Abstract:
A museum study programme for students of a foreign language: issues in planning and implementation. The aim of this dissertation is to discuss the difficulties encountered in the planning and implementation of a museum study programme in a non native tongue, focussing on the Content and Language Integrated Learning (CLIL) Museum Programme currently running at a contemporary art museum in Italy. The research was conducted over a period of six months, and data were collected through the observation of 2 CLIL museum tours for students and the administration of 7 interviews to the museum staff and museum foreign language educators. Two different questionnaires were prepared to understand both teachers’ and students’ perspectives on the project. Despite the potential of the CLIL museum programme aimed at promoting the learning of both the foreign language (Spanish, French or English) and the museum contents (contemporary art), issues emerged with regard to the marketing of the project, which resulted in a low rate of school groups attending the programme, and with regard to the planning and implementation of the CLIL museum curriculum. In consideration of these results, a model has been developed, offering valid suggestions in relation to the Museum-School Collaboration, answering the question: How can museum and schools efficiently collaborate in relation to the CLIL Museum Programme?.
