This is a first semester beginning course designed for students with little or no knowledge of Italian. Through the explorations of six targeted urban areas and various aspects of Italian daily life (the university, home environments, currency, shopping habits, pop songs, and regional cuisines), this course will give you the language you need to communicate simply, but effectively in Italian and to get ready for future adventures in il bel paese. You will learn to talk about personal preferences and daily life; handle basic social exchanges; plan events; and engage in pleasantries, information-sharing, and personal storytelling (about present and past events). Assignments include the exploration of cultural texts (poems, songs, commercials, graffiti), visual tasks (both online and at the Harvard Art Museum), short creative writing assignments (postcards, brief personal essays) and oral projects.
