ITAL-102 - Elementary Italian II - ANDREA DAVIS

Introduction

I am Professoressa Andrea Davis, your "tour guide" on our journey through Italy this Spring.

The most important things to know about this class:

1) This course has a prerequisite of Italian 101 or equivalent knowledge of Italian. We will be using Piazza 2nd Edition, and will begin in Chapter 5. Andiamo avanti!

2) You will have fun and make new friends! During our in-person classes, you will be paired up to practice dialogues and do exercises, as well as cultural presentations. Recent Italian videos, news, and film clips will be a part of our lessons.

3) You will be an active part of each lesson! This is not a lecture class. Your attendance is mandatory at every scheduled class time. Everyone contributes to learning the language together. I will call on you frequently because this class is about learning to speak the language, not just reading and writing. 

3) You will need to schedule several hours of study/homework time into your work week, as well as time to do the online module portion of this course. Che bello! Homework is essential to learning the language and passing the weekly quizzes, the midterm, and the final exam. Your homework grade is the largest percentage of your final grade. Because of this, those who don't do the homework don't pass the class. Your commitment to jumping fully into learning Italian this semester is your passport to an A in the class. You will be so proud of yourself if you work hard, and your efforts will be rewarded when you find yourself having a conversation with an Italian and on your travels to Italy in the near future!

Course Description

Course Description and Objectives? 
In this class, you will develop language skills in listening, reading, speaking and writing in Italian within a cultural context with a strong emphasis on communication. The course emphasizes acquisition of vocabulary, structures, and grammatical patterns necessary for comprehension and production of spoken and written Italian at the intermediate level. We will accomplish all this through both synchronous classes (on campus at our scheduled meeting time) and asynchronous lessons (doing online tutorials, exercises, projects, and assignments).  The class will utilize both Canvas and MindTap to accompany your PIAZZA 2nd Edition eBook (hard copy is not necessary), as well as audio and videos to help with pronunciation, comprehension and cultural resources.  

This course is taught in Italian. The course corresponds to the third and fourth years of high school Italian. Not appropriate for native or heritage speakers. You will develop linguistic and cultural proficiency at the intermediate mid-level according to the American Council on the Teaching of Foreign Languages (ACTFL) guidelines.

The course will cover Chapters 5 - 8 of Piazza 2nd Edition, through the MindTap digital learning platform.

Major structures presented include Passato Prossimo (past tense), Imperfetto (imperfect tense), Futuro (future tense), and the Imperativo (command form).  Context relates to the student’s personal world (school, work, family, hobbies, activities, food).

The topics covered in each chapter are as follows:

Capitolo 5 - Che bello spettacolo in piazza!

l'Umbria, le Marche, la musica, il cinema e il teatro, pronomi oggetto diretto, Passato Prossimo

Capitolo 6 - Feste in piazza

la Toscana, le feste, Imperfetto, Pass Pross vs Imperfetto, i ricordi dell'infanzia e dell'adolescenza, le feste acquisite, avverbi, pronomi oggetto indiretto

Capitolo 7 - Al ristorante della piazza con i colleghi

l'Emilia-Romagna, al ristorante, la cucina italiana, i partitivi, piacere, le professioni e i mestieri, ci e ne, Trapassato prossimo

Capitolo 8 - In vacanza tra piazze e bellezze naturali

la Sicilia e la Sardegna, i mezzi pubblici: in treno, "si" impersonale e passivante, Futuro, l'albergo, pronomi doppi, pronomi relativi

What to Expect in this Course

This is a HYBRID class - the online half of your course publishes every Monday morning in Canvas, and your in-person class meets once a week - Mondays from 6pm-9pm . Attendance to in-person class is required in order to complete the course. 

Online portion of class and Compito (Homework):  

On the first day of each week (Mondays), a new module will be published in Canvas, which you will be required to complete as the online portion of this course. You will need to schedule at least 2 1/2 hours on your own time to complete the online portion of the course. 

In addition to the online module each week, you will do at least 2 hours of homework - "compito" - which will be in Canvas and MindTap. Homework is essential to learning the language and passing the weekly quizzes, the midterm, and the final exam. Your homework grade is a large percentage of your final grade. Do all the homework and you are sure to do well in this class. 

Types of Assessments

There will be one midterm and one final exam. There will also be chapter tests and short quizzes.

