{"id":5142,"date":"2021-04-11T19:07:08","date_gmt":"2021-04-11T19:07:08","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/danteinlinea.com\/?p=5142"},"modified":"2023-09-20T23:11:32","modified_gmt":"2023-09-20T23:11:32","slug":"dante-in-linea-and-the-online-teaching-of-the-italian-language","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/danteinlinea.com\/blog\/en\/dante-in-linea-and-the-online-teaching-of-the-italian-language\/","title":{"rendered":"\u00abDante in Linea\u00bb and the Online Teaching of the Italian Language"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p>An interview with the director Stefano Coppa by Adriano Gelo.\u00a0 Read the interview in Italian <a href=\"https:\/\/danteinlinea.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/04\/DANTE-IN-LINEA-E-LINSEGNAMENTO-DELLA-LINGUA-ITALIANA-A-DISTANZA.pdf\">here<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><em><a style=\"color: #3366ff;\" href=\"https:\/\/www.itals.it\/bollettino-itals\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Bollettino Itals<\/a> is an online bimonthly Magazine dealing with linguistics and didactics of Italian to foreigners. The Bulletin is aimed at teachers of Italian in Italy and around the world; it offers suggestions that can be translated effectively into the classroom experience.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The Language Research and Didactics Center of the Department of Linguistics and Comparative Cultural Studies of the&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/www.unive.it\/pag\/13526\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">University \u00abCa&#8217; Foscari\u00bb of Venezia,<\/a>&nbsp;whose director is Prof. Paolo Balboni, hosts four laboratories that carry out research and training in the field of teaching languages and communication: one of them is&nbsp;&nbsp;ITALS,&nbsp;Italian Second and foreign language.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><a style=\"color: #3366ff;\" href=\"https:\/\/www.itals.it\/editoriale\/bollettino-itals-aprile-2021\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">In the April 2021 session, <\/a><a style=\"color: #3366ff;\" href=\"https:\/\/www.linkedin.com\/in\/adriano-gelo-51179964\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Adriano Gelo<\/a> of the <a style=\"color: #3366ff;\" href=\"https:\/\/www.unistrasi.it\/home.asp\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Universit\u00e1 per Stranieri di Siena,<\/a> interviews Director Stefano Coppa, Founder and CEO, since 2005, of the Instituto Dante Alighieri in Managua, and since&nbsp; 2010 of the Tegucigalpa branch&nbsp; and from 2014 Dante in Linea.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>This interview was created to find out how the idea of Dante in Linea as an online school came about, the experiences that have been gained over the years in online teaching and to learn about the success it has had in spreading the Italian language worldwide.<em><br><\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n<div id=\"ez-toc-container\" class=\"ez-toc-v2_0_82_2 counter-hierarchy ez-toc-counter ez-toc-grey ez-toc-container-direction\">\n<div class=\"ez-toc-title-container\">\n<p class=\"ez-toc-title\" style=\"cursor:inherit\">Table of Contents<\/p>\n<span class=\"ez-toc-title-toggle\"><a href=\"#\" class=\"ez-toc-pull-right ez-toc-btn ez-toc-btn-xs ez-toc-btn-default ez-toc-toggle\" aria-label=\"Alternar tabla de contenidos\"><span class=\"ez-toc-js-icon-con\"><span class=\"\"><span class=\"eztoc-hide\" style=\"display:none;\">Toggle<\/span><span class=\"ez-toc-icon-toggle-span\"><svg style=\"fill: #636363;color:#636363\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" class=\"list-377408\" width=\"20px\" height=\"20px\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" fill=\"none\"><path d=\"M6 6H4v2h2V6zm14 0H8v2h12V6zM4 11h2v2H4v-2zm16 0H8v2h12v-2zM4 16h2v2H4v-2zm16 0H8v2h12v-2z\" fill=\"currentColor\"><\/path><\/svg><svg style=\"fill: #636363;color:#636363\" class=\"arrow-unsorted-368013\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" width=\"10px\" height=\"10px\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" version=\"1.2\" baseProfile=\"tiny\"><path d=\"M18.2 9.3l-6.2-6.3-6.2 6.3c-.2.2-.3.4-.3.7s.1.5.3.7c.2.2.4.3.7.3h11c.3 0 .5-.1.7-.3.2-.2.3-.5.3-.7s-.1-.5-.3-.7zM5.8 14.7l6.2 6.3 6.2-6.3c.2-.2.3-.5.3-.7s-.1-.5-.3-.7c-.2-.2-.4-.3-.7-.3h-11c-.3 0-.5.1-.7.3-.2.2-.3.5-.3.7s.1.5.3.7z\"\/><\/svg><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/a><\/span><\/div>\n<nav><ul class='ez-toc-list ez-toc-list-level-1 ' ><ul class='ez-toc-list-level-4' ><li class='ez-toc-heading-level-4'><ul class='ez-toc-list-level-4' ><li class='ez-toc-heading-level-4'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-1\" href=\"https:\/\/danteinlinea.com\/blog\/en\/dante-in-linea-and-the-online-teaching-of-the-italian-language\/#%E2%80%94_ABSTRACT\" >\u2014 ABSTRACT<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/li><\/ul><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-2\" href=\"https:\/\/danteinlinea.com\/blog\/en\/dante-in-linea-and-the-online-teaching-of-the-italian-language\/#How_and_when_was_the_idea_of_a_platform_for_teaching_the_Italian_language\" >How and when was the idea of a platform for teaching the Italian language?<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-3\" href=\"https:\/\/danteinlinea.com\/blog\/en\/dante-in-linea-and-the-online-teaching-of-the-italian-language\/#Dante_in_Linea_provides_distance_learning_courses_only_or_offers_blended_learning_packages\" >Dante in Linea provides distance learning courses only, or offers blended learning packages?<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-4\" href=\"https:\/\/danteinlinea.com\/blog\/en\/dante-in-linea-and-the-online-teaching-of-the-italian-language\/#What_is_the_profile_of_the_student_taking_Dantes_courses_online\" >What is the profile of the student taking Dante&#8217;s courses online?