Course+Description

** Italian ** =**//Academic Year: 2016-2017 //** = =Teacher Information= Starboard Tutorial

**Teacher:** ** Mrs. Rosa Kachmar ** **Office Hours:** By Appointment **Phone Number:**
 * (908) 436-6767 (Main Office)
 * (908) 436-6729 (Guidance Office)

**Email Address:** ** KachmarRo@epsnj.org **

Write to me.....Scrivimi!

= ** Online: ** Homework ( Refer to Home page)  =

=** Classroom Expectations **=
 * 1) Follow directions the first time.
 * 2) Be on time.
 * 3) Be prepared.
 * 4) Stay on the task.
 * 5) Be courteous and co-operative.

2nd offense - Warning #2...

3rd offense - Phone call to parents/guardians 4th offense - Referral to an administrator

**Conduct violations accumulate on a per class basis for one week.** **__Severe clause__:** Severe student misconduct will result in immediate referral to an administrator.

__NoTexts Required:__



 * 1. **** (Sixth Edition) Textbook by Carla Larese Riga and Chiara Maria Dal Martello **
 * 2. Workbook/LabManual by Carla Larese Riga and Chiara Maria Dal Martello **


 * __Required Material for Classes:__ **



1. Binder (3 ring) with college ruled paper and handouts
2. Pen/Pencil/Highlighter/colored pencils 3. Planner (recommended for organization) 4. Index cards (recomended for flashcards)

__Optional Materials:__
== 1. **Dictionary Although your textbook has a glossary, you may want to purchase an Italian-English dictionary as well, especially if you plan to continue studying Italian after this course. Cassell’s Italian Dictionary and Webster’s New World Italian Dictionary, both published by Macmillan, are good ones that you can find at bookstores. ** ==


 * 3. Films/Videos** ** You might find watching Italian films and videos enjoyable. They provide a visual and linguistic introduction to the culture of Italy! Don’t be alarmed if you can’t understand the dialogues immediately. If you watch these films regularly, your comprehension will improve fast! Some famous films include //La strada, L’avventura, Cinema paradiso, Il postino, Caro ////diario//, and // La vita è bella. //**

4 . **Book**
 * //The Italian Way: Aspects of Behavior, Attitudes and Customs // of the Italians by Mario Costantino and Lawrence Gambella (Lincolnwood, IL: Passport, 1996) is a book that gives a humorous overview of many aspects of Italian culture, from sports to food to swearing. You can borrow this book from my class library. **

The Italian Way : Aspects of Behavior, Attitudes, and Customs of the Italians ** //by// Costantino, Mario; Gambella, Lawrence R. **

**Homework Policy**

**Students can expect to have homework assigned on every week day evening and may also have homework assignments over a weekend or school vacation.**

**Late homework assignments __may__ not be accepted.** Remember homework is an assignment given for study, preparation, or completion outside of regular class time. The primary purpose of homework is to reinforce, enrich, and/or extend learning and help students practice or extend the development of important skills and understanding of important content and concepts. Homework is also intended to help students work in an increasingly self-directed manner; learn to manage time; and develop responsibility.

**Students' Role And Responsibilities**
 * Set a time each day to do homework.
 * Complete homework assignments. Check work for quality and accuracy. If possible, explain the work that has been done to an adult.
 * Ask questions of your teacher if assignment content or procedures are not clear.
 * Plan ahead to make efficient use of the time that has been allotted to complete long term assignments.

It is a general expectation that high school students will have homework in most or all of their courses, and homework should be expected on a daily basis. Homework is considered an extension of classroom instruction; it is not work required for its own sake. The type of homework will vary widely across subject areas, and should be considered of equal importance regardless of the nature of the assignment or subject. While there is no established guideline for the amount of time that should be devoted to homework at this level, it is noted that many high school students spend an average of three to three and one-half hours on daily homework assignments**, with about __two hours__ of that being completed outside of school hours.**

 **Teaching Strategies**

To make the course a highly interactive and truly communicative experience where student participation is central and maximized on a daily basis, I ensure a student centered approach to nearly every aspect of each lesson, from homework correction to the presentation of new material, to discussions and analysis of studied material, to the practice of strategies in communication.

For each lesson, my planning takes into consideration the following questions, among others: Who will do the talking? Where will I be standing? What visuals or ancillaries can make this more conceptually immediate for the learners? Will students be creative with the language or will their responses be short, mechanical, and predictable? Will they create questions as well as answers? Will they be compelled to listen actively and engage when others are speaking, or this activity allow for passivity, distraction, even dozing?

