2. Opportunities for adults to learn
foreign languages
In Italy most adults who want to learn European
languages go to a language school. There are many
language schools nationwide: in Rome itself for
example there are about 90. Many of them are international
operations, with expertise in language teaching
and experience of preparing their students for
recognized language examinations (Eurocentres,
Berlitz, Eurolingua, EF, Dilit, International House).
There are also many minor local language schools,
which mostly release an attendance certificate
or have their own internal examinations. They all
offer classes for different levels, during the
day and in the evening.
The various cultural institutes supported by their
national governments play a very important role
in the dissemination of English, French, German,
Spanish and some non-European languages. The most
widespread in Italy are the British Council, the
Alliance Française, the Goethe Institutes
Inter Nationes, the Austrian Language Centres and
the Cervantes Institutes. These cultural institutions
are the headquarters for examinations, which are
recognized by the European Union (cf.
also § 4).
Cultural institutes of non-EU countries, which
are supported by their own national governments
are located in the major Italian cities only, in
Rome or Milan for instance. Russian, Polish and
Japanese Cultural Institutes or associations where
not only are language courses are offered, but
where cultural activities are organized and where
libraries are made available to those learning
the language are examples of these.
The various open universities that operate throughout
Italy also offer language courses, not only in
the main European languages but, especially in
big towns, in minor languages such as Serbo Croatian
and also in non European languages such as Arabic,
Chinese and Japanese. At the end of a course students
are issued with an attendance certificate.
Many regions of Italy offer English courses for
disadvantaged people, especially for those who
are unemployed. Unlike all the other courses to
which I have referred these are free of charge.
3. Language learning in higher education structures
3.1. General language teaching policies in Italian
universities
The university reform, which started in Italy at
the beginning of the 2001/02 academic year provides
that, in addition to studying the subjects chosen
for their degree course, all students learn at
least one European language other than their mother
tongue Italian. English, French, Spanish and German
are the most offered languages. The language(s)
chosen by the students do not have necessarily
to relate to the degree course itself.
In the middle of the 1970s - the symbolic date
is 1975, year in which the "10 tesi sull'educazione
linguistica democratica" were formulated (reproduced
in Ferreri and Guerrieri, 1998) - educators began
to realize that instruction had to adapt to the
needs and learning rhythms of learners. Nowadays
most university language teaching takes into account
the needs of learners. Teaching methods are learner
driven and vary according to the degree course.
Applicants for higher education are required to
have a secondary school diploma. Learning languages
in higher education means not only learning the
language, but learning the language as one component
of a degree course. Today, Italian universities
do not allow enrolment for single course only;
this means that currently it is not possible for
adults to attend "only" language classes:
language learning is a compulsory part of each
degree course.
It is true that in Italy all lectures are open
to the public, but this only the case for lectures,
not for seminars, guided exercises, the use of
the language centre or access to online support.
This therefore is not a good way to learn a language
as language acquisition depends heavily on practice
and practical training and teaching .
3.2. Language learning as part of a language and
culture or language mediation degree course
Both types of degree course - language and culture
degree courses and language mediation degree courses
- should provide students with very good language
knowledge in at least two languages. These courses
offer the most complete way of studying not only
two or three languages but also their cultural
background. This kind of language learning requires
at least three years of full time study; in some
universities stages or periods of stud abroad are
compulsory. Some universities offer special conditions
for students who are working full-time: evening
classes, or the flexibility to extend the period
of their studies to six years with a reduction
of the course fees. Some universities have started
to offer courses or student support on the web
(see also § 3.3).
The organization of language degree courses varies
quite a lot from university to university. Common
to all universities is that the study of a language
is only part of the studies; students also have
to pass exams in many other subjects such as literature,
history, geography, philology of the chosen languages
and they have also to improve their knowledge of
their own cultural background by taking courses
in Italian literature, history, philosophy, anthropology,
geography and other subjects. In some universities
(as a consequence of the pre-reform situation where
in faculties of humanities foreign language and
literature formed one subject: the result was very
often a disproportionate distribution to the disadvantage
of language training) too much emphasis is still
placed on the cultural aspects, neglecting language
practice.
Academic teaching staff who are not always mother tongue speakers of the language
they teach deliver foreign language lectures. Responsibility for applied exercises
and practice of the language is in the hands of mother -tongue language experts.
Practice of the languages takes mostly place in language centres (see
also § 3.4).
The number of credits to be awarded for language learning by Universities can
be decided autonomously within parameters prescribed by the Education Ministry.
It varies not only from university to university, but also within a degree
course according to which major subject is chosen. The effort and time involved
in getting a credit varies too: from five to ten hours of upfront lessons plus
a certain amount of individual practice. The amount of work involved in gaining
language credits does not always have the same value and recognition as it
has in other subjects. For example it can happen that in some language faculties
fewer credits are given for time spent in language lectures than are given
for the same periods of time spent in cultural subject lectures.
A degree in languages is only the first step to becoming a language teacher.
A person who wants to become a secondary school teacher must follow a two -
year course at the Scuola di Specializzazione per l'Insegnamento Superiore (SSIS) (an institution specializing in teacher training for secondary education)
and pass a final exam. While school teachers must undergo specialist training
which prepares them to teach, university language teachers do not have to have
a specialist language training qualification .