<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-5\" href=\"https:\/\/danteinlinea.com\/blog\/en\/dante-in-linea-and-the-online-teaching-of-the-italian-language\/#What_are_the_main_motivations_that_lead_these_students_to_take_your_courses\" >What are the main motivations that lead these students to take your courses?<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-6\" href=\"https:\/\/danteinlinea.com\/blog\/en\/dante-in-linea-and-the-online-teaching-of-the-italian-language\/#On_average_how_long_do_students_take_courses\" >On average, how long do students take courses?<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-7\" href=\"https:\/\/danteinlinea.com\/blog\/en\/dante-in-linea-and-the-online-teaching-of-the-italian-language\/#Lets_now_move_on_to_the_teachers_of_Dante_in_Line_What_characteristics_must_they_have_How_are_they_selected\" >Let&#8217;s now move on to the teachers of Dante in Line. What characteristics must they have? How are they selected?<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-8\" href=\"https:\/\/danteinlinea.com\/blog\/en\/dante-in-linea-and-the-online-teaching-of-the-italian-language\/#What_teaching_method_s_do_the_teachers_use\" >What teaching method (s) do the teachers use?<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-9\" href=\"https:\/\/danteinlinea.com\/blog\/en\/dante-in-linea-and-the-online-teaching-of-the-italian-language\/#In_your_opinion_what_are_the_advantages_and_disadvantages_of_learning_a_foreign_language_at_a_distance\" >In your opinion, what are the advantages and disadvantages of learning a foreign language at a distance?<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-10\" href=\"https:\/\/danteinlinea.com\/blog\/en\/dante-in-linea-and-the-online-teaching-of-the-italian-language\/#In_this_period_what_is_the_state_of_health_of_the_Italian_language_in_the_countries_where_you_work\" >In this period, what is the state of health of the Italian language in the countries where you work?<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-11\" href=\"https:\/\/danteinlinea.com\/blog\/en\/dante-in-linea-and-the-online-teaching-of-the-italian-language\/#What_about_globally\" >What about globally?<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-12\" href=\"https:\/\/danteinlinea.com\/blog\/en\/dante-in-linea-and-the-online-teaching-of-the-italian-language\/#What_are_the_main_issues_facing_in_the_countries_where_you_work\" >What are the main issues facing in the countries where you work?<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-13\" href=\"https:\/\/danteinlinea.com\/blog\/en\/dante-in-linea-and-the-online-teaching-of-the-italian-language\/#What_do_you_think_about_MAECIs_initiatives_concerning_the_diffusion_of_the_Italian_language_in_the_world\" >What do you think about MAECI&#8217;s initiatives concerning the diffusion of the Italian language in the world?<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-14\" href=\"https:\/\/danteinlinea.com\/blog\/en\/dante-in-linea-and-the-online-teaching-of-the-italian-language\/#What_relationship_does_Dante_in_Linea_have_with_Italian_language_certifications\" >What relationship does Dante in Linea have with Italian language certifications?<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-15\" href=\"https:\/\/danteinlinea.com\/blog\/en\/dante-in-linea-and-the-online-teaching-of-the-italian-language\/#Plans_for_the_future\" >Plans for the future?<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-16\" href=\"https:\/\/danteinlinea.com\/blog\/en\/dante-in-linea-and-the-online-teaching-of-the-italian-language\/#Are_you_ready_to_start_learning_with_Dante_in_Linea\" >Are you ready to start learning with Dante in Linea<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/nav><\/div>\n<h4 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"%E2%80%94_ABSTRACT\"><\/span>\u2014 ABSTRACT<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h4>\n\n\n\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.linkedin.com\/in\/stefano-coppa-3a5971206\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Stefano Coppa<\/a>&nbsp;is the Founder and CEO, since 2005, of the&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/www.linkedin.com\/company\/instituto-dante-alighieri\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Instituto Dante Alighieri<\/a>&nbsp;in Managua, and since &nbsp;2010 of the Tegucigalpa branch.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>In 2014, was created&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/www.linkedin.com\/company\/danteinlinea\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">\u00abDante in Linea\u00bb<\/a>,&nbsp;a project regarding the creation of a platform for the teaching of the Italian language in online mode, initially born to expand the educational offer in the countries where the Instituto Dante Alighieri branches were already present, but over the years has welcomed and continues to welcome students from all parts of the world.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>In addition, since 2018 he has been Honorary Consul General for Honduras.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Adriano Gelo: Dear Director Stefano Coppa, we begin our interview with a consideration&#8230;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>In the last few years, the opportunities offered by the development of technology have had notable importance on the diffusion and use of computer and multimedia tools linked to the field of training and education. In the field of language teaching, this has led to a real revolution since resources such as social networks or e-learning platforms have represented only some of the many resources that teachers can use to build activities and learning paths thanks to technology.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Stefano Coppa:<\/strong> We are facing a Copernican revolution. It is not so important to establish what has caused this acceleration in the growth of online language teaching in recent years because it has frequently happened that external factors take on the task of being the \u00abspark\u00bb of revolutions.