This document provides an overview of the status of the Italian language in Switzerland. It begins with a brief history of how Switzerland became a multilingual country with German, French, Italian, and Romansh as the official national languages. However, Italian has the fewest native speakers at around 6.5% of the population. The document then examines the situation of Italian both within and outside of the officially Italian-speaking regions of Ticino and parts of Grisons. While Italian is protected and promoted through education within these regions, its status is weaker elsewhere due to policies that give individual cantons control over language usage. Overall, the document suggests that while efforts have been made to promote Italian more broadly, obstacles like a growing focus on
- Switzerland has 4 official national languages, with 26 cantons having autonomy over their official languages. 3 cantons are bilingual and 1 is trilingual, while the rest are monolingual. Italian is mainly spoken in the canton of Ticino and 3 valleys of Grisons.
- Ticino promotes the use of Italian in education, administration, and media. Measures support multilingualism and teaching immigrant students in their native languages. However, outside of Ticino Italian is precarious and declining, and Ticino has the worst PISA results among Swiss cantons.
This document provides an overview of bilingual education in Italy. It begins with the sociodemographic context, noting Italy's location in Southern Europe and linguistic diversity. It then discusses Italy's linguistic policy, including recognizing 12 minority languages. The document outlines various bilingual programs in Italy, noting a lack of foreign language competence and teacher training. It highlights the Lizeo Internazionale Franchese program, a French-Italian bilingual secondary school program begun in 1994 now with 22 sections. The document concludes that while bilingual programs show promise, more work is needed, including improved teacher training and evaluation of results.
Holland is a region located in western Netherlands, bordering the North Sea. It has a long history of reclaiming land from the sea through extensive diking projects. The main cities are Amsterdam, Rotterdam, and The Hague. The Dutch language originated from dialects spoken in Holland, and the region has had an outsized cultural influence on Netherlands. Holland's economy is highly developed and trade-focused.
German is the most widely spoken language in Switzerland, spoken by 71% of the population primarily in the northern and central regions. French is the second most common language at 21% and spoken mainly in western Switzerland. Italian is spoken by 4% in southern Switzerland, resembling the dialects of northern Italy. Rumantsch, spoken by 1% of residents, is centered in southeastern Switzerland. While the main languages are similar to those in neighboring countries, Swiss dialects differ significantly from standard German, French and Italian.
National Identity and Individual Preferences
Luxembourg has been under siege of different nationalities in the past century. As a result, today’s Grand Duchy is known as one of Europe’s melting pot of races, religions and languages. Luxembourgish serves as the national language while German and French are both official and administrative languages. Although German is slowly declining in its users, it is still widely used when watching televisions at home. When German invaded Luxembourg during the great wars from 1940-1945, Germanization forced every Luxembourger to use German language as its own to the point of eliminating other forms or activities not relating to Germanic customs. German had been passed on until today’s generation. The linguistic
This document provides an overview guide for beginners to learn Italian. It discusses the importance of learning a foreign language and gives a brief history of the Italian language. It also addresses common misconceptions about learning Italian and provides methods for learning the language quickly, including total immersion in Italy, finding Italian speakers to practice with, watching Italian movies and TV, and making learning fun through games.
Italian Language and Culture for Spanish Speakers in Florida: Benefits, Chall...Fabrizio Fornara
This document provides information about an Italian language course for Spanish speakers at Florida State University. It discusses the benefits of offering such a course given Florida's demographics, and outlines two phases of the course's development.
Phase 1 involved offering the standard first and second semester Italian courses but tailored for Spanish speakers, with reduced contact hours. Phase 2 aimed to compress the content of the second semester into a single course through an intercomprehension approach emphasizing similarities between Italian and Spanish.
The course structure integrates in-class and online learning. It uses a flipped classroom model and theme-based units with lexical and grammar modules. Assessment includes unit activities, written and oral productions, participation, and a final project. Both synchronous
- Switzerland has 4 official national languages, with 26 cantons having autonomy over their official languages. 3 cantons are bilingual and 1 is trilingual, while the rest are monolingual. Italian is mainly spoken in the canton of Ticino and 3 valleys of Grisons.
- Ticino promotes the use of Italian in education, administration, and media. Measures support multilingualism and teaching immigrant students in their native languages. However, outside of Ticino Italian is precarious and declining, and Ticino has the worst PISA results among Swiss cantons.
This document provides an overview of bilingual education in Italy. It begins with the sociodemographic context, noting Italy's location in Southern Europe and linguistic diversity. It then discusses Italy's linguistic policy, including recognizing 12 minority languages. The document outlines various bilingual programs in Italy, noting a lack of foreign language competence and teacher training. It highlights the Lizeo Internazionale Franchese program, a French-Italian bilingual secondary school program begun in 1994 now with 22 sections. The document concludes that while bilingual programs show promise, more work is needed, including improved teacher training and evaluation of results.
Holland is a region located in western Netherlands, bordering the North Sea. It has a long history of reclaiming land from the sea through extensive diking projects. The main cities are Amsterdam, Rotterdam, and The Hague. The Dutch language originated from dialects spoken in Holland, and the region has had an outsized cultural influence on Netherlands. Holland's economy is highly developed and trade-focused.
German is the most widely spoken language in Switzerland, spoken by 71% of the population primarily in the northern and central regions. French is the second most common language at 21% and spoken mainly in western Switzerland. Italian is spoken by 4% in southern Switzerland, resembling the dialects of northern Italy. Rumantsch, spoken by 1% of residents, is centered in southeastern Switzerland. While the main languages are similar to those in neighboring countries, Swiss dialects differ significantly from standard German, French and Italian.
National Identity and Individual Preferences
Luxembourg has been under siege of different nationalities in the past century. As a result, today’s Grand Duchy is known as one of Europe’s melting pot of races, religions and languages. Luxembourgish serves as the national language while German and French are both official and administrative languages. Although German is slowly declining in its users, it is still widely used when watching televisions at home. When German invaded Luxembourg during the great wars from 1940-1945, Germanization forced every Luxembourger to use German language as its own to the point of eliminating other forms or activities not relating to Germanic customs. German had been passed on until today’s generation. The linguistic
This document provides an overview guide for beginners to learn Italian. It discusses the importance of learning a foreign language and gives a brief history of the Italian language. It also addresses common misconceptions about learning Italian and provides methods for learning the language quickly, including total immersion in Italy, finding Italian speakers to practice with, watching Italian movies and TV, and making learning fun through games.
