The Future of Italian Teaching: Media, Social Networks, New Technologies & Multi-Disciplinary Perspectives

The Department of Italian Studies at The American University of Rome invites all with an interest in the study of teaching Italian language, culture and literature to an international and multidisciplinary conference on October 5-6, 2012. The conference will be held at The American University of Rome.

The conference addresses multiple disciplinary perspectives, including teaching Italian through literature, art, cinema, music and other fields as well as innovative approaches to language pedagogy, use of new technology and social media in the language classroom.

Proposals for 20 minute papers will be accepted as well as workshop proposals. Submissions for pre-formed three-person panels will be considered.

The conference languages are English and Italian and papers can be delivered in either language. We hope to publish selected papers and are currently seeking a publisher.

E-mail submissions are preferred. Please send a 250 word abstract, a short bio and your institutional affiliation, e-mail address, a postal address at which you can be reached and any expected audio-visual needs.

Proposals should be sent to Catherine Ramsey-Portolano and Lucy Delogu at fit@aur.edu

The deadline for proposals is May 14, 2012. Applicants will be notified by early June.

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Il Dipartimento di Italian Studies di The American University of Rome invita gli studiosi di lingua, letteratura e cultura italiana ad una conferenza internazionale sulle prospettive didattiche dell’italiano LS/L2. La conferenza si propone di raccogliere contributi che investigano in prospettiva multidisciplinare l’apprendimento dell’italiano in Italia e all’estero, attraverso la letteratura, l’arte, la musica, il cinema o attraverso l’uso di nuove tecnologie.

Si accettano relazioni sia in italiano che in inglese, sessioni complete (formate da un presidente e tre relatori) e workshops. Ogni relatore avrà 20 minuti per la propria presentazione.

Gli studiosi interessati a intervenire sono pregati di inviare le loro proposte, entro il 14 maggio 2012, a Catherine Ramsey-Portolano e Lucy Delogu all’indirizzo di posta elettronica: fit@aur.edu.

Oltre al titolo e all’abstract (250 parole) della relazione si prega di inviare una breve nota biografica (nome, cognome, istituzioni di appartenenza, e-mail e indirizzo postale).

Gli organizzatori comunicheranno la scelta dei relatori all’inizio di giugno 2012 e si occuperanno di cercare una casa editrice per la redazione e pubblicazione degli atti.

Lecture in English. All are welcome!

As part of her duties as visiting scholar, Prof. Ramsey-Portolano gave a university-wide presentation entitled “Americana: Elio Vittorini’s Controversial Love for Everything American” in addition to lecturing in various courses and meeting with faculty and students. Regarding the experience, Prof. Ramsey-Portolano said, “I really enjoyed the opportunity to visit another university and discuss Italian literature and culture with RMU’s faculty and students. In addition to the enriching experience at RMU, travelling to Pittsburgh, the city where my father is from, was a chance for me to return to my familial roots.”

Links:

• RMU Rooney Visiting Scholar Program

July 3 – July 18, 2012

A Two-week Technology, Methodology and Culture Seminar for Teachers and Trainers of Italian.

Who Should Attend

• Graduate Students
• Teaching Assistants
• Middle and High School Teachers
• University Instructors
• Teacher Trainers of Italian as a Second Language

Why You Should Attend

• To earn 4.0 graduate credits in Italian Language Instruction
• To improve your teaching strategies through modern approaches to the use of the internet in student learning.
• To learn innovative methods of language and culture instruction.
• To tackle learning problems in creative ways.
• Expert instructors in each field.
• All seminar and extracurricular activities will be conducted in Italian.

Read what past participants say about our seminar

Location and Accomodation

The American University of Rome is conveniently located on the Gianicolo hill, just across the TiberRiver from the historic center of Rome, above the Trastevere area. Participants will stay in single rooms in furnished apartments which include a shared bath, full kitchen, sitting area, TV, and wireless access.  Apartments are within easy walking distance or a short bus ride from the AUR campus.

Course Fees

With Accommodation: €2,400 ($3,360)
Without Accommodation: €1,500 ($2,100)

What is Included

The following services and activities are included in the course fees:

• Tuition for 10 full days of seminar
• 19 nights of lodging/single room/shared bath
• Pick up at Rome Fiumicino Airport and transfer to lodging
• Welcome and farewell dinner receptions
• 10 catered lunches on AUR campus
• 1 ballet performance at the Terme di Caracalla
• 1 cinema outing
• All course materials and pre-departure information

Downloads

Are you interested in attending the seminar?

Or do you need more information? Please fill in the form below.

In her presentation Prof. Ramsey-Portolano explored the theme of confinement through an analysis of the ways in which the late 19th-century writer Neera, in her autobiographical writings, letters and journalistic production, reflected upon her motivation to write, the difficulties encountered in expressing herself publicly and the conflict between her middle-class background and surroundings and her artistic inclination.

Read the Conference Program.

AUR Italian Studies Professor Cristina Lombardi-Diop, currently teaching Italian Literature at the University of California, Berkeley, comments on the question raised in L’Unita’ by Americanist Sara Antonelli and by Italian writer Paolo di Paolo with regards to the lack of foreigners featured in the literary imagery of Italy’s most successful writers. Despite the fact that Italy has progressed into a multicultural and multicolored society, these writers seem to ignore the change and portray an all-white world where black or non Italian characters are either absent or secondary.

Read the article (in Italian) in l’Unità.

The volume represents an important contribution to studies on Italian women writers. What differentiates the essays included in the supplement from previous Neera studies is their engagement with areas of enquiry to have emerged in recent years in cultural studies, gender studies, feminist literary studies and feminist philosophy.