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>What is important is to know that the spread of online language teaching will continue even after the health crisis has been resolved and will run alongside presential teaching until, eventually, it surpasses it. The reasons for this are many:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>First and foremost is the breaking down of space\/time barriers, which alone is sufficient to explain much of the transition from presential to virtual. In recent months, many projections have been made on the smart working sectors that will remain so even after the emergency.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Here, in my opinion, there is no doubt that much of the work of language teaching belong to this sector. But beyond that, and probably even more than the breaking down of space\/time barriers, there is another factor to consider.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>If we consider how language teaching theory and practice have been refined in the last fifty years, we cannot fail to consider the possible margins of improvement of online teaching techniques in the coming years, supported by the incredible and continuous growth of technological opportunities offered in this field.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>I sincerely believe that reality could exceed any fantasy and prediction. So what are we to do? As every time history confronts us with changes that are in part unforeseen, we have to gear up starting from the places of education, that is, the universities, accepting the challenge that this Copernican revolution proposes to us. As happens and has happened in other fields, hesitancy and conservatism would be fatal.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"How_and_when_was_the_idea_of_a_platform_for_teaching_the_Italian_language\"><\/span>How and when was the idea of a platform for teaching the Italian language?<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>About 7 years ago, in Managua at the headquarters of the Dante Alighieri Institute, a group of teachers, assisted by two IT technicians, began the development of a Moodle platform intended to accommodate an entire study program of the Italian language from Level A1 to Level C1 and a virtual salon for online master&#8217;s lessons.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>After almost seven years of work, we can offer over 800 interactive activities, self-assessment possibilities, forums, and chats for continuous feedback, in addition to the master class given via videoconference, in short, a complete package that now puts us in front of a global challenge for the teaching of our language even in countries that are not part of the Latin American area.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Dante_in_Linea_provides_distance_learning_courses_only_or_offers_blended_learning_packages\"><\/span>Dante in Linea provides distance learning courses only, or offers blended learning packages?<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>We began this project by providing what we called \u00absemi-presential attendance,\u00bb that is, by offering the opportunity for students who resided far from the schools&#8217; location in Managua or Tegucigalpa to combine distance and presential study.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Today, partly because of the pandemic, our study packages are almost all distance and fully online.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"What_is_the_profile_of_the_student_taking_Dantes_courses_online\"><\/span>What is the profile of the student taking Dante&#8217;s courses online?<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>We did not make substantial changes to the types of students, if any, and did not expand this type. Apart from descendants of Italians, who still account for 15-20%, university students and young professionals continue to be prevalent, as well as teenagers and children (the latter is expanding).<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>In the North American linguistic market, from which we are receiving the first students, it is worth underlining the presence of students who study the language for reasons that I would define as cultural, and we should not forget the ever-increasing number of students who are preparing to take the B1 level certification exam, by now a fundamental requirement for obtaining Italian citizenship.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>With great pleasure, then, I want to emphasize that in the last twelve months (from March 2020 to February 2021) we have had a notable increase in enrollments with a prevalence of students coming, in order, from Honduras, Nicaragua, Argentina, and the USA. Wide and varied the nationality of students enrolled in our courses in the same period of time: from the United Arab Emirates to Mexico, from Estonia to Canada, and a total of 30 different nationalities.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"What_are_the_main_motivations_that_lead_these_students_to_take_your_courses\"><\/span>What are the main motivations that lead these students to take your courses?<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>The desire to continue their studies in Italy as a final destination is confirmed for the categories of university students and young professionals.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>It is interesting to evaluate how this desire is also typical of students who come from already developed countries and with a solid school and university structure.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image aligncenter size-full is-resized\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/danteinlinea.