85074 - Didactics of Modern Languages (1) (LM)

Learning outcomes

By the end of the course, students will know the theoretical bases and the methodologies of second/foreign language learning and teaching; the historical background of the field and its current connection to the evolution of research on second language acquisition as well as to contemporary factors (ie.: multimedia technologies, multilingualism, the intercultural dimension in the everyday communication and the European language policies).

On the practical level, students will be able to apply the components of the teaching process (i.e.: needs analysis, definition of language aims, language syllabus design, elaboration and implementation of a language teaching unit, etc.) to a range of different teaching/learning contexts.

Course contents

This is an advanced course and differs in content and also in method from the Bachelor of Glottodidactics course. For the benefit of students who have not taken the glottodidactics exam of the bachelor's degree course, the basic topics, concepts and definitions (approaches and methods, educational linguistics etc.) will still be summarized in the first two lectures.

Starting from the basic concepts of language learning and teaching (foreign language, mother tongue, learning/acquisition etc.), during the course some issues of educational and acquisitional linguistics will be discussed: Italian educational linguistics, error analysis, interlanguage etc.).

We will then discuss some particular issues in language learning: the role of basic variety, linguistic relativity, intercomprehension, recreational linguistics in the language teaching context, the environments for language teaching, including the digital one (Mooc, Corpora, Mobile Learnig, Social Network, Augmented Reality).
 

Readings/Bibliography

1) A. Villarini, Didattica delle lingue straniere, Il Mulino, Bologna, 2021.

2) One of the following volumes:

B. Garofolin, V. Trubnikova, Lingua e interazione. Insegnare la pragmatica a scuola, ETS, Perugia, 2021.

D. Peppoloni, Per una didattica digitale delle lingue. Istruzioni per l'uso, Mondandori Education, Milano, 2021.

C. Spaliviero, Educazione letteraria e didattica della letteratura, Ca' Foscari, Venezia, 2020.

P. Della Putta, S. Sordella, Insegnare l'italiano a studenti neo arrivati. Un modello laboratoriale, ETS, Pisa, 2022.

3) Teaching materials made available by the teacher on the Virtuale platform during the course of lectures.

Non-attending students also have to read:

R. Ellis, Understanding Second Language Acquisition, II edition, Oxford University Press, Oxford, 2015.

Teaching methods

The course includes extensive student involvement, which will be achieved through two alternative and coexisting methodologies compared to the lecturer's frontal lecture: 1) the laboratory methodology and 2) the seminar methodology.

 

Wooclap (https://app.wooclap.com/) will be used to have the ConcepTests (a short conceptual question designed to test students learning) answered during the lesson.

Assessment methods

GOALS.
The exam consists of an oral examination aimed at evaluating students’ knowledge related to the books listed in bibliography:

• theories and working practices knowledge, in the field of second language acquisition and second language teaching;

• critical approach to topics listed in the program.

CRITERIA.
The score of the oral examination is determined as follows:

- the student's ability to respond appropriately to the question;

- the ability to explain briefly and clearly;

- the ability to explain with respect to the specific SLA vocabulary.

EVALUATION RANGE.
Maximum score (27-30L): full knowledge of the topics listed in the program, and a precise and appropriate language in explaining.

Medium score (23-26): good knowledge of the topics listed in the program with some inaccuracy in the language or oversimplifications in explaining.

Low score (18-22): uncertain knowledge of the topics listed in the program with some incongruities in the language and oversimplifications or mistakes in explaining.

Participation in the seminar and workshop activities offered during class is also positively evaluated for students who attend.

Teaching tools

PowerPoint and Wooclap, online tools.

Office hours

See the website of Yahis Martari