Ateneo - UPO

The course addresses the principal theoretical and methodological foundations of Second Language Teaching, with particular reference to the teaching of Italian as a second language, Second Language Acquisition, inclusive language education, curriculum and instructional design, and teacher professional development. Through the analysis of case studies, authentic materials, and workshop activities, students develop the knowledge and professional competences required to identify learners' linguistic needs, design instructional interventions that are appropriate to specific educational contexts, and critically evaluate their effectiveness. The course is organised around progressively structured professional tasks, which guide students in developing the core competences required of teachers of Italian as a second language.

Testi di riferimento

Favaro G. (2024), Parole al centro. Plurilinguismo e Italiano L2, Giunti Scuola.

Diadori P. (2019), Insegnare italiano L2, Le Monnier Università, cap. 1 + 3 capitoli a scelta.

Appunti e/o dispense fornite tramite la piattaforma Moodle DIR.

Testi di approfondimento

Bilinguismo e plurilinguismo

Favaro G. (2018), Le lingue, le norme, le pratiche. Il contesto, i dati, i riferimenti della scuola multiculturale e plurilingue, Italiano LinguaDue 2/2018, pp. 1-41.

Bettoni C. (2005), Il bilinguismo dei bambini immigrati, in B. Iori (a cura di), L'italiano e le altre lingue, Milano, Franco Angeli.

Favaro G. (2016), L'italiano che include: la lingua per non essere stranieri, Italiano LinguaDue 1/2016, pp. 1-12.

Favaro G. (2010), Una lingua "seconda e adottiva". L'italiano delle seconde generazioni, Italiano LinguaDue 1/2010, pp. 1-14.

Favaro G. (2013), Il bilinguismo disegnato, Italiano LinguaDue 1/2012, pp. 114-127.

Interlingua e differenziazione

Sordella S., Andorno C. (2017), Esplorare le lingue in classe. Strumenti e risorse per un laboratorio di Éveil aux langues nella scuola primaria, Italiano LinguaDue 2/2017, pp. 162-228.

Sordella S. (2015), L'educazione plurilingue e gli atteggiamenti degli insegnanti, Italiano LinguaDue 1/2015, pp. 60-110.

Ferrari S. (2017), Interlingua come origine della differenziazione, in F. Caon (a cura di), Educazione Linguistica nella Classe ad Abilità Differenziate Plurilingue, Torino, Loescher Editore, pp. 169-176.

Tutoring e mediazione tra pari

Ziglio L., Arici M. (2018), "Compagni di viaggio". Il dispositivo del tutoring in favore di studenti di origine straniera in condizione di fragilità, Ricercazione 10/2, pp. 267-284.

Pugliese R. (2017), Tradurre per la compagna di banco. Child language brokering e interazioni costruttive nella classe plurilingue, in L. Corrà (a cura di), Educazione linguistica in classi multietniche, Roma, Aracne.

Didattica per task e grammatica

Ferrari S. (2020), Un ponte tra la classe e il laboratorio di italiano L2, Italiano LinguaDue, numero 2, 2020.

Pallotti G. (1998), La seconda lingua, Bompiani, cap. 2.

Ferrari S., Nuzzo E. (2025), La didattica per task e l'insegnamento della grammatica, in E.M. Hirzinger-Unterrainer (a cura di), Aufgabenorientierung im Italienischunterricht. Ein theoretischer Einblick mit praktischen Beispielen, Narr Francke Attempto Verlag.

Studiare in L2 (lingua e contenuto)

Gabriele P., Ferrari S. (2021), Dalla ricerca alla didattica: percorsi per un'educazione linguistica inclusiva, in Mezzadri M., Daloisio M. (a cura di), Educazione Linguistica Inclusiva, edizioni SAIL.

Pallotti G., Borghetti C., Ferrari S. (2019), Dalla riflessione su oralità e scrittura alla redazione di testi scritti efficaci: uno studio sperimentale, in V. Carbonara, L. Cosenza, P. Masillo, L. Salvati, A. Scibetta (a cura di), Il parlato e lo scritto: aspetti teorici e didattici, Pisa, Pacini editore, pp. 91-104.

