Abstract
The aim of this chapter is to examine European higher education from the perspective of language use, that is, in view of the multilingual reconfiguration currently affecting universities in EU countries. In the first section recent developments of EU language policies are illustrated, and the notion of ‘functional multilingualism’, which informs such policies, is discussed against the background of societal, political and economic changes, determining a reconsideration of linguistic needs in Europe. The second section is devoted to the analysis of communicative practices in multilingual universities, in particular at the trilingual Free University of Bozen-Bolzano in Italy. Different ways of handling linguistic diversity in the classroom are examined, showing how the use of more languages in teacher-student interaction cannot only enhance learning processes and participation but can also prepare professionals who can successfully act in a multilingual, multicultural Europe.
The chapter, in its final form, is the result of a collaboration between the two authors. Daniela Veronesi is directly responsible for Sects. 5.2 and 5.2.1.
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Notes
- 1.
- 2.
See the homepages LINEE: Languages in a Network of European Excellence: http://www.linee.info (Network of Excellence) and DYLAN: Dynamik und Handhabung der Sprachenvielfalt: http://www.dylan-project.org/Dylan_en/ (Integrated Project).
- 3.
See the working papers delivered within WP3 (‘Educational Systems’), provided under http://www.dylan-project.org/Dylan_en/dissemination/page102/page102.php; see also Berthoud et al. (2013).
- 4.
For a detailed picture on existing bi- and multilingual universities, see Wilkinson (2004) and Veronesi and Nickenig (2009). Further information on CLIL experiences can be found in Breidbach et al. (2002), Eurydice (2006), Marsh and Wolff (2007), Dalton-Puffer et al. (2010), and Maljers et al. (2011); for the use of English in European higher education, see also Maiworm and Wächter (2002). Details on CLIL in primary, secondary and tertiary education across Europe are also provided in Maggipinto et al. (2003).
- 5.
Trilingualism strongly characterises the School of Economics and Management, the Faculty of Design and Art and the Faculty of Science and Technology. While training school teachers in Italian or German, the Faculty of Education also offers trilingual (Italian, German, English; Italian, German, Ladin) and bilingual (Italian, German) bachelor and degree courses, while the Faculty of Computer Science is oriented more towards English as the main language of instruction. For details on the distribution of languages across faculties, see Veronesi (2009, p. 208). It shall be mentioned here that subject-matter classes are held in one language only, as are exams, while instructors are granted the right to use further languages in their teaching activity when deemed useful.
As for student language proficiency, until academic year 2010–2011 bachelor students were required to certify the knowledge of one/two (depending on the study programme) FUB official languages in order to enrol and needed to prove knowledge of all the three languages by the end of the first study year, with the exception of the Faculty of Computer Science. Language proficiency could be documented through internationally recognised language certificates or by passing a language exam administered by the Language Centre (B1–B2 level of the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages, see Council of Europe 2001). In the first year of study, students who needed to certify language knowledge for one or two languages attended compulsory language classes. See the study manifestos available under http://www.unibz.it/en/prospective/apply/application/manifestos.html
New regulations in effect from 2011 to 2012 establish higher levels of proficiency for enrolment (B2 knowledge of two languages of instruction for Bachelor studies and C1 level in the first language and B2 level in the second for master’s studies). Furthermore, students are now required to certify language proficiency in Italian, German and English also before the end of their studies (exit levels are C1 proficiency for the L1, B2+ for the L2 and B2 for the L3 for Bachelor studies; C1 in the L1 and L2 and B2 in the L3 for master’s studies).
- 6.
Transcription conventions are adapted from Jefferson (2004). Intonation is signalled as follows: comma (,) for slightly rising intonation, question mark (?) for rising intonation as in questions and full stop (.) for falling, conclusive intonation. Semicolon (:) indicates sound prolongation; underlined segments (as in ‘text’) are uttered with emphasis; especially soft sound is transcribed within degree signs (°text°); ‘.h’ indicates inbreath, ‘h’ outbreath. Faster speech is signalled as in ‘>text <’ and slower speech as in ‘<text>’. The equals sign (=) indicates continuity of sound production or latching between two speakers. Square brackets ([…]) show overlapping between two speakers; ‘x’ within single brackets signals incomprehensible sound (each x represents a syllable); double brackets delimit transcription comments or omitted speech. Very short pauses are indicated with a full stop within brackets, as in (.); for longer pauses, duration in tenth of seconds and in seconds is given in brackets, as in (0.2) and (32). The use of English is signalled through bold, the use of German through italics. ‘LEC’ stands for ‘lecturer’, ‘TUT’ for tutor and ‘ST’ for ‘student’. In examples, each line is numbered. An English approximate translation is provided following every example.
- 7.
Students (14 in total) come from Germany, Austria, South Tyrol and other regions of Italy, Portugal, South America and the USA. Given FUB language policies (see footnote 5), some of the students in the group were attending compulsory language classes at the time of data collection.
- 8.
When useful, speakers’ visual orientation is described (in small caps) below numbered lines. Overlapping between speech and gaze is indicated by a star . An arrow (→) indicates continuation of the described visual orientation in the following line.
- 9.
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Franceschini, R., Veronesi, D. (2014). Multilingual Universities: Policies and Practices. In: Baroncelli, S., Farneti, R., Horga, I., Vanhoonacker, S. (eds) Teaching and Learning the European Union. Innovation and Change in Professional Education, vol 9. Springer, Dordrecht. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-94-007-7043-0_5
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