15579 - Intercultural Pedagogy

Learning outcomes

Students will broaden their knowledge and skills in order to analyze and understand cultural and social changes in a multicultural society. This introduction will help the students understand which processes lie behind the development of foreign children's identity.Students will also be trained to deal with issues related to children and foreign families' reception in school contexts in the light of intercultural pedagogy and its methodology.

Course contents

The course proposes the study of some theoretical foundations and educational practices of intercultural pedagogy, with particular reference to the following topics:

-change of society with reference to: globalization and post globalization, digiitalization of cities (smart cities) and schools, changing lifestyles and consumption, and social inequality;

-educational frameworks and school contexts: compensatory pedagogy, multicultural pedagogy, anti-racist education;

-intercultural pedagogy: theoretical frameworks and educational principles;

-prejudices and racism;

-parent-teacher dialogue in multicultural schooling.

-child identity construction processes, with special reference to children of foreign origin;

-bilingualism and learning;

-intercultural projects in preschool and elementary school.

 

 Period of the lessons

The course will be run during in the first semester.

 

Laboratories

All students must attend a laboratory that is 8 hours long. Attendace is mandatory.

The laboratories offer three different topics and the student only has to choose one of them.

The aim of the laboratories is to introduce teaching methodologies and strategies to tackle the conflicts, the communication and the relationship between children highlighting how important educational aims of intercultural pedagogy such as dialogue and listening can be reflected in the didactic practices of kindegarten and primary school.

The detailed programs and the dates of the workshops can be viewed on the teachers' pages.

The topics are:

Laboratory "The coopertive methodologies in multicultural educational contexts" (dott.ssa Barbara Ciccola)

This laboratory explores cooperative games and cooperative learning for children in kindergarden and primary school. The connection between these methodologies and the aims of intercultural pedagogy will be identified.

https://www.unibo.it/it/studiare/insegnamenti-competenze-trasversali-moocs/insegnamenti/insegnamento/2025/480895

Laboratory "The communication in multicultural educational contexts" (dott. A. Zanchettin)

This laboratory explores the communication and the relationship between teachers and both Italian and immigrant parents who have children in kindergarden and primary school.

Some exercises will be carried out to comprehend various conflicts and educational alliance between families and school

 

Workshop "Gender issues in pre-school and primary school" (Prof. Silvia Leonelli)

The workshop develops the intertwining of 'school' and 'gender issues', from an intersectional perspective (i.e. attentive to the level of asymmetries/multiple discriminations that can arise from the interaction between gender and ethnic dimensions, and beyond). The objectives are to learn, through group work and guided discussions: 1) how to deconstruct the gender conditionings present in textbooks, illustrated books, toys, cartoons, etc.; 2) how to recognise one's own gender implicit biases, since they can parasitise the educational relationship with girls and boys; 3) how to make educational choices and propose classroom activities that are attentive to equal opportunities.

https://www.unibo.it/it/studiare/insegnamenti-competenze-trasversali-moocs/insegnamenti/insegnamento/2025/480889
 
Workshop "Understanding and managing conflicts in multicultural schools" (Prof. Ivana Bolognesi)

The workshop focuses on understanding conflicts that can occur in multicultural school contexts. Some conflicts experienced by the participants at school will be analysed using Margarit Cohen Emerique's intercultural approach, which involves: decentralisation of the teacher, discovery of the cultural frame of reference and negotiation. 

https://www.unibo.it/it/studiare/insegnamenti-competenze-trasversali-moocs/insegnamenti/insegnamento/2025/480888

Laboratory assessment

 Attendance at the workshop is compulsory and entitles the student to 1 credit, to be added to the 8 credits of the course, for a total of 9 credits.

The workshop is considered passed with the delivery of a final report that must have as content the deepening of some topics addressed in the workshop.

The report may be awarded the following mark: -1 0 +1

The criteria for awarding marks are explained on the presenters' page.

 

Period of the laboratories

The laboratories will be organized between October and December 2025.
Another laboratory will be organized in July 2026.

Readings/Bibliography

Attending students take an exam in oral form.

Attending students are those who attend at least 2/3 of the lectures.

NON-attending students take an exam in written form.

All students (attending, NON-attending) must prepare THREE TEXTS, indicated from the following.

 

Examination in ORAL FORM attending students: texts

First  text:

1. I. Bolognesi, Percorsi interculturali per la scuola dell'infanzia e per la scuola primaria. Costruire dialogo e relazione a partire dai bambini, FrancoAngeli, Milano, 2022.

Second text, one of the following:

A. Taguieff, Il razzismo. Pregiudizi, teorie, comportamenti, Cortina, Milano, 1997.

L. D'Orsi L., L. Rinaldi, Etnografie delle smart city. Abitare, relazionarsi e protestare nelle città intelligenti italiane, Ledizioni, Milano, 2022.

M. Cangiano, Guerre culturali e neoliberismo, Nottetempo, Milano, 2024.

Third Text, one to be chosen from the following:

Caronia, V. Colla, I compiti a casa. Linguaggio e apprendimento quando la scuola entra in famiglia, Cortina, Milano 2024.

C. Bove, Capirsi non è ovvio. Dialogo tra insegnanti e genitori in contesti educativi interculturali, FrancoAngeli, Milano, 2020.

S. Lanza, L'attenzione contesa. Come il tempo schermo modifica l'infanzia, Armando, Roma, 2025.

 

Examination in written form NON-Attending students: texts

First Text:

1. I. Bolognesi, Percorsi interculturali per la scuola dell'infanzia e per la scuola primaria. Costruire dialogo e relazione a partire dai bambini, FrancoAngeli, Milano, 2022.

