No full-text available
To read the full-text of this research,
you can request a copy directly from the author.
Review of recent research (2000–2008) on applied linguistics and language teaching with specific reference to L2 Italian
Abstract
Italian has for many years been considered somewhat of a specialist language when studied as a second language (L2) and this is perhaps due to historical and cultural factors. Its footprint worldwide compared to such languages as English, Spanish and French is therefore somewhat limited. Surprisingly, however, there is a considerable body of research in applied linguistics and second language acquisition (SLA) in which Italian features as the language being studied. This review sought to identify the extent to which the research provided specific insights into how Italian as a second or foreign language (L2 Italian) is learnt as opposed to the ways in which it has contributed to SLA theory-building more generally. In addition, it sought to assess how well Italian is holding up as a language being learnt in formal instructed contexts. The author suggests that insights into the learning of Italian and uptake by Italian students may be inter-related. The present review summarises and categorises nearly seventy empirical studies conducted in a variety of educational contexts and offers suggestions for future avenues of research.
... Following the established tradition of Language Teaching, which is committed to highlighting the development of teaching and learning languages other than English, such as Japanese (Mori & Mori, 2011), German (Eckerth, Schramm, & Tschirner, 2009;Eckerth & Tschirner, 2010), Spanish (Antón, 2011) and Italian (Macaro, 2010), this paper reviews 60 empirical studies on Chinese language teaching and learning that were published in five leading mainland Chinese journals during the period 2014-2018. The Chinese government has been promoting the teaching and learning of CSL/CFL while it has made concerted efforts to improve individual citizens' English competence since the 1970s (Wang & Gao, 2008;Gao, Liao, & Li, 2014;Ma, Gong, Gao, & Xiang, 2017). ...
... First of all, the results provide an opportunity for language education researchers to reconsider their understanding of second/foreign language education, which has been developed primarily through an examination of commonly taught English or other European languages (Eckerth & Tschirner, 2010;Macaro, 2010;Antón, 2011). For instance, rote practice (in Chinese: 死记硬背) has been criticized by scholars in the field of second/foreign language education because it has always been associated cognitively with 'short-term memory' and pedagogically with 'meaningless chunks learned'. ...
This review involved 60 articles chosen from 336 empirical studies identified in five leading journals on the learning and teaching of Chinese as a second or foreign language in mainland China during the period 2014-2018. The selected studies document Chinese researchers' efforts to improve the teaching and learning of the Chinese language in terms of language pedagogy, language learning and teacher development. We contend that these studies on the teaching and learning of Chinese as a second or foreign language (CSL/CFL) can contribute to the advancement of second/foreign language education theories even though they were largely conducted to address local needs and interests in the Chinese context. Unfortunately, the impact of these studies on international language education research and pedagogical development remains limited and peripheral. For this reason, this review concludes with recommendations for Chinese researchers and journal editors in the field of Chinese language teaching and learning research on how to promote quality empirical research and enhance their contributions to second/foreign language education research.
This chapter explores the relationship between Australia and Italy in the twenty-first century, focusing on the role played by language. The chapter first looks at the influence of the Italian language in the Australian society, in conjunction with migration history. Second, the current status of the Italian language in Australia is described. Third, the chapter examines Italians studying the English language in Australia, exploring how those students engage with Australian culture and considering migrants’ emotional relationship with the dominant language. Fourth, it concludes by presenting the findings of a research conducted on adult learners of Italian as a second language in Sydney. They indicate that the appeal of Italian in Australia is intertwined with the socio-cultural values that are associated with the Italian language. Consequently, the widespread interest of Australians in the study of Italian represents the profound influence that the Italian migration has exerted on contemporary Australian society.
