Barbara Spinelli
Barbara Spinelli is Senior Lecturer at Columbia University. She is teacher educator and curriculum designer. She works with the CVCL (Centre for Language Assessment and Certifications) of the University for Foreigners of Perugia in European research projects and language testing. She has taught Italian as a Second Language and Methodology in Language Teaching in universities in the United States and in Italy. She has been the Director of the Italian Language Program at Columbia University, New York, and at the Columbia University Study Abroad Program in Venice, Italy, for several years. Her main research areas are: Network-based Language Learning, Curriculum Design, Plurlingual and Intercultural Education. In this field she has presented papers at International Conferences and she has published articles in ISL journals. She is the co-author of the Profilo della lingua italiana Livelli A1, A2, B1, B2 del QCER.
Selected Publications
Books and Editions
Profilo della lingua italiana. Livelli di riferimento del QCER A1, A2, B1 e B2, Spinelli, B., Parizzi F. (co-authors), Firenze, La Nuova Italia.
Attraverso il video: imparare ad imparare con gli audiovisivi, Venezia: Cafoscarina.
Educazione Linguistica e Interculturale in nuovi ambienti di apprendimento Dolci, R., Spinelli, B. (eds.), Numero monografico Rivista Itals, III, 9.
Papers and book chapters
"Multilingual Turn in FL Education: Investigating L3/Ln learners' reading-writing relationship", in Translation and Translanguaging in Multilingual Contexts, , Amsterdam: John Benjamins Publishing Company.
"Da un approccio comunicativo ad un approccio basato sui compiti: possibili sinergie e integrazioni nella classe di lingua", in Diadori P., Caruso G., Lamarra A. (eds), Scuola di formazione di italiano lingua seconda/straniera, Roma: Carocci editore.
"Costruire competenze plurilinguistiche attraverso il co-apprendimento e l’approccio riflessivo: uno studio pilota negli USA", in S. Garbarino, C. Degache (eds), Actes du colloque IC2014. Intercompréhension en réseau : scénarios, médiations, évaluations, Université Lumière Lyon 2.
"Integrating Plurilingualism into Curriculum Design: Toward a plurilingual shift", in Dolci R., Tamburri A. (eds) Intercomprehension and Multilingualism: Theory and Practice for Teaching Romance Languages, New York: Queens College's John D. Calandra Italian American Institute.
"Empowering Italian as L2 vocabulary learning through a Multiliteracies framework", in Lopez A., Y. Kumagai Y., W. Sujane (eds), Multiliteracies in World Languages Education, New York, Routledge.
"La programmazione didattica nella classe di italiano L2: orientarsi verso la partecipazione critica e consapevole dello studente", in Balboni E., Caruso G., Lamarra A. (eds), Scuola di formazione di italiano lingua seconda/straniera: competenze d'uso e di integrazione, Roma: Carocci editore.
"IL Profilo della lingua italiana: uno strumento complementare al Quadro comune europeo di riferimento”, In.It, n.27, Perugia: Guerra.
“Adattare il sillabo al profilo dell’apprendente: l’insegnamento e la valutazione delle competenze parziali” in LinguaDue n.1, Università di Milano.
“Building an Intercultural Identity in a Cross-Cultural Transition: a Short Term Case Study”, in Occhipinti E. (ed.) Teaching Italian and Italian Culture: Case-Studies from an International Perspective, Cambridge: Cambridge Scholars Publishing.
“La dimension idioculturelle des micro-communautés d’apprentissage en ligne”. Lidil Revue, n. 36, Grenoble: Laboratoire LIDILEM Université Stendhal de Grenoble Edition.
“Developing a multilevel language learning in a powerful environment: a case study”. Mosaic revue, n.9, Toronto: Ed. Soleil.
“Il Quadro e la prospettiva interculturale”, in Mezzadri M. (ed.), Integrazione linguistica in Europa: Il Quadro comune di riferimento per le lingue, Torino: Utet Libreria.
“Comunità virtuali di apprendimento: vademecum per un educatore online”, in Dolci, R., Spinelli, B. (eds.) Educazione Linguistica e Interculturale in nuovi ambienti di apprendimento, Rivista Itals, III, 9.
“Il Progetto Incontro:educazione interculturale e interazione online”, in Dolci, R., Spinelli, B. (eds.) Educazione Linguistica e Interculturale in nuovi ambienti di apprendimento, Rivista Itals, III, 9.