Italian Language and Culture for Spanish Speakers in Florida: Benefits, Chall...Fabrizio Fornara
This document provides information about an Italian language course for Spanish speakers at Florida State University. It discusses the benefits of offering such a course given Florida's demographics, and outlines two phases of the course's development.
Phase 1 involved offering the standard first and second semester Italian courses but tailored for Spanish speakers, with reduced contact hours. Phase 2 aimed to compress the content of the second semester into a single course through an intercomprehension approach emphasizing similarities between Italian and Spanish.
The course structure integrates in-class and online learning. It uses a flipped classroom model and theme-based units with lexical and grammar modules. Assessment includes unit activities, written and oral productions, participation, and a final project. Both synchronous
The development of the Italian language began with Latin as the written language during the Middle Ages while various vernaculars derived from Latin were spoken in different regions of Italy. In the 13th century, literary works began to be written in various regional dialects, but it took until the 14th century for Dante's work in the Florentine dialect to establish it as the basis for a national literary language. Over subsequent centuries efforts were made to standardize the language through grammars and dictionaries, but the dialects remained widely spoken. It was not until the 19th and 20th centuries that processes like compulsory education, internal migration, and mass media helped spread Italian and reduce the use of dialects, though dialects still persist in some
Ethenic composition between belgium and sri lankaPratham Kumar
In this presentation I have given the each and every detail about the ethenic composition between Belgium and Sri Lanka. I Hope it will help you.
Thank You,
Pratham Kumar
The international language (called esperanto)eraonlus
1. The document discusses the issue of foreign language instruction in Italian schools becoming dominated by English alone. It argues for the introduction of a non-ethnic but truly international language like Esperanto to avoid this problem and promote multilingualism.
2. Esperanto was created in 1887 to be a universal language that could promote international communication and brotherhood. It grew rapidly in the early 20th century with international congresses and associations. While estimates of current speakers vary, Esperanto remains the most widely spoken constructed international language.
3. The document provides historical context on the many constructed language projects over centuries to achieve a universal language for international communication. Volapük and Esperanto were the most
The International language (called Esperanto)eraonlus
MINISTRY OF ITALIAN PUBLIC INSTRUCTION
International Language (known as Esperanto) Commission, Interministerial Decree April 29/October 5 1993
STUDY
Published in the Official Bulletin of the Italian Ministry of Public Instruction, no. 21-22, May 25-June 1, 1995: p. 7-43
Foreward
1. The International Language
1.1. Official recognition
1.2 The International Language as introductory linguistic language
1.2.1 Pedagogic Experiments
1.3 Conclusion
2. Proposals
Bibliography
Notes
There are a few key factors that determine whether a language becomes a dialect or a new language over time. A slight separation of a community can lead to dialect formation, while a long-term separation is more likely to result in a new language. The reasons for a community's separation, such as social mandates, natural disasters, social strife, or economic conditions, often explain how the new language develops lexically, stylistically, and structurally over time. Even after separating, a new language will typically retain characteristics of the original parent language it derived from.
The document discusses the history and development of the English language. It notes that English has been influenced by many social and political events over the centuries, such as the Christianization of Britain, Scandinavian invasions, and the expansion of the British Empire. English continues to change through the introduction of new words, changes in pronunciation and grammar over time. The future of English is discussed, noting that it serves as a global lingua franca and may become more widely used internationally as populations grow, but other factors like economic and cultural forces will also influence its status and spread.
This document discusses issues related to multilingualism and language planning. It notes that most nations are multilingual, with many people speaking two or more languages. While multilingualism brings communication benefits, it also poses challenges for national unity and education. Governments often try to select official languages to encourage cohesion, though repressing minority languages can backfire. Lingua francas like English have emerged to bridge linguistic divides. The document also examines language policies in various multilingual regions and countries around the world.
The European Day of Languages (EDL) was established in 2001 by the Council of Europe to promote linguistic diversity and multilingualism. It is celebrated annually on September 26th with various events across Europe such as language classes, games, and conferences. The goals of EDL are to draw attention to Europe's rich language variety, encourage lifelong language learning, and reinforce intercultural understanding.
Belgium faces deep political divisions between its French-speaking and Dutch-speaking communities, as language differences have led to the development of distinct cultural identities. The Flemish population now outnumbers French speakers but still feels their identity is threatened, leading many to refuse speaking French. This has split Belgium along linguistic lines in many aspects of public life. It remains unclear whether this divide will ultimately separate Belgium into two independent countries, but language has clearly become strongly tied to political divisions and nationalist sentiments within the country.
This document is a final test from a student at the University of the Isthmus Faculty of Social Science Education. The test covers the importance and rise of English as a global language in the 21st century. It discusses how English has become the most commonly used second language around the world, with more people learning English than any other language. It also examines why a global language is needed for international communication and debates whether English is well-suited to fill this role, given its widespread use in fields like business, science, and entertainment.
English is the most widely spoken language globally and is used as an official or secondary language in about 75 territories, home to one third of the world's population. Due to its widespread use, there are many variations and standards of English. The development and spread of English throughout the world occurred in phases, from the 15th century when it was largely confined to Britain, through the colonial era when it spread through colonization, to the current era where it is learned globally as a lingua franca rather than through imperial domination. There is ongoing debate around whether a distinct variety of English is emerging across Europe to serve as a common language, referred to as "Euro-English".
This document is the final test for a class on Reading and Writing II. It contains an introduction, various sections on the importance and rise of English as a global language, and considerations around whether English is appropriate as a global language. Key points made include that English has become the dominant global language due to trends in technology, demographics, and economics. Hundreds of millions of people are learning English as it is widely used in areas like business, science, and politics. While advantageous, a dominant global language could threaten minority languages. English's large vocabulary and role in popular culture have helped establish it as a de facto global lingua franca.
Hebrew is an example of a once extinct language that was revived in Israel in 1948. Celtic languages like Irish Gaelic and Scottish Gaelic are endangered but efforts are being made to preserve them, including offering Celtic language courses and using Celtic on road signs. While multilingual states can potentially cause conflicts over language boundaries and policies, Switzerland has found peace through a decentralized government where local authorities have most power over languages. English has become a global lingua franca due to its importance for international communication, business, and culture.
