L Italia Di Oggi, L Italia Dei Giovani

University of Southern California Spring 2016

Italian 235

(Section: 34434)

Intermediate Conversational Italian

L’Italia di oggi, l’Italia dei giovani.

Instructor: Alessio Filippi Email: [email protected]

Room: WPH 101 Office: THH 155J

Tuesday & Thursday Office Hours: TBA

12:00-12:50

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Course Description:

The main objective of this C/NC two unit course is to improve students’ oral proficiency in the target language, through guided conversation. In this course of conversational Italian, students will explore and discuss issues related to contemporary Italy and Italian youth. Topics will include Italian fashion, music, free time and night life, sports, food, Italian youth slang, Italian universities, sexuality and gender issues, film, jobs and business, hi-tech and the social networks. Students will be assigned short reading materials (mainly newspaper and magazine articles) or video clips, along with study guides in order to better prepare for discussion in class. This course will be conducted entirely in Italian and students are strongly discouraged to speak English in class.

Course Requirements:

-Weekly attendance and active class participation

-Use of the Italian language in class at all times

-Preparation of all reading assignments

1 -Keep a journal with new vocabulary (to be turned in for review at midterm and semester’s end)

-Four short quizzes on relevant vocabulary (10-15 minutes).

-Three small group presentations on assigned topics (each group presentation should last approximately 12-15 minutes)

-One individual final project/presentation on topics chosen by students (each presentation will last approximately 8-10 minutes)

-Students are strongly encouraged to participate in our Tavola Italiana (every Wednesday 12-1 in THH 120), in the Italian Club events (TBA) and to attend the Italian Film Club (schedule will be announced soon).

Class materials:

Relevant materials will be handed out at the end of each class period. All assignment will be posted on Blackboard.

Course Grading:

Participation 15%

Homework 10%

Vocabulary Quizzes (4) 20%

Oral Presentations (3) 30%

Final Project/Presentation 25%

In order to receive credit in this course, students should earn at least a grade of C-.

2 Schedule and topics:

January 12 & 14

-Introduzione

-I giovani italiani oggi-identikit

-I giovani e la società italiana del XXI secolo

January 19 & 21

-I giovani e la famiglia

-Italiani “mammoni”?

January 26 & 28

-Moda giovane--tendenze

-Trend musicali

February 2 & 4

-Il tempo libero

-Il “gruppo” e i luoghi d’incontro

-L’aperitivo

February 9 & 11

-Il linguaggio dei giovani

-Divisioni sociali

February 16 & 18

-Problemi e insoddisfazioni

-Alcohol e droga

February 23 & 25

-I giovani e la sessualità

3 March 1 & 3

-Giovani donne fra famiglia e lavoro

March 8 & 10

-Il mondo giovanile nel cinema contemporaneo e in letteratura

March 22 & 24

-Giovani e politica

-Impegno politico e sociale

April 29 & 31

-Giovani e studio

-L’università italiana

-Scambi culturali in Europa

April 5 & 7

-Giovani italiani di prima generazione

April 12 & 14

-Giovani e social netwoks

April 19 & 21

-Ideali e incertezze

-Il mondo del lavoro

-Giovani e futuro

April 26 & 28

-“Quelli che ce la fanno”: storie di successi nel mondo imprenditoriale

Quizzes and Presentations: 4 Quiz # 1 January 28

Quiz # 2 February 18

Quiz # 3 March 24

Quiz # 4 April 14

Presentation # 1 February 2

Presentation # 2 March 8

Presentation # 3 April 5

Final Project/Presentation April 26 & 28

Please note that this is only a tentative schedule. Students will be promptly notified in case of any changes.