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/04\/file.jpeg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-5386\" style=\"width:746px;height:498px\" width=\"746\" height=\"498\" title=\"Stefano Coppa \u2013 Convenio UTH\"\/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p><\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"On_average_how_long_do_students_take_courses\"><\/span>On average, how long do students take courses?<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>The most significant change introduced by the increase in demand for Italian language courses thanks to online attendance is the possibility of organizing intensive and semi-intensive courses, which in the present experience was made impossible by the scarcity of candidates for this module.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The groups, normally composed of about 6 people, attend daily programs from Monday to Friday of about an hour and a half each day. This modality allows for an exponential acceleration with respect to traditional courses, making it possible in just a few months, for example, to reach the B1 level necessary for the Citizenship application. This has also led to an increase in average attendance which is around four months.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Lets_now_move_on_to_the_teachers_of_Dante_in_Line_What_characteristics_must_they_have_How_are_they_selected\"><\/span>Let&#8217;s now move on to the teachers of Dante in Line. What characteristics must they have? How are they selected?<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>We have maintained the characteristic that distinguishes us from the beginning of our experience, namely that of hiring only Italian mother tongue teachers, chosen on the basis of the following requirements:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Theoretical and practical skills in teaching Italian to foreigners gained through university studies and familiarity with the main IT tools useful for conducting courses.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Obviously, the possibility of online teaching has allowed us to recruit a workforce directly in Italy, especially among young undergraduates or graduates from Siena, Perugia, and Venice.&nbsp;I&#8217;m obviously referring to the two Universities for Foreigners, as well as Ca &#8216;Foscari.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>We maintain a physical presence of teachers (3 in Managua and 5 in Tegucigalpa) for both major coordination with the Didactic Direction for the administration of the CILS Exam Sessions which, even during the acute phase of the pandemic, we managed to maintain, in strict compliance with the biosecurity measures.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"What_teaching_method_s_do_the_teachers_use\"><\/span>What teaching method (s) do the teachers use?<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Two premises should be introduced in relation to this theme. The first refers to the average number of learners attending our groups which is between 5 and 6.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The second, is a general method and represents, if I may say so, an old obsession of mine. Teaching as an LS of our language marks every day more relevant differences compared to teaching as L2, I am obviously referring to the way our language is taught in Italy. Without going into details, I will limit myself to expressing my conviction regarding the training of teachers in Italian universities.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>After a common general training, a sort of specialization for teaching abroad should be introduced, perhaps accompanied by the obligation of internships outside Italy (like 6 months), furthermore, the trainers should know \u00abon the field\u00bb the differences relating to the individual teaching contexts that are gradually materializing and that must be known firsthand in order to be transmitted to the teachers who are being trained.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"In_your_opinion_what_are_the_advantages_and_disadvantages_of_learning_a_foreign_language_at_a_distance\"><\/span>In your opinion, what are the advantages and disadvantages of learning a foreign language at a distance?<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>I have always maintained that when teaching our language abroad, lessons must be transformed into permanent language \u00abimmersion\u00bb laboratories.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>I frequently use a football metaphor with my teachers, where language is represented by the ball: either our students \u00abdribble\u00bb as much as possible during the lesson (hence the small number of groups is a sine qua non) or we lose the game&#8230; (i.e., students leave after experiencing the frustration of not making progress in learning).<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>In this respect, I do not register any disadvantages to online teaching over presential.&nbsp;We are asked to pay more attention to phonetics, to overcoming phonetic barriers, but in this case, there are plenty of opportunities online, to introduce input positive with respect to this topic.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The approach is always a derivative of the humanistic approach that was used in presential, with that premise \u00abutilitarian\u00bb premise that the quality of input is determined only by the success of the output.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"In_this_period_what_is_the_state_of_health_of_the_Italian_language_in_the_countries_where_you_work\"><\/span>In this period, what is the state of health of the Italian language in the countries where you work?<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>As I mentioned earlier and as far as our direct experience is concerned, after an initial lurch in the first two months following the outbreak of the pandemic, the \u00abtransition\u00bb from presential to virtual developed smoothly, even widening the range of participation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>has definitively demonstrated that a whole series of prejudices regarding online language teaching are destined to be overcome by practical experience.