Innovation in Language Learning

This paper, by taking into consideration the experience of the author as teacher and researcher, deals with the challenges in an illiterate and uneducated adults class at CPIA (formal school for adults) where immigrants have to learn Italian language as a second language in a short term course in order to obtain a certificate for residence permit. In particular, the MIUR (Italian Ministry for Education, University and Research), according to the European Recommendations, has recently detailed the 10 competences involving listening, writing, reading and speaking comprehension, written and oral interactions at A2 level of CEFR  that immigrants have to achieve in specific contexts. The typical class at CPIA is strongly heterogeneous in terms of literateness and vehicular language. Most of them are considered vulnerable population. Other critical aspects are the limited amount of hours (200) defined by the Italian IES and the difficulty in attending the lessons even if they are provided with e-learning tools, due to long working hours, distance from the school and lack of devices. To cope with these difficulties,  a lesson plan is proposed by considering some basic theoretical principles: SPEAKING model, Input Hypothesis, interlanguage steps, to allow both students and instructors to take advantage from the proposed model and to increase the percentage of success in achieving the level A2 according to CEFR (Common European Framework of Reference).

Keywords: Language education for adult migrants, Italian L2, Second Language Acquisition, Migration and Language Testing.

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