Ferrari S., Pallotti G. (2005), Favorire lo studio delle discipline scolastiche da parte di alunni con limitate competenze in italiano, in B. Iori (a cura di), L'Italiano e le altre lingue. Apprendimento della seconda lingua e bilinguismo dei bambini e dei ragazzi immigrati, Milano, Franco Angeli, pp. 49-64.

Pragmatica

Ferrari S. (2016), Oggi facciamo pragmatica: un percorso di formazione e ricerca-azione nella scuola primaria, Italiano LinguaDue 8/2020, pp. 270-280.

Ferrari S. (2019), Usare le parole per gestire situazioni di conflitto alla scuola primaria, E-JournALL 6(1), pp. 56-73.

Ferrari S., Zanini R. (2019), La pragmatica alla scuola primaria: tra ricerca e insegnamento, in E. Nuzzo, I. Vedder (a cura di), Lingua in contesto, la prospettiva pragmatica, collana Studi AItLA, Milano, Officinaventuno, pp. 185-198.

Ferrari S. (2019), Riflettere sulla (s)cortesia nella scuola primaria. Un percorso di formazione e sperimentazione educativa dedicato alla pragmatica linguistica, mediAzioni 24, Dossier "La scortesia linguistica: tra teoria, didattica e traduzione", pp. 1-26.

Adulti

Borri A., Insegnare Italiano L2 ad apprendenti analfabeti: contesto e indicazioni didattiche, ILSA.

Borri A., Masiero G. (2017), I.D.E.A: Interazioni Dialogiche e Affini. Una proposta di didattica ludica in classi eterogenee di adulti, Italiano LinguaDue 2/2017, pp. 506-532.

Organisation of teaching activities
The course carries 6 ECTS credits, corresponding to a total student workload of 150 hours, consisting of 30 hours of structured teaching activities (1.2 ECTS) and 120 hours of independent study (4.8 ECTS).
The course is delivered on campus and includes 6 hours of lectures (DE – 0.24 ECTS) and 24 hours of interactive teaching (DI – 0.96 ECTS), organised through workshops and seminars.
Lectures are devoted to introducing and framing the principal theoretical and methodological models of the discipline. Interactive teaching includes case analysis, discussion of research studies and empirical data, analysis of authentic materials, workshop activities, and collaborative instructional design.

Learning objectives
The course aims to provide students with the fundamental theoretical and methodological knowledge of Second Language Teaching, together with the tools required to understand Second Language Acquisition processes, identify learners' needs, and design research-informed instructional interventions.
Organised around progressively structured professional tasks, the course also promotes the development of a professional perspective based on the ability to connect theory, observation, instructional design, and critical reflection, while justifying pedagogical choices in the light of the principal theoretical frameworks of Second Language Acquisition and Second Language Teaching.
By the end of the course, students will be able to: identify and describe the principal processes involved in the acquisition of Italian as a second language and their implications for inclusive language education, including the current regulatory framework; observe and analyse the linguistic and communicative needs of learners in different educational contexts (schools, Adult Education Centres – CPIA, universities, and adult education), drawing on authentic learner data, productions, and materials; design instructional interventions, curricula, and teaching materials that are consistent with identified learner needs and informed by research in Second Language Teaching, while critically justifying their methodological choices.

No prior knowledge of Second Language Teaching is required.
Previous attendance of at least one course in General Linguistics or Historical and Comparative Linguistics is recommended.
Good reading comprehension and analytical skills in Italian and in at least one additional foreign language are recommended.
Students may strengthen their background knowledge through the learning materials made available on the Moodle.DIR platform.

The course is delivered on campus and is organised into teaching modules, each centred on a professional task that guides learning and promotes the integration of theoretical knowledge, data analysis, and curriculum and instructional design.
The course combines interactive lectures, case analysis and discussion, research studies and authentic materials, workshop activities, and collaborative curriculum and instructional design. Students will engage in the analysis of learner language, the critical evaluation of teaching materials, and the design of teaching modules for different contexts in which Italian is taught as a second language.
Learning is supported through the Moodle.DIR platform and by the use of data and materials drawn from educational research projects, fostering an ongoing dialogue between theory, observation, curriculum and instructional design, and critical reflection.
The teaching methods adopted are intended to foster the progressive development of the analytical, instructional design, argumentation, and professional reflection skills described in the intended learning outcomes of the course.

