Venice International University: Italian as a Third Language A case study

Abstract

The purpose of this study is to investigate different factors concerning foreign language learning environment and third language acquisition. In the first part of this paper I will review previous literature related to focal points of my research, such as teaching approaches, motivation, cultural differences in teaching and learning methods (with a special focus on Eastern cultures), language anxiety, class management and error correction. The second part of this paper, instead, will be focused on my experimental research led among forty-seven international students of Italian as a third language at Venice International University (VIU), during the spring semester of 2016. The research was conducted among students of Italian of both beginner (A1) and intermediate level (B1) though a Likert Scale Questionnaire. Some of the main results obtained observe the extreme importance and consciousness assigned by students nowadays to error correction in language learning. A surprising finding concerns Asian students and peer correction, as the expected outcome was for them to be reluctant in using this form of correction. They instead reported being more eager to use peer to peer correction compared to Western students. Eventually one of the most important outcome is the foreign language anxiety degree which, despite referring to a third language, does not seem to disappear completely with time, experience or proficiency.