88367 - Teaching Italian as L2 for Infant and Primary School

Academic Year 2019/2020

  • Docente: Paola Polselli
  • Credits: 8
  • SSD: L-FIL-LET/12
  • Language: Italian
  • Moduli: Paola Polselli (Modulo 1) Sabrina Ardizzoni (Modulo 2) Monica D'Argenzio (Modulo 3)
  • Teaching Mode: Traditional lectures (Modulo 1) Traditional lectures (Modulo 2) Traditional lectures (Modulo 3)
  • Campus: Bologna
  • Corso: Single cycle degree programme (LMCU) in Primary teacher education (cod. 8540)

Learning outcomes

This course aims at assisting students in acquiring key knowledge and the skills needed to teach and enhance the experience of Italian as a Second Language (ISL) in plurilingual formal settings. Specifically, by the end of the course, students are able to describe the development process of second language (L2) acquisition from different theoretical perspectives (psychological, linguistic, social and cultural theories). They are able to identify and use the distinguishing features characterizing key language teaching approaches, methodologies and techniques. They are able to observe, promote and assess L2 language learning and to plan and organize ISL teaching activities in Preschool and Primary school education. They know how to promote children’s discovery skills and ability to observe the coexistence of a plurality of cultural and linguistic codes.

Course contents

This course addresses the development of Italian as a Second Language (ISL) learning in Preschool and Primary school settings with reference to literature on Second Language Acquisition (SLA). As a result of taking the course, the student acquires basic knowledge concerning how children communicate in the different phases of ISL acquisition (interlanguage development). This includes individual and external factors which might impact their language learning and how to exploit different kind of input/output and variable dynamics of interaction to promote negotiated meanings and socially shared cognition. Specifically, course attendees develop a critical understanding of language teaching methodologies and can operate informed choices to sustain and improve the learning of ISL. Successful completion of this course will enable students to adopt positive teaching practices valuing and promoting multilingual perspectives, cultural diversity, and social inclusion.

Teaching Italian as a Second Language in Preschool and Primary schools is a 48-hour course, is divided into three modules and is worth 8 credits.

In the first module on Language teaching (24 hours, Paola Polselli), activities will focus on the best way to grade learning objectives and linguistic input while favouring output and situated language usage in social and school settings. In particular, there will be discussion of language learning in a multilingual school community perspective so as to consider:

  • the learner's multilingual profile and language learning at Preschool and Primary level
  • unknown languages in the classroom as an opportunity for language education
  • acquisitional linguistics and interlanguage observation
  • needs analysis and goals setting in language learning and teaching
  • main approaches and methods for language teaching (key elements)
  • interactional linguistics and the socio-actional dimensions of communicative competence
  • learning subjects through the medium of a second language (Italian as the language of instruction)
  • social factors of learning and peer-learning activities in the multilingual classroom
  • teaching and learning materials for ISL (analysis, design and development)
  • linguistic diversity and language assessment (key elements).
The second module on Italian as Second Language for learners of Chinese background (12 hours, Sabrina Ardizzoni) will focus on linguistic, cultural, and social aspects specifically relevant to young learners of ISL of Chinese background.

We are going to address the following issues:

  • Language: Chinese linguistics from an historical, typological, phonetic and grammatical point of view. The dialects of China. The adherence to a normative language in China and abroad. Chinese writing systems.
  • The State: From “One Country, Two Systems” to “The New Silk Road”: an outline of the evolution of State in contemporary China and the impact on internal and overseas migrations.
  • The family: Family as pivotal identity element in Chinese culture and the importance of kinship nets.
  • School and educational frameworks: From the traditional schooling system to new educational models in the 20th century, and new educational opportunities in 21st century China.
  • Teaching tools: the first phases of ISL learning of newly arrived children from China and linguistic teaching children of second – or third – generation Chinese: assessment, teaching-program projects, resources for teachers; the empowering of advanced language skills, the importance of a new culture, the relation with family and community.

The third module on Italian as Second Language for learners of Arabic background (12 hours, Monica D'Ascenzio) aims to provide a theoretical and methodological overview of the teaching of the Italian language to Arabic-speaking learners.

The premise is that learning a language, rather than being limited to a mere didactic exercise, is first of all a social experience involving delicate aspects of personal identity, respect for others and the perception of oneself as well as the relationship with one's own culture. This is why we aim to tackle these issues by trying to analyze and dismantle the more complex issues that often characterize the process of those who learn the Italian language in Italy starting from a different language and culture. The thesis is that every foreigner, by adopting, voluntarily or not, Italian does not abandon the mother tongue but rather grafts the second language onto the first, developing that fascinating and complex condition of bilingualism that is typical of those who learn to live with two different languages. In this scenario the language teacher is a privileged spectator and, at the same time, the guide who can accompany and guide this path with positive results.Without any pretension of exhaustiveness, an overview will be presented on the socio-cultural and linguistic aspects that characterize what is, by convention, called the Arab world. Reference will be made to the migratory presence in Italy coming from this socio-geographic area and to the characteristics of the learners present in the Italian school (children, adolescents, adults).From the identification of the specificities of the Arabic language, attention will then be focused on the techniques to develop the different skills considered and illustrative case studies will be presented.The themes dealt with will be:

  • The Arab world: a socio-cultural and linguistic area with 1000 faces
  • The Arabic language: its main features
  • Arabic-speaking students in the Italian school. Types of learners: children, adolescents, adults
  • Teaching Italian to Arabic-speaking learners: glottodidactic, intercultural and linguistic strategies
  • Production skills and the Arabic-speaking learner
  • Case studies on how Arabic-speaking students learn.


