In 2016, the Ministry for Instruction, University and Research established the competition class A23, for teaching Italian to foreign students of other languages, in order to fill a gap – actually only regulatory – in the national school system. The new competition class aims at teaching Italian L2 in the secondary schools of 1st and 2nd grade and in instruction curricula for adults, as well as Laboratories of Italian L2 in kindergartens and primary schools. Currently, this competition class is present in every centre for adult education (CPIA).
Access to the competition class calls for holding specific academic titles and certifications for specialisation in teaching L2 Italian.
The academic titles valid for admission to the competition class are:
- University degrees in Letters, Literary Subjects, Italian Language and Culture, Foreign Languages and Literature in the Old System;
- Specialised Degrees (DM 22/05) in Modern Philology (LS 16), Italian Language and Culture (LS 40), Foreign Languages for International Communication (LS 43) and Linguistics (LS 44);
- Master’s Degree (D.M.270/2004) in Modern Philology (LM 14), Modern Languages for International Communication and Cooperation (LM 38) and Linguistics (LM39). The degree in Sciences of Primary Education (LM 85 bis) is valid only for Laboratories in kindergartens and primary schools).
To access the competition class, besides the titles mentioned above, one needs to have a certificate of specialisation in teaching Italian L2. The Ministry Decree 92/2016 recognises the following as titles of specialisation in teaching Italian L2:
- University diplomas of specialisation in teaching Italian to foreigners, lasting two years and worth 120 European University Credits (ECTS/CFU);
- 1st or 2nd level Master’s degree specifically addressed to acquisition of competences in Teaching Italian L2;
- Second level language teaching certifications such as:
- 2nd level DILS-PG issued by the University for Foreigners of Perugia;
- 2nd level DITALS issued by the University for Foreigners of Siena;
- CEDILS issued by the Ca’ Foscari University of Venice.
The degrees listed above, together with the title of specialisation in Italian L2, give right to admission on condition that they include annual courses (or two semester courses) of subjects such as Italian language, Italian literature, general linguistics, Latin language or Latin literature, history, geography, glottology; language teaching; teaching of the Italian language; that is at least 72 credits in the scientific disciplinary sectors L-FIL-LET, L-LIN, M-GGR, L-ANT and M-STO of which: 12 L-LIN/01; 12 L-LIN/02; 12 L-FILLET/12; and at least 6 L- FIL-LET/10, 12 LFIL-LET/04, 6 M-GGR/01, 6 among LANT/02 or 03, M-STO/01 or 02 or 04.
The above mentioned requirements are also necessary for teaching Italian in public structures abroad.
Many ASILS schools have agreements with the University for Foreigners of Siena, the University for Foreigners of Perugia and the Ca’ Foscari University of Venice for organising courses for preparing certifications provided by the above Universities and for hosting trainees.
A.S.I.L.S. (Association of Italian Schools in Italy), is the most representative organization of private schools teaching Italian in Italy. To learn Italian in one of our schools, means to get the best certified quality possible. Our inspections are regular and independently run and cover the fields of: teaching, premises and services.