The course introduces to the key theoretical elements related to teaching Italian as a foreign language and develops key foreign language teaching skills.
The students will learn how to describe key theoretical elements related to teaching Italian as a foreign language. This course also includes a practical part aiming to develop students’ practical teaching skills.
This course aims to enable students to learn to describe:
- the different Italian language acquisition contexts;
- the different learner types;
- the role of variation in language acquisition;
- the main theories of language acquisition and the evolution of teaching methods;
- the Council of Europe language policy;
The course also aims to enable students to learn to:
- assess teaching materials;
- identify and implement language teaching techniques;
- create exercises and activities to practice language skills;
- plan a learning unit;
- understand the key elements of testing and evaluation.
No prior knowledge is required.
The course is made up of weekly lectures (3 hours a week). Attendance is not compulsory but recommended, especially for the practical part.
The course adopts a double approach: a frontal approach to explain the theoretical aspects and a "hands on" approach to get the students to practice the skills required by language teaching.
The course aims to describe the different Italian language acquisition contexts and learner types, as well as the role of variation in learning foreign languages and the main language teaching theories, approaches, methods and techniques.
The course focuses on how to plan and design lessons and how to assess linguistic competence.
The required text for the oral exam is: BALBONI (2019), Le sfide di Babele, UTET (any edition is acceptable).
Moreover, the multimedia presentations used in class will be made available.
Ricevimento: Office hours are held either in person or via Microsoft Teams, by appointment with the instructor. For contact: giulia.lombardi@edu.unige.it
GIULIA LOMBARDI (President)
MANUELA MANFREDINI
Classes will be held in the first semester.
TEACHING ITALIAN AS A 2ND LANGUAGE
The exam is oral in nature but includes the preparation of a final project (the design and development of a Learning Unit for teaching Italian as a foreign language), required for both attending and non-attending students.
Additional information and materials for the project are available on AulaWeb.
The exam is oral in nature but includes the preparation of a final project (design and development of a Learning Unit for teaching Italian as a second language), which is required of both attending and non-attending students.
The didactic project must be submitted via email or uploaded to AulaWeb in Word format at least two weeks before the scheduled exam date.
For the oral exam, which is the same for both attending and non-attending students, the required reading is: BALBONI (2019), Le sfide di Babele, UTET (any edition is acceptable).
Candidates will be asked questions on topics covered in class and in the textbook, with particular focus on:
learning/teaching contexts for Italian as a second language
learner typologies
acquisition theories, approaches, and methods
glottodidactic techniques and curriculum design
assessment, evaluation, and certification of linguistic-communicative competence
language policy of the Council of Europe
For attending students, the final grade will take into account both the results of the midterm assessment and the final evaluation.
A few days before the exam session, a list of candidates and their assigned time slots will be published on AulaWeb. Students are expected to arrive at the beginning of their designated time slot.
Students with Special Educational Needs
Students who have officially submitted certification of a disability, specific learning disorder (SLD), or other special educational needs are advised to contact both the coordinator, Prof. Sara Dickinson (sara.dickinson@unige.it), and the course instructor at the beginning of the course, in order to agree on teaching and examination methods that, while respecting the course objectives, take into account individual learning styles and provide appropriate compensatory tools.
