Project number 143337-LLP-1-2008-1-DE-KA2-KA2NM Grant agreement number 2008-4283/001-001 1 Thematic seminar Raising awareness on cultural and linguistic

Project number 143337-LLP-1-2008-1-DE-KA2-KA2NMGrant agreement number 2008-4283/001-001

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Thematic seminar Raising awareness on cultural and linguistic diversity and

language learning

Vienna, Austria

6-8th of July 2009


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Education policy and programs

in Italy - educational system

PRE-PRIMARY EDUCATION nursery schools, Age 3-6 Scuola dell’Infanzia

COMPULSORY EDUCATIONEducation is compulsory from 6 up to 16 years of age. However, students have a right/duty to continue their training within the education system for at least 12 years or up to the obtainment of a qualification (three years) within the vocational education and training system within18 years of age. first cycle of education Primo ciclo di istruzione

primary school, Age 6-11 Scuola primaria lower secondary school, Age 11- 14 Scuola secondaria di primo grado

POST-COMPULSORY EDUCATION/UPPER SECONDARY AND POST-SECONDARY LEVEL second cycle of education Secondo ciclo di istruzione

General education, Upper secondary school, Age 14-19 classical upper secondary school Liceo classico scientific upper secondary school Liceo scientifico linguistic upper secondary school Liceo linguistico upper secondary school with a sociological-psycological and pedagogical orientation Liceo socio-

psico-pedagogico artistic upper secondary school, Age 14-18/19 Liceo artistico

Technical education, Age 14-19 technical school Istituto tecnico

Vocational education, Age 14-17/19 vocational school Istituto professionale art schools Istituti d’arte

Source: Eurydice, European Commission, Directorate-General for Education and Culture, National summary sheets on education systems in Europe and ongoing reforms, ITALY, DECEMBER 2008


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Education policy and programs in Italy - European/international dimension through the national curriculum

As far as primary and lower secondary school are concerned, the guidelines for the curriculum of 2007 provide important cues for various teaching subjects:

The sensitivity towards the contribution of other European or Mediterranean languages and cultures to the Italian language represents an important resource for intercultural education (subject: Italian);

Learning at least two European foreign languages allows let pupils acquire multilingual and multicultural skills and exercise active citizenship beyond the national boundaries (subject: EU languages).

NO SUGGESTION ABOUT METHODS


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Non formal/informal: main didactic and methodological model(s) and means - environment

Various contexts analysed:

education, companies, vocational training centres, cultural associations (evening courses/leisure time), social associations/centres (Italians/immigrants), courses for foreigners, …


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Non formal/informal: main didactic and methodological model(s) and means – diversity: young male/female, country of origin, education, culture…

Participants are the most different ones:

L2 for Italians: young adults with fresh EN studied at school and never practiced, they are normally mixed gender with prevalence of males, Young people, adults, women, over 45: mixed classes,

women (at any age) have a wider flexibility to approach new methodologies but they are more resistant at dedicating time for their own improvement;

L2 for foreigners: EU and non EU immigrants (1st & 2nd generation), Young people, adults, women, nationality: mixed classes, Ethnical and cultural differences; some taboo item (e.g. religion).


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Non formal/informal: main didactic and methodological model(s) and means –

common approach/method

Behaviourist approach

use of methods and didactical materials stimulating fantasy and creativity: to feel the students comfortable, to make expression in a foreign language easier, to involve the students, to shorten the distance between teacher and students, to throw down the barriers to learn…

This method represent a counter-trend compared with Italian practices, still using more traditional methods.


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Non formal/informal: main didactic and

methodological model(s) and means – tools used

Songs as testimonial of authentic language, Movies, TV series for idioms, colloquial sentences, Books for lexicon, Audio books, Pod casts of international magazines and/or networks, Comics to fill, Dialogues to be performed, Wide role playing use, Mime show, Advertisements, The city as learning environment (e.g. places, buildings, services,

transports, literature)…


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Non formal/informal: drivers

The focus is more on the skills than on the language structure, Communicative language, Informal environment Informal learning.