In this study we tracked the development of the passé composé in second-language learners of French whose first language is English. Although the passé composé is a highly used tense among native speakers of French and it appears to present particular difficulty for first-language English speakers, its second-language development has been surprisingly under-researched. In order to trace developmental patterns of the passé composé we obtained a corpus of obligatory context use of this tense by 30 Year-12 (lower-intermediate) students at two time points six months apart and analysed the data both quantitatively and qualitatively. Our findings suggest that these students used remarkably few memorized formulas, that they passed through five distinct stages in their acquisition of the passé composé, that those early stages were characterized by transfer errors, and that the presence of the auxiliary, whether correct or incorrect, formed a crucial stage in the development of the tense. Theoretical explanations for the findings are presented together with some tentative pedagogical implications.
This article aims to test the typological plausibility of Processability Theory (PT) (Pienemann, 1998). This is ‘a theory of processability of grammatical structures... [which] formally predicts which structures can be processed by the learner at a given level of development’ (p. xv). Up till now the theory has been tested mainly for Germanic languages, while here we propose to test it for two typologically different languages, namely Italian and Japanese. Language specific predictions for these two languages will be derived from PT, and the structures instantiating them will be described within a Lexical Functional Grammar (LFG) framework. The occurrence and distribution of relevant structures will then be analysed in empirical, naturalistic data produced by adult learners. To test whether PT is typologically plausible we will demonstrate the following points for Japanese and Italian:
• The notion of ‘exchange of grammatical information’ is a productive concept for typologically different languages.
• Predictions that can be derived from the general architecture of the theory for specific languages will be borne out by empirical observation. (Pienemann 1998: 166).
Malta has experienced various linguistic influences over the course of time. Maltese and English are presently the official languages of the island. Nevertheless, Italian was never completely erased from the Maltese linguistic scene and over the past years its popularity has increased considerably because of the influence of Italian television programmes. In this study the impact of input from television programmes is investigated, as well as the extent to which the "italiano televisivo" variety is acquired in Malta. Fifty-two subjects, including guided and spontaneous learners of Italian L2, provide an oral narrative account by means of which their degree of competence in Italian verbs is investigated. Results reveal that there are no statistically significant differences in the performance of the two groups of learners and that the influence of the Italian media has been far-reaching. Whilst acknowledging the fact that the degree of spontaneous acquisition via television varies between one learner and another, many Maltese learners develop refined linguistic skills after being regularly exposed to Italian L2 via television. The input from television programmes is also a useful reinforcement tool both for students who are still learning the language and for those who have completed their schooling years. (Contains 2 tables and 2 figures.)
This article discusses an experiment in sending regular Short Message Service (SMS) messages to support language learning, and vocabulary learning in particular, at beginners' level in Italian at an Australian university. The approach we took built on the initiatives of Thornton and Houser (2005) and Dias (2002b), and was informed by the results of an earlier trial we had conducted with students at high-intermediate level (Levy & Kennedy, 2005). In testing the possibilities for using mobile phones for language learning purposes, we were especially interested in investigating the acceptability of a ‘push’ mode of operation, in which the scheduling of messages is determined by the teachers. While the students appreciated the experience overall, and found the message content often useful or enjoyable, there was a wide range of views on the frequency of messages acceptable. We are therefore planning the further integration of messaging into the course around a flexible arrangement involving options for high or low frequency of pushed messages, as well as messages available on request – in ‘pull’ mode.
The large and wide-ranging body of research in French as a second language has contributed significantly to the development of several branches of the broad discipline of applied linguistics. However, there have to date been few attempts to provide a comprehensive account of this literature as a distinct, language-specific body of knowledge. The present overview summarises a large number of studies published since the year 2000 under the twin broad categories of research in L2 French acquisition and research in L2 French teaching and learning. The overview of the studies, representing different epistemological approaches and targeting different research objectives, provides an up-to-date account of the main concerns of L2 French researchers working in different countries. The article also draws out salient themes that link this work (such as insights gained from analysis of the impact of different L1 backgrounds on L2 French acquisition) and highlights differences in L2 French research trends (such as different emphases and perspectives adopted in anglophone and francophone studies).