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"What_about_globally\"><\/span>What about globally?<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>It&#8217;s a little early, in my opinion, to be able to draw a trend line globally. I can only say that when we expanded our online Italian courses to North America and Northern Europe, we had an immediate response and an adherence that, although initial, seems to promise a lot. If a good day starts in the morning&#8230;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"What_are_the_main_issues_facing_in_the_countries_where_you_work\"><\/span>What are the main issues facing in the countries where you work?<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>The main difficulty is, working in underdeveloped countries, the instability of the internet connection. This is true in part for teachers, for whom, however, we are managing to solve the problem, and in part for the students who live in remote areas of these countries and are subject to this problem. this problem. The other problem that is emerging is that of the time slots in which the students live.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>It seems clear that in the face of global demand for teaching, we must address the logistical issue both in forming groups and in building a network of teachers who can work the different schedules needed.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"What_do_you_think_about_MAECIs_initiatives_concerning_the_diffusion_of_the_Italian_language_in_the_world\"><\/span>What do you think about MAECI&#8217;s initiatives concerning the diffusion of the Italian language in the world?<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>In general, I believe that there has been a lowering of the guard on the subject, after the enthusiasm that was registered in the early 2000s, when the intention was announced to build a real Italian language industry in the world.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>To do this, much more effort and more effective measures would have been necessary. I am thinking, for example, of the hypothesis, announced several times and never implemented, of extending the sphere of the Civil Service also to teachers of the Italian language abroad. How many energies could be put into play by a choice of that type, and what a concrete experience it would have for the teachers themselves!<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"What_relationship_does_Dante_in_Linea_have_with_Italian_language_certifications\"><\/span>What relationship does Dante in Linea have with Italian language certifications?<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Permanent, I would say. Not only regarding the CILS certification exams of the University for Foreigners of Siena, which we have been administering directly in Managua and Tegucigalpa for more than a decade now, but also by offering specific preparation for all the other certifications of the CLIQ Association, so that students can then take the exam in the location closest to them.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Plans_for_the_future\"><\/span>Plans for the future?<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>The future is today&#8230; That is to say that the consolidation and expansion of what already exists is the work of every day, without losing sight of all the possible improvements of virtual teaching techniques and teaching materials made available. It is a construction site, that of online language teaching, which in the next five years will experience a tumultuous development and this independently of the pandemic.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading has-text-align-center\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Are_you_ready_to_start_learning_with_Dante_in_Linea\"><\/span>Are you ready to start learning with Dante in Linea<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-text-align-center\"><a href=\"https:\/\/danteinlinea.com\/en\/online-italian-courses\/\">Select your learning plan and enjoy learning Italian<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Stefano Coppa is the Founder and CEO, since 2005, of the Instituto Dante Alighieri in Managua, and since  2010 of the Tegucigalpa branch.<\/p>\n<p>In 2014, was created \u00abDante in Linea\u00bb, a project regarding the creation of a platform for the teaching of the Italian language in online mode, initially born to expand the educational offer in the countries where the Instituto Dante Alighieri branches were already present, but over the years has welcomed and continues to welcome students from all parts of the world. In addition, since 2018 he has been Honorary Consul General for Honduras.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":3,"featured_media":5194,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_et_pb_use_builder":"off","_et_pb_old_content":"<img src=\"https:\/\/danteinlinea.com\/aug162023\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/04\/22Dante-in-Linea22-and-the-Online-Teaching-of-the-Italian-Language.jpg\" title=\"\" alt=\"\" \/>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t<h2>Share This Post<\/h2>\t\t\n\t\t\t<h2>\"Dante in Linea\" and the Online Teaching of the Italian Language<\/h2>\t\t\n\t\t<p>An interview with the director Stefano Coppa by Adriano Gelo.\u00a0 Read the interview in Italian <a style=\"color: #3366ff;\" href=\"https:\/\/danteinlinea.com\/aug162023\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/04\/DANTE-IN-LINEA-E-LINSEGNAMENTO-DELLA-LINGUA-ITALIANA-A-DISTANZA.pdf\">here<\/a>\u00a0<\/p><p><em><a style=\"color: #3366ff;\" href=\"https:\/\/www.itals.it\/bollettino-itals\">Bollettino Itals<\/a> is an online bimonthly Magazine dealing with linguistics and didactics of Italian to foreigners. The Bulletin is aimed at teachers of Italian in Italy and around the world; it offers suggestions that can be translated effectively into the classroom experience.