ITAL 201: Intermediate Italian I

Course Description
Perugia is a wonderful laboratory for learning the Italian language, and the structure of the Italian language program reflects this urban reality. The first week of intensive language instruction immerses you in the Italian language and culture, and introduces you to local routines and life in Perugia, where the opportunity to use the language abounds. This immersion further orients you to studying Italian in Italy, where the communicative approach with Italian only in classroom is practiced in full. Lastly, the week sets the rules and rhythm for the semester and helps to instill an enthusiasm for the Italian language and culture.

This lower intermediate course (the equivalent of a third semester course) is designed particularly to help you improve their communicative skills. The course begins with a grammatical review to reinforce and build upon the grammatical elements introduced in the first year of study. Thereafter, the course places emphasis on developing your ability to speak the language. Students often work in pairs and follow examples of native speakers presented in audio and visual materials. Group work continues outside the classroom where various assignments require students to interact with local Italians.

You will read and analyze a variety of authentic texts that focus on popular, non-specialist topics as a way to develop their skills in reading and writing and to develop a more nuanced understanding of the Italian culture. In-class activities, such as games, role-playing, and presentations, will help you to expand your vocabulary and acquire socio-linguistic competence. This communicative approach will also allow you to refine your use and understanding of grammatical structures, including:

• Uso dell’imperfetto, del passato prossimo e del trapassato prossimo
• Pronomi diretti, indiretti e combinati
• Particelle NE e CI
• Accordo dei pronomi con il participio
• Gradi dell’aggettivo: comparativo e superlativo
• Il futuro semplice e composto
• Verbi impersonali
• Imperativo diretto, indiretto e con i pronomi
• Il condizionale presente e passato
• Il congiuntivo presente e passato
• Cenni sul periodo ipotetico

Course Structure
• One week of intensive language instruction (20 contact hours)
• 13 regularly scheduled weeks in which the class meets 6 hours per week

Course Objectives
At the end of the semester, you should reach the level B1 of the Common European Framework in the four basic competencies: listening, speaking and interacting, reading, and writing. In practice, you will be able to:

• Understand the main points of an announcement, news item, advertisement delivered in clear, standard speech;
• Begin, sustain and conclude a brief and simple conversation face to face or over the telephone;
• Comprehend and make oneself understood on familiar and personal topics;
• Interact in situations in which one is typically found while traveling around Italy;
• Describe personal experiences, dreams, and hopes and express personal opinions, plans and intentions;
• Craft personal letters and requests for information on hotels, reservations, etc;
• Write simple, brief texts based on familiar topics or personal experience.

Course Materials

• Required Text: a Course Reader that contains the majority of the reading materials, grammatical units and vocabulary to be covered in the course will be made available.
• Mandatory course reader: selected exercises and readings from various sources
• Dictionary: you are strongly recommended to purchase an English/Italian, Italian/English dictionary. The library in via Bartolo also has a number of dictionaries available for consultation.