Italy Reads Presents Interview and Digital Newsletter Project
On February 22, during an online meeting, students from various Italian high schools participated with their teachers in a presentation of their final work for the Italy Reads Interview and Digital Newsletter Project. The students who participated were from the following high schools in Rome: Liceo Linguistico Niccolò Machiavelli (with their Professor Monica Rizzo), the Liceo Scientifico Statale Farnesina (with their Professor Raffaella Antonelli), and the IIS Evangelista Torricelli (with their Professor Maria Bellucci).
Margaret Fuller’s Summer on the Lakes, in 1843
Italy Reads is a community-based English language reading and cultural exchange program that collaborates with 200 Italian high school teachers from over 60 high schools across Italy. Each year, one classic work of American literature is selected to be read. Italy Reads 2022-2023 is reading and discussing Margaret Fuller’s Summer on the Lakes, in 1843.
As part of the Italy Reads program, students interviewed this edition’s guest speakers and collaborated in teams to produce a digital newsletter summarizing their ideas. They worked in collaboration with Italy Reads Volunteer Student Mentors and their teachers. Students received guidelines and resources on how to research an interviewee, conduct an interview, and available online tools useful for the elaboration of a newsletter. They were, however, given free editorial rein regarding the format and content of their work.
The main topics that are featured in the newsletters are: Cultural Diversity, Native Americans, Indian Women in Summer on the Lakes, in 1843, and Margaret Fuller, Summer on the Lakes, in 1843.
The interviewed guest speakers were Professor Katie Simon, Italy Reads 2022 Keynote Speaker, JCU Professor Andrea Lanzone, who delivered a presentation called “Indigenous Americans Then and Now,” and JCU Director of Student Services Pilar Murguia, who spoke about cultural diversity.
At the final presentation, students and teachers were assigned to online breakout rooms where students received critiques of their work and shared their ideas about the project and their experience working together to better understand this year’s work of literature and its themes.
Participating schools:
IISCA Terni, Liceo G.C.Tacito, Terni, Prof. Marina Schiaroli
Liceo G. Keplero, Rome, Prof. Ridolfi
Liceo Niccolò Machiavelli, Rome, Prof. Rizzo
Liceo Scientifico Statale Farnesina, Rome, Prof. Antonelli
IIS Evangelista Torricelli, Prof. Bellucci
IIS Croce-Aleramo, Rome, Prof. Sartori
Liceo Benedetto da Norcia, Rome, Prof. Nigro
Read the newsletters produced by the students.
