course objectives: This is a first course in Italian, intended for those who have had no Italian or only the most superficial of introductions to this language. You will be taught basic structures, vocabulary, pronunciation, and writing, as well as elements of culture, history, and geography. The objective is to begin learning the basics of the Italian language, and we will focus on speaking, listening, writing, reading, and cultural skills.
time and place: Italian 1 bears 4 credits. The course meets every day, from May 19 until June 13 (no class on May 26, Memorial Day), in the Mac Room of the Language Resource Center in Southwick, from 12:30 until 3:15 pm. Please be punctual.
attendance, participation, general conduct: Attendance is mandatory in all my classes, I hardly need to explain to you why. For this intensive class, I allow a maximum of ONE unexcused absence: use it wisely. Otherwise, ask your Dean for an official excuse. Without it, your grade will drop.
*For religious holidays, please let me know.
** Cell-phones need to be turned off; ringing cell-phones will negatively affect your grade.
***Participation, as you will see below, is essential for your success in this class; participation means asking and answering questions, participating actively in whole-class and small-groups discussions, and of course speaking EXCLUSIVELY Italian.
computers: When you first arrive in class, please use the laptop in front of you to connect to my home page, and to the class syllabus. Click on the correct date: the class plan for the day will be available on line. You can use this to follow along in class, to do the on-line exercises when requested, and to review from home.
texts: The text to be purchased at the bookstore is Avanti! and the accompanying Workbook and Laboratory Manual. ***Please bring both to class every day***
homework: Before each class, please complete in writing all the exercises in the Workbook and Lab Manual corresponding to the topics of the day, as well as the exercises in the textbook (the exercises in the textbook you may prepare orally, if you prefer).
Although I do not collect homework, it is important that you do it by the indicated day so that we may correct it quickly in class and thus identify any possible difficulty you may be having with the materials. Your careful completion of the assigned homework becomes part of your class participation grade. Homework not done will earn you a grade of "unprepared for class" for that day.
The audiofiles for the Laboratory Manual can be listened to at the LRC or downloaded from the Internet through the LRC website.
exams: There will be an exam at the end of each chapter, as indicated in the syllabus, and a cumulative final exam on the last day of classes. Although I do not give makeups without a Dean's Excuse, I do drop the lowest grade among your exams.
academic honesty: This is something I take EXTREMELY seriously. I expect you to do all your own work, to use quotation marks and footnotes every time you use someone else's words, and certainly not to copy at exams. You can get help outside of class from those who know the language better than you do (tutors, teachers, etc.), but any work that gets a grade should be completed by you alone. I report all cases of academic dishonesty to the appropriate Dean. Let me assure you, it is NOT worth it, neither for your grade nor, especially, for your soul. Come see me if you are having problems, it is much better that way.
email: I occasionally (and sometimes frequently) email you with reminders, announcements, questions, comments. To do this easily, I use the UVM registrar's website, which in turn uses your UVM email address. If your UVM email address is not the one you regularly use, please log onto webmail.uvm.edu and make the necessary adjustments to forward your UVM-account mail to the email address you normally use. Grazie!
GRADE BREAKDOWN:
40% class participation (including completion of assigned exercises)
40% chapter exams average (7 exams)
20% cumulative final exam
