Multiliteracies and Literacy in the Teaching of Italian
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This edited volume will explore applications of the frameworks of Multiliteracies and Literacy in the Italian Language Classroom.
Literacy is the use of socially-, historically-, and culturally-situated practices of creating and interpreting meaning through texts. It entails at least a tacit awareness of the relationships between textual conventions and their contexts of use and, ideally, the ability to reflect critically on those relationships. Because it is purpose-sensitive, literacy is dynamic, not static— and variable across and within discourse communities and cultures. It draws on a wide range of cognitive abilities, on knowledge of written and spoken language, on knowledge of genres, and on cultural knowledge. (Kern, 2000, "Literacy & Language Teaching," 16).
Following Kern’s approach, multiliteracies have become fundamental to the practices of language classrooms and programs, as seen in the myriad of studies that have been conducted in L2 research, particularly in French and Spanish. This volume will explore the uses of Kern’s approach, and others who have followed (e.g. Willis Allen, Dupuy, Menke, Paesani), in the Italian language classroom and its effects on acquisition and programs as a whole.
The editors welcome articles on pedagogical perspectives, which outline research and approaches to teaching that integrate the Multiliteracies and Literacy framework. Articles that present classroom-based activities and their effects on student learning, as well as the approach’s effects on programs as a whole, are also welcome.
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Submission Requirements
Please send the materials requested below to each of the following: Daniele De Feo (danieled@princeton.edu), Sara Mattavelli (mattavelli@chapman.edu), and Annalisa Mosca (mosca@purdue.edu)
Chapter title and provisional abstract (about 250-300 words) outlining your proposed chapter’s scope and main arguments.
- Contributor details: name, institutional affiliation, and contact information.
- Short bio: contributor bio of 150 words.
- Initial Bibliography: include 3-5 preliminary sources that will ground your article.
Chapters will be written in English. Materials and examples should be in the original Italian with English translation.
Proposal submission deadline: December 5th, 2025
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Tentative Schedule for Chapters
Chapters written and submitted for peer review: by mid 2026, allowing time for peer review, revisions, and editorial work. Chapters should be of at least 7,000 - 8,000 words, excluding activity appendices or tables.
Revised chapters submitted: by TBD 2026, allowing time for copyediting and final adjustments before the entire Special Issue submission.
The proposal submission deadline is December 5th, 2025, so the editors can finalize and submit the overall volume proposal to book publishers and secure the volume. Accepted contributors will be included in the final proposal to be submitted.
Proposals should be submitted via email. For any questions, contact all the volume editors: Daniele De Feo (danieled@princeton.edu), Sara Mattavelli (mattavelli@chapman.edu), and Annalisa Mosca at (mosca@purdue.edu)
Sara Mattavelli