Second text, one of the following:

A. Taguieff, Il razzismo. Pregiudizi, teorie, comportamenti, Cortina, Milano, 1997.

L. D'Orsi L., L. Rinaldi, Etnografie delle smart city. Abitare, relazionarsi e protestare nelle città intelligenti italiane, Ledizioni, Milano, 2022.

Third Text, one to be chosen from the following:

L. Caronia, V. Colla, I compiti a casa. Linguaggio e apprendimento quando la scuola entra in famiglia, Cortina, Milano 2024.

C. Bove, Capirsi non è ovvio. Dialogo tra insegnanti e genitori in contesti educativi interculturali, FrancoAngeli, Milano, 2020.

S. Lanza, L'attenzione contesa. Come il tempo schermo modifica l'infanzia, Armando, Roma, 2025.

 

For students who need to recover 3 CFU and for ERASMUS students, the syllabus is as follows:

Compulsory text:

I. Bolognesi, Percorsi interculturali per la scuola dell'infanzia e per la scuola primaria. Costruire dialogo e relazione a partire dai bambini, FrancoAngeli, Milano, 2022.

Two articles of your choice from the following published in open access journals:

S. Alessandrini, Politiche linguistiche familiari: interazione intergenerazionale e trasmissione nella/e lingua/e e nella/e cultura/e di origine nelle famiglie immigrate dell'Africa francofona, in https://educazione-interculturale.unibo.it/article/view/15854

L. Bellatalla, Sulla tolleranza ovvero elogio dell'intolleranza, in https://www.edizionianicia.it/docs/RP/215-2020/3-%20Bellatalla.pdf

E. Bini, Disabilità, genitori e fratelli con background migratorio. Dinamiche socioculturali e prospettive inclusive, in https://educazione-interculturale.unibo.it/article/view/15853

G. Burgio, M. Muscarà, Educazione, laicità e pluralismo religiosoL'IRC e le attività alternative in una prospettiva interculturale, in https://educazione-interculturale.unibo.it/article/view/10980/10933

I. Bolognesi, C. Dalle Donne Vandini, Fare i compiti a casa. Uno studio etnografico di un'attività quotidiana svolta in famiglia, in https://oaj.fupress.net/index.php/rief/article/view/7561

I. Bolognesi, L. Grasso, M. Scarpini, Scoprire differenze e somiglianze. Il dialogo come pratica educativa nella scuola primaria,in https://ojs.pensamultimedia.it/index.php/studium/article/view/6806

 

For all Laws and Text to consult

Orientamenti interculturali. Idee, proposte per l'integrazione dei alunni e alunne provenienti da contesti migratori, Ministero dell'Istruzione, 2022. 

Linee guida per l'accoglienza e l'integrazione degli alunni stranieri, Circolare Ministeriale n. 4233 del 19 febbraio 2014.

La via italiana per la scuola interculturale e l'integrazione degli alunni stranieri, Ministero della Pubblica istruzione, 2006.

Report Oxfam, Disuguaglianza. Povertà ingiusta e ricchezza immeritata, 2025,  https://www.oxfamitalia.org/disuguaglianza-poverta-ingiusta-e-ricchezza-immeritata/

F. Silva, N. Paterno, I bambini e l'economia. Metodo e percorso didattico per la scuola primaria, Carocci, Roma, 2025.

Teaching methods

The contents are introduced with different didactic methods: lectures, group work, film and discussion.

Some seminars are organized on specific topics with external experts.

Lessons are conducted in presence.

Assessment methods

The training concludes with an oral examination for attending students and a written examination for non-attending students.

The final mark will be out of 30.

Theexamination can only be taken after the workshop.

In order to take the examination, registration via the electronic notice board on Almaesami is required, in strict compliance with the deadlines. Those who are unable to register due to technical problems by the scheduled date are required to notify the teaching secretariat and the lecturer of the problem as soon as possible (and in any case before the official closing of the registration lists). The lecturer will be entitled to admit them to the test.

Students may attend all the calls of the session.

Attendance at the workshop is valid indefinitely.

Erasmus students are required to take the test in Italian.

 

The oral examination consists of the presentation of a teaching project, a problematic situation or a conflict chosen by the student, to be analysed with reference to the theories and texts of the programme. All the necessary indications for carrying out this presentation are provided during the lessons.

The interview is assessed according to the following criteria:

-being able to make an accurate presentation of the chosen case/project or conflict with reference to the theories of the interucultural approach; knowing the contents of the programme

-know how to express the contents clearly and with appropriate terminology;

-be able to reflect critically on the content presented.

 

The written examination consists of three questions concerning cases, critical events and projects presented in the programme texts that are to be analysed in relation to the theories of the intercultural approach.

The written examination is assessed according to the following criteria:

-knowing how to analyse the cases, conflicts and teaching projects in relation to the different theories presented in the programme texts;

-know how to argue the content presented;

-be able to write using correct syntax and terms appropriate to the content of the discipline.

 

For Students with learning disorders and\or temporary or permanent disabilities

Please, contact the office responsible (https://site.unibo.it/studenti-con-disabilita-e-dsa/en/for-students ) as soon as possible so that they can propose acceptable adjustments. The request for adaptation must be submitted in advance (15 days before the exam date) to the lecturer, who will assess the appropriateness of the adjustments, taking into account the teaching objectives.

 

Teaching tools

Film, Power point, video observations

Office hours

See the website of Ivana Bolognesi