WisItalia has awarded $6,500 for the 2009-10 school year for Wisconsin K-12 schools and Italian language programs. They also have assisted 4 teachers in working on getting their license to teach Italian in the public schools in Wisconsin by awarding a total of $2,000 this school year. Schools/Italian programs who have not applied for their grant funds should still do so as there are funds available to assist you with your teaching materials, field trips, supplies, etc. For detailed information please go to: www.wisitalia.org. 

President Daniel L. Stabile, Past President Giuseppe (Joe) Lupo, Dr. Maria Wilmeth, Mrs. Cesarina Horing, and Professor Emeritus, Roberto Severino, and Prof. Luigi De Luca were active representatives participating at the American Council on the Teaching of Foreign Languages Convention in San Diego, California. Dr. Lupo chaired several workshop sessions and President Stabile, Dr. Maria Wilmeth, Mrs. Cesarina Horing. Professor Luigi De Luca and Professor Severino spoke at several workshops. Over 6,000 educators participated in the ACTFL Conference. 

In addition to the workshop leadership the National COPILAS team operated and staffed a booth in 
cooperation with the U.S. Enti Gestori (the Official Italian Cultural Institutions recognized by the Italian 
Government) answering questions and providing information to hundreds of language teachers about 
strategies and techniques to develop and sustain strong Italian language programs in our schools 
throughout the United States.

The National COPILAS Team worked closely with Professor Luigi De Sanctis, Director of the Education Office, Italian Embassy, Washington, DC, Nicola Faganello, Consulate General of Italy, Los Angeles, and Prof. Anna Chiaratti, Director of the Education Office, Italian Consulate of Los Angeles.

National COPILAS, NIAF, Italian Trade Commission and the Consulate General of Italy, Los Angeles 
hosted a dinner honoring teachers of Italian language and Culture.

Dr. Stabile summed up the conference by stating, “This excellent world languages convention provided National COPILAS with a springboard illuminating our capacity to serve as the key resource body assisting teachers, students and organizations throughout the United States promoting ourItalian language. In addition to supplying interactive resources for teachers and students on our website, the need emerged to explore:
(1) the role of catalyst and clearing house for certification and teaching resources;
(2) reviewing options and alternatives to the Advanced Placement Examination;
(3) accelerating the development of communication infrastructure with all Enti Gestori, USA;
(4) expanding the NATIONAL COPILAS membership to be totally inclusive;
(5) Appointment of regional board members and developing service hubs in those locations along with the Enti Gestori.

Those substantive factors emerged through discussions with organizational leaders, teachers and professors attending the conference. Our focus will continue to be advancing our Italian Language in Schools, Colleges, Universities, and local community language programs as well as applying data driven decision making.” 

"University of Maryland and University of Perugia signed Memorandum of Understanding at the Italian Embassy establishing a graduate degree program at both schools in Italian language"

Daniel I. Stabile

We are proud to announce the new Executive Board for NCOPILAS:

Dr. Daniel Stabile, President
Professor Gemma Puglisi, Vice President
Mrs. Lydia La Ferla, Secretary
Mr. Jim Cocco, Treasurer
Dr. Joe Lupo, Past President
Fr. Dr. Lydio F. Tomasi, Executive Board Advisor
Dr. Roberto Severino, Professor Emeritus, Georgetown University 

Pictured left to right: 

Dr. Daniel Stabile, President of National Council on the 
Advancement of Italian Language in American Schools; 
Fred Rotondaro, Senior Fellow at the Center for American 
Progress, Dennis Santoli, Executive Director of the Blue 
and Gold Foundation, Tom Stallone, Lido Club Executive 
Board, Franco Nuschese, CEO of Georgetown 
Entertainment Group and Owner of Cafe Milano and 
Gemma Puglisi, Vice President of NCOPILAS. 

Dear Friends:  

Anche quest’anno l’Accademia Italiana (Salerno) ha partecipato al convegno annuale ACTFL organizzato dall’American Council on the Teaching of Foreign Languages, che ha avuto luogo a S. Diego in California (USA) dal 20 al 22 novembre 2009.

ACTFL è la principale organizzazione nordamericana per la promozione dell’insegnamento delle lingue straniere a più livelli educativi. La sua attività è di estremo interesse quindi per le istituzioni pubbliche e private italiane impegnate nella diffusione della lingua italiana in USA come l’Accademia Italiana.

Il convegno annuale ACTFL 2009 si è confermato il momento più importante di incontro e di confronto con istituzioni educative, università, scuole e docenti di italiano operanti negli Stati uniti, nonché un’occasione di aggiornamento con docenti ed esperti provenienti dall’Italia sulle teorie e tecniche moderne della didattica dell’italiano.

L’italiano è diventato la quarta lingua straniera più studiata negli Stati Uniti, forte del fascino che la nostra cultura riscuote sempre più in questa terra.

E’ proprio con questo spirito che l’Accademia Italiana ha promosso con entusiasmo e determinazione la sua offerta formativa ai docenti e ai capi-dipartimento delle università e delle scuole, oltre che alle istituzioni governative italiane operanti in USA presenti all’evento:

Consolato Generale d’Italia e Istituto Italiano di Cultura a Los Angeles, Ambasciata d’Italia a Washington, Consolati Generali d’Italia a New York, Philadelphia e Boston, Istituto per il Commercio Estero, Enti Gestori.