AP Hug Chapter 5: Key Issue 4 by Amela Pjetrovicaxp0017
This document discusses reasons why people preserve local languages and examples of language preservation and revival. It provides details on Hebrew being revived as a language in Israel after becoming extinct. It also discusses Celtic languages that are endangered but preserved through school courses and road signs. The document contrasts multilingual states like peaceful Switzerland with divided Belgium and explains how isolated languages like Basque developed with little influence from other languages. It describes the global dominance and diffusion of English integrated into many cultures and languages through pop culture and migration.
The document discusses several major European languages and their influence on cultural diversity. It covers German, the official language of Germany and Austria with many dialects; Greek, one of the oldest European languages with the longest history; and Slavonic languages like Russian, Ukrainian, and Belarusian. It also examines the Romance languages French and Italian, both derived from Latin, and their current status in countries like France, Italy, Belgium and Switzerland.
The document discusses several major European languages and their influence on cultural diversity. It covers German, the official language of Germany and Austria with many dialects; Greek, one of the oldest European languages with the longest history; and Slavonic languages like Russian, Ukrainian, and Belarusian. It also examines the Romance languages French and Italian, both descended from Latin, and their current status in countries like France, Italy, Belgium and Switzerland.
CAE Reading skills unit 10.1 - Culture.pptxPremLearn
This document provides an agenda for a CAE reading skills unit that covers various activities related to analyzing vocabulary, finding key details, completing exercises, and discussing topics from several readings. The activities are organized into 10 minute segments and include lead-in photos, discussion questions, vocabulary exercises from the texts, questions to test understanding of details, matching exercises, true/false questions, a speaking activity, sentence completion, analyzing full texts, and a vocabulary quiz. The document also includes potential discussion questions about local languages and dialects.
Why the Medium of English Has Become a Linguistic Tool of Necessity for Spani...Tolgay Ilbay
This document is a survey study conducted by Tolgay Ilbay, a student at UTS, on why English has become necessary for Spanish university students. Ilbay surveyed 40 Spanish students learning English at university. The results showed that students believe Spain needs to improve its English levels to catch up with the rest of Europe. Employment was the main reason students learn English, reflecting Spain's economic crisis. Travel and English's global status were also common reasons. Students' motivations included increasing knowledge, communicating with English speakers, and career opportunities - not just social factors. The study provides insights into why English is now essential for Spanish university students.
Language Policies and Socio-political Inclinations and Influences.pptxMohammadNassef1
This document discusses language policies and influences related to English. It begins by defining language policy and examining English as a medium of communication, including its role in international organizations like the UN and as a lingua franca. It then explores English as a medium of instruction and the language policies around education in countries like the Philippines, which implemented policies over time to promote Spanish, English and Filipino in response to colonial influences. In the Philippines specifically, current policies aim to establish Filipino and English competence through bilingual education programs.
This document provides guidance on Content and Language Integrated Learning (CLIL) in the UK. It discusses how CLIL can be used to integrate language learning with other subjects. Key points include:
- CLIL allows students to learn content while also developing their language skills. It makes language learning more relevant by applying it to other subjects.
- UK policy changes now support greater cross-curriculum learning and more flexibility in how subjects are taught. This creates opportunities for CLIL.
- Effective CLIL balances progress in both the content area and the target language. Teachers may team teach or collaborate across subjects.
- Resources and support for CLIL include online networks of teachers, sample materials, and potential
The development of the Italian language began with Latin as the written language during the Middle Ages while various vernaculars derived from Latin were spoken in different regions of Italy. In the 13th century, literary works began to be written in various regional dialects, but it took until the 14th century for Dante's work in the Florentine dialect to establish it as the basis for a national literary language. Over subsequent centuries efforts were made to standardize the language through grammars and dictionaries, but the dialects remained widely spoken. It was not until the 19th and 20th centuries that processes like compulsory education, internal migration, and mass media helped spread Italian and reduce the use of dialects, though dialects still persist in some
Ethenic composition between belgium and sri lankaPratham Kumar
In this presentation I have given the each and every detail about the ethenic composition between Belgium and Sri Lanka. I Hope it will help you.
Thank You,
Pratham Kumar
The international language (called esperanto)eraonlus
1. The document discusses the issue of foreign language instruction in Italian schools becoming dominated by English alone. It argues for the introduction of a non-ethnic but truly international language like Esperanto to avoid this problem and promote multilingualism.
2. Esperanto was created in 1887 to be a universal language that could promote international communication and brotherhood. It grew rapidly in the early 20th century with international congresses and associations. While estimates of current speakers vary, Esperanto remains the most widely spoken constructed international language.
3. The document provides historical context on the many constructed language projects over centuries to achieve a universal language for international communication. Volapük and Esperanto were the most
The International language (called Esperanto)eraonlus
MINISTRY OF ITALIAN PUBLIC INSTRUCTION
International Language (known as Esperanto) Commission, Interministerial Decree April 29/October 5 1993
STUDY
Published in the Official Bulletin of the Italian Ministry of Public Instruction, no. 21-22, May 25-June 1, 1995: p. 7-43
Foreward
1. The International Language
1.1. Official recognition
1.2 The International Language as introductory linguistic language
1.2.1 Pedagogic Experiments
1.3 Conclusion
2. Proposals
Bibliography
Notes
There are a few key factors that determine whether a language becomes a dialect or a new language over time. A slight separation of a community can lead to dialect formation, while a long-term separation is more likely to result in a new language. The reasons for a community's separation, such as social mandates, natural disasters, social strife, or economic conditions, often explain how the new language develops lexically, stylistically, and structurally over time. Even after separating, a new language will typically retain characteristics of the original parent language it derived from.
The document discusses the history and development of the English language. It notes that English has been influenced by many social and political events over the centuries, such as the Christianization of Britain, Scandinavian invasions, and the expansion of the British Empire. English continues to change through the introduction of new words, changes in pronunciation and grammar over time. The future of English is discussed, noting that it serves as a global lingua franca and may become more widely used internationally as populations grow, but other factors like economic and cultural forces will also influence its status and spread.
