Italiano
III
Readings and knowledge of Italian culture
By the end of the semester you will have to show that you have learned
many aspects of Italian culture. Throughout the semester, in fact, you
will do readings that pertain certain regions, or cities or important
Italian cultural features and watch videoclips on the same subject.
Some reading you will discuss in class with your instructor,
some others you will do on your own, researching topics on the
Internet. Materials will be both in Italian and in English. You will
find out that the more you read about Italy (in Italian and in English)
and the more you become acquainted with the culture, the better your
Italian language skills develop. (Not to mention that it can be fun and
informative.)
Readings
1) Readings in Italian are often preceded by “common reading
strategies”, which should help you refine your skill. Please make sure
that you pay close attention to all pre-reading strategies and
exercises, since you will have to apply them in class for quick
reading comprehension tests.
2) Your instructor will also post on Blakboard
additional readings in Italian (called “Nelle regioni”) with links to
web-sites (and web-based exercises). These readings specifically
address Italian geography, Italian cities, and the 20 regions.
3) Other readings in Italian AND English that will be posted
on Blackboard (or distributed to you by your instructor) are on
subjects like the Italian school system, the Italian family, shopping
in Italy, the role of women in Italian society, vacations in Italy,
sports and leisure time activities, Italian food, etc. Some will also
address specific cities or regions.
Picture files
How doesn't like watching pictures from a foreign country?
Your instructor has posted for you on Blackboard a series of files with
pictured of Italian cities, people and things. Some will be tied to the
subjects you discuss in class, others will not. Check them all out and,
if you want and are curious, ask your instructor some questions about
some that strike you as peculiar, or different, or that you simply want
to know more about.
Prego! Cd-Rom
Your instructor will also assign pages from the main textbook
on Italian culture ("Videoteca"). Videoclips are linked to these pages.
Your instructor may show these videoclips in class and/or ask you that
you watch them in the Language Lab (Dickson 278) and that you do the
corresponding exercises. One exciting feature of the Cd-rom is the
possibility of recording an interactive dialogue with one of the
characters -and practice answering impromptu questions! (Then you can
watch/re-listen to the whole dialogue.) Make sure that you try that
feature out, since questions from these interactive segments will also
be practiced in class.
Music clips
Listening to music is a great way to learn a language. Many clips of
all sorts of music genres are posted on Blackboard. Your instructor may
assign some clips to listen to, either because of their language or
their subjects or simply for your enjoyment. Some clips may be linked
to some comprehension exercises, some others may not. We hope you will
keep on listening: Italian words are rather easy to understand even in
music!