This study investigated the use of nonnative function words in the written production of learners of Italian as a third or fourth language with English, Spanish, or French as native or nonnative languages. Results show the frequent use of the French subject pronoun il(he) in learners’ texts. The rate of subject insertion and omission was thus analyzed. English and Spanish first language (L1) speakers with knowledge of French were found to use significantly more subject insertion than speakers without knowledge of French. This suggests that (a) prior exposure to a nonnative language informs learners’ choices of surface structures to a significant extent and (b) learners with the same L1 but different prior nonnative languages develop some significant differences in their target language knowledge.
The article aims to present an overview of the main characteristics and the major issues pertaining to the teaching of Italian in Slovenia. After determining the extralinguistic factors to be taken into account in analysing the situation and after presenting some fundamental geo-ethnic facts about the country, the authors offer a presentation of the current state of affairs, distinguishing between three different Italian-teaching contexts. First, the complex situation of the plurilingual area of the Slovene coast, where Italian has the status of the so-called «language of the social environment», is discussed, and an attempt is made to explain why the idea of bilingualism could not be carried out in the expected way. Second, the teaching of Italian as a second or third foreign language in the rest of Slovenia is presented and, finally, the situation concerning Italian at university is sketched out.
In diesem Artikel wird der heutige Stellenwert des Italienischen im europäischen Kontext aufgrund der Kulturpolitik Italiens und der Geschichte der Didaktik des Italienischen als Fremdsprache nach der Unità beschrieben und nachgewiesen, dass die italienischen Bildungsinstitutionen auf eine lange Vermittlungstradition bauen. In einem zweiten Teil wird die Didaktik des Italienischen analysiert und deren Entwicklungen im internationalen Vergleich dargestellt, und zwar unter Einbezug des vom Conseil de l’Europe erarbeiteten Framework.
In this paper I shall claim that to speak in terms of the Critical Period Hypothesis (CPH) is misleading, since there is vast variation in the ways in which the critical period (CP) for language acquisition is understood. I shall in addition point out that such variation also relates to the ways in which the purported CP is interpreted in terms of its practical implications for L2 instruction. My contention is that such variation fatally undermines the status of the CPH as a scientific hypothesis. 2. The notion of critical period The notion of CP has its origins in the biological sciences. One example of a CP that is often cited is behaviour exhibited by ducklings whereby they follow the first moving object they perceive after hatching: This following behavior only occurs within a certain time period after hatching, after which point the ducklings develop a fear of strange objects and retreat instead of following. Within these time limits is the critical period for the following behavior.
Theoretical claims about the benefits of conversational interaction have been made by Gass (1997), Long (1996), Pica (1994), and others. The Interaction Hypothesis suggests that negotiated interaction can facilitate SLA and that one reason for this could be that, during interaction, learners may receive feedback on their utterances. An interesting issue, which has challenged interactional research, concerns how learners perceive feedback and whether their perceptions affect their subsequent L2 development. The present research addresses the first of these issues–learners' perceptions about interactional feedback. The study, involving 10 learners of English as a second language and 7 learners of Italian as a foreign language, explores learners' perceptions about feedback provided to them through task-based dyadic interaction. Learners received feedback focused on a range of morphosyntactic, lexical, and phonological forms. After completing the tasks, learners watched videotapes of their previous interactions and were asked to introspect about their thoughts at the time the original interactions were in progress. The results showed that learners were relatively accurate in their perceptions about lexical, semantic, and phonological feedback. However, morphosyntactic feedback was generally not perceived as such. Furthermore, the nature as well as the content of the feedback may have affected learners' perceptions.