Structure removal , Use of play, i.e. to learn as children do, Language acquisition, not language study, Teacher as a counsellor, to win the learner’s barriers, Real language continuous exposure with different tools, Strong and continuous interaction teacher/learner, focused on learner’s needs, Empathic relation, To lean on personal interests, Experience based tools, Being part of a team, Links & connections among different matters and environments, Link with the environment (sociality)…


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Specific needs

Informal environment Informal learning

Young people: prefer interfacing with computers than books CD ROMs IPods, listen music on their IPod all the times, learn to use the songs to learn English, follow TV series much more that film, except the serial films TV

series and movies (Harry Potter, Twilight...), are allergic to classics and everything that looks like “school”, use passing systems, i.e. horizontal learning instead of vertical one, need to be listened.


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Recommendations

Traditional methods

rules

grammar

structure

organisation

…

music

internetTV

social networks

YOUNG

Passing systems

others


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Specific needs

Informal environment Informal learning

Teacher (counsellor, to facilitate): Shorten the distances, Teach & play, Teach & communicate, Teach & listen, Pay attention to links & connections among different matters and

environments, Pay attention to learning needs & Social needs…


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Languages taught – Motivation for language learning

Italians: Internet Music Travels Social networks…

Foreigners: Integration (!), Employment, Use of services, Opportunities…


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Good Practice example - 1

Upper secondary school, Italian students.

Out of the school

The students prepared researches whose result was presented (in English) in a public event and the proceeds was used to support the local park storks colony.

Students groups chose matters according to their interests, such as music (Beatles, Nirvana & U2 music & lyrics) and differences between 70s and actual values among teenagers, also using music and lyrics.

A DVD was also produced. The event, held in the local Town Hall was very successful.

It were overturned the traditional teaching-learning rules, going beyond school borders.

Students’ motivation was a very important success element.


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Good Practice example - 2

EU and non-EU immigrants (1st and 2nd generation)

The city as learning environment

Traditional lessons to introduce method and city map (structure, characteristic, also in the figurative sense..),

Guided group city tours, then groups without guide, Building, places, shops, people, transports, services… Examination, description, interviews, Remarks and consideration together,

To know the environment, To know the languages (i.e. the different Italian languages) To help them in integration (!)


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Financing/ possible funds

EU level Dissemination projects for mainstreaming

National/local level National/local public authority financing

To vocational training centres (using ESF) To no-profit associations (sport, immigrants, others…

using funds for social activities) MoE financing (schools autonomy system)

Self-financing (association members, families…)

PROBLEM: FUNDS

REDUCTION


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Recommendations – raising and strengthening motivation

Situation Formal (education system) = traditional methods (!) Formal (vocational training system) = active methods Non formal/informal = active methods

Pedagogical recommendations Use of active methods based on experience and learners’ interests focus on the skills more than on the language structure More attention to environment and culture of origin

Structural Recommendations Changing of teacher role = from teacher to counsellor

Recommendations for Raising Awareness/ Reaching the Target groups Experience and interest based methods and tools

Recommendations regarding Implementation into existing Measures Experiences exchange Teachers training More methodological flexibility


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Recommendations

FORMAL ENVIRONMENT

Traditional methods

Informal teaching

Traditional methods

Traditional methods

Traditional methods

&

Informal teaching


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Recommendations

Non standard teaching

Non formal/Informal

environment Informal learning

Formal environment Informal teaching better learning

HOW IS IT POSSIBLE?


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Thank youGiovanni Primavera

IAL CISL Emilia Romagna

T. +390514217727M. +393357610784

[email protected]

This project has been funded with support from the European Commission.This publication [communication] reflects the views only of the author,and the Commission cannot be held responsible for any use which may bemade of the information contained therein.

Documents

Project number 143337-LLP-1-2008-1-DE-KA2-KA2NM Grant agreement number 2008-4283/001-001 1 Thematic seminar Raising awareness on cultural and linguistic