Students' Perception of the Methodological Effectiveness of Italian Courses at the Italian Cultural Institute in Osaka

Abstract

By beginning with an analysis of the linguistic policy in Japan, this case study maps the institutions that promote the Italian language and culture in the territory of Kansai, as well as examine the teaching of Italian at the Italian Cultural Institute in Osaka (IIC). The Osaka Institute represents the largest cultural and linguistic centre of Italian in Kansai. Hence, the aim of this investigation is to identify what type of Italian is taught at the IIC, how it is learned, as well as the main reasons that determine the decrease in Italian language students at the centre. By using the holistic Action Research approach, useful data was obtained for the registry analysis of the entities involved in the dissemination of Italian and of the teaching practices carried out in the IIC courses. Furthermore, the data acquired highlights how the prospects of the Italian language in Kansai are closely correlated with the effectiveness of the linguistic promotion of competent institutions, the renewal of the teaching operating models, and the modernization of teaching and evaluation practices.