At least 50 percent of the time, each lesson focuses on student-centered and interactive activities, through pairs or small groups (from correcting homework to preparing a dialogue, or preparing an outline response to the cultural questions at hand), or in two sided debates, skits interviews, surveys, or class presentations.

Depending on the context of the lesson, students are required to jot down vocabulary they do not understand, or write two or three questions to present to the speaker. Though the speaker cannot answer all of these questions, I generally collect the questions and give credit to students for participating. The technique is useful for those observing other group's skits or listening to other groups' arguments in whole-class debates.

**Major Course Projects & Instructional Activities**

=You will often be required to submit a two-part assignment for each lesson: an oral component and a written component. Both will determine your grade for the assignment. Your final grade will be distributed as follows: =

//**Classwork / Homework**//**:** 30%
 * Tests:** 20%
 * //Projects / Products//:** 20%
 * //Benchmarkss//:** 30%


 * The final exam is cumulative and requires reading //and // writing. ****The purpose of the final exam is to see how well you have mastered the content of the lessons. The entire exam is in Italian. Please bring pens (or pencils if you find it helpful to erase) and scrap paper to the final exam. **

<span style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif;">For a list of possible topics for Oral Assessmet click here.


 * <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"> You will not be permitted to use a dictionary or any other supplementary materials . **

**Buona fortuna e buon lavoro!**

** Grading Scale **
 * Letter ||  Percent  ||
 * A+ || 97-100 ||
 * A || 94-96 ||
 * A- || 90-93 ||
 * B+ || 87-89 ||
 * B || 84-86 ||
 * B- || 80-83 ||
 * C+ || 77-79 ||
 * C || 74-76 ||
 * C- || 70-73 ||
 * D || 63-69 ||
 * F || 0-62 ||


 * = Grade ||< Assessment ||
 * = A ||< ===<span style="font-family: Verdana,helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: small; font-weight: normal; line-height: 28px;">Learner demonstrates ability to clearly respond to simple, routine, predictable questions and to talk and write about personal information and every day life topics. Able to express simple ideas on all topics covered in class. Demonstrates good control of basic grammar and vocabulary. There is evidence of some connected discourse. === ||
 * = B ||< Learner demonstrates ability to clearly respond to simple, routine, predictable questions and to talk and write about personal information and every day life topics. Able to express simple ideas on most of the topics covered. Use of appropriate grammar and vocabulary is sometimes limited. ||
 * = C ||< Learner can recall limited vocabulary and use few structures to respond to simple, routine, predictable questions and to talk and write about personal information and every day life topics. Usually demonstrates limited control of basic grammar and vocabulary to express simple ideas but meaning is not obscured. ||
 * = D ||< Shows limited understanding of simple language on the topics covered in class. Can express very few simple ideas. Demonstrates very limited control of basic grammar structures and vocabulary and meaning is sometimes obscured. ||
 * = F ||< Shows restricted understanding of the target language on the topic areas. Can use very limited vocabulary and is often unable to put together words to express simple ideas. Basic grammar structures are lacking. Meaning is not clear. ||

** Instructional Philosophy ** It is a small world that we live in. The ability to express one’s self in a second language is becoming now, more than ever, a very important skill. It is critical that students develop the cultural knowledge and attitudes that will permit them to relate with others in keeping with a spirit of global citizenship. This means that we must cultivate a respect for difference and diversity, knowledge and deep appreciation of language and literature, and sensitivity to the changing nature of our global society. Since language proficiency is a key component to achieving this goal, I promote the exposure and use of comprehensible language in communicative contexts and authentic tasks that allow students to develop their ability to effectively read, write, speak and listen to a second language with competence. I believe that tasks with real-world applications are the most motivating and effective tools for achieving language proficiency. Teaching culture is equally important to this process because it facilitates understanding and respect between different peoples. My primary goal is not to develop the aforementioned respect solely through the Italian culture that we study in class, but also to explore the concept of difference and diversity within our own classroom. To this end, I propose to use in my Italian language classes readings and authentic texts that reflect the diversity and cultural richness that exist in the world. It is also very important to me that my students are familiar with some of the most culturally and historically significant Italian texts and writers. Through this study of literature, we will consider questions of universal interest such as social justice, immigration, identity and more. We will use of a variety of technologies that permit us to improve comprehension, deepen our knowledge of the Italian language and culture and take advantage of the cultural connections that exist outside of the classroom. It also makes possible the use of foreign language in authentic contexts to communicate and make connections and comparisons between cultures and communities.