Readings/Bibliography

Modulo 1:

  • Andorno, C., Sordella, S. (2018), “Usare le lingue seconde nell’educazione linguistica: una sperimentazione nella scuola primaria nello spirito dell’Éveil aux langues”, in De Meo A., Rasulo M., (a cura di), Usare le lingue seconde. Comunicazione, tecnologia, disabilità, insegnamento, Studi AItLA 7, Milano, pp. 211-233. http://www.aitla.it/images/pdf/StudiAItLA7/017Andorno-Sordella.pdf
  • Daloiso, M. (2009), I fondamenti neuropsicologici dell’educazione linguistica, Venezia, Cafoscarina, cap. 7, pp. 97-114.
  • Margutti, P. (2018), "Insegnare l’italiano a bambini bilingui nella scuola elementare: alcune proposte", in Bonifacci P. (cur.), I bambini bilingui. Favorire gli apprendimenti nelle classi multiculturali, Roma, Carocci, pp. 250-276.
  • Pallotti, G. (1998/2000), La seconda lingua, Roma, Bompiani (parti).
  • Whittle, A. (2015), “Focalizzare la forma: sviluppo della competenza linguistica nella classe multilingue della scuola primaria”, in Italiano LinguaDue, n. 2, pp. 13-35, https://riviste.unimi.it/index.php/promoitals/article/view/6802/6732

Modulo 2:

  • Ardizzoni, S. (2012), Scritti di mediazione, cultura e lingua cinese, Libreria Bonomo Ed., pp. 9-43.
  • Cecchini, R. (2009), Lanterne Amiche. Immigrazione cinese e mediazione interculturale, Reggio Emilia, Diabasis. (le parti verranno indicate in classe).

Parte dei materiali su cui gli studenti saranno invitati a lavorare proverrano da:

  • Valentini, A. (1992) L'italiano dei cinesi. Questioni di sintassi, Milano, Guerini Studio
  • manuali di italiano L2 in uso nelle scuole.

Modulo 3:

  • Branca P. (2008), “A scuola di civiltà” in Branca P. e Santerini M. (a cura di) Alunni arabofoni a scuola, Carocci Ed., Roma, pp. 17-36.
  • Della Puppa, F. (2006), Lo studente di origine araba, Perugia, Guerra, (parti).

Teaching methods

Mixed face-to-face teaching method (lectures, dialogic talk, case studies, group activities and peer feedback sessions, individual work).

Assessment methods

The final exam will evaluate the student’s proficiency in the course contents and will consist of two parts:

  • a written task on teaching materials (students will be asked to produce or analyze educational materials) aimed at assessing working practice knowledge;
  • a written examination (answers to open-ended questions) aimed at evaluating the student’s critical and theoretical knowledge of 4 topics related to the chapters and the essays on second language acquisition and second language teaching listed in bibliography.

The evaluation criteria encompass: relevance of content; extent and depth of concepts and of conceptual links; mastery of the skills necessary to analyze, discuss and produce educational material; accuracy in written production and terminology use.

Positive evaluation scores range from 18/30 to 30/30 (30/30 cum laude, in case of outstanding results).

  • A high or the maximum evaluation score (ranging from 27 to 30 cum laude) will be awarded to students who demonstrate full knowledge and mastery of theoretical and applied concepts and have a critical grasp of them (see course contents for Module 1, 2, 3 and related readings). Such students are highly accurate in their exposition and can use appropriate technical terminology.
  • Students who demonstrate a good grasp of theoretical and applied knowledge derived from course contents but who haven’t fully mastered linguistic, critical, discursive and terminological resources will be awarded a medium evaluation score (23-26).
  • A low evaluation score (18-22) will be awarded to students demonstrating a sufficiently secure mastery of theoretical and applied knowledge as described in course contents/bibliography, but exhibit a tottering control of the required linguistic, critical, discursive and terminological resources.

Teaching tools

Paper and digital texts (authentic materials from textbooks and websites relevant for Italian as a second language learning; dialogue transcriptions and examples from reference texts etc.); multimedia presentations; online and offline digital resources (iconic, audio and video resources).

Office hours

See the website of Paola Polselli

See the website of Sabrina Ardizzoni

See the website of Monica D'Argenzio

SDGs

Quality education Gender equality Reduced inequalities Partnerships for the goals

This teaching activity contributes to the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals of the UN 2030 Agenda.