This document discusses issues related to multilingualism and language planning. It notes that most nations are multilingual, with many people speaking two or more languages. While multilingualism brings communication benefits, it also poses challenges for national unity and education. Governments often try to select official languages to encourage cohesion, though repressing minority languages can backfire. Lingua francas like English have emerged to bridge linguistic divides. The document also examines language policies in various multilingual regions and countries around the world.
The European Day of Languages (EDL) was established in 2001 by the Council of Europe to promote linguistic diversity and multilingualism. It is celebrated annually on September 26th with various events across Europe such as language classes, games, and conferences. The goals of EDL are to draw attention to Europe's rich language variety, encourage lifelong language learning, and reinforce intercultural understanding.
Belgium faces deep political divisions between its French-speaking and Dutch-speaking communities, as language differences have led to the development of distinct cultural identities. The Flemish population now outnumbers French speakers but still feels their identity is threatened, leading many to refuse speaking French. This has split Belgium along linguistic lines in many aspects of public life. It remains unclear whether this divide will ultimately separate Belgium into two independent countries, but language has clearly become strongly tied to political divisions and nationalist sentiments within the country.
This document is a final test from a student at the University of the Isthmus Faculty of Social Science Education. The test covers the importance and rise of English as a global language in the 21st century. It discusses how English has become the most commonly used second language around the world, with more people learning English than any other language. It also examines why a global language is needed for international communication and debates whether English is well-suited to fill this role, given its widespread use in fields like business, science, and entertainment.
English is the most widely spoken language globally and is used as an official or secondary language in about 75 territories, home to one third of the world's population. Due to its widespread use, there are many variations and standards of English. The development and spread of English throughout the world occurred in phases, from the 15th century when it was largely confined to Britain, through the colonial era when it spread through colonization, to the current era where it is learned globally as a lingua franca rather than through imperial domination. There is ongoing debate around whether a distinct variety of English is emerging across Europe to serve as a common language, referred to as "Euro-English".
This document is the final test for a class on Reading and Writing II. It contains an introduction, various sections on the importance and rise of English as a global language, and considerations around whether English is appropriate as a global language. Key points made include that English has become the dominant global language due to trends in technology, demographics, and economics. Hundreds of millions of people are learning English as it is widely used in areas like business, science, and politics. While advantageous, a dominant global language could threaten minority languages. English's large vocabulary and role in popular culture have helped establish it as a de facto global lingua franca.
Hebrew is an example of a once extinct language that was revived in Israel in 1948. Celtic languages like Irish Gaelic and Scottish Gaelic are endangered but efforts are being made to preserve them, including offering Celtic language courses and using Celtic on road signs. While multilingual states can potentially cause conflicts over language boundaries and policies, Switzerland has found peace through a decentralized government where local authorities have most power over languages. English has become a global lingua franca due to its importance for international communication, business, and culture.
AP Hug Chapter 5: Key Issue 4 by Amela Pjetrovicaxp0017
This document discusses reasons why people preserve local languages and examples of language preservation and revival. It provides details on Hebrew being revived as a language in Israel after becoming extinct. It also discusses Celtic languages that are endangered but preserved through school courses and road signs. The document contrasts multilingual states like peaceful Switzerland with divided Belgium and explains how isolated languages like Basque developed with little influence from other languages. It describes the global dominance and diffusion of English integrated into many cultures and languages through pop culture and migration.
The document discusses several major European languages and their influence on cultural diversity. It covers German, the official language of Germany and Austria with many dialects; Greek, one of the oldest European languages with the longest history; and Slavonic languages like Russian, Ukrainian, and Belarusian. It also examines the Romance languages French and Italian, both derived from Latin, and their current status in countries like France, Italy, Belgium and Switzerland.
The document discusses several major European languages and their influence on cultural diversity. It covers German, the official language of Germany and Austria with many dialects; Greek, one of the oldest European languages with the longest history; and Slavonic languages like Russian, Ukrainian, and Belarusian. It also examines the Romance languages French and Italian, both descended from Latin, and their current status in countries like France, Italy, Belgium and Switzerland.
CAE Reading skills unit 10.1 - Culture.pptxPremLearn
This document provides an agenda for a CAE reading skills unit that covers various activities related to analyzing vocabulary, finding key details, completing exercises, and discussing topics from several readings. The activities are organized into 10 minute segments and include lead-in photos, discussion questions, vocabulary exercises from the texts, questions to test understanding of details, matching exercises, true/false questions, a speaking activity, sentence completion, analyzing full texts, and a vocabulary quiz. The document also includes potential discussion questions about local languages and dialects.
Why the Medium of English Has Become a Linguistic Tool of Necessity for Spani...Tolgay Ilbay
This document is a survey study conducted by Tolgay Ilbay, a student at UTS, on why English has become necessary for Spanish university students. Ilbay surveyed 40 Spanish students learning English at university. The results showed that students believe Spain needs to improve its English levels to catch up with the rest of Europe. Employment was the main reason students learn English, reflecting Spain's economic crisis. Travel and English's global status were also common reasons. Students' motivations included increasing knowledge, communicating with English speakers, and career opportunities - not just social factors. The study provides insights into why English is now essential for Spanish university students.
Language Policies and Socio-political Inclinations and Influences.pptxMohammadNassef1
This document discusses language policies and influences related to English. It begins by defining language policy and examining English as a medium of communication, including its role in international organizations like the UN and as a lingua franca. It then explores English as a medium of instruction and the language policies around education in countries like the Philippines, which implemented policies over time to promote Spanish, English and Filipino in response to colonial influences. In the Philippines specifically, current policies aim to establish Filipino and English competence through bilingual education programs.
This document provides guidance on Content and Language Integrated Learning (CLIL) in the UK. It discusses how CLIL can be used to integrate language learning with other subjects. Key points include:
- CLIL allows students to learn content while also developing their language skills. It makes language learning more relevant by applying it to other subjects.
- UK policy changes now support greater cross-curriculum learning and more flexibility in how subjects are taught. This creates opportunities for CLIL.
- Effective CLIL balances progress in both the content area and the target language. Teachers may team teach or collaborate across subjects.
