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WellesleyX: Italian1x Italian Language and Culture: Beginner (2019-2020)

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    1. Course Overview
    2. Course requirements (for learners in the Verified track)
    3. Course Organization
    4. Course Outline
    5. Suggested 12-Week Schedule

COURSE OVERVIEW

Benvenute e Benvenuti!
Welcome!

Italian Language and Culture: Beginner is an introductory course that teaches the four basic skills (speaking, listening, reading and writing) in the context of major themes in Italian culture.

This course is an updated and improved version of our successful Italian Language and Culture: Beginner which was open on edX from January 2016 until January 2017.  Below please see a summary of the new contents featured in this second iteration of that course:

- All videos (Ciak! and interviews) are now presented in two formats: "raw" (with or without timed transcripts) and with embedded activities. When you choose the latter option the video will pause and an ungraded comprehension activity will pop up.

- Quizlet activities now precede all videos (Ciak! and interviews) and all readings.

- Speak like a native: all video interviews are now accompanied by this Podcast program designed to help you practice two idiomatic expressions used in each video interview.

- The testing program has been completely revised and expanded.

- A new interview is presented in 2.6A.

Finally, many components of the course are now presented in more user friendly pages (see for examples, all Ciak! videos, video interviews, and Letture).

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COURSE REQUIREMENTS FOR LEANERS IN THE VERIFIED TRACK

To receive a Verified Certificate of Completion you must obtain a final score of 60% on all Tests. You may drop 2 Tests.

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COURSE ORGANIZATION

The course consists of four Units. Each Unit is broken down in 6-7 lessons (1.1, 1.2, 1.3, etc.)
Each lesson presents its content in multiple ways. These can be viewed and studied in any order you prefer.
Below is a quick overview of the various components of each unit.

Ciak! videos: original videos shot on our campus with native and near native speakers of Italian. Each Ciak! video is followed by two downloadable Podcasts. These will be ideal for your on-the-go practice.

Grammar charts: grammar explanations, examples, and charts are available for review with audio files of each example and verb conjugation within the course, and can be downloaded in PDF file format.

Slide Shows with animation: grammar explanations with images and animation.

Videos (Slide Shows with Narration): narrated grammar explanations.

Esercizi: online exercises with immediate feedback.

Vocaboli nuovi: new vocabulary lists are available as PDF files, slide show presentations, and videos with narration.

Discussione: creative writing prompts.

Lettura: readings delivered as PDF files, slide show presentations, and videos with narration.

Intervista: interview with a native speaker on a variety of cultural subjects. Each interview is followed by an activity called Speak like a native!. This contains two downloadable audio files that will help you practice idiomatic expressions used in the interview. These will be ideal for your on-the-go practice.

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COURSE OUTLINE

Below is an outline of the material as it is presented on the edX platform.  

Unit

Lessons

Unit 1

Le città italiane e la piazza

(Italian cities and the piazza)

1.1 Saluti e presentazioni
(Greetings and introductions)

1.1 Test

1.2 Nomi: genere, singolare e plurale
(Nouns: gender, singular and plural)

1.2 Test

1.3 Articoli indeterminativi e aggettivo “buono” 
(Indefinite articles and adjective “buono”)

1.3 Test

1.4 Verbo “essere”, c’è, ci sono, articoli determinativi e aggettivo "bello"
(Verb “to be”, there is, there are, definite articles and adjective “bello”)

1.4 Test

1.5 Verbo “avere” ed espressioni idiomatiche con avere
(Verb “to have” and idiomatic expressions with “to have”)

1.5 Test

1.6 LETTURA: Le città italiane e la piazza
(Reading: Italian cities and the piazza)

1.7 INTERVISTA con Lucia Toppino: La città di Alba
(Interview with Lucia Toppino: The town of Alba)

Unit 2

I giovani, la famiglia e l'università

(Young adults, the family and the university)

2.1 Aggettivi
(Adjectives)

2.1 Test

2.2 Aggettivi e pronomi possessivi
(Adjectives and possessive pronouns)

2.2 Test

2.3 Verbi in -are; domande, espressioni interrogative, alcuni avverbi
(Verbs ending in –are; question formation, interrogative expressions, some adverbs)

2.3 Test

2.4 Verbi irregolari in -are: andare, dare, fare, stare
(Irregular verbs ending in –are: to go, to give, to do/make, to be/stay)

2.4 Test

2.5 LETTURA: I giovani, la famiglia e l'università
(Reading: Young adults, family and the university)

2.6 INTERVISTA con Beatrice, Elena e Mattia: L'università di Bologna
(Interview with Beatrice, Elena and Mattia: The university of Bologna)

Unit 3

Attività, sport e vacanze

(Activities, sports and vacation)

3.1 Verbi in -ere, -ire
(Verbs ending in –ere, -ire)

3.1 Test

3.2 Verbi irregolari in –ere: dovere, potere, volere
(Irregular verbs ending in –ere: must / to have to, can / to be able to, to want)

3.2 Test

3.3 Verbi irregolari: dire, uscire, venire
(Irregular verbs: to say, to go out, to come)

3.3 Test

3.4 Conoscere e sapere, preposizioni articolate
(To know, to be acquainted with and to know how, prepositions with definite articles)

3.4 Test

3.5 LETTURA: Attività, sport e vacanze
(Reading: Activities, sports and vacation)

3.6 INTERVISTA con Emanuele Capoano: Le mie vacanze in Italia
(Interview with Emanuele Capoano: My vacation in Italy)

3.7 INTERVISTA con Isabella Perricone: Il cinema italiano
(Interview with Isabella Perricone: Italian cinema)

Unit 4

La cucina italiana

(Italian cuisine)

4.1 Passato prossimo con essere e avere
(Past simple with "to be" and "to have")

4.1 Test

4.2 Imperfetto e contrasto imperfetto / passato prossimo
(Imperfect and contrast imperfect and past simple)

4.2 Test

4.3 Trapassato prossimo
(Pluperfect)

4.3 Test

4.4 Espressioni negative
(Negative expressions)

4.4 Test

4.5 LETTURA: Le abitudini alimentari in Italia
(Reading: Eating habits in Italy)

4.6 INTERVISTA con Angelo Guida: La mia passione per la cucina
(Interview with Angelo Guida: My passion for cooking)

Appendix

Alfabeto, pronuncia, numeri, date, che ora è? che ore sono?

(Alphabet, pronunciation, numbers, dates, telling time)

A.1 Alfabeto e pronuncia
(Alphabet and pronunciation)

A.2 Numeri
(Numbers)

A.3 Giorni della settimana, mesi, stagioni
(Days of the week, months, seasons)

A.4 Che ora è? Che ore sono?
(Telling time)

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Suggested 12-week schedule

Week 1

1.1, 1.2, 1.3, A.1

Week 2

1.4, 1.5, 1.6 

Week 3

1.7, 2.1, A.2

Week 4

2.2, A.3, A.4

Week 5

2.3, 2.4

Week 6

2.5, 2.6

Week 7

3.1, 3.2

Week 8

3.3, 3.4

Week 9

3.5, 3.6, 3.7

Week 10

4.1, 4.2

Week 11

4.3, 4.4

Week 12

4.5, 4.6

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