<\/em><\/p><p>The Language Research and Didactics Center of the Department of Linguistics and Comparative Cultural Studies of the\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/www.unive.it\/pag\/13526\">University \"Ca' Foscari\" of Venezia,<\/a>\u00a0whose director is Prof. Paolo Balboni, hosts four laboratories that carry out research and training in the field of teaching languages and communication: one of them is\u00a0\u00a0ITALS,\u00a0Italian Second and foreign language.<\/p><p><a style=\"color: #3366ff;\" href=\"https:\/\/www.itals.it\/editoriale\/bollettino-itals-aprile-2021\">In the April 2021 session, <\/a><a style=\"color: #3366ff;\" href=\"https:\/\/www.linkedin.com\/in\/adriano-gelo-51179964\/\">Adriano Gelo<\/a> of the <a style=\"color: #3366ff;\" href=\"https:\/\/www.unistrasi.it\/home.asp\">Universit\u00e1 per Stranieri di Siena,<\/a> interviews Director Stefano Coppa, Founder and CEO, since 2005, of the Instituto Dante Alighieri in Managua, and since\u00a0 2010 of the Tegucigalpa branch\u00a0 and from 2014 Dante in Linea.<\/p><p>This interview was created to find out how the idea of Dante in Linea as an online school came about, the experiences that have been gained over the years in online teaching and to learn about the success it has had in spreading the Italian language worldwide.<em><br \/><\/em><\/p>\t\t\n\t\t\t<h4>\u2014 ABSTRACT<\/h4>\t\t\n\t\t<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.linkedin.com\/in\/stefano-coppa-3a5971206\/\">Stefano Coppa<\/a>&nbsp;is the Founder and CEO, since 2005, of the&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/www.linkedin.com\/company\/instituto-dante-alighieri\">Instituto Dante Alighieri<\/a>&nbsp;in Managua, and since &nbsp;2010 of the Tegucigalpa branch.<\/p>\n<p>In 2014, was created&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/www.linkedin.com\/company\/danteinlinea\">\"Dante in Linea\"<\/a>,&nbsp;a project regarding the creation of a platform for the teaching of the Italian language in online mode, initially born to expand the educational offer in the countries where the Instituto Dante Alighieri branches were already present, but over the years has welcomed and continues to welcome students from all parts of the world.&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>In addition, since 2018 he has been Honorary Consul General for Honduras.<\/p><p>Adriano Gelo: Dear Director Stefano Coppa, we begin our interview with a consideration...<\/p><p>\u00a0In the last few years, the opportunities offered by the development of technology have had notable importance on the diffusion and use of computer and multimedia tools linked to the field of training and education. In the field of language teaching, this has led to a real revolution since resources such as social networks or e-learning platforms have represented only some of the many resources that teachers can use to build activities and learning paths thanks to technology.<\/p><p><strong>Stefano Coppa:<\/strong> We are facing a Copernican revolution. It is not so important to establish what has caused this acceleration in the growth of online language teaching in recent years because it has frequently happened that external factors take on the task of being the \"spark\" of revolutions.<\/p><p>What is important is to know that the spread of online language teaching will continue even after the health crisis has been resolved and will run alongside presential teaching until, eventually, it surpasses it. The reasons for this are many:<\/p><p>First and foremost is the breaking down of space\/time barriers, which alone is sufficient to explain much of the transition from presential to virtual. In recent months, many projections have been made on the smart working sectors that will remain so even after the emergency.<\/p><p>Here, in my opinion, there is no doubt that much of the work of language teaching belong to this sector. But beyond that, and probably even more than the breaking down of space\/time barriers, there is another factor to consider.<\/p><p>If we consider how language teaching theory and practice have been refined in the last fifty years, we cannot fail to consider the possible margins of improvement of online teaching techniques in the coming years, supported by the incredible and continuous growth of technological opportunities offered in this field.<\/p><p>I sincerely believe that reality could exceed any fantasy and prediction. So what are we to do? As every time history confronts us with changes that are in part unforeseen, we have to gear up starting from the places of education, that is, the universities, accepting the challenge that this Copernican revolution proposes to us. As happens and has happened in other fields, hesitancy and conservatism would be fatal.<\/p>\t\t\n\t\t\t<h2>How and when was the idea of a platform for teaching the Italian language?<\/h2>\t\t\n\t\t<p>About 7 years ago, in Managua at the headquarters of the Dante Alighieri Institute, a group of teachers, assisted by two IT technicians, began the development of a Moodle platform intended to accommodate an entire study program of the Italian language from Level A1 to Level C1 and a virtual salon for online master's lessons.<\/p><p>After almost seven years of work, we can offer over 800 interactive activities, self-assessment possibilities, forums, and chats for continuous feedback, in addition to the master class given via videoconference, in short, a complete package that now puts us in front of a global challenge for the teaching of our language even in countries that are not part of the Latin American area.<\/p>\t\t\n\t\t\t<h2>Dante in Linea provides distance learning courses only, or offers blended learning packages?