- Resources and support for CLIL include online networks of teachers, sample materials, and potential
Este documento resume los enfoques cuantitativo e interpretativo para analizar la interacción educativa en el aula. El enfoque cuantitativo se centra en medir comportamientos observables, mientras que el enfoque interpretativo considera el aula como un espacio social complejo influenciado por múltiples factores. Ambos enfoques tienen limitaciones al tratar de comprender este contexto dinámico. El clima relacional entre profesor y alumnos es clave para lograr aprendizajes significativos.
This document summarizes a study on the pedagogical benefits and drawbacks of using multimedia in an English as a Foreign Language classroom equipped with an interactive whiteboard. The study found that multimedia use increased student engagement, motivation, and understanding by appealing to different learning styles. However, it also found that too many multimedia resources or passive use of them by students could lead to cognitive overload and less effective learning. The document concludes that effective integration of multimedia requires controlling the amount of information and actively involving students with resources.
This lesson plan focuses on celebrating Christmas around the world. Over multiple sessions, students will learn vocabulary related to Christmas, discuss how their own country celebrates and how other countries celebrate differently, watch videos about Christmas traditions in the UK and China, create their own video about Christmas traditions in their country, and present their work to classmates and communicate with international peers.
I. El documento discute el rol del docente como actor capaz de afectar a su auditorio y comprometer a los estudiantes con la materia.
II. Argumenta que la capacidad de transmitir conocimientos de manera duradera depende de cómo se enseña la materia, despertando el interés de los estudiantes a través de la pasión y implicándolos mediante la aplicación práctica.
III. Concluye que el objetivo del docente debe ser definir un rol acorde a las necesidades de los estudiantes para suscitar reacciones que los
The document asks if the reader remembers something, but does not provide any additional context or details about what specifically they are being asked to remember. It is a very short document consisting of only a title phrase "DO YOU REMEMBER?" with no other text.
The document summarizes a study on the relationship between bilingual competence and student achievement in physics and mathematics. The study was conducted in Malta with 1,262 13-year-old students, testing their scores in English, Maltese, math, and physics. The results supported theories that relative competence in a student's first and second languages is linked to performance in other subjects, and that high proficiency in both languages can lead to higher academic achievement overall. The discussion notes some limitations but confirms that bilingual competence plays a role in cognitive and academic functioning.
More from Olatz Oñate - Donostia, San Sebastián- (8)
How to Setup Default Value for a Field in Odoo 17Celine George
In Odoo, we can set a default value for a field during the creation of a record for a model. We have many methods in odoo for setting a default value to the field.
Temple of Asclepius in Thrace. Excavation resultsKrassimira Luka
The temple and the sanctuary around were dedicated to Asklepios Zmidrenus. This name has been known since 1875 when an inscription dedicated to him was discovered in Rome. The inscription is dated in 227 AD and was left by soldiers originating from the city of Philippopolis (modern Plovdiv).
How to Download & Install Module From the Odoo App Store in Odoo 17Celine George
Custom modules offer the flexibility to extend Odoo's capabilities, address unique requirements, and optimize workflows to align seamlessly with your organization's processes. By leveraging custom modules, businesses can unlock greater efficiency, productivity, and innovation, empowering them to stay competitive in today's dynamic market landscape. In this tutorial, we'll guide you step by step on how to easily download and install modules from the Odoo App Store.
Andreas Schleicher presents PISA 2022 Volume III - Creative Thinking - 18 Jun...EduSkills OECD
Andreas Schleicher, Director of Education and Skills at the OECD presents at the launch of PISA 2022 Volume III - Creative Minds, Creative Schools on 18 June 2024.
Information and Communication Technology in EducationMJDuyan
(𝐓𝐋𝐄 𝟏𝟎𝟎) (𝐋𝐞𝐬𝐬𝐨𝐧 2)-𝐏𝐫𝐞𝐥𝐢𝐦𝐬
𝐄𝐱𝐩𝐥𝐚𝐢𝐧 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐈𝐂𝐓 𝐢𝐧 𝐞𝐝𝐮𝐜𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧:
Students will be able to explain the role and impact of Information and Communication Technology (ICT) in education. They will understand how ICT tools, such as computers, the internet, and educational software, enhance learning and teaching processes. By exploring various ICT applications, students will recognize how these technologies facilitate access to information, improve communication, support collaboration, and enable personalized learning experiences.
𝐃𝐢𝐬𝐜𝐮𝐬𝐬 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐫𝐞𝐥𝐢𝐚𝐛𝐥𝐞 𝐬𝐨𝐮𝐫𝐜𝐞𝐬 𝐨𝐧 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐢𝐧𝐭𝐞𝐫𝐧𝐞𝐭:
-Students will be able to discuss what constitutes reliable sources on the internet. They will learn to identify key characteristics of trustworthy information, such as credibility, accuracy, and authority. By examining different types of online sources, students will develop skills to evaluate the reliability of websites and content, ensuring they can distinguish between reputable information and misinformation.
1. Is Italian in
Switzerland an
endangered language?
Olatz Oñate Muzás
15/02/2012
Minority Languages
Durk Gorter
2. 2
Is Italian in Switzerland an endangered
language?
1.INTRODUCTION
Switzerland is a multilingual country situated in Western Europe where there are 4 recognised
national languages spoken along the country. Nevertheless, it’s important to highlight that the
number of speakers is more elevated in German and French rather than in Romansh and Italian and
this fact affects directly to the status that the languages have in education, the administrations or even
in the public life in general.
In this essay I will focus on the situation of Italian, the only official minority language spoken by the
6.5% of the population. But first, in order to know when the country became renowned for its
multilingualism, I will give a brief overview of the historical situation of the national languages up to
nowadays. Then, I will concentrate on the situation of Italian’s importance outside and inside the
Italian-speaking area. I will finish with the conclusions and personal feelings of the grade of
endangerment that this minority language suffers inside and outside the boundaries of this
multilingual confederation.
2. HOW DID SWITZERLAND BECOME MULTILINGUAL? OVERVIEW OF THE LANGUAGE
SITUATION
According to Jud, author of All about Switzerland website, Switzerland has never been an ethnically
homogeneous nation. Marcus suggests that the present linguistic situation in the country is because
various European linguistic groups have been settled in the Country during 2000 years leaving part of
their own language and culture until nowadays.
