Abstract
The increasing multicultural character of European society and the growing presence of children from immigrant families in European schools represent a key issue to understand the development of positive social behavior and intergroup relations in the education context. In this paper, we assessed the outcomes of a school intervention program aimed at improving interethnic relations among primary school children in Italy, through foreign language (i.e., English) learning activities, based on the narrative format model. Children who took part in the intervention program were compared to a control group, following a pre-post design (N = 129; age range 7–9 years old). Results confirmed our expectations, indicating a reduced tendency of Italian pupils to reject their immigrant schoolmates, after the intervention. An opposite pattern emerged in the control group, where no specific intervention was implemented. In terms of foreign language learning outcomes, results show that children who participated to the narrative format intervention have a higher production of English words, both new and repeated. The theoretical and practical implications of the study for what it concerns the improvement of linguistic achievement and the promotion of positive social climates in multiethnic educational contexts are discussed.
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Acknowledgements
S. Pirchio, Y. Passiatore, and T. Taeschner designed the intervention and the study. S. Pirchio, Y. Passiatore, and G. Carrus equally contributed to the writing, revision, and data analysis of the paper. Y. Passiatore collected the data. The authors are grateful to Caterina Fiorilli and Fridanna Maricchiolo, and to all the colleagues involved in the SOFT project, for their valuable contribution to the conceptual development of the intervention and research described in this paper.
Funding
The SOFT project was funded with support from the European Commission (Agreement N°. 2012- 4479 Project N°. 531208-LLP-1-2012-1-IT-KA2-KA2MP).
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Sabine Pirchio. Department of Dynamic and Clinical Psychology, Sapienza University of Rome, Via degli Apuli 1, 00185 Rome, Italy. E-mail: sabine.pirchio@uniroma1.it; Web site: https://web.uniroma1.it/dip42/
Current themes of research:
Bilingual development. Foreign language teaching and learning. Physical qualities of educational settings. Environmental education. Student-teacher relationships. Ethnic prejudice development.
Most relevant publications in the field of Psychology of Education:
Pirchio, S., Tritrini, C., Passiatore, Y., Taeschner, T. (2013). The Role of the Relationship between Parents and Educators for Child Behaviour and Wellbeing. International Journal about Parents in Education, Vol. 7, No. 2, 145–155
Pirchio,S., Taeschner, T., Colibaba, A.C., Gheorghiu, E., Zacharová, Z.J. (2014). Family involvement in second language learning. The Bilfam project. In S. Mourão Early Years Second Language Education: International Perspectives on Theory and Practice. (pp. 204–217). London, UK: Routledge.
Pirchio, S., Taeschner, T., Passiatore, Y., Tomassini, G. (2014). Gagner le défi de l’éducation bilingue: l’application du modèle du Format Narratif à l’école et en famille. In F. Arcidiacono (Ed.) Hétérogénéité linguistique et culturelle dans le contexte scolaire - Actes de la recherche n. 10 (pp 47–59), Editions HEP-BEJUNE.
Carrus, G., Passiatore, Y., Pirchio, S., Scopelliti, M. (2015). Contact with nature in educational settings might help cognitive functioning and promote positive social behaviour. / El contacto con la naturaleza en los contextos educativos podría mejorar el funcionamiento cognitivo y fomentar el comportamiento social positivo, Psyecology: Revista Bilingüe de Psicología Ambiental / Bilingual Journal of Environmental Psychology Psyecology.
Pirchio, S., Passiatore, Y., Carrus, G., Maricchiolo, F., Taeschner, T., Arcidiacono, F. (2017). Teachers and parents involvement for a good school experience of native and immigrant children. Journal of Educational, Cultural and Psychological Studies, Accepted for publication.
Ylenia Passiatore. Department of Human Sciences, LUMSA University of Rome, Piazza delle Vaschette, 101, 00193 Rome, Italy. E-mail: y.passiatore@gmail.com; Web site: http://www.lumsa.it/didattica_dipartimenti_scienzeumane
Current themes of research:
Bilingual development. Foreign language teaching and learning. Physical qualities of educational settings. Environmental education. Student-teacher relationships. Ethnic prejudice development.
Most relevant publications in the field of Psychology of Education:
Pirchio, S., Passiatore, Y., Tomassini, G., Taeschner, T. (2013). Imparare una lingua straniera in famiglia: il progetto Bilfam. In Farneti, A., Smorti, M., Tschiesner R. (a cura di), La Famiglia in Alto Adige. Indagini e studi interdisciplinari. Roma: Carocci Editore.
