The percentage of Migrant learners has increased more and more in the last few years at Itis Giorgi. It mirrors the general trend in most of the schools in Lombardia, a very rich industrial area in the Italian territory.

Percentage

Main foreign communities living in Italy

2004 2009 %

 Romania 177.812 796.477 347,9

 Albania 270.383 441.396 63,2

 Marocco 253.362 403.592 59,3

 Cina 86.738 170.265 96,2

 Ucrania 57.971 153.998 165,6

 Filippine 72.372 113.686 57,0

 Tunisia 68.630 100.112 45,8

 Polonia 40.314 99.389 146,5

 India 44.791 91.855 105,0

 Moldavia 24.645 89.424 262,8

 Macedonia 51.208 89.066 73,9

 Ecuador 33.506 80.070 138,9

 Perù 43.009 77.629 80,5

 Egitto 40.583 74.599 83,8

 Sri Lanka 39.231 68.738 75,2

 Senegal 46.478 67.510 45,2

P.S. the above mentioned communities were the 75% of the foreign residents in Italy in 2009.

Migrants according to the age

The impact of the Italian school system on migrant learners becomes a highly topical issue due to the problems coming out from the integration connected with the language aspect and with other aspects as discrepancy between cultures, racism , financial difficulties, no family support etc.

One of the priority objectives in the integration of the foreign learners is the acquisition of good competences in the Italian language to guarantee one of the main factors of school success and social acceptance.

Priority

When foreign learners arrive, they have to cope with two different use of the Italian language:•The language of a real context, essential to communicate in daily life (the language for communicating)• the specific language, vital to understand and express concepts in order to learn other disciplines and reflect on the language itself (the language for studying).

language for communicating

language for studying

The language for communicating can be learnt within the space of time swinging from one month to one year, according to the age, the native language, the afterschool usage.On the contrary, a few years can be necessary to learn the language for studying, taking into account we are talking about deep competences.

Time

Therefore it is necessary a selective planning about the real needs and monitoring of the learning improvement:• a first step devoted to develop the language for communicating,• a second step devoted to the language for studying in order to be able to learn the other subjects.

planning

The cultural mediator is a prominent figure in the school environment, due to constant increase of foreign learners.

The cultural mediator has the objective of facilitating relations between local and foreign citizens, promoting reciprocal knowledge and comprehension between subjects of different cultural backgrounds. The main characterizing elements of cultural mediators are communicative competence, empathy, active listening and good knowledge of both the hosting country and country of origin (culture, laws, traditions, etc.)

Cultural Mediator

In the educational sector, the mediator role consists of: • facilitating communication between foreign learners and their teachers and between the foreign students’ families and teachers; • offering temporary assistance to teachers whose students have difficulties with Italian language; • providing consultancy to teachers to facilitate comprehension of problematic behaviors; • providing instruction in refreshment courses for teachers on intercultural themes.

Mediator role

Foreign students integration difficulties

1. The departure from the native country, the family circle and the western socio-cultural environment;2. The rejoining to their parents or to one of their parents (emigrated some years before), who being full-time workers are present at home for only a short time, not enough for their children care, just arrived in Italy after years of their parents’ absence. 3. The emotional, social cultural impact and the difficult integration.

Mrs Carlotto’s experience

1. “A Filipino boy, arrived in Italy at the age of 16, was having considerable problems of understanding and living together with her mother. Repeated meetings among the student, his mother, his tutor and me had the effect of convincing him to talk but in his mother absence. He complained about his mother aggressive attitude. The following year he dropped out and disappeared.”

2. Another Filipino boy, suffering from psychic disorders had difficulties in attending school. His mother and stepfather didn’t manage to integrate him into their family in spite of their loving care . The boy had just arrived from his country after eight years being far from his mother.

3. Moving from living spaces, often larger or different compared to Italian flats in most cases small and plain, is a stress added to other problems. They often come from a rural area.

Learning a language is the first obstacle but not the only one. The foreigner is subject to isolation, degradation, relegation. Not all foreign students stand this impact. Some of them isolate themselves, fall into a depression, are unable to express their disease and unease. Yet in the classroom, after a while, they feel safely since they start being in contact with some classmates. The loneliness becomes strong when they go back home.

depression

Forming an intercultural committee operating for the students’ integration; Being aware of the students difficulties since their enrolment; Evaluating the problems properly and keeping steadily in touch; Cooperating with the “cultural mediator”. Involving the classmates in the process of integration; Discouraging racist attitude and intolerant behaviour; Activating a collaboration with psychologists, who can help to understand the psychological dynamics of the different ethnic groups. There was such an experiment with four students (an Ecuadorian girl, a Filipino boy, and two Ceylonese boys) at “Giorgi” in 2008/2009.

How to reach the foreign students?