Prof. Grazia Giannelli (grazia.giannelli@nyu.edu) Classes: MONDAY 15:00 17:45 Aula CAMINETTO VILLA SASSETTI; Office hours: by appointment SERVICE LEARNING: COMMUNITY SERVICE IN FLORENCE (in Italian) FALL 2010 Prerequisit for this course is the successful completion of Advanced Review of Modern Italian COURSE OBJECTIVES AND DESCRIPTION The aim of the course is to improve students knowledge of Italian language and culture, as well as to give them the opportunity to enhance their self-understanding and self-confidence, through their volunteer experience and a seminar class (conducted in Italian). Students are required to have a 5 hour a week activity (50 hours in the semester) in Italian schools and kindergartens or in non profit associations and they must attend a seminar class to discuss their learning experience, their feelings and reactions. VOLUNTEER ACTIVITY The volunteer activity must be regularly done until the time requirement of 50 hours is complete. Scheduled hours of volunteer activity that cannot be done due to the site s responsibility (school teacher s/ site staff s absence, class school trip, school/ site strike, etc.) can be counted toward the 50 hour time requirement and must appear on the timesheet. It is very important to arrive on time at the site and if students are going to be absent for their volunteer time they must contact the site supervisor or teacher they work with to tell them of this absence. If they do not, this absence will count negatively for their final grade. Students must have a 95% attendance rate at their volunteer site, if it is lower than 95% then the final grade will be lowered (i.e. A becomes A-). The number of hours devoted to the on campus organization of special events can be no more than 10 hours total, unless otherwise individually agreed upon with the instructor. After two weeks of their service activity, students will be asked to submit a learning contract (in Italian) stating their learning goals for the internship in specific terms.
Students will keep a journal (in Italian), recording daily events, thoughts and feelings about the experience. The journal will be handed in once every two weeks in class. Students will write two papers (in Italian) which will discuss their personal experience at the site and their reflections about the Italian culture. Students will prepare a presentation. The assignment is to prepare a cross-cultural observation that explores some aspects of Italian culture that students learned through their volunteer experience and their stay in Italy. SEMINAR CLASS STRUCTURE This is a seminar class, i.e. students are the centre of the class energy: they exchange their ideas, share information, discuss mutual problems. The topics to be discussed are intercultural communication and the improvement of students knowledge of Italian language. The former will be linked to intercultural problems arising from cultural differences, in which both verbal and non verbal instruments of communications will be examined. The latter will involve vocabulary improvement (idioms, proverbs, et.) and students direct contact with the spoken language, through listening (recordings, videos, films, etc.) and reading authentic material (articles, newspapers, etc.) and taking part in real life situations. There will be meetings with Italian people and excursions to observe and to discuss some cultural differences between Italy and other countries. During the semester, each student will be asked at least once to lead a class discussion. Discussion leaders must carefully read and review the written materials assigned for that class period. From these materials, the discussion leader will then explain to their peers the key points of the reading and why they think the author considered these points important or relative for the reader. The discussion leaders will also write three thoughtful questions that focus on the key points of the readings and will help to initiate our class discussion. Please remember that these three questions cannot have simple yes or no answers. The questions must be sent to the professor (grazia.giannelli@nyu.edu) at least one day before the class. The assigned readings are in Italian. In order to start the class discussions, the designated discussion leader can call on any student in the class to respond to their questions. Therefore it is important that all class participants carefully read the weekly assigned readings and do the required exercises in order to be able to effectively respond to the discussion leader's questions and to actively contribute to the class activities. This class is taught in Italian. This class satisfies the NYU in Florence program requirement for an Italian language course. If students are/are planning to major or
minor in Italian at NYU, please consult directly with NYU Italian Language Department. FINAL GRADE The final grade has the following components: (20%) - Internship experience (Learning Contract and Site Supervisor s Evaluations) (20%)- Class participation (discussion leaders, participation and class activities, homework) (20%)- Journal (20%)- Midterm exam ( take home Paper I in Italian) (20%)- Final exam (take home Paper II in Italian and Presentation) Class attendance is mandatory, more than one absence will negatively affect the final grade. Required books: Severgnini, Beppe, Un italiano in America, Rizzoli, 2001. Severgnini, Beppe, La testa degli italiani, Rizzoli, 2005. Balboni, Paolo E., La comunicazione interculturale, Venezia, Marsilio, 2007. (Balboni) Sweitzer, Frederick, The Successful Internship. Transformation and Empowerment. Brooks / Cole Publishing Company, 2007 (chapters 1-5) (available at the Library Villa Ulivi) Selected reserved readings available at the Library Villa Ulivi Alesina, Alberto Ichino, Andrea, L Italia fatta in casa. Mondadori, 2009. Hofstede, G.J. Pedersen, P.B. Hofstede, G. Exploring Culture. Intercultural Press, Nicholas Brealey Publishing, Boston, 2002. Ambroso, S. Stefancich, G., Parole. 10 percorsi nel lessico italiano. Bonacci editore, Roma, 2002. (Bookshore: Libreria Feltrinelli International, Via Cavour 12-20 rosso)
DATA ORARIO AULA ARGOMENTI 6 settembre 15:00 17:45 Villa Sassetti Introduzione al corso; Presentazione scuole e associazioni; Definizione volontariato 13 settembre 15:00-17:45 Villa Sassetti La Comunicazione Interculturale nozione di cultura e comunicazione stereotipi e pregiudizi Teaching training Session (I) 17 settembre 16:00-17:45 Villa Sassetti La Comunicazione Interculturale shock culturale Teaching training Session (II) 20 settembre 15:00-17:45 Villa Sassetti Problemi di comunicazione dovuti a valori culturali tempo pubblico/privato gerarchia famiglia DIARIO (1) 29 settembre 18:00-22:00 TANDEM con studenti Liceo
(sostituisce la lezione del 27 settembre) Dante Cinema Cena con gli studenti del liceo classico Dante 4 ottobre 15:00-17:45 Villa Sassetti Gli strumenti della comunicazione non verbale cinesica prossemica Consegnare: CONTRATTO DI APPRENDIMENTO DIARIO (2) 11 ottobre 15:00-17:45 Da confermare UNIVERSITA DI FIRENZE TANDEM con studenti dell Università di Firenze. 18 ottobre 15:00-17:45 Villa Sassetti Gli strumenti della comunicazione non verbale : vestemica, oggettemica Consegnare: DIARIO (3) MIDTERM EXAM 1st paper Site Supervisor s Midterm Evaluation Timesheet
25 ottobre FALL BREAK - 1 novembre 8 novembre 15:00 17:45 Visita al museo Ferragamo ESCURSIONE 15 novembre 15:00 17:45 Villa Sassetti Problemi interculturali legati alla lingua suono scelta parole problemi grammaticali 19 novembre 15:00 17:45 Villa Sassetti PRESENTAZIONI MONTEPALDI Da confermare Problemi interculturali legati alla lingua la lingua italiana il toscano struttura del testo DIARIO 4 22 no lezione recuperata 29 novembre 15:00 17:45 Villa Sassetti PRESENTAZIONI 6 dicembre 15:00 17:45 Villa Sassetti PRESENTAZIONI
13 dicembre CONSEGNA : FINAL EXAM 2nd paper Site Supervisor s Final Evaluation Timesheet Intern Student Evaluation Oltre agli argomenti sopra indicati, una parte di ogni lezione è dedicata alla discussione in classe e all approfondimento della lingua italiana con esercizi sul lessico, morfologia, sintassi e fonetica. Troverete il dettaglio dei compiti ogni settimana su Black Board.