le isole: Sardegna e Sicilia
STRUTTURE:
LETTURA:
The futuro semplice
Visitiamo Roma: Villa Borghese
Double object pronouns
The informal and formal imperative
VHL Supersite:
Time expressions
Fare gli esercizi assegnati alle date
nel calendario.
ESAME 3, UNITÀ 7
UNITÀ 8: Sì, viaggiare!
VOCABOLARIO:
Il trasporto
In Vacanza
APRILE
PRONUNCIA:
Consonanti doppie
The letters d, l, p and t
STRUTTURE:
Comparatives of equality and
inequality
Superlatives
The present and past conditional
Dovere, potere and volere in the
conditional
ESAME 4, UNITÀ 8
ESAME FINALE: Finals week.
Date TBA in class
CULTURA:
In treno o in autobus
Ferrari: l’uomo e la macchina
Una vacanza su misura
San Clemente: 900 anni di turismo
PANORAMA:
Venezia
LETTURA:
In giro per l’Italia settentrionale
VHL Supersite:
Fare gli esercizi assegnati alle date
nel calendario.
Florida International University is a community dedicated to generating and imparting knowledge
through excellent teaching and research, the rigorous and respectful exchange of ideas, and community
service. All students should respect the right of others to have an equitable opportunity to learn and
honestly to demonstrate the quality of their learning. Therefore, all students are expected to adhere to a
standard of academic conduct, which demonstrates respect for themselves, their fellow students, and the
educational mission of the University. All students are deemed by the University to understand that if
they are found responsible for academic misconduct, they will be subject to the Academic Misconduct
procedures and sanctions, as outlined in the Student Handbook."
PURCHASING A SUPERSITE CODE
This class requires technology access. This access allows you to complete and submit assignments and tests;
access all media and study tools; receive announcements; and communicate with your instructor.
Shop smart: only buy books that include the required Supersite code!
You will spend more if you purchase the textbook and code separately. New textbooks purchased at the bookstore will
include this code. Most books that are sold online or used DO NOT include the access code. Always check that what you
are buying includes the code.
For value-priced packages, and free shipping, visit vistahigherlearning.com/store
SETTING UP YOUR ACCOUNT
Returning Students
If you have an existing Supersite account for any Vista Higher Learning textbook, complete these steps:

Go to vhlcentral.com

Log in using your existing account information.

Redeem your new Supersite code by clicking the "Redeem a code" link. Then complete "Step 3 - Activate Code"
below.

Enroll in your Instructor's course by clicking the "Enroll in a course" link. Then complete "Step 5 - Select a
Course/Class" below.
New Students
If you are new to Vista Higher Learning, complete these steps:
Step 1 - Go to vhlcentral.com
Step 2 - Create an Account

In the "Login Information" section of the account creation page, enter a username of your choice.

Enter the email address you would like to associate with your account.

Enter and confirm a password of your choice.

In the "Personal Profile" section, enter your first and last name as you wish them to appear in your Instructor's roster.

Select the year of your birth from the drop down list.

Enter a student ID (optional).

In the "Security Information" section, provide the answer to a secret question, which may later be used to help you
access your account if you forget your password.

After you enter all of the information, click "create an account."

Click "agree." (Before your account is created, you must agree to the terms and conditions of use policy.)
Step 3 - Activate Code

On the code activation screen, enter your Supersite code.

Click "activate code" to continue.

Look for a message at the top of the screen confirming that the code was successfully redeemed.
Step 4 - Select a School

Locate your school by typing your school’s name, "Florida International University". To narrow the search results,
include the city and state (or country, if outside of the USA) in which your school is located.

Click "find." If the terms you entered did not result in a successful search, follow the on-screen tips to revise your
search.

Select your school from the list by clicking the radio button next to the school name.

Click "select school" to add the school to your account.

Look for a message at the top of the screen confirming you successfully added the school.
Step 5 - Select a Course/Class

From the list of available classes at your school for your textbook's Supersite, look for Instructor "Bronsburg" and the
course "ITA1131 SPRING 2014" taught between January 6th – April 19th 2014.

Click the radio button for the course section "Section 1." If more than one class is listed for your instructor, click the
information icons in the class listings until you locate the section.

Click Save. You should see a confirmation that you successfully enrolled in your instructor's course.