ITAL 101U: Beginner Italian

Introduction
This is one of the four courses which are part of the Full-Immersion Italian Semester Program at the Universita’ per Stranieri di Perugia. The program consists of four month-long courses, such as this one, each awarding 4 credits for a total of 16 semester credits.

The program is designed for students who want to focus exclusively on Italian language and culture through full-time study at the Università per Stranieri di Perugia, for a semester or more. Participants are immersed in an international environment with university students from all over the world whose primary goal is to become fluent in Italian. This program is intensive and widely recognized as one of the best ways to become fluent in Italian and to fully appreciate everyday life in Italy. Coursework is supplemented by a wide variety of extra- and co-curricular activities offered both by Umbra and the Università per Stranieri.

Students are required to follow classes at the Università per Stranieri and the mandatory weekly recitation sessions at the Umbra Institute. Additionally, students will have the option to attend weekly tutoring sessions as needed. 

Structure
At the end of each one-month course, students are assessed and take an examination to advance to the next course in the progression. Example: Students that begin at level A1.1 (ITAL 101) will, at the end of one month, advance to level A1.2 (ITAL 102). In some cases a student may be required to continue at the same level if they have not achieved sufficient proficiency to pass to the next level.

Course Description
This is a 4-week-long intensive beginner Italian course offered by the Umbra Institute in cooperation with the Università per Stranieri di Perugia (UniStraPG). Students completely unfamiliar with the Italian language will begin at the A1 Elementary level (based on the Common European Framework for Languages – CEFR). Weekly recitation sessions and tutorial hours (upon request) at Umbra supplement traditional in-class language instruction conducted at the Università per Stranieri and assure students are prepared for Italian-style university examinations.

The program teaches Italian through student life experiences in Italy and around the world: free time, personal tastes and interests, hobbies, daily life, social life, relationships, shopping habits, eating preferences, describing oneself and others, talking about one’s past, talking about current events. This course places a special focus on teaching the basics about Italy (its culture, its cities, and its territory), Italian traditions and habits, as well as regional Italian cuisine. Vocabulary will focus on social situations likely to be encountered, new technologies, work and professional environments, habits, and social and moral norms.  

Course Objectives
The immediate aim of the course is to train students to understand and create frequently used sentences and expressions related to environments of immediate relevance (for example, greetings, basic information on people, time, local geography, study, and work). At the end of this intensive course, students will be able to have simple interactions in the Italian language. They will learn to introduce themselves, communicate needs, briefly describe people and places. By the end of this course, they will be able to write short texts and provide simple information.

Course Materials
Course textbooks and readings for all levels are determined by UniStraPG Instructors. Local bookshops stock the standard textbooks prescribed for the courses.

Prerequisite
None