<\/h2>\t\t\n\t\t<p>We began this project by providing what we called \"semi-presential attendance,\" that is, by offering the opportunity for students who resided far from the schools' location in Managua or Tegucigalpa to combine distance and presential study.<\/p><p>Today, partly because of the pandemic, our study packages are almost all distance and fully online.<\/p>\t\t\n\t\t\t<h2>What is the profile of the student taking Dante's courses online?<\/h2>\t\t\n\t\t<p>We did not make substantial changes to the types of students, if any, and did not expand this type. Apart from descendants of Italians, who still account for 15-20%, university students and young professionals continue to be prevalent, as well as teenagers and children (the latter is expanding).<\/p><p><br \/>In the North American linguistic market, from which we are receiving the first students, it is worth underlining the presence of students who study the language for reasons that I would define as cultural, and we should not forget the ever-increasing number of students who are preparing to take the B1 level certification exam, by now a fundamental requirement for obtaining Italian citizenship.<\/p><p>With great pleasure, then, I want to emphasize that in the last twelve months (from March 2020 to February 2021) we have had a notable increase in enrollments with a prevalence of students coming, in order, from Honduras, Nicaragua, Argentina, and the USA. Wide and varied the nationality of students enrolled in our courses in the same period of time: from the United Arab Emirates to Mexico, from Estonia to Canada, and a total of 30 different nationalities.<\/p>\t\t\n\t\t\t<h2>What are the main motivations that lead these students to take your courses?<\/h2>\t\t\n\t\t<p>The desire to continue their studies in Italy as a final destination is confirmed for the categories of university students and young professionals.<\/p><p>It is interesting to evaluate how this desire is also typical of students who come from already developed countries and with a solid school and university structure.<\/p>\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<figure>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<img src=\"https:\/\/danteinlinea.com\/aug162023\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/04\/file-700x441.jpeg\" title=\"Stefano Coppa &#8211; Convenio UTH\" alt=\"Stefano Coppa - Convenio UTH\" \/>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<figcaption>Signing of Agreement with UTH University <\/figcaption>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/figure>\n\t\t\t<h2>On average, how long do students take courses?<\/h2>\t\t\n\t\t<p>The most significant change introduced by the increase in demand for Italian language courses thanks to online attendance is the possibility of organizing intensive and semi-intensive courses, which in the present experience was made impossible by the scarcity of candidates for this module.<\/p>\n<p>The groups, normally composed of about 6 people, attend daily programs from Monday to Friday of about an hour and a half each day. This modality allows for an exponential acceleration with respect to traditional courses, making it possible in just a few months, for example, to reach the B1 level necessary for the Citizenship application. This has also led to an increase in average attendance which is around four months.<\/p>\t\t\n\t\t\t<h2>Let's now move on to the teachers of Dante in Line. What characteristics must they have? How are they selected?<\/h2>\t\t\n\t\t<p>We have maintained the characteristic that distinguishes us from the beginning of our experience, namely that of hiring only Italian mother tongue teachers, chosen on the basis of the following requirements:<\/p><p>Theoretical and practical skills in teaching Italian to foreigners gained through university studies and familiarity with the main IT tools useful for conducting courses.<\/p><p>Obviously, the possibility of online teaching has allowed us to recruit a workforce directly in Italy, especially among young undergraduates or graduates from Siena, Perugia, and Venice.\u00a0I'm obviously referring to the two Universities for Foreigners, as well as Ca 'Foscari.<\/p><p>We maintain a physical presence of teachers (3 in Managua and 5 in Tegucigalpa) for both major coordination with the Didactic Direction for the administration of the CILS Exam Sessions which, even during the acute phase of the pandemic, we managed to maintain, in strict compliance with the biosecurity measures.<\/p>\t\t\n\t\t\t<h2>What teaching method (s) do the teachers use?\n<\/h2>\t\t\n\t\t<p>Two premises should be introduced in relation to this theme. The first refers to the average number of learners attending our groups which is between 5 and 6.<\/p><p>The second, is a general method and represents, if I may say so, an old obsession of mine. Teaching as an LS of our language marks every day more relevant differences compared to teaching as L2, I am obviously referring to the way our language is taught in Italy. Without going into details, I will limit myself to expressing my conviction regarding the training of teachers in Italian universities.<\/p><p>After a common general training, a sort of specialization for teaching abroad should be introduced, perhaps accompanied by the obligation of internships outside Italy (like 6 months), furthermore, the trainers should know \"on the field\" the differences relating to the individual teaching contexts that are gradually materializing and that must be known firsthand in order to be transmitted to the teachers who are being trained.\u00a0<\/p>\t\t\n\t\t\t<h2>In your opinion, what are the advantages and disadvantages of learning a foreign language at a distance?\n<\/h2>\t\t\n\t\t<p>I have always maintained that when teaching our language abroad, lessons must be transformed into permanent language \"immersion\" laboratories.