The course is delivered on campus. Although attendance is not compulsory, regular attendance is strongly recommended, as the analysis, discussion, and curriculum and instructional design activities form an integral part of the course and support the achievement of its learning objectives. To support independent study, the Moodle.DIR platform provides supplementary learning materials and study pathways designed to support the independent learning of all students, particularly those who are unable to attend classes regularly.

All students, whether attending or non-attending, are encouraged to enroll in the course Moodle.DIR page. The platform provides access to teaching materials, course announcements, study guidance, examination guidance, and additional learning resources. Information on office hours, course announcements, and any updates relating to the course will be communicated through the Moodle.DIR platform and the lecturer's webpage.

Students with disabilities, Specific Learning Disorders (SLD), or Special Educational Needs (SEN) may request dedicated services and support by contacting the Student Career Development and Support Office and consulting the dedicated page on the University website: https://uniupo.it/it/servizi/servizi-studentesse-e-studenti-condizione-di-disabilità-e-dsa
After contacting the University's support services, students with disabilities, SLD, or SEN are encouraged to discuss any teaching or assessment arrangements with the course lecturer.

Assessment verifies the achievement of the intended learning outcomes by assessing students' knowledge of the principal theoretical frameworks of Second Language Teaching, their ability to analyse data, educational contexts, and teaching materials critically, design instructional interventions that address specific linguistic needs, and justify their methodological choices.
Students may choose between two forms of assessment, both designed to assess the same intended learning outcomes and evaluated according to the same criteria.

A) Traditional assessment – Short essay
Students write a short essay (approximately 1,500 words) based on an analytical and curriculum and instructional design task assigned by the lecturer. The task begins with the critical analysis of authentic or pedagogical materials (e.g. learner language samples, teaching activities or teaching modules, policy documents, or other course materials) provided through Moodle.DIR. Students analyse and interpret these materials in the light of the principal theoretical frameworks of the discipline and develop either an instructional proposal or a critical reflection consistent with the task objectives.
The essay must be submitted through the Assignments activity on the Moodle.DIR course page by the deadline for the relevant examination session.

B) Alternative assessment – Action research project: Italian L2 at School or CLUPO – Italiano in pillole
Students participate in an action research and teacher education project carried out in collaboration with local schools or CLUPO. Activities may include classroom observation, participation in Italian L2 lessons, curriculum and instructional design meetings, teacher education sessions, and teaching activities with learners. The final assessment consists of documentation of the experience together with a critical reflection on the student's learning and professional development, prepared according to the guidelines agreed with the lecturer.

Assessment criteria
Assessment is based on knowledge and understanding of the principal theoretical and methodological frameworks of the discipline; the ability to analyse data, teaching materials, and educational contexts critically; the ability to design instructional interventions consistent with learners' needs and the intended learning outcomes; the ability to justify methodological choices; appropriate disciplinary terminology; and clarity, coherence, and rigour of presentation.

Award of marks
The final mark is expressed on the Italian 30-point grading scale.
A passing grade requires knowledge of the principal theoretical content of the course and the ability to apply it appropriately to data analysis and curriculum and instructional design.
A good or very good performance demonstrates sound preparation, coherent integration of theory, data, and curriculum and instructional design, and independent judgement.
An excellent performance demonstrates an integrated understanding of the course content, critical application of theoretical frameworks, methodological rigour, independent judgement, and confident use of disciplinary terminology.
An insufficient performance reveals significant gaps in content knowledge, difficulties applying theoretical concepts, inappropriate terminology, and limited argumentative ability.

Detailed guidance for examination preparation is available on the Moodle.DIR course page.

The course is organised into seven teaching modules, which progressively guide students in understanding the principal areas of Second Language Teaching and in developing the competences required to observe educational contexts, identify learners' needs, and design research-informed instructional interventions.
When relevant to the topics addressed, the course also examines the role of inclusive language and gender perspectives in curriculum and instructional design and language education.

