HEREDITARY LANGUAGES OF THE NEW GENERATIONS

Degree course: 
Academic year when starting the degree: 
2023/2024
Year: 
2
Academic year in which the course will be held: 
2024/2025
Course type: 
Supplementary compulsory subjects
Credits: 
6
Period: 
Second semester
Standard lectures hours: 
36
Detail of lecture’s hours: 
Lesson (36 hours)
Requirements: 

No special prerequisites are required.

Final Examination: 
Orale

The exam consists of two parts:
1) A short written essay or powerpoint on an individually assigned short paper. The written essay (of up to 5 pages) or powerpoint (of up to 15 slides) must be sent by email to the lecturer by the registration deadline for the exam, and their evaluation will be part of the overall assessment.
2) An oral exam

Assessment: 
Voto Finale

The purpose of the course is to introduce the concept of “heritage languages” in the Italian school context with the presence of pupils with migrant background. To frame the phenomenon, theoretical studies on bilingualism will be discussed and environmental conditions and elements of language policy that influence competence in heritage languages will be presented. Students will be asked to make a critical analysis of the articles presented during the lectures concerning the inclusion of first- and second-generation learners and their identity aspects. Finally, methodological insights and working proposals will be presented in order to plan teaching interventions in the classroom.

1) Students with migrant background in Italy: data on attendance and school performance
2) Language policy and language rights
3) Plurilingual classrooms in Italy: analyzing the difficulties of learning languages
4) Typology of bilingualism
5) Research on bilingual children
6) Hereditary languages - definition, types, the main causes behind differences
7) Language identity and cross-cultural education
8) Family language policy and hereditary language maintenance
9) Language awakening, intercomprehension, translanguaging. Council of Europe initiatives: the Framework for Plural Approaches (FREPA/CARAP).
10) Projects to enhance plurilingualism in Italian schools: goals and activities.

Convenzionale

Lectures

Office hours: by appointment only (write an email to alessandra.barotto@uninsubria.it)