However, as it is stated in the European charter for minority languages focused on Switzerland
(2006), the country didn’t become consciously multilingual until the agitations of 1798 which
motivated a trilingual legislation (1798-1803) written in German, French and Italian. There was still
another language spoken in Switzerland, Romansh, which in 1938 was accepted as a national
language. Therefore, German, French, Italian and Romansh became the 4 national languages of the
Country but only the first three were considered official languages (Council of Europe, 2006).
Nowadays, even among the three official languages are clear distinctions being German the strongest
language of the country and Italian the weaker. As we can see in the map below German is the main
3. 3
language in 17 of the 26 cantons that form the country, French is the main language in 4 cantons,
there are 3 French-German bilingual cantons, and Italian is spoken principally in the canton of
Ticino and 4 valleys of the canton of Grisons (Council of Europe, 2006). Italian is thus considered to
be the only official minority language and the cantons where it is widely spoken have therefore,
signed the European charter for minority languages in order to protect it. But this is not something
new due to the fact that Italian and Romansh have been protected and promoted since the World War
II through various language policies. The interest posed by the cantons for protecting the four
national languages is the reason why multilingualism has became a key element of the culture of
Switzerland.
Languages in Switzerland in 2000 Speakers
German 63.7%
French 20.4%
Italian 6.5%
Romansh 0.5%
Other non national languages 9 %
Adapted from the recensement fédéral de la population 2000, OFS
Another factor that contributes to the Confederation’s multilingualism is that the number of foreign
languages spoken in Switzerland is higher than the number of Romansh and Italian speakers together
(Lüdi, et al., 2005). (See the table below)
4. 4
3. THE SITUATION OF ITALIAN IN SWITZERLAND
As it has been stated before, Italian is the weaker official language of Switzerland since it’s only
official in 2 of the 26 cantons that conforms the confederation. Ticino and 4 of the valleys of the
canton of Grisons (Mesolcina, Val Calanca, Val Bregaglia and Valposchiavo) are considered to be
the traditionally Italian–speaking areas and the people who have been living there for a long time are
thus addressed as autochthonous (Gunther, 2001). They have been named “autochthonous” to make a
distinction between Swiss Italian-speakers and those who have emigrated from Italy to other regions
of the Country. According to the Federal Office of the Statistical (Lüdi, et al., 2005), the 83.1% of
the population of the monolingual Ticino speaks Italian and, taking the canton of Grisons as a whole,
the 10% of its citizens are Italian speakers. It’s important to bear in mind that, Grisons is a trilingual
canton where Italian is not spoken all around the region but mainly in 4 valleys.
But what happens outside the Italian-speaking regions? May we find Italian-speakers living in other
regions? Surprisingly, in 1999, the number of Italian-speakers in the French-German speaking
cantons outnumbered those living in the Italian areas due to the high number of Italian citizens who
emigrated and settled in Switzerland. Nowadays, the numbers have been inversed but yet the 43.40%
of the speakers reside outside Ticino and the four valleys of Grisons (Lüdi, et al., 2005). Taking into
account that Switzerland is just one multilingual country and that nearly half of the Italian-speaking
population lives outside Ticino and Grisons, we might think that all have the same opportunities to be
fully educated in their own language or to communicate in the administration in their mother tongue.
There’s nothing further from reality.
On the one hand we have to bear in mind that Switzerland’s constitution gives considerable
autonomy to the cantons in both educational and linguistic matters. So, it’s the government of the
canton who determines how the school curriculum is going to be designed, how long is going to take
the scholar year or which official language is going to be used as a medium of instruction (Gunther,
2001). Hence, there are 26 educational systems in the country which attend to each cantons
majority’s main language. Therefore, as Ticino and the 4 Italian-speaking valleys of Grisons are the
sole regions where italophones outnumber other speakers, they are the only regions which have
chosen to teach in Italian.
5. 5
On the other hand, education and language policies can change only if a popular referendum support
them (Gunther, 2001).This means that it would be needed a majority of Italian speakers concentrated
in one area to obtain changes in education and language policies that regard Italians situation.
Table: Connection between the main language and the Language spoken in the family
As we can see in the charter above designed by the Swiss federal statistical office, more than the 10%
of the total population of the country speak Italian at home. However, only the 6.5% of them use it as
the main language outside the family context (Lüdi, et al., 2005). If we keep in mind that we are not
talking about the Italian speaking area but about Switzerland as a whole, we can see that the
foreigners speak more Italian at home than the Swiss. Their first language is still spoken at home but
their main language of a is usually that of the majority of the region where they live and where they
are educated; this means that Italian immigrants may speak Italian at home but they consider German
as their main Language.
It can be hence deduced that, the independence given to the cantons in education and linguistic
matters by the Swiss constitution, reinforces regional identities and ensures each cantons majorities’
multilingualism but, conversely, it tends to ignore the languages spoken by the minorities in each of
the areas ( Gunther, 2001). Therefore, the position of Italian in the school systems other than Ticino
and Grison is very precarious even if 204,231 people use it as their main language (Lüdi, et al.,
2005).
6. 6
The freedom that the constitution gives to the cantons in linguistic and educational matters is
balanced with the high cooperation through the different cantons (Bochsler, 2009). It may be thought
that the collaboration with other cantons may contribute to the development of every official
language around the country. However, once again, Ticino remains apart due to both the linguistic
and geographical isolation that it suffers. This isolation leads the canton to have few partners for co-
operation so Ticino accepts partners and projects that other cantons would not admit because,
otherwise, it would not be even part of the inter-cantonal co-operation (Bochsler, 2009).
Despite the difficulties, Ticino has tried to expand Italian outside its boundaries through courses and
education. The canton has, for instance, organized “courses in Italian language and culture” since
1970. These lessons have been taught in the German-speaking canton of Aargau and have been
addressed to teachers of all levels. According to the European charter of minority languages, around
1000 teachers have learnt in these summer schools since they started (Council of Europe, 2006).
The introduction of Italian in the compulsory schooling of the canton of Uri has also been possible
thanks to the technical assistance and financial support offered by Ticino; The Italian-speaking
canton has not only produced teaching materials but has also organized teaching and language-
training courses for teachers since 1991. These intensive Italian-language courses for 190 teachers of
Uri lasted two-four weeks and were given during the summer. The main aim of the courses was to
motivate the tutors to teach Italian as a second language in their German-speaking canton of Uri.