This book was first published in 2007. The anecdotal view of language acquisition is that children learn language with apparent ease, no instruction and in very little time, while adults find learning a new language to be cognitively challenging, labour intensive and time-consuming. In this book Herschensohn examines whether early childhood is a critical period for language acquisition after which individuals cannot learn a language as native speakers. She argues that a first language is largely susceptible to age constraints, showing major deficits past the age of twelve. Second-language acquisition also shows age effects, but with a range of individual differences. The competence of expert adult learners, the unequal achievements of child learners of second languages, and the lack of consistent evidence for a maturational cut-off, all cast doubt on a critical period for second-language acquisition. © Julia Herschensohn 2007 and Cambridge University Press, 2009.
This new book, Processing Instruction: Theory, Research, and Commentary, edited by Bill VanPatten--a pioneer in processing instruction (PI)--is a refreshing presentation of 10 related and not widely available articles that illustrate the role of processing instruction in second language acquisition. The articles provide both historical and current context, as well as describe the influence of the input processing model on PI.
The contents include empirical papers presenting new data that demonstrate both the theoretical and pedagogical threads of research. Aside from simply establishing where PI stands in the field of instructed SLA, the book addresses issues, such as processing instruction versus other types of instruction; the impact of processing instruction on various linguistic structures; the role of explicit information in instructional intervention; and the long-term effects of processing instruction. Each section of the book is highlighted by commentaries from noted researchers in instructed SLA. An attempt was made to include voices that offer critical perspectives on various issues of PI research. The book achieves an unusually balanced approach to a subject that has stirred debate in the field.
Processing Instruction: Theory, Research, and Commentary will serve as an important source of information regarding research methodology and replication in second language acquisition. It will also be useful in graduate courses where students need exposure to research design and is especially useful for illustrating the usefulness of replication in SLA research.
This article presents the results of a longitudinal study on the perceptions of a Web-enhanced learning environment by a group of beginning-level students of Italian. A Website was specially designed and implemented as a complement to the existing syllabus, in order to enhance interactivity, variety, and authenticity of materials and tasks, as well as flexibility and learner control. The aim of the study is to ascertain whether the introduction of computing technology can promote learners’ positive attitudes, as suggested in much of the current literature on Computer-Assisted Language Learning. Quantitative and qualitative data collected from a variety of sources confirm that the introduction of computing technology can contribute to learners’ positive perceptions of the opportunities offered by their learning environment. However, a few drawbacks are also identified which suggest that the introduction of Web-enhanced learning in itself cannot be expected to promote and sustain learners’ positive attitudes and motivation in the long term, and that more research is needed to explore effective ways of using Web-based materials, particularly at introductory levels of competence in the target language.
This study presents data from an experiment on the interpretation of intrasentential anaphora in Italian by native Italian speakers and by English speakers who have learned Italian as adults and have reached a near-native level of proficiency in this language. The two groups of speakers were presented with complex sentences consisting of a main clause and a subordinate clause, in which the subordinate clause had either an overt pronoun or a null subject pronoun. In half of the sentences the main clause preceded the subordinate clause (forward anaphora) and in the other half the subordinate clause preceded the main clause (backward anaphora). Participants performed in a picture verification task in which they had to indicate the picture(s) that corresponded to the meaning of the subordinate clause, thus identifying the possible antecedents of the null or overt subject pronouns. The patterns of responses of the two groups were very similar with respect to the null subject pronouns in both the forward and backward anaphora conditions. Compared to native monolingual speakers, however, the near-natives had a significantly higher preference for the subject of the matrix clause as a possible antecedent of overt subject pronouns, particularly in the backward anaphora condition. The results indicate that near-native speakers have acquired the syntactic constraints on pronominal subjects in Italian, but may have residual indeterminacy in the interface processing strategies they employ in interpreting pronominal forms.