“Idiocultural Issues of a Virtual Learning Community”, in E-Learn 2004, Norfolk, AACE.
Italian Language and Culture Conference: New directions in Teaching and Research, Georgetown University, Washington, USA.
"Building plurilingual competences through self-assessment and co-learning within a Web 2.0 environment: A case study."
Colloque International de didactique des langues "Intercomprehénsion en réseau: Scénario, Médiation, Évaluation", Université Lyon 2, Lyon, France.
"Towards Plurilingual Pedagogical Practices within a Web 2.0 Environment: Building an Hybrid Italian Language Course for Romance Language Speakers in USA."
Smith College, Northampton, USA
"The Italian as Lingua Franca: from the "Bel Paese" to Eataly" (seminar talks "Made in Italy", invited speaker).
American Council on the Teaching of Foreign Languages, San Antonio, USA.
" Effect on Vocabulary Learning of Authoring Multimedia."
American Council on the Teaching of Foreign Languages, Orlando, USA.
“Empowering L2 vocabulary within a Multiliteracy and Plurlingual Framework.”
American Association of Teachers of Italian, Strasbourg, France.
"Progettare un sillabo modulare e ciclico per l’insegnamento dell’italiano L2 attraverso il Profilo della lingua italiana ".
University of Bologna, Modena e Reggio Emilia- Centro Linguistico di Ateneo-Summer School on Language Testing and Assessment
“The Italian Profile as a framework to support the validation process of CELI examinations.”
American Council on the Teaching of Foreign Languages, Denver, USA.
“Improving critical thinking through a web-based classroom dictionary.”
ALTE (Association of Language Testers in Europe) Conference Day, Rome, Italy.
“Profilo della lingua italiana: finalità, metodi e applicazioni”.
Teach Europe 2010 A Language as a Second Language, Embassy of Spain Washington, USA.
“Dal QCER al Profilo della lingua italiana”.
American Council on the Teaching of Foreign Languages, San Diego, USA.
“Profilo della lingua italiana. A toolkit for Italian Language Syllabi.”
NEALLT North East Association for Language Learning Technology, Yale University, New Haven, USA.
“The cultural development of virtual communities.”
University of Turin- Department of “Scienze letterarie e filologiche”, Turin, Italy.
“Dal Quadro comune europeo al Profilo della lingua italiana: un percorso operativo per la programmazione didattica".
Université Aristote de Thessaloniki Congrès International 2008- “Année Européenne du dialogue interculturelle: communiquer avec les langues-cultures”, Thessaloniki, Grèce.
“Developing intercultural adaptation in a Study Abroad Program.”
ALTE 3rd International Conference Cambridge, England.
“Bridging Language Assessment and Language Teaching: Reference Level Descriptions for Italian (A1 – B2 Level).”
TICE Mediterraneé, Tunis, Tunisia.
“Analyising Intercultultural Communication: a structural model.”
American Council on the Teaching of Foreign Languages, San Antonio, USA.
“Developing a linguistic and intercultural syllabus for Study Abroad Programs.”
American Council on the Teaching of Foreign Languages, Nashville, USA.
“Designing Italian as Foreign Language Curricula according to the Common European Framework: a new challenge.”
Cornell University, Ithaca, USA.
“From CEFR to Reference Level Descriptions: adapting the European Framework to Italian.”
Ca’ Foscari University of Venice, Venice, Italy.
“Lo sviluppo della competenza interculturale attraverso il web”.
Council of Europe, Seminar on Reference Level Descriptions for National and Regional Languages, Strasbourg, France.
“Reference Level Descriptions for Italian.”
American Council on the Teaching of Foreign Languages, Baltimore, USA.
“Using the Internet for developing Intercultural and linguistic competence.”
American Association of Applied Linguistics (the 14th World Congress),Madison,Wisconsin.
”Idioculture in language learning micro-communities.”
National Conference of ANILS (Italian Association of Foreign Language Teachers), Sanremo, Italy.
“Scambi scolastici e gemellaggi virtuali".
Conference of CTR (Institution of Secondary Education “F. Besta”), Treviso, Italy.
“Lo sviluppo della competenza interculturale attraverso il WEB”.
National Conference of ANILS (Italian Association of Foreign Language Teachers), Bassano del Grappa, Italy.
