Stockholm university
Department of Romance Studies and Classics

The Romance Seminar: Alberta Novello

Seminar

Date: Thursday 30 October 2025

Time: 14.30 – 16.00

Location: Via Zoom*

Early Bilingualism at School: A Model from a Project in Italy with Children Aged 0 to 6

Since the advantages of early bilingual education have been widely demonstrated, it is essential to reflect on how to introduce it effectively in schools. 
Research in neurolinguistics and educational linguistics highlights the specific characteristics and key factors of early bilingualism. In particular, studies on the role of epigenetics in language acquisition have paved the way for a deeper understanding of the importance of the learning environment. Creating a positive learning environment is crucial for successful language acquisition in very young learners, and among the main factors that contribute to this are teacher awareness, language strategies, and the materials used.
This seminar aims to explore how to create a positive learning environment and to present a model that has been implemented over the past ten years to expose very young learners (aged 0 to 6) to English in five Italian childcares. After describing the project, the strategies and methodologies adopted will be illustrated, together with data on the programme’s impact on the children and its overall effectiveness.

Foto: Privat

Alberta Novello holds a PhD in Linguistics from Ca’ Foscari University of Venice and is an Associate Professor of Educational Linguistics in the Department of Linguistics and Literary Studies at the University of Padua, Italy.
She is Deputy Director of Cesle (Centro Studi sulla Linguistica Educativa), the journal Rila (Rassegna Italiana di Linguistica Applicata), and the book series La fiera delle lingue.
Her main research interests include neurodiversity in language learning – especially giftedness – language assessment, and early bilingualism (ages 0 to 6). Her latest book is Inclusive Language Teaching to Highly Able Students: Strategies and Practical Activities (Springer).

*External participants may write to Bengt Novén to receive the Zoom link (department members may find it in Romklass calendar)

Organisers:  Bengt Novén & Anthony Lappin

No registration required

Theme
Language, Literature and Culture - Theme page School, Education and Learning - Theme page
Research subject
Spanish Second Language Acquisition

Last updated: October 23, 2025

Source: Department of Romance Studies and Classics

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