PARLIAMO ITALIANO! - PROGRAM SAMPLER

iii TO THE STUDENT Welcome to Parliamo italiano! Fifth Edition . We believe that learning a new language and getting to know another culture should be fun, interesting and rewarding for both students and instructors. This is why Parliamo italiano! emphasizes a culture-based, communicative approach to learning Italian. The program is based on the principle that language is culture and culture is language; we cannot learn one without the other. To say it in Italian, what we mean is this: it is not ‘ lingua e cultura ’ but ‘ lingua è cultura ’. Language is a medium—it is the way in which we express ourselves—and our mode of expression reflects how we view the world. Different cultures perceive the human experience in different ways, and as a result, languages reflect diversity while teaching us about universality. The organization of Parliamo italiano! reflects the goal of introducing Italian life and culture together with the basic components of linguistic expression and language. Each of the twelve units focuses on a situation or theme relevant to daily life, such as working, shopping, or dining, as well as on a specific region of Italy. The units’ titles, like the text’s title, contain a first-person plural verb ( let’s . . . ! ), reflecting the participatory nature of the text’s approach and activities. Parliamo italiano! is an invitation to partake in the fun and rewarding experience of learning Italian. Its emphasis is on the student, working with classmates and instructor in a cooperative and enjoyable learning environment. The Parliamo italiano! philosophy is: Ridendo, s’impara , or Learn while you’re laughing! PHILOSOPHY AND APPROACH Parliamo italiano! Fifth Edition continues to offer a communicative, culture- based approach for beginning students of Italian. In addition to the four skills – reading writing, speaking and listening – Parliamo italiano! has made the fifth skill of cultural competency an integral part of learning Italian. Instead of taking for granted that students will assimilate cultural information while studying language, we have made cultural competency one of our primary goals. While practicing grammatical constructions or learning vocabulary, students are immersed in Italian geography, music, literature, customs and daily life. The contextualized approach imparts worlds of information about the language and culture of Italy. In Parliamo italiano! cultural themes are strategically paired with essential points of grammar. Units focus on an aspect of Italian life and a different region of Italy, and are organized around situations and functions that reflect the text’s communicative stance. One of the text’s great strengths is the clear division of units into four parts that explore the facets of the unit topic and region. Emphasis on Italian geography familiarizes students with regional differences while revealing the common rhythms and practices of Italian daily life. I NS TRUCTOR ’ S GU I DE