<\/p><p>I frequently use a football metaphor with my teachers, where language is represented by the ball: either our students \"dribble\" as much as possible during the lesson (hence the small number of groups is a sine qua non) or we lose the game... (i.e., students leave after experiencing the frustration of not making progress in learning).<\/p><p>In this respect, I do not register any disadvantages to online teaching over presential.\u00a0We are asked to pay more attention to phonetics, to overcoming phonetic barriers, but in this case, there are plenty of opportunities online, to introduce input positive with respect to this topic.<\/p><p>The approach is always a derivative of the humanistic approach that was used in presential, with that premise \"utilitarian\" premise that the quality of input is determined only by the success of the output.<\/p>\t\t\n\t\t\t<h2>In this period, what is the state of health of the Italian language in the countries where you work?\n<\/h2>\t\t\n\t\t<p>As I mentioned earlier and as far as our direct experience is concerned, after an initial lurch in the first two months following the outbreak of the pandemic, the \"transition\" from presential to virtual developed smoothly, even widening the range of participation.<\/p><p>has definitively demonstrated that a whole series of prejudices regarding online language teaching are destined to be overcome by practical experience.<\/p>\t\t\n\t\t\t<h2>What about globally?\n<\/h2>\t\t\n\t\t<p>It's a little early, in my opinion, to be able to draw a trend line globally. I can only say that when we expanded our online Italian courses to North America and Northern Europe, we had an immediate response and an adherence that, although initial, seems to promise a lot. If a good day starts in the morning...<\/p>\t\t\n\t\t\t<h2>What are the main issues facing in the countries where you work?\n<\/h2>\t\t\n\t\t<p>The main difficulty is, working in underdeveloped countries, the instability of the internet connection. This is true in part for teachers, for whom, however, we are managing to solve the problem, and in part for the students who live in remote areas of these countries and are subject to this problem. this problem. The other problem that is emerging is that of the time slots in which the students live.<\/p><p>It seems clear that in the face of global demand for teaching, we must address the logistical issue both in forming groups and in building a network of teachers who can work the different schedules needed.<\/p>\t\t\n\t\t\t<h2>What do you think about MAECI's initiatives concerning the diffusion of the Italian language in the world?<\/h2>\t\t\n\t\t<p>In general, I believe that there has been a lowering of the guard on the subject, after the enthusiasm that was registered in the early 2000s, when the intention was announced to build a real Italian language industry in the world.<\/p><p>To do this, much more effort and more effective measures would have been necessary. I am thinking, for example, of the hypothesis, announced several times and never implemented, of extending the sphere of the Civil Service also to teachers of the Italian language abroad. How many energies could be put into play by a choice of that type, and what a concrete experience it would have for the teachers themselves!<\/p>\t\t\n\t\t\t<h2>What relationship does Dante in Linea have with Italian language certifications?<\/h2>\t\t\n\t\t<p>Permanent, I would say. Not only regarding the CILS certification exams of the University for Foreigners of Siena, which we have been administering directly in Managua and Tegucigalpa for more than a decade now, but also by offering specific preparation for all the other certifications of the CLIQ Association, so that students can then take the exam in the location closest to them.<\/p>\t\t\n\t\t\t<h2>Plans for the future?<\/h2>\t\t\n\t\t<p>The future is today... That is to say that the consolidation and expansion of what already exists is the work of every day, without losing sight of all the possible improvements of virtual teaching techniques and teaching materials made available. It is a construction site, that of online language teaching, which in the next five years will experience a tumultuous development and this independently of the pandemic.<\/p>\t\t\n\t\t\t<h2>Are you ready to start learning with Dante in Linea<\/h2>\t\t\n\t\t\t<h4>Select your learning plan and enjoy learning Italian<\/h4>\t\t\n\t\t\t<a href=\"https:\/\/danteinlinea.com\/aug162023\/en\/contact-us\/\" role=\"button\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\tStart Now! \n\t\t\t\t\t<\/a>\n\t\t\t<h2>Lates post <\/h2>","_et_gb_content_width":"","_joinchat":[],"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-5142","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-english"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/danteinlinea.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/5142","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/danteinlinea.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/danteinlinea.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/danteinlinea.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/3"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/danteinlinea.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=5142"}],"version-history":[{"count":5,"href":"https:\/\/danteinlinea.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/5142\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":21775,"href":"https:\/\/danteinlinea.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/5142\/revisions\/21775"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/danteinlinea.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/5194"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/danteinlinea.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=5142"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/danteinlinea.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=5142"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/danteinlinea.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=5142"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}