However, nowadays, the schools from the canton of Uri don’t choose teaching Italian as a second
foreign language because they have considered the English a more important issue for their students.
In fact, the growing importance of English is another factor that difficulties the promotion and
development of Italian in the confederation (Council of Europe, 2006).
All in all, despite the struggle of Ticino to promote the language, it’s palpable that the expansion of
Italian comes across several obstacles and these linguistic troubles may also affect the speakers’
feelings towards other linguistic communities inside the country. As a matter of fact, according to a
poll carried out in 1989, the 43.9% of the population thought that there was coldness between the
language regions (Gunther, 2001). However, only the 21.6% of the German-speakers felt distantness
between German- and Italian-speaking regions while the 70% of the inhabitants from Ticino who
answered the poll experienced that the language divided them from German-speaking regions (Neue
Zürcher Zeitung, May 25, 1989). Clearly, the language issue is seen as more problematic by the
linguistic minorities rather than the German-speaking majorities of Switzerland.
7. 7
3.1 The Canton Of Ticino
As we have seen before, even if there is high number of speakers outside Ticino and the 4 valleys of
Grisons, the status of the language is not similar to other official languages of the confederation.
Thus, we’re going to see what happens inside Ticino, the canton where Italian is not only widely
spoken but it is also a crucial component of its identity.
Ticino is bordered by three mainly German-speaking cantons (Grisons Uri and Valais ) but the high
mountains that are around the Italophone canton have isolated it until the 19th century when they
constructed the first of the 3 tunnels that nowadays join Ticino with other cantons (Felicity Rash,
2002).
According to Hans Bickel (1994) internal migration is the factor that may affect the most to the
maintenance of Italian in Ticino for two reasons. On the one hand, German-speaking tourists
invading Ticino during the summer menace the language of the local citizens. On the other hand,
German-speaking businessmen are the ones who control some of biggest businesses in the area even
if the canton is working to avoid German expansion.
The school and the family have been considered sharp tools to avoid the endangerment of a language,
but is education in Ticino strong enough to fight against this threat? In fact, it seems that from 2012
the cantons will not have as much autonomy as nowadays and more coordination in education will be
requested.
Italian in education
Swiss electorate and all the cantons voted, ( 21st May 2006) by a majority of 86% to accept a new
educational plan that claims that from 2012, the federal government and the cantons will be required
to work together and define key nationwide parameters (Swiss Confederence of cantonal ministers of
education, 2008). The new law includes agreement among the regions to decide the school entry, the
goals of the educational levels, their duration and structure, the transitions in the education system
and the degrees awarded. The Confederation and the cantons will also manage universities together.
Before imagining what may happen from the next year onwards, we are going to analyze how
Ticino’s educational system works nowadays.
8. 8
In pre-primary and secondary education, as a rule, all non-language subjects in all schools are taught
in Italian, which is the mother tongue of 80.6% of the pupils attending Ticino schools. Italian as a
subject is taught at all levels of education; thus, during primary school they attend 5 hours of Italian a
week in lower primary and 4 hours in upper primary. During the four years of lower secondary
school they have 6-5 weekly lessons in the first stage and 5-4 weekly lessons in the second stage
(Council of Europe, 2006).
The law bears in mind the situation of those students whose mother tongue is not Italian and there are
especial measures for them to learn the language. As it is said in the Schools Act of 1 February 1990
“In schools of all levels and all standards it shall be possible to organize Italian-language classes for
pupils speaking another language who are unable to keep up with classes normally; steps may be
taken in particular to encourage mainstreaming of pupils from non-Italian-speaking countries whilst
safeguarding their cultural identity.” The pupils attending these classes must also follow the regular
Italian lessons with their classmates. It’s important to remark that these lessons are only for students
who have arrived recently to the canton and have, therefore, a little knowledge of the language
(Council of Europe, 2006).
There are also classes of Italian as a foreign language for youth that are over 15 years old so that they
can have contact with the language and the culture of the Canton. In addition, the Department of
Education and Culture organizes between 10 and 15 adult-education classes a year in Italian as a
foreign language (Council of Europe, 2006).
The consulates usually take care of the immigrants mother tongues other than Italian and they offer
the possibility to foreign nationals to attend language and culture courses in their native language.
Many schools primary and lower secondary schools encourage contacts between teachers in State
schools and teachers giving classes organized by communities of foreign nationals or by consulates.
These foreign students, have sometimes the opportunity, to replace French or German classes by
English classes in order to facilitate them the incorporation in the school system but the decision shall
depend on the board of governors.
Multilingualism has become an essential issue in Ticino’s education system, especially since 2002
when the state council accepted a reform on education that was establishes in all the schools from the
2006/2007 scholar year.
9. 9
Language Compulsory beginning Scholar year Minimun numbers of teaching
French Primary 3 7 years
German Secondary 2 3 years
English Secondary 3 1 year
Adapted from the Charter of Minortiy Languages ( Switzerland 2006)
Hence, Ticinese kids have French compulsory lessons from the third year of primary school to the
second year of secondary school; there are immersion courses or exchanges with other students
available in the third and fourth years of secondary education and there’s also the possibility of
studying French in post-compulsory education as well. In the second year of secondary education
they start with compulsory German lessons. English, the language who is becoming an essential
subject in nearly all primary schools of Europe, is introduced later in Ticino, where the students have
to learn English compulsory from the third year of secondary school.
Not only primary education but also adult education emphasizes the magnitude of learning language
since they offer around 250 annual language courses in English, German, advanced Italian or even
Russian (Council of Europe, 2006).
In higher education the official language of the University is Italian. Nevertheless, the University of
the Italian Switzerland (USI, Università della Svizzera Italiana) in Lugano is the only Swiss
university teaching in Italian. The University Of Applied Sciences Of Italian Switzerland has even
the web page in English.
Education is a mirror to see which language is important to a determine community. As it has been
stated before, Italian is the vehicular language in primary and secondary education, however there is
only one university that teaches in Italian. So, what’s going on outside the scholar system? Let’s
make a short overview of what occurs in the administration, the media as well as the economic and
social life.