Pirchio, S., Taeschner, T., Passiatore, Y., Tomassini, G. (2015). Gagner le dèfi de l’education bilingue: l’application du modèle du Format Narratif à l’école et en famille. In Arcidiacono F. (Eds.) Hétérogénéite linguistique et culturelle dans le contexte scolaire. Actes de la recherche, 10, Edition Hep-Bejeune.
Carrus, G., Passiatore, Y., Pirchio, S., Scopelliti M., (2015). Contact with nature in educational settings might help cognitive functioning and promote positive social behavior. Psyecology: Bilingual Journal of Environmental Psychology, 20–22.
Passiatore, Y., Pirchio, S., Taeschner, T. (2016). L’interculturalismo a scuola: un’analisi delle credenze di insegnanti di scuola dell’Infanzia e Primaria e dei fattori che le influenzano. Psicologia dell’Educazione, 1, 53–70.
Pirchio, S., Passiatore, Y., Carrus, G., Maricchiolo, F., Taeschner, T., Arcidiacono, F. (2017). Teachers and parents involvement for a good school experience of native and immigrant children. Journal of Educational, Cultural and Psychological Studies, Accepted for publication.
Giuseppe Carrus. Department of Education, Roma Tre University, Via Milazzo 11b, 00185 Rome, Italy. E-mail: giuseppe.carrus@uniroma3.it; Web site: http://www.uniroma3.it/, http://formazione.uniroma3.it/
Current Themes of Research:
Attitude-behavior relarions. Identity processes. Environmental education. Sustainable lifestyles.
Most relevant publications in the field of Psychology of Education:
Passafaro, P. Carrus, G., Pirchio S., (2010). I bambini e l’ecologia: aspetti psicologici dell’educazione ambientale [Children and ecology: psychological aspects of environmental education]. Roma: Carocci Editore.
Carrus, G., Passiatore, Y., Pirchio, S., Scopelliti, M. (2015). Contact with nature in educational settings might help cognitive functioning and promote positive social behavior. Psyecology, 6, 191–212.
Carrus, G., Panno, A., Crano, W.D., Fiorentino, D., Ceccanti, M., Deiana, L., Mareri, A.R., Bonifazi, A., Giuliani, A. (2016). Group membership and adolescents’ alcohol intake: The mediating role of drinking motives. Journal of Studies on Alcohol and Drugs, 77, 143–149
Pirchio, S., Passiatore, Y., Carrus, G., Maricchiolo, F., Taeschner, T., Arcidiacono, F. (2017). Teachers and parents involvement for a good school experience of native and immigrant children. Journal of Educational, Cultural and Psychological Studies, Accepted for publication.
De Dominicis, S., Carrus, G., Bonaiuto, M., Bonnes, M., Perrucchini, P., Passafaro, P. (2017). Evaluating the role of protected natural areas for environmental education. Applied Environmental Education & Communication, Accepted for publication.
Traute Taeschner. Department of Dynamic and Clinical Psychology, Sapienza University of Rome, Via degli Apuli 1, 00185 Rome, Italy. E-mail: traute.taeschner@uniroma1.it; Web site: https://web.uniroma1.it/dip42/
Current themes of research:
Bilingual development. Foreign language teaching and learning. Narrative competence.
Most relevant publications in the field of Psychology of Education:
Taeschner, T. (2005). The magic teacher. London: CILT.
Taeschner, T., Pirchio, S. Rinaldi, P. (2009). Frühkindlicher Spracherwerb: Eine Methode zur mühelosen und phantasievollen Erlernung einer zweiten Sprache. In C. Röhner, C. Henrichwark, M. Hopf (Hrsg.) Europäisierung der Bildung. Konsequenzen und Herausforderungen für die Grundschulpadägogik. 128–137.Wiesbaden: VS Verlag für Sozialwissenschaften.
Taeschner, T., Pirchio, S. (2011) The narrative format model for language intervention with children with cognitive delay: the case of Benedetta. Preschool Education, Vol. 9, 41–44.
Pirchio, S., Tritrini, C., Passiatore, Y., Taeschner, T. (2013). The Role of the Relationship between Parents and Educators for Child Behaviour and Wellbeing. International Journal about Parents in Education, Vol. 7, No. 2, 145–155
Pirchio, S., Passiatore, Y., Carrus, G., Maricchiolo, F., Taeschner, T., Arcidiacono, F. (2017). Teachers and parents involvement for a good school experience of native and immigrant children. Journal of Educational, Cultural and Psychological Studies, Accepted for publication.
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Pirchio, S., Passiatore, Y., Carrus, G. et al. Children’s interethnic relationships in multiethnic primary school: results of an inclusive language learning intervention on children with native and immigrant background in Italy. Eur J Psychol Educ 34, 225–238 (2019). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10212-017-0363-8
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10212-017-0363-8