Interdisciplinarity in the Classroom: Interviews with teachers

On Monday 12 May 2014 Dr Giuliana Pieri met with two highly experienced teachers of Italian, Carmela Amodio Johnson and Barbara Romito to talk about their experience of interdisciplinarity in the classroom in a 45 minute long interview. A particular focus of our discussion was a very interesting collaboration called “The Italian Week”, a week-long series of activities which brought together primary and secondary schools pupils in two London schools, Latymer Prep School and Latymer Upper School. Italian language and culture was brought to life by collaborating with teachers of other subjects (Art, English, History, Geography, Science, P.E.). Other issues explored in the interview include the impact of an interdisciplinary focus on the students0 learning experience and the type of resources and activities which help to foster and harness the power of interdisciplinary teaching and learning.

On 14 May Dr Giuliana Pieri interviewed Mr Peter Langdale, currently teaching at North London Collegiate School, in north London. We explored issues related to the use of different media and the way in which a broad range of disciplines (especially within an inter-artistic focus) can be introduced in the curriculum. The absence of an Italian A-level textbook was also discussed as both a challenge for teachers of Italian but also an opportunity for the creation of new material. In the 30-minute long interview you will find plenty of examples and ideas that Peter uses in class. The strongest message from Peter’s experience is that different media and a variety of disciplines work together very well; they engage the students; they make the curriculum relevant; and bridge the artificial gap often created between language and its cultural context. The need to foster a better dialogue between teachers of Italian in the state and public sector, and between secondary school teachers and the higher education sector was also a focus of our discussion.