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University of New England hosts conference for Italian teachers

February 02, 2005

Franco-Leonie-TV.jpgTeachers of Italian from around the country will meet in Sydney this month for a major conference hosted by the University of New England.

The two-day conference, titled The Italian Language in Literature and the Mass Media, will address ways in which the language of the media can be used to teach Italian in the classroom.

About 80 teachers are expected to attend, mostly from Australian primary and secondary schools.

Guest speakers will include renowned Italian journalist and European correspondent for the Corriere dello Sport Vittorio Leoni; celebrated Italian-Australian children's author Archimede Fusillo; and historian and author Gianfranco Cresciani, on whose work the ABC TV series The Italians was based. The Italian Consul General in Sydney, Dr Antonio Verde, will open proceedings.

Conference Director Dr Franko Leoni, of the School of Languages, Cultures and Linguistics at the University of New England, said the conference was the product of many long hours of intense work and that he hoped it would produce an inspired investigation of the Italian language as it is used in narrative, on television and radio, and in newspapers.

"This is the immediate, actual language as it is used," Dr Leoni said. "More and more the language of the mass media and literature are being used in a classroom setting and teachers need to be aware of the need to utilise the language and idioms of the mass media in their lessons."

The conference was made possible by a $21,000 grant from the Italian government, which has been generous with the Italian section at the University of New England over the past few years. This is the third such conference they have sponsored, and they have funded the employment of a full-time Italian lecturer at UNE since 1998.

Dr Leoni said UNE's favoured position with the Italian government was "recognition we're doing something right for the promotion of Italian language and culture in Australia."

"We are very grateful to the Italian government that has recognised our expertise in the teaching of Italian and they have told us through the Italian Consul that they are very happy with our efforts."

The Italian Language in Literature and the Mass Media will run at UNE's Sydney centre in Bathurst Street on February 11 and 12.

For more information contact Dr Franko Leoni on (02) 6773 3133 or Leon Braun on (02) 6773 3771.

Posted by Leon Braun at February 2, 2005 10:36 AM