Oral assessments will be given with the chapter tests, midterms and final exam. Oral assessments consist of answering questions in an interview style and improvising dialogues with a partner. Students will be provided with study guides and materials to prepare for all types of assessments.  

Assessments will include compositions and reading and listening comprehension.

Textbook Information

• The class will utilize both Canvas and MindTap to accompany your PIAZZA 2nd Edition eBook (hard copy is not necessary), as well as audio and videos to help with pronunciation, comprehension and cultural resources.   
• Don't purchase course materials until you log into Canvas on the first day of the course. You may only purchase the Cengage subscription for our course through the Canvas link.  
• You will purchase course materials - or you can get a free 14-day trial - through a link in our Canvas course shell which goes live on Monday morning, March 9. The Cengage subscription includes the eBook (Piazza 2nd edition) and MindTap learning platform. Do not buy the book directly from Cengage or through third party sellers. You will not be able to participate in the course unless you buy the materials (textbook and digital platform) through the link in our Canvas course. 

Other Relevant Course Information

Technical Requirements:

• Bring a pen and notebook to in-person class.
• Bring a laptop to class if you have one, though it is not required for in-person class, but you will need computer access to do your online work and attend Zoom oral assessments.
• A dependable updated PC or MAC
• 8-16 GB memory is recommended
• Access to reliable internet connection to complete/ participate in various projects and assignments
• Google chrome or Firefox are recommended. Some programs work better with certain type of browsers
• Microphone/Webcam/Speakers to participate in virtual office hours and oral interviews
• Free Zoom account

Additional Resources

Canvas

This course can be accessed on the first day of class via Canvas at https://coc.instructure.com. Log into Canvas using your CanyonsID single sign-on:

• CanyonsID Username is your COC student email address (Ex: username@my.canyons.edu)
• CanyonsID Password is your COC student email password

Please visit the Get to Know Your Online Classroom page for help logging into Canvas and for tips on using Canvas and Zoom. Canvas Chat Support is also available 24/7 for any Canvas related issues.

Online Education

Check out the Online Education website for more information on a variety of topics that can help you be a successful online student such as: exam proctoring, learning styles, computer skills, and tips for student success. If this is your first online course, feel free to take our online learning readiness assessment to assess your skills.

The Learning Center (TLC)

The TLC provides FREE online tutoring resources to COC students!

Academic Accommodation Center (AAC)

College of the Canyons AAC provides educational services and access for eligible students with documented disabilities who intend to pursue coursework at COC. A variety of programs and services are available which afford eligible students with disabilities the opportunity to participate fully in all aspects of the college programs and activities through appropriate and reasonable accommodations. For more information on their services visit the Academic Accomodation Center website.

Online Counseling

The Counseling Department offers appointments online. You can schedule an appointment by visiting the Online Counseling website. Counselors can help you map out a plan to reach your educational goals as well as advise you on course selection and registration.

Management of Stress and Mental Health

Often the pressure on our students is very strong, involving academic commitments, relationships, outside jobs and family pressure to name a few. The staff and faculty of College of the Canyons are here to see you succeed academically and care about your emotional and physical health. You can learn more about the broad range of confidential student services, including counseling and mental health services available on campus by visiting the Student Health & Wellness Center in the Student Services Building (across from the bookstore). The phone number is 661-362-3259 that you can call 24/7. You can also e mail for an appointment at StudentHealthCenter@canyons.edu. At the Canyon Country Campus the Health Center will be in the new Student Services Building.

Also, the National Suicide & Crisis Lifeline number is now 988. All students at COC are encouraged to enter that phone number in their cells. You can call it when you, or someone you know, is having thoughts of suicide or is in severe distress.

You can also now use the Crisis Text Line: Just text "Courage" to 741741. Someone will get back to you immediately. Its free, 24/7, and confidential.

Veterans Resource Center

The College of the Canyons Veterans Resource Center is a department within the Student Services Division at the college, created to help veterans and veteran dependents with applying to College of the Canyons, enrolling in classes, and requesting VA Education or Vocational Benefits. For more information please visit the Veterans Resource Center website, email veterans@canyons.edu or phone (661) 362-3469.

Library

The Library provides live online and in-person research help, access to a full range of e-resources and physical materials that support the curriculum, individual and group study areas, and much more!

Last updated: 02/10/2026 Sub#: 2025 Sub ID: 207733