Winter Quarter 2014 Courses

WINTER QUARTER 2014 COURSES
EXPANDED COURSE DESCRIPTIONS

Please click here to see the Winter Schedule as a PDF.

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 LOWER DIVISION COURSES 
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ITALIAN 2: Elementary Italian (5 Units)

Course Description: Italian 2 is the second course of Elementary Italian.  Students in this course will continue learning the language in a setting that emphasizes communicative and interactive class activities, e.g., games and role-playing, while focusing also on form (grammar exercises).  The syllabus for Italian 2 comprises Chapters 6 to 11 of the textbook, and the related chapters in the Workbook/Lab Manual (which is available online).  More emphasis on moods and tenses of the verb will increase the students' linguistic awareness with contrastive study of present perfect, imperfect, and past perfect.  The future tenses will also be introduced. Students will continue to explore both the language and culture of Italy and increase their reading, understanding, speaking and writing skills. Since the study of a foreign language is different from the study of other disciplines, daily class attendance is indispensable in this course. Unjustified absences will cause a student’s participation grade to drop, and his/her overall grade will suffer accordingly. Just as important as daily class participation are homework assignments.  Laboratory is required, and instructors will collect and grade the lab work as scheduled in the Syllabus. Failure to comply with the lab requirements will result in a failing lab grade.

Prerequisite: Italian 1 or consent of instructor.

Format: Lecture/Discussion - 5 hours; Laboratory - 1 hour.

GE Credits (Old): None.
GE Credits (New): World Cultures.

Texts:

• Janice Aski, et al., Avanti, 3rd Edition Bundle (McGraw Hill, 2011)
   

 

ITALIAN 5: Intermediate Italian (4 Units)

Course Description: This is the second course of Intermediate Italian. The purpose of this course is to review and practice 1st year skills while introducing new grammar structures and expanding vocabulary in a communicative and task-oriented classroom, where language and culture are inseparable.  Students will strengthen their language skills through a variety of class activities (oral presentations, collaborative exercises to critically understand written and spoken Italian) and homework assignments (online lab and workbook).  Students will also engage in writing activities (compositions) and receive individualized feedback through tutoring sessions.  Movie clips, videos and music are fundamental learning tools in this course.  Italian 5 covers chapters 5-8 of the textbook, and the related chapters in the Workbook/Lab Manual.  First-year grammar review includes: the verb “piacere” and similar verbs, contrast of future and conditional.  New language structures include:  the remote past, the subjunctive mood, and relative pronouns.

Prerequisite: Italian 4 or consent of instructor. Students who did not take Italian 4 at UC Davis are encouraged to take the Italian Placement Exam. 

Format: Lecture/Discussion - 3 hours; Laboratory - 1 hour

GE Credits (Old): None.
GE Credits (New): World Cultures.

Texts:

• Elissa Tognozzi and Giuseppe Cavatorta, Ponti: Italiano Terzo Millennio Bundle (Cengage Learning, 2012)

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 UPPER DIVISION COURSES
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ITALIAN 101: Advanced Conversation, Composition, and Grammar (4 Units)
Margherita Heyer-Caput

Course Description:This course is aimed at improving oral and written proficiency through group discussions and oral presentations in class and weekly compositions and grammar review exercises at home.  Students work on linguistic structures in context through close readings of short, modern and contemporary literary texts included in the course textbook. Participants expand vocabulary and enhance conversational skills while discussing cultural changes in today’s Italy, with particular attention to human relationships.  Audiovisual materials (songs, film-clips, etc.) will regularly complement class activities.  ITA 101 is required for the Italian Major/Minor and will be conducted in Italian.

Prerequisite: Italian 9 or consent of instructor.

Format: Lecture - 3 hours.

GE Credits (Old): None.
GE Credits (New): Arts & Humanities, Oral Literacy, World Cultures, and Writing Experience.

Texts:

• Laura Bresciani, et al., Amicizia, Affetto, Amore (Edizioni Farinelli, 2012)
   

ITALIAN 105: Introduction to Italian Literature (4 Units)
Margherita Heyer-Caput

Course Description: This course provides an introduction to the principal movements, authors, and works of Italian literature from the Middle Ages to the present.  We will focus on close readings of representative excerpts from masterpieces of medieval, renaissance, baroque, romantic, and modern authors within their historical and cultural context. ITA 105 is required for the Italian Major/Minor and will be conducted in Italian.  The format will combine lectures and group discussions.  Students will contribute to class activities with oral presentations on an author or an aspect of Italian cultural history.

Prerequisite: Italian 101 or consent of instructor.

Format: Lecture/Discussion - 3 hours; Term Paper.

GE Credits (Old): Arts & Humanities.
GE Credits (New): Arts & Humanities, Oral Literacy and World Cultures.

Texts:

• Paolo Balboni and Anna Biguzzi, Letteratura Italiana per Stranieri (Guerra Edizioni, 2009)