Particolare attenzione è stata data all’attività di formazione professionale dell’Accademia Italiana per gli insegnanti di italiano che in USA sentono sempre più il bisogno di opportunità di confronto ed aggiornamento con docenti esperti provenienti dall’Italia.

Prima di S. Diego infatti, l’Accademia Italiana ha presentato a New York e nel New Jersey un seminario per docenti di italiano dal titolo “Teorie e Tecniche della Glottodidattica per l’italiano LS” che ha avuto luogo presso il Consolato di New York e la Montclair University del New Jersey.
Il contributo delle Istituzioni governative italiane in USA è stato fondamentale per un’efficace presentazione dell’offerta formativa dell’Accademia Italiana. In particolar modo la viva partecipazione del Console Generale d’Italia a Los Angeles Nicola Faganello e dei suoi autorevoli colleghi Francesco Maria Talò e Andrea Barbaria, unita all’indispensabile assistenza dei relativi dirigenti scolastici Anna Chiaratti e Alfio Russo, hanno reso possibile che l’Accademia Italiana proponesse con successo le sue tematiche a studenti e docenti rispettivamente a S. Diego, New York e New Jersey.

Un particolare plauso va all’ufficio ICE di Chicago che con grande efficienza ha coordinato tutte le attività previste per l’evento ACTFL 2009.

Dopo questa ulteriore esperienza, l’Accademia Italiana (Salerno) si conferma sempre più impegnata negli Stati Uniti sul fronte della promozione della lingua italiana e nell’aggiornamento professionale per gli insegnanti, il che la vedrà ancora presente al prossimo evento NECTFL (Northeastern Council on the Teaching of Foreign Languages) che avrà luogo a New York a marzo 2010.

da sinistra: Nicola Faganello Console Generale d’Italia a Los Angeles, Carlo Angelo Bocchi direttore ICE Los Angeles

Console Generale d’Italia a Los Angeles, Nicola Faganello

da sin.: Carlo Cipollone, dirigente scolastico Consolato d’Italia a Boston, Franca Riccardi responsabile Ente Gestore Philadelphia, Luigi De Sanctis dirigente scolastico Ambasciata d’Italia a Washington, Luciana Picchio responsabile Ente Gestore Baltimora, Francesco Luigi Legaluppi, Console on. d’Italia a Baltimora

Andrea Barbaria Console Generale d’Italia a Newark (NJ), Alfio Russo Dirigente Scolastico Consolato d’Italia New York

Giorgio Galanti, dirigente scolastico Consolato generale d’Italia a Philadelphia

Seminario per insegnanti di Italiano “Tecniche e Teorie della Glottodidattica per l’italiano come LS” - Consolato Generale di Italia a New York

***************************

dr. Francesca Romana Memoli


direttore/director

ACCADEMIA ITALIANA


Via Roma 39
Salerno – 84121 Italia


tel +39 (0)89 256965

fax +39 (0)89 250399

francescamemoli@accademia-italiana.it

www.accademia-italiana.it

skype: francesca.romana.memoli

Sorrento Lingue has invited everyone to download the Sorrento Lingue Toolbar at http://SorrentoLingue.OurToolbar.com/

By downloading it you can kep in touch with the SL community, with a quick access to some pages in their website, facebook, twitter, and SL page in youtube. You will also be able to keep up-tp-date about the weather in Sorrento!

WisItalia received notice that the funds it gets from the Italian government will be 7,500 Euros (which equals $9,300) for the 2010-11 school year. As you know, we distribute these funds as grants to the Italian language programs and teachers in WI. Last year, we distributed $11,500 to the Italian language programs, and $2,000 to teachers to assist with paying for the courses they need to be licensed to teach Italian in the public school system in WI.
So, we now need to depend on private donations and web sponsorships to continue the same level of support we have provided in the past.
That's where we need your help. Your support is needed during these tough economic times, as many school budgets have been cut and providing Italian teaching materials can be expensive.
To make it more convenient for you to make monetary donations or to pay for your web sponsorships, WisItalia now has a PayPal account. It's an easy and secure way to make your donations, and you do not need a PayPal account yourself, as it takes credit or debit cards.

View http://www.wisitalia.org/pages/donate.html if you'd like to make a donation.
View http://www.wisitalia.org/pages/SponsorInfo.html if you'd like to become a sponsor on our website. Grazie!

Ralph Annina is organizing a trip for high school aged students and adults to Italy next March 2011. Details are on the Italy Trips page at http://www.wisitalia.org/pages/trips.html#annina. Hurry before the price goes up!
 

A most productive meeting, one of several held in Italy with school officials, highlighted the necessity for teacher and student exchange programs and developing a pipeline for Italian teachers to come the US and deliver effective Italian Language and Cultural programs in our elementary, middle and high schools.   Pictured in the photograph:   Professora Renata Cirina, Head of Language Programs and Professor Luca Colombo of the Collegio San Carlo with Dr. Daniel and Monica Stabile