This course is composed by:
- 56 hours Intermediate classes with the purpose of a general review;
- 18 hours classes dedicated to further develop skills as:
formulate opinions; make judgments and suggestions, in oral and written form,
on selected issues presented in the reading material;
narrate in oral and written form using different verbal tenses and modes;
read, comprehend and analyze newspaper, magazine articles and movie sequences.
Students will begin the course by reviewing material from the previous courses.
This language course will allow students to reinforce their grammar skills and increase their ability to understand, speak, read and write Italian, while emphasizing the development of reading comprehension. It includes an introduction to new grammar skills, with continued vocabulary study, conversational practice, short composition, cultural and literary readings and some work with video. Group work and role-play are used extensively to develop these skills. The course is conducted in Italian from the first day. Homework will be corrected during class time and it will allow the students to self-correct and understand why a specific grammar point works the way it does. During classes, students will produce some written documents concerning their own experience in Venice as a foreign student (e.g. small Venice guide for foreign students).
Students can ask their teacher for any extra materials they may need to further personalize their program, or to review grammar skills.
Hours: 74
Class Schedule: Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday
(from week 6: Intermediate class Tuesday and Thursday, 09.15 or 11.00, + Upper-Intermediate class Monday and Wednesday, 11.00-12.30).
Syllabus
Grammar
• Review of:
• simple present tense (regular and irregular);
• past tenses;
• simple future tense
• Reflexive verbs;
• Use of the partitive “ne”;
• Imperfect past tense;
• Simple past (perfect tense) and imperfect used together;
• Agreement of the direct pronouns with the perfect tense;
• Formal/unformal use of the imperative;
• Stare+gerundio: present continuous;
• Subjunctive (present);
• Si impersonale;
• Pronouns;
• Use of ci;
• Relative pronouns (che, chi);
• Conditional (present);
Introduction to:
Relative pronouns (cui);
Subjunctive (present, past);
Conditional (present, past);
Impersonal (si impersonale con verbi riflessivi);
Conditional clause (primo e secondo tipo);
In-depth examination of prepositions.
Communicative areas
Formulate opinions; make judgments and suggestions, in oral and written form,
on selected issues presented in the reading material.
Narrate in oral and written form using different verbal tenses and modes.
Read, comprehend and analyze newspaper, magazine articles and movie sequences.
Oral comprehension
Dialogues; Songs; Videos and movies sequences; Advertisements
Written comprehension
Writing formal and unformal letters; Instructions; Warnings and messages; Announcements; Narrative passages; Newspaper and magazine articles
Oral expression and vocabulary
Face-to-face conversation; Instructions; Descriptions; Tales; Role play
Written expression
Formal and unformal letters, diary pages, tales, summarize a narrative text.
Evaluation
The students will be expected to come to all classes prepared to actively partecipate in oral and written work. Attendance for this class is absolutely mandatory. Absences will lower the final grade.
• 30% Class performance (participation and attendance). Class will involve much student-student and student-instructor interaction in more open-ended conversation. The quality of interaction will have a significant effect on the course grade.
• 20% Homework. (written) Effort and enthusiasm will count as much as accuracy in preparation.
• 20% Mid-term exam (written);
• 20% Final exam (oral, final paper presentation);
• 10% Final working paper (written) during classes, students will produce some written documents concerning their own experience in Venice as a foreign student (e.g. small Venice guide for foreign students).
Reading
Tutoring
Students can ask their teacher for any extra materials they may need to personalize their program further or to review some grammar points.
Readings
Textbook
Workbook of Istituto Venezia 2 (selection of authentic teaching materials and selected teaching materials from textbooks as Espresso, Chiaro, Domani, Un giorno in Italia e Magari).