Most studies in the field of synchronous Computer Mediated Communication (CMC) deal with interactions between language learners, while interactions between native speakers (NS) and learners have not been explored to the same extent, particularly to ascertain whether chatting with NS can provide a pedagogically sound bridge to conversation. Through the analysis of interactions within a NS Italian chatline, this paper considers whether the chatline environment can act as a bridge to conversational Italian by providing the same opportunities for second language acquisition reputedly offered by face-to-face interaction. Italian NS chatline discourse is analysed for its conversational "flavour" by considering variety of Italian, range of topics, questions, discourse markers, feedback tokens and negotiations. The findings of this study suggest that NS chat discourse can provide learners with exposure to colloquial and regional varieties of Italian, which are generally unavailable in language textbooks. Furthermore, NS chatline discourse offers learners a type of informal conversational practice which also includes negotiation of meaning, thus confirming its role in promoting language learning. (Contains 3 notes.)
This paper reports on a study of the acquisition of reflexive and reciprocal forms in L2 Italian from the point of view of their argument structure. The results are interpreted with respect to the debate about whether transfer is monolithic (Schwartz and Sprouse 1996, Whong-Barr 2005) or modular (Montrul 1997), considering at the same time other relevant factors — innate mechanisms and L2 input. On the basis of the acceptability judgements of Serbian and English learners, compared to native speakers of Italian, it is argued that a modular approach is more realistic, as different types of transfer were identified for morphology (direct transfer of L1 marking) and argument structure (indirect influence of L1 general properties). Possible reliance on innate knowledge was detected at the argument structure level, while the input (examined through a corpus study) was found to influence both domains in different ways. It is also suggested that the three factors should be looked at jointly rather than in isolation.
This paper reports an experimental investigation of the relative effects of processing instruction, structured input activities and explicit information on the acquisition of gender agreement in Italian adjectives. Subjects were divided into three groups: the first received processing instruction; the second group structured input only; the third group explicit information only. One interpretation and two production measures were used in a pre- and post-test design (immediate effect only). The results were similar to those of previous studies (e. g. Benati, 2003; VanPatten & Oikkenon, 1996). The processing instruction group and the structured input group made significant gains on a sentence-level interpretation test and a sentence-level production test, while the explicit information group made no gains. The structured input group also made identical gains to the processing instruction group in the oral production task, compared to the explicit information group. The findings strengthen the evidence from previous studies regarding the positive effects of structured input practice – this time, with a different processing problem, a different structure and a more spontaneous and communicative task.
In this paper, we describe an initial exploratory study designed to compare the outcomes of online listening and online text-based tasks in the context of the study of Italian at The University of Melbourne. Our findings allow us to characterise online listening and online reading as a qualitative difference between deep and surface approaches to learning. Online listening seems to promote an integrative orientation and heighten students' desire to deconstruct and understand texts. There also appears to be higher vocabulary acquisition and knowledge retention with online listening tasks.
Theoretical claims about the benefits of conversational interaction have been made by Gass
(1997), Long (1996), Pica (1994), and others. The Interaction Hypothesis suggests that
negotiated interaction can facilitate SLA and that one reason for this could be that, during
interaction, learners may receive feedback on their utterances. An interesting issue, which has
challenged interactional research, concerns how learners perceive feedback and whether their
perceptions affect their subsequent L2 development. The present research addresses the first of
these issues–learners' perceptions about interactional feedback. The study,
involving 10 learners of English as a second language and 7 learners of Italian as a foreign
language, explores learners' perceptions about feedback provided to them through
task-based dyadic interaction. Learners received feedback focused on a range of
morphosyntactic, lexical, and phonological forms. After completing the tasks, learners watched
videotapes of their previous interactions and were asked to introspect about their thoughts at the
time the original interactions were in progress. The results showed that learners were relatively
accurate in their perceptions about lexical, semantic, and phonological feedback. However,
morphosyntactic feedback was generally not perceived as such. Furthermore, the nature as well
as the content of the feedback may have affected learners' perceptions.
