Language Centres at a Crossroads

The development of key competences for lifelong learning is one of the priorities contained in the 2018 Council of Europe Recommendation as it "People need the right set of skills and competences to sustain current standards of living, support high rates of employment and foster social cohesion in the light of tomorrow's society and world of work" (2018:1). How to develop soft skills in teaching and learning languages?

With our communication, we will reflect on how the language class becomes an optimal laboratory for the development of social skills, in particular of the so-called "personal, social and learning to learn competence". Since, as stated in the Recommendation (2018), skills are defined as a combination of knowledge, skills, and attitudes, these are skills that must also be taught/learned by passing through adequate and conscious management of learning groups. The aim of our presentation is to show how the teacher can develop students' social skills through the conscious management of the class group (groups dynamic). Through the theoretical framework of Transactional Analysis (TA), and in particular with the "Parent-Adult-Child model" (PAC) (Berne 1964; Steward, Jones 1987), the teacher can use specific tools to encourage the creation and development of the class group.

The second language class at the Language Centers (CLA) can be the privileged place for the personal growth of both the individual within the group and of the group as a whole and in particular in multicultural and multilingual groups where differences are the constitutive/main element of the groups themselves.

In the language class, the linguistic code is not only the object of study but becomes the tool with which the soft skills (effective communication, interpersonal relationship skills, empathy) are developed. Classroom management through the knowledge of group dynamics principles adapted to the multicultural and linguistic context becomes one of the fundamental elements for linguistic success but at the same time for personal growth.

The communication will illustrate some examples of language class management for the development of soft skills.

Lo sviluppo di Competenze Chiave per l'apprendimento permanente è una delle priorità contenute nella Raccomandazione del Consiglio d'Europa del 2018.

Poiché, come indicato nella Raccomandazione, le abilità sono definite come una combinazione di conoscenze, abilità e attitudini, si tratta di abilità che devono anche essere insegnate / apprese passando attraverso una gestione adeguata e consapevole dei gruppi di apprendimento.

L'obiettivo della nostra presentazione è mostrare come l'insegnante di lingue possa sviluppare le competenze sociali degli studenti attraverso la gestione consapevole del gruppo classe. In particolare, attraverso il quadro teorico della Analisi transazionale e il modello di personalità Genitore-Adulto-Bambino (GAB) (Berne 1964; Steward, Jones 1987) l'insegnante può favorire la coesione del gruppo, il senso di appartenenza al gruppo e il rispetto per l'altro, per il diverso da sé insegnando le abilità sociali (comunicazione efficace; abilità interpersonali; empatia) per mezzo di attività linguistiche.

References:

• European Commission (2018). Proposal for a Council Recommendation on Key Competences for Lifelong Learning. Brussels. Retrieved from https://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/TXT/?uri=COM:2018:0024:FIN
• Berne, E. (1964). Games People play. The psychology of human relationships. New York, Grove Press.
• Steward,I. and Jones, V. (1987). TA Today: A New Introduction to Transactional Analysis, London, Lifespace Publishing.

Ivana Fratter - PhD in Linguistics, teacher of Italian as a second language at the CLA, socio-educational counsellor, contract professor at the Universities of Padua and Portogruaro/Trieste.

Nadia Fratter - Psychologist, Psychotherapist, Transactional Analyst, Lecturer in the School of Specialization for Psychotherapists IFREP, Teacher and Supervisor in training of the EATA PTSTA-P of the Italian National Association Institute of Research on Intrapsychic and Relational Processes of Rome.