Italian outside the school
If we focus on the administrative level, it can be noticed that, despite the spread of the language
around the area, language discrimination in federal administration job offers is a delicate issue that is
becoming difficult to overcome. It seems to be an economical matter and the canton is worried
10. 10
because the administrative services are demanding less Italian-speaking employees and this measure
affects directly to the postponement in the translation of official documents into Italian (Council of
Europe, 2006). In addition to this, the internet web pages of national interest generally only exist in
German, French or English even if Ticino is making a great effort in order to find more web pages
translated into Italian.
The media are another important tool to see which the widely held language of an area is. And, in
Switzerland, the a the majority of newspapers are distributed on a regional basis . Thus, we can see
that since 2002 there are 4 newspapers written in Italian. Actually, Ticino is one of the European
regions with the highest press density and there are very few tittles published in other languages than
Italian. There's also the Italian Swiss Radio and Television which is broadly watched by Ticino's
population (Council of Europe, 2006).
If we take a look to the streets of this canton we may find outside the restaurant’s the prize list for the
main dishes and the signs in Italian and no in other languages. This is because there is a law that
establishes that the signs might only be in Italian. It’s important to underline that this is not only a
law but also a practice by the majority of the restaurant and shop owners. Traffic signs may be shown
in other languages than Italian; however, they have to be written with letters to show that it's a
translation.
11. 11
4. CONCLUSIONS
So, is Italian an endangered language in Switzerland? There are some facts such us, the new
educational system for 2012, the big German-Speaking arrival to Ticino during the summer time or
the few number of italophones compared to the other official languages, that main point to its
disappearance but, from my humble point of view, Italian in Switzerland is a language that it's not
really endangered, due to different factors:
Firstly, I feel that inside the Italian-speaking Switzerland there is a high identification with the
language and culture, that they feel proud of their ancestor’s legacy. I agree with Weinreich when he
says that if a whole community senses a strong affinity with the mother tongue, which is, besides,
endangered, they might fight harder for its maintenance.
It’s clear that the German-speaking cantons surrounding Ticino is a risk for the development of the
language. But, if we bear in mind Weinreich's studies in linguistic borders (1966), it is not only the
status of the receiver language but also the grade of language loyalty that will determine how much a
language will influence in the other. I feel that this is the case of Ticino inhabitants whom, seeing the
risk of their own language to be minorizated, have fought to maintain it inside their borders and also
outside them. Thus, Italian is not only largely spoken at home but it's also taught and used as a
vehicular language at school until secondary education. The new reform on education asking for
coordination among the cantons, may appear as a risk for this minority language but, according to the
EDK (Swiss Confederence of cantonal ministers of education, 2008), the vehicular language for
teaching in the schools won’t be affected by the reform. This means that the regions will continue
choosing the language of the majority of the inhabitants inside their boundaries.
Secondly, there are media in Italian that are widely used by the Italian-speaking population. The
media play an important role in reinforcing the languages in Switzerland. The majority of newspapers
are distributed on a regional basis, so even if the Italophones outside Ticino won't have the
opportunity to read the newspaper on their own languages, the written media distributed in the
Italian-speaking areas are only on the majority’s mother tongue. I have to point out that, with the
development of technologies, the Italian-speakers of other regions have anymore this problem.
Nowadays you can surf on the net and find a newspaper on the language of your wish.
12. 12
Thirdly, the geographical situation of the region really helps to the conservation of the language.
Hans Bickel claims that the vast amount of tourist that come during the summer risk the stability of
the language and Weinreich states that when two languages coexist there's always a dominant
language and the minority language speakers may voluntarily swift to the strongest language
adopting characteristics from the dominant language (Weinreich, 1966). I don’t think that tourism
may affect that much to a language whose family transmition chain is not still broken.
Charles Russ goes even further, showing how Italian has influenced on spoken German grammar in
the island of Bosco-Gurin (Russ, 1990). Moulton has paid attention to the accent of the German-
speaking Wallister, where the influence of French and Italian is evident in their accent as it seems to
be similar to Italian or French learners of German (Moulton, 1941).
All in all, I think that the Canton of Ticino is working for the maintenance of the language and the
new generations have taken the baton of the language with proud.
As somebody said:
A language doesn't get lost because foreign people don't want to learn it but because people who
know it don't want to practice it.
13. 13
Bibliography
Biels, H. (1994). Von Raumen und Grenzen. In R. S. Hans Bickel, Mehrsprchigkeit eine Herausforedunng (pp.
25-58). Basel,Frankfurt: H. Bickel and R.Schläpfer.
Bochsler, D. (2009). Daniel Bochsler (2009): Neighbours or Friends? When Swiss CantonalGovernments Co-
operate with Each Other. Regional & Federal Studies , 19:3, 349-370.
Council of Europe. (2006). European Charter of minotity or regional languages. Third periodical report:
Switzerland. Strasbourg: Council of Europe.
Hega, G. M. (2000). Federalism, Subsidiarity andEducation Policy in Switzerland. Regional & Federal Studies ,
10:1, 1-35.
Hega, G. M. (2001). Regional Identity, Language and Education Policy in Switzerland, Compare. A Journal of
Comparative and International Education , 31:2, 205-227.
Jud, M. J. (n.d.). All about switzerlnad. Retrieved from http://official-swiss-national-languages.all-about-
switzerland.info/
Lüdi, G., Werlen, I., Colombo, S., Lüdi, P., Mader, M., Schmidt, K., et al. (2005). Recesement Fé déral de la
population 2000: Le payssage linguistique. Neuchâtel: Office fédéral de la statistique (OFS).
Moulton, W. (1941). Swiss German dialect and Romance patois. Journal of the linguistic society of America ,
34.
Neue Zürcher Zeitung. (1989). Statistisches Jahrbuch der Schweiz. Zurich: Bundesamt für Statistik.
Rash, F. (2002). The German-Romance Language Borders in Switzerland. Journal of Multilingual and
Multicultural Development , 23:1-2.
Russ, C. (1990). The Dialects of Modern German. A Linguistic survey. London: Routledge.
stateuniversity. (2012). Retrieved from <a
href="http://education.stateuniversity.com/pages/1472/Switzerland-EDUCATIONAL-SYSTEM-
OVERVIEW.html">Switzerland - Educational System—overview</a>
The Swiss Conferenceof Cantonal Ministers of Education, E. Portrait. Berne: IDES Information and
documentation centre.
Weinreich, U. (1966). Languages in Contact. Findings and Problems. London: The hague.