Swain (1985) pointed out the need for increased modified output in the classroom in order to encourage learners to engage in more syntactic processing and, thus, make more form-meaning connections. Research in content-based instruction (CBI) (Musumeci, 1996; Pica, 2002) has revealed few occasions of pushed modified output from learners. Therefore, one questions whether CBI classes are effective in promoting and developing not only content knowledge, but also form–function abilities, specifically in the expressive skills. Second language (L2) learners from a 3rd semester university-level content-based geography course (N= 43) completed 2 (or 3) production tasks at the beginning and end of the regular semester. The findings revealed that learners made significant improvements in both content knowledge and functional linguistic abilities. However, it is possible that that latter still has room for improvement.
In the present study an experiment investigating the possible effects of two types of form-focused instruction (FFI henceforth) on the acquisition of a specific feature of the Italian verbal morphology system (namely the future tense) will be described. Processing instruction was compared to an output-based type of grammar instruction. The impact of these two types of instruction was investigated on a well-documented strategy (Musumeci, 1989) used by second language (L2 henceforth) learners when interpreting tenses. This strategy consists in giving precedence to lexical items (in this case temporal adverbs, i.e. oggi, domani) over morphological markers during the learner's interpretation of tenses. In this study, processing instruction involved grammar explanation and comprehension practice directed at altering the way second language learners process input and make correct meaning–form connections. The output-based instructional treatment consisted in the explanation of grammar rules followed by written and oral practice (part of which was meaning-oriented) which was directed at altering the way L2 learners produce the target language. Three tests were developed for this study and consisted of an aural interpretation task, a written completion text and an oral limited response production task. The results obtained in this research provide some evidence that processing instruction has positive effects on the acquisition of Italian verbal morphology, and greater effects on the developing system of beginner L2 learners than instruction of the output-based type described in this study. These effects were proved durable over a three-week period.
This study questions the extent to which attention differentially affects different parts of language and how this differential effect interacts with increased linguistic knowledge (i.e., proficiency). Thirty-four English speakers enrolled in Italian 1st-, 2nd-, and 3rd-year foriegn language courses in the United States were placed into one of two conditions ([+focused attention] and [−focused attention]) for each of three linguistic areas (syntax, morphosyntax, and lexicon). It was predicted that focused attention would have the greatest effect on the lexicon and the least on syntax. The results showed the opposite. For the non-focused-attention condition, the predicted results were borne out. With regard to proficiency, focused attention had a diminishing effect, with the greatest effect in early periods of learning and the least in later stages.
Foreign language learners purportedly demonstrate intercultural communicative competence in NS chat rooms through self-initiated negotiation sequences, including those triggered by pragmatic issues and cultural content. This study identified and classified one-to-one NS–learner negotiations between intermediate learners and NS of Italian in Web-based chat rooms. Classifications included (a) self-initiated negotiation moves (Shehadeh, 2001), such as questions concerning the target culture, and (b) indicators of skills of discovery and interaction required by the “intercultural speaker” in informal face-to-face contexts (Byram, 1997). The study also presents an intercultural model of negotiation that facilitates identifying cultural and pragmatic triggers by taking account of possible overlap with lexical triggers. The findings indicate that with minor pedagogical intervention, learner-initiated negotiation sequences are indeed a feature of one-to-one NS–learner chat interactions conducted in a noninstructed setting, with many learners actively seeking clarification on the target language and culture from their NS partners. In this way they avoid dysfunction and demonstrate intercultural communicative competence. These data have pedagogical implications for informal immersion experiences, such as residence abroad, for which learners are not always adequately prepared through standard classroom interaction patterns. They also suggest that negotiation strategies, as defined in this study, could be practiced before departure, with NS chat room experiences providing a form of virtual immersion and socialization experience in preparation for in-country “experience[s] of otherness” (Byram, 1997, p. 70).