<span style="background-color: #ffffff; color: #0000ff; display: block; font-size: 130%; text-align: center;">
 * Why learn Italian? **
 * Italy is one of the top five economies in the world, and many employers are seeking people who speak both Italian and English. An estimated 7,500 American companies do business with Italy and more than 1,000 U.S. firms have offices in Italy, including IBM, General Electric, Motorola, Citibank, and Pricewaterhouse Coopers. Many Italian firms have offices in the U.S., especially in the Detroit metropolitan area.


 * Knowing Italian is greatly beneficial in several career fields. Italy is a world leader in the culinary arts, interior design, fashion, graphic design, furniture design, machine tool manufacturing, robotics, electromechanical machinery, shipbuilding, space engineering, construction machinery, and transportation equipment.


 * Italy's cultural importance spans from antiquity through the present, of which the Roman period and the Renaissance are perhaps the two most influential moments.


 * According to UNESCO, over 60% of the world's art treasures are found in Italy. Some of the most famous Western artists, from Giotto to Michelangelo, were Italian. Knowledge of Italian is vital to understand the contexts of this art.


 * Italian literature boasts some of the world's most famous writers and thinkers, from Dante, Boccaccio, Petrarch and Machiavelli, to Verga, Svevo, Pirandello, and Gramsci, to name a few.


 * Since Roman times, Italy has exported its literature and culture to other parts of Europe and beyond, in the areas of Latin literature, // Romanitas //, humanism, opera, film, science, political thought, fashion, design, and cuisine. Knowing Italian allows you to understand, appreciate, and analyze this treasury of human expression. ·


 * Italy has the cultures, landscapes, and histories to fill a lifetime of investigation. Knowing Italian places you in a position to explore Italy's past and present from the most fulfilling vantage point.

[|Italian Language Profile]
**Course Objectives**

Italian I This course is designed to give you a foundation in basic grammar, some essential vocabulary, and an introduction to Italian culture. The assignments will encourage you to develop your speaking, writing, reading, and listening comprehension skills. By the end of the course, you will be able to use the __present tense__, ask questions, describe yourself and your friends. You will be able to talk about your hometown, your family, and your school life. You will have a great basis for continuing with Italian II! <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-weight: normal;">This course requires __no previous language experience__. You may find the assignments difficult at first, but remember that everyone who is learning a foreign language for the first time makes mistakes. You will soon develop study habits and skills that will help you cope with new material. If at any time you have questions or need extra support, feel free to e-mail me. Each lesson requires preparation. This includes reading the textbook, studying new grammar and vocabulary, and writing out and recording the assignments. Throughout this course you will find grammar workbook exercises that supplement those in the text. These explanations are meant to reinforce your growing knowledge of Italian grammar.

Requirement: None
 * [|NJDOE Model Curriculum]**


 * **UNIT 1: __<span style="color: #000099; font-family: Arial,Verdana,Helvetica,sans-serif;">All About me! __**


 * **UNIT 2:** ** School Days **

> > > > >
 * **Unit 3**: ** Home Sweet Home! **
 * ** Unit 4: Food-Glorious food **
 * ** Unit 5: Celebrations **
 * ** Unit 6: **** Migratory Animals **
 * ** Unit 7: Going Green **


 * [|Language Cumulative Progress Indicators by Unit] **
 * [[file:mrskachmar/Level 1.doc|Level 1]] as per AP Syllabus **
 * [[file:mrskachmar/Level 2.doc|Level 2]] as per AP Syllabus **

// Organization of the Lessons: //

 * Lesson Objectives: //<span style="color: #0000ff; font-family: Verdana,Geneva,sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;">Statement of objectives. //
 * // Do Now: <span style="color: #0000ff; font-family: Verdana,Geneva,sans-serif; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 1.5;">Admit slips, Do Now, essential questions, writing journals. //
 * // Direct instruction: <span style="color: #0000ff; font-family: Verdana,Geneva,sans-serif; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 1.5;">Media presentations, lecture/guided notes, interactive discussion, modeling/I do. //
 * Guided Practice and monitoring: //<span style="color: #0000ff; font-family: Verdana,Geneva,sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;">Practice active reading, ask/answer questions, use manipulatives, peer review/revision, we do. //
 * Independent practice: <span style="color: #0000ff; font-family: Verdana,Geneva,sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;">//Draft writing, revise work, design/construct other problems/questions/labs, you do//.
 * Closure: // Exit slip, review major points, summary statement, student reflection activity. //

