I. Course description & learning objectives
Our primary objective in this class is to improve your knowledge of all four aspects of Italian:  speaking, listening, reading, and writing.  Another, no less important objective--and one that is inseparable from the linguistic one--is to learn about Italy and its culture. We will accomplish our linguistic and cultural objectives in a variety of ways: by interacting only in Italian in class and focusing on realistic linguistic exchanges; by reading a selection of authentic Italian texts; by writing and rewriting brief compositions; by watching Italian short films (cortometraggi); by listening to each other and other Italian speakers; by working with an Italian grammar and language book.

Upon the successful completion of this course, you should be able to:
•    speak with your peers about things you have done or would like to do; 

•    speak informally about your opinions regarding a variety of issues and topics relevant to you and your community; 

•    listen to and follow the main ideas of extended conversations on familiar topics;


•    write brief personal essays with thoughtful use of vocabulary and grammar;
•    read and comprehend authentic short texts about cultural, social, and personal topics that employ a wide range of grammatical structures and vocabulary.

II. Time, place, syllabus, textbook
The class meets on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays from 1:10 to 2; on every Monday, and also on Wednesday September 8, we will meet in Waterman 458; on the remaining Wednesdays and Fridays we will meet remotely on Teams. Please be punctual: 3 late arrivals are the equivalent of an absence. All assignments and DUE dates are due on the day indicated in the online syllabus.

The mandatory textbook for this class is: Cummings, Frenquellucci, Pastorino e Viazmenski. Immagina. L’italiano senza confini. 3rd ed. Vista, 2020. Ch. 1-5. It is available at the UVM bookstore and comes with the access code to the Supersite, which you will need in order to complete the homework.

PLEASE NOTE: While on TEAMS, you are expected to keep your CAMERA ON with the microphone on when you are speaking. If you have a problem with this requirement please contact me immediately.

You should have the book with you in every class. While I understand this is an expensive book, please note that Italian 52 (the Italian class that follows Italian 51) uses the same textbook so you will not have to buy another one in the Spring. The Workbook Activities indicated in the syllabus refer to the exercises available on the Supersite of Immagina; you should receive a "free" code for this with your textbook.

To create a VHL (Vista Higher Learning) account, go to https://www.vhlcentral.com/register

To enroll in your instructor’s course, complete the following steps: Go to VHL Central: http://vhlcentral.com Log in using your existing account information. To enroll in your teacher's course, click the "Enroll in a course" link. From the list of available classes at your school for your textbook's Supersite, look for your teacher's class. Click the radio button for your teacher's class. Click "select course" to enroll. Look for a flash alert on your Home page that confirms you successfully enrolled in your teacher's class.

III. Attendance & participation
This is essential for language learning:  though you may learn some subjects by cramming before exams, you can't learn to play the piano without regular practicing, nor can you participate in a marathon if you don't run every day.  Language learning is more like learning to play an instrument or practicing a sport than it is like learning most other academic subjects.  Regular attendance and active participation are therefore essential for the success of this class as a whole and of each of you as individual students. For classes that meet 3 days per week, I allow a maximum of three (3) unexcused absences, after which, without an official excuse, you can expect your grade to drop (these allowed absences should include light illness, faulty alarm clocks, and late or early plane departures). 

ONLY ITALIAN IS TO BE SPOKEN IN CLASS
PLEASE AVOID LEAVING THE CLASSROOM DURING THE 50 MINUTES OF OUR IN-PERSON CLASS UNLESS IT IS AN EMERGENCY; IT IS DISRUPTIVE TO MOST
MAKE SURE YOU SILENCE YOUR CELL PHONES AND KEEP THEM OUT OF SIGHT

Officially excused absences may consist of: 1. religious holidays ("Each semester students should submit in writing to their instructors by the end of the second full week of classes their documented religious holiday schedule for the semester"); 2. UVM-sponsored events (during the first 2 weeks of classes, you must submit a letter to me, on UVM letterhead and signed by your supervisor or coach, with the dates and reasons for your absences); c. Dean's excuse (contact your Dean's Office if you have a serious reason to miss a class and they will email me).

IV. Homework & essays
Please complete all homework for each day before class time so that you are prepared for our time together. The homework is indicated on the SuperSite of Immagina.

You will write 5 essays for this class, to be turned in typed, printed, & double spaced on the designated Monday. Always turn in my corrected first draft along with your revision, stapled together.
Late essays will not be accepted.

Please write the number of words on the front of your essay, next to your name (there is no need to write anything other than your name and number of words).

N.B. According to the definition of the standard credit hour, you are expected to put in two hours of work at home for every credit of a course. For this 3-credit course, this means 6 hours of out-of-class work per week.

V. Exams
There are 5 exams during the semester (one at the end of each chapter of Immagina), based on all the work done at home and in class since the previous exam. There will also be a cumulative final.  The dates are indicated in the syllabus. 
N.B. I do not give makeups without an official excuse (see above).

VI. 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 (including in your homework: you should not copy sentences from the reading), and certainly not to copy at exams. I report all cases of academic dishonesty to the Center for Student Ethics and Standards. 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 with this class, it is a much more effective way of dealing with them.

Please do not cut and paste sentences from the web into your essays; unless you acknowledge your sources (and for this class we only write personal essays that do not require research and/or external sources), this is plagiarism and it is as obvious to me as if you had underlined those sentences in red.

VII. Grade breakdown
25% class preparation through written homework and active oral participation (I post this grade 3 times in the semester: the first is worth 5% and the second and third are worth 10% each)
25% essays average (5 essays, 5% each)
40% exams average (5 exams, 8% each)
10% final exam, cumulative