Two experiments examined the relationship between individual differences in phonological memory (PM) and the ability to learn determiner–noun agreement rules in semiartificial microlanguages. Participants were tested on their ability to induce the grammatical gender of nouns from the distribution of the determiners that accompanied them. Three measures of PM were found to be related to rule learning as assessed by a generalization test: phonological short–term memory, vocabulary learning, and memory for determiner–noun combinations early in the experiment. There were also statistically independent effects of knowledge of other gender languages, suggesting that both memory and nonmemory factors were related to learning outcomes.
Polyphenols are known to react under oxidizing conditions with side chain amino groups of peptides, leading to formation of cross-links in proteins. Plant-derived phenolic acids and flavonoids were used to prepare cross-linked gelatin gels in bulk and cross-linked gelatin–pectin coacervates in the form of microparticles for use as food ingredients. Gels cross-linked by these materials had greater mechanical strength, reduced swelling, and fewer free amino groups. Dynamic light scattering analyses showed that such cross-linking results in denser polymeric networks and prevents extension of the peptide chains is when the pH is moved away from the isoelectric point. Coacervated gelatin–pectin microparticles when cross-linked became more lipophilic, and were stable at temperatures up to 200 °C, in contrast to un-cross-linked particles that coalesce and/or disintegrate on heating. These properties of cross-linked gelatin gels and gelatin-based coacervates have applications for the development of novel food ingredients.
In den über 30 Jahren meiner Unterrichtstätigkeit als Italienischlehrer am Gymnasium Langenthal habe ich dank der Unterstützung der Schulleitung bis heute mit kleinen, aber motivierten Schülergruppen viele sprach- und kontaktfördernde kulturelle Projekte verwirklichen können, wie z. B. Klassenaustausche und Begegnungswochen im Tessin, Graubünden, Piemont und im Pestalozzidorf Trogen, Theateraufführungen italienischer Autoren (in deutscher) Sprache, die Durchführung von Konzerten und Dichterlesungen und Kulturausstellungen über das Tessin oder Italien an der Schule usw., und ich hoffe, dass dies auch im neustrukturierten Gymnasium nach MAR, in welchem das Italienische – immer noch eine Landes- und Amtssprachen unseres Landes! – noch mehr mit kleinen Schülerzahlen und um seine Präsenz – vor allem im Schwerpunktfachbereich – zu kämpfen hat, mit Hilfe der Schulleitung möglich sein wird.
Alla WMB è esistita per circa vent’anni una classe speciale d’italiano per italofoni. L’articolo descrive le tappe principali di questa esperienza didattica e i metodi impiegati per approfondire ed arricchire il bilinguismo degli allievi.
This work explores the position of the teaching of Italian in Geneva highschools, paying particular attention to the changes due to the reformation of the study programmes according to the ORRM ‘95. Firstly, after a detailed description of the new set of choices within which Italian stands, we asked ourselves how many pupils choose Italian, and primarily, what percentage of these takes Italian as a major. This analysis has allowed us to focus on a series of problems connected with teaching second languages in the present «maturité» system (school leavers final set of examinations taken at ages 18/19). It has also helped us profile several types of «new» Italian pupils. Secondly, we have made a number of suggestions useful in elaborating the new Italian teaching programmes (which so far have only been sketched out), and in choosing a new L2 Italian students’ book, «the one presently in use having been unanimously found unsatisfactory». Finally, we concluded by considering the university courses offered to teachers as refreshers, as well as the opportunities offered to French speakers intending to study the Italian language and Italian literature.
The article examines the history and the present situation regarding the teaching of Italian in Den-mark. In the 18th and 19th centuries, it was common for Danish artists and aristocrats to take a Grand Tour and often stay in Italy for several years. However, at that time language studies in Denmark were dominated by another language of culture, namely French. But since the 1960s, Denmark has experienced a veritable boom as regards the teaching of Italian. In the sixties and seventies, Italian became an independent subject at the universities of Copenhagen, Aarhus and Odense (it was later abolished in Odense), as well as at the Copenhagen Business School; since then, the number of students and teachers has increased steadily. It was introduced in upper secondary school on an experimental basis in 1967, but is now a regular alternative to French, Spanish, German and Russian there. It is also in great demand in evening classes and in the adult education system, normally occupying the fourth or fifth place after English, French, Spanish an, usually, German.