“La sviluppo della competenza interculturale attraverso la comunicazione elettronica”.
New Directions in Learning Language and Culture with Technology, Smith College,Roundtable, Northampton, Massachusetts.
Council of Europe, 5th Meeting on Reference Descriptions for National and Reagional Languages for the CEF levels. Lisbon, Portugal
“B2 Level for Italian.”
American Association for the Advancement of Computing in Education, Washington, DC.
"Idiocultural Issues of a Virtual Learning Community."
International Academy of Linguistics (Behavioral and Social Sciences), Cancun, Mexico.
“The idiocultural dimension of an intercultural community.”
Council of Europe Meeting “Les référentiels pour les langues romanes” University for Foreigners of Perugia, Italy
“Introduction to Italian B2 level."
British Council Annual National Conference, Venice, Italy
“Intercultural issues in a group work.”
ENS Ecole Normale Supérieure (Lettres et Science humaine), Journée d’étude et de discussion, Lyon, France.
“ Création d’une culture partagée dans une environnment de communication virtuelle”.
Hawaii International Conference on Arts & Humanities, Honolulu, Hawaii
“Building Shared Intercultural and Linguistic Knowledge in a Complex Virtual Environment.”
American Association of Teachers of Italian 2003, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.
“Progetto Incontro: lingua e socializzazione in una comunità virtuale di apprendimento”
Eurocall Conference 2003, Limerick, Ireland.
“Teaching and Learning communicative and intercultural competences in a Distance Learning Environment. A case study.”
Ca’ Foscari University of Venice, Venice, Italy.
“Comunicare online”.
American Association of Teachers of Italian, Toronto, Canada.
" ALN's (Asynchronous Learning Networks): annullare le barriere psico-sociali per un'effettiva collaborazione online."
American Association of Italian Studies XXII Annual Conference, University of Missouri, Colombia.
Organizer of the Session "Apprendere in team: strategie didattiche e comunicative per classi online".
American Association of Italian Studies XXII Annual Conference, University of Missouri, Colombia.
"Apprendimento online: costruire l'identità di un gruppo di studio".
American Association of Teachers of Italian, University of Venice" Ca' Foscari" and University of Treviso, Italy."Authorizing Student: sviluppo di competenze ricettive attraverso la pubblicità".
American Association of Italian Studies XXI Annual Conference, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia. "Lo spot televisivo: confronto linguistico e culturale nell'universo pubblicitario".
LINguistic and Cultural DIversity REinvented (LINCDIRE) Project
(2015- 2017)
Institutions involved in the project: University of Toronto, York University, Middleburry College, Université Stendhal Grenoble III, University of New Brunswick, Institute for Innovation in Second Language Education, Edmonton, Canada, and Columbia University
Funded by SSHRC (Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council) Partnership Development Grant- Canadian Government
Role: Responsible and author for the Italian Language.
Extended Set of Illustrative Descriptors for the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages: Learning, teaching, assessment Project
(2014-2016)
Promoted and funded by the Language Policy Unit of the Council of Europe
Role: Member of the extended consultant group of experts
The European Survey on Language Competence (ESLC)
(2008-2012)
Promoted and funded by the European Commission
Institutions involved in the project: University of Cambridge, University of Salamanca, Instituto Cervantes, Goethe Institut, Centre International d’études pédagogiques-Paris, University for Foreigners of Perugia
Role: Coordinator of the research group for the Italian Language.
TEACH Project
http://digital.lampdev.columbia.edu/teach-dev/
(2006- 2012)
Funded by the Mellon Foundation
Institutions involved in the project: Yale University, University of Pennsylvania, Princeton University, Columbia University
Role: Responsible and author for the Italian Language
Reference Level Descriptions for National and Regional Languages (RLD)
http://www.coe.int/t/dg4/linguistic/dnr_EN.asp
(August 2005- May 2010)
Promoted and funded by the Language Policy Unit of the Council of Europe
Institutions involved in the project: University of Cambridge, Instituto Cervantes, Goethe Institut, Université La Sorbonne-Paris, University for Foreigners of Perugia
Role: Language expert and co-author of the Profilo della lingua italiana
Incontro project
Fellowship Research Project "Teach with Technology" by Educational Technology Center, Smith College, Massachusetts, USA- (2002-2003)