<span style="background-color: #ffffff; color: #428bca; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue',Helvetica,Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; text-decoration: none;">

Study Hints:

 * <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 110%;"> Learning a language is a cumulative process! Therefore you will do well in this course if you … **


 * 1) <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 110%;">Review the previous lesson before you start studying new material.
 * 2) <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 110%;">Don’t hesitate to take notes, make flash cards, read aloud, and create your own examples.
 * 3) //<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 110%;">As you study, write down your questions, so that you may include them when you hand in your homework to be graded. If you need a question answered //<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 110%;">before //<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 110%;"> submitting your work, you may ask/e-mail me. NEVER hesitate to ask a question!
 * 4) <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 110%;">Use visual cues such as pictures, drawings, and symbols to help yourself understand a sentence or memorize vocabulary.
 * 5) <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 110%;">Avoid translating word for word.
 * 6) <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 110%;">Study **EVERY DAY**; this will help you retain vocabulary as well as grammar and will help you prepare for your final exam as you go along.

NEW JERSEY STANDARDS FOR FOREIGN LANGUAGE LEARNING <span style="font-family: arial,verdana,helvetica,sans-serif;">**[|Standards for Foreign Language Learning in the 21st Century]**

7.1 A. Interpretive Mode (understanding and interpretation of spoken or written communication)
1. Demonstrate comprehension of simple, oral directions, commands, and requests through appropriate physical response.

2. Recognize common gestures, intonation, and other visual or auditory cues of the target culture.

3. Identify familiar people, places, and objects based on oral and/or simple written descriptions.

4. Comprehend brief oral exchanges on familiar topics.
 * Grade level appropriate health topics (e.g., wellness, feelings and emotions)
 * Grade level appropriate science topics (e.g., weather and seasons)

5. Connect the learning of the target language to information studied in other core content areas.
 * Grade level appropriate mathematics concepts (e.g., use of numbers to count, measure, label, or<span style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: small; font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Helvetica; line-height: 19px;"> locate)
 * Grade level appropriate health topics (e.g., nutrition and food groups)

6. Listen to simple passages from age-appropriate, culturally authentic selections for enjoyment and information.
 * Recognition of key words
 * Main idea

7.1 B. Interpersonal Mode (direct oral or written communication)
1. Give and follow simple oral directions, commands, and requests for participating in age-appropriate classroom and cultural activities.

2. Imitate appropriate gestures and intonation of the target culture during greetings, leave-takings, and daily interactions.

3. Ask and respond to simple questions, make requests, and express preferences using memorized words and phrases.

4. Exchange information using words, phrases, and short sentences practiced in class on familiar topics or topics studied in other core content areas. 5. Exchange basic information about the main characters, main idea, and setting from age-appropriate, culturally authentic selections.
 * Grade level appropriate social studies topics (e.g., symbols of American and target culture: flags,famous places, regions, and monuments).
 * Grade level appropriate mathematics concepts (e.g., numerical operations: addition/subtraction of 2-digit numbers, counting and performing simple computations with coins).
 * Grade level appropriate science topics (e.g., plant and animal characteristics)

7.1 C. Presentational Mode (spoken or written communication for an audience)
1. Imitate, recite, and/or dramatize simple poetry, rhymes, songs, and skits.

2. Copy/write words, phrases, or simple guided texts on familiar topics.
 * Grade level appropriate mathematics concepts (e.g., calendar/time; color/shape/size of objects)
 * Grade level appropriate science concepts (e.g., comparing and contrasting living and nonliving<span style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: small; font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Helvetica; line-height: 19px;"> things)

3. Present orally or in writing information from age-appropriate, culturally authentic selections.
 * Grade level appropriate language arts literacy activities (e.g., contributing to teacher-directed shared<span style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: small; font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Helvetica; line-height: 19px;"> writing activities; illustrating stories, or drawing and labeling pictures, charts, or diagrams)

4. Name and label tangible products and imitate practices from the target culture.
 * Grade level appropriate visual and performing arts activities (e.g., song, dance, and drama of the<span style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: small; font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Helvetica; line-height: 19px;"> target culture)
 * Grade level appropriate social studies activities (e.g., participation in culturally authentic<span style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: small; font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Helvetica; line-height: 19px;"> experiences such as preparing and eating meals and snacks, playing authentic games, holiday<span style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: small; font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Helvetica; line-height: 19px;"> celebrations)