Module 1. Teacher Professional Development and Action Research
Professional task: Analyse and document a teaching experience in order to reflect on teacher professional development.
Contents and activities: The teacher as a reflective practitioner. Action research and teacher professional development. Case analysis, documentation of teaching practices, and reflection on teaching experience. Particular attention is devoted to the design, documentation, and critical reflection on authentic teaching experiences, including action research activities carried out in collaboration with local schools.

Module 2. Italian as a Second Language in Contemporary Educational Contexts
Professional task: Analyse a context in which Italian is taught as a second language and identify its main educational and organisational characteristics.
Contents and activities: The development of Italian as a second language teaching in Italy and internationally. Schools, Adult Education Centres (CPIA), universities, adult education, and other educational contexts. Regulatory framework, organisational models, and inclusive teaching practices. Comparative analysis of different educational contexts.

Module 3. Second Language Acquisition, Plurilingualism, Observation, and Needs Analysis
Professional task: Observe learner language and learner data in order to identify learners' principal linguistic needs.
Contents and activities: Second language acquisition and interlanguage. Bilingualism and plurilingualism. Observation of learners and analysis of linguistic needs through authentic data, learner language, and interaction, as the basis for curriculum and instructional design. Analysis of learner language samples and discussion of case studies.

Module 4. Designing Teaching Modules and Materials for Italian as a Second Language
Professional task: Design a teaching activity that is consistent with learners' needs and the intended learning outcomes.
Contents and activities: Curriculum design, syllabus design, teaching units, and lesson cycles. Task-Based Language Teaching. Selection, adaptation, and development of authentic and pedagogical materials, with design decisions justified on the basis of learners' needs and research evidence. Collaborative design and review of teaching materials and lesson cycles.

Module 5. Pragmatics and Interaction in Teaching Italian as a Second Language
Professional task: Identify the pragmatic and interactional dimensions of authentic texts and design an instructional intervention.
Contents and activities: Pragmatic and interactional competence. Analysis of dialogues, corpora, and other authentic data. Design of activities aimed at developing pragmatic competence and interaction management across different communicative contexts. Analysis and curriculum and instructional design based on authentic materials.

Module 6. Italian for Academic Purposes
Professional task: Adapt teaching activities and materials to support the development of the language competences required in academic contexts.
Contents and activities: Comprehension and production of academic texts. The language of study and content learning. Spoken language, academic writing, and strategies to support participation in university and school settings. Analysis and adaptation of materials to support the development of Italian for academic study.

Module 7. Technologies for Language Learning
Professional task: Select appropriate digital tools to support a specific Italian as a second language teaching activity.
Contents and activities: Digital environments, platforms, and online resources for curriculum and instructional design. Artificial intelligence tools, learning analytics, and support for learner autonomy. Critical evaluation of the opportunities and limitations of technology in language teaching. Activities involving the exploration, comparison, and evaluation of digital tools for curriculum and instructional design.

Knowledge and understanding
By the end of the course, students are able to describe the principal theoretical and methodological frameworks of Second Language Teaching, second language acquisition processes, the dynamics of plurilingualism, and the principles underpinning curriculum and instructional design, inclusive language education, and teacher professional development.

Applying knowledge and understanding
Students are able to analyse educational contexts and linguistic data, and to design instructional interventions, teaching modules, and teaching materials that are consistent with the intended learning outcomes, teaching contexts, and research evidence in Second Language Teaching.

Making informed judgements
Students are able to justify their instructional choices by critically evaluating approaches, teaching materials, educational practices, and instructional resources on the basis of theoretical frameworks and empirical evidence.

Communication skills
Students are able to present and discuss case studies and issues related to the teaching of Italian as a second language, using appropriate disciplinary terminology and communicating their methodological choices clearly, coherently, and rigorously.

Learning skills
Students are able to reflect critically on their professional development and to update their competences independently through engagement with the research literature, the analysis of data, and the informed use of available resources, progressively integrating research, observation, and teaching practice.