The article illustrates the position of Italian as a foreign language in Austria. The present status reflects the glorious past when Italian was not only one of the official languages of the Empire, but also language of culture and one of the languages at the Court. As there has never been big scale immigration from Italy, Italian has maintained it’s image as the language of the opera and of arts. But it’s use today is also determined by economical motives, because Italy is Austria’s second most important commercial partner after Germany. The second part consists of an analysis of the need for the knowledge of Italian in the Austrian society and it offers a description of the present Italian language teaching in Austrian schools.
Not available Curriculum and Instruction
Tense and aspect in learners of Italian
- D Melucci
Melucci, D. (2007). Tense and aspect in learners of Italian. Ph.D. dissertation, Arizona State University.
Processing instruction: Theory, research, and commentary
- B Vanpatten
VanPatten, B. (2004). Processing instruction: Theory, research, and commentary. Mahwah, NJ: Lawrence Erlbaum.
How do we teach Italian culture? The e-learning approach
- Gaspari
Gaspari, F. & E. Polisca, (2009). How do we teach Italian culture? The e-learning approach. Tuttitalia 37, 3–9.
Stimulated reflection: A technique for language learners Educating: Weaving research into practice. Brisbane: Faculty of Arts
- T Miceli
- S V Murray
- C Kennedy
Miceli, T., S. V. Murray & C. Kennedy (2004). Stimulated reflection: A technique for language learners. In B. Bartlett, F. Bryer & D. Roebuck (eds.), Educating: Weaving research into practice. Brisbane: Faculty of Arts, Griffiths University, 21–31.
The development of verbal morphology in instructed Italian L2a
- D Rodgers
Rodgers, D. (2007). The development of verbal morphology in instructed Italian L2a. Ph.D. dissertation, University of Illinois at Urbana–Champain.
The listening comprehension processes and strategies of learners of Italian: A case study
- Laviosa
Laviosa, F. (2000). The listening comprehension processes and strategies of learners of Italian: A case study. Rassegna Italiana di Linguistica Applicata 32, 129–159.
Language learning strategies and motivation: Factors affecting the achievement of learners of Japanese Allievi italofoni alla Wirtschaftmittelschule Bern-un'esperienza didattica
- G W Peters
- Usa
- C Pettenati
Peters, G. W. (1995). Language learning strategies and motivation: Factors affecting the achievement of learners of Japanese. MA thesis, Swinburne University of Technology, USA. Pettenati, C. (2001). Allievi italofoni alla Wirtschaftmittelschule Bern-un'esperienza didattica. Bulletin Suisse de Linguistique Appliqué 73, 191–196.
Focusing strategies in second language development: A classroom-based study of Italian L2 in primary school Developing a second language: Acquisition, processing and pedagogy of Arabic
- Di Biase
Di Biase, B. (2002). Focusing strategies in second language development: A classroom-based study of Italian L2 in primary school. In B. Di Biase (ed.), Developing a second language: Acquisition, processing and pedagogy of Arabic, Chinese, English Italian, Japanese, and Swedish. Melbourne: Language Australia, 95–120.
Is it fair to assess native and non-native speakers in common school foreign language examinations? The case of Italian in Australia Fairness and validation in language assessment
- C Elder
Elder, C. (2002). Is it fair to assess native and non-native speakers in common school foreign language examinations? The case of Italian in Australia. In A. J. Kunnan (ed.), Fairness and validation in language assessment. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 82–104.
Recipe for success: Using functional grammar in English and Italian classes. Opinion 46.1 (Term 1)
- L Russo
Russo, L. (2002). Recipe for success: Using functional grammar in English and Italian classes. Opinion 46.1 (Term 1), 31–37.