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Dott. Rita Balestrini

Dott Rita Balestrini portrait

Lecturer and module convenor

Office

Miller 1.20

Building location

Miller building

Areas of interest

  • Second language development and pedagogy
  • Assessment and feedback cultures
  • Language and education for social justice
  • Anti-oppressive and transformative pedagogies
  • Higher Education policies and practices
  • Ethnography
  • Discourse analysis

I am interested in all aspects of second language development and teaching, especially from a ‘Complex Dynamic Systems theory’ and ‘ecological’ perspective. I have conducted pedagogical research projects on assessment and evaluation, and the ‘emotional backwash’ of feedback. I worked in in the appraisal of marking schemes and feedback cultures, and co-designed with them rubric templates that provide inclusive feedback, avoid evaluative language, and emphasise achievement rather than shortcoming. More recently, I coordinated a and enhance its use as a tool for teaching and learning languages.

I also have an ongoing interest in discourses of ‘language’ and ‘culture’. I have critically examined the literary representation of ‘cultures’ in ethnographic texts, and the notions of ‘language’ and ‘culture’ underlying the structure of foreign languages curricula and the organisation of foreign languages as a subject and disciplinary field.

I am currently investigating the conceptualisations of ‘scholarship’ and ‘research’ in higher education and the way these conceptualisations reflect into practices in different contexts.

Teaching

I have taught in the department, on a range of Italian Language modules at all levels and years, since 2004. I co-designed and developed IT3L6 Advanced Italian Language III (Part III) and Beginners Italian Language (Part I). I currently teach and convene IT1L1 Beginners Italian Language.

Past taught modules:

  • IT1003 Italian Language and Culture Elementary: ‘Language’, ‘ºÚ¹Ï³ÔÁÏÍø in Italian’
  • IT1005 Italian Language and Culture Lower Intermediate: ‘Language’, ‘ºÚ¹Ï³ÔÁÏÍø in Italian’  
  • IT2L2 Intermediate Italian Language: ‘Grammar’, ‘Lavoro sui testi’
  • IT301 Advanced Italian Language III: ‘Responding to texts: presentation, discussion and writing’
  • IT3L6 Advanced Italian Language III: ‘Translation into Italian’
  • LA1PI1-IWLP Italian 1

Research centres and groups

I am a member of:

  • Centre for Literacy and Multilingualism (CeLM), ºÚ¹Ï³ÔÁÏÍø
  • British Association of Applied Linguistics (BAAL)
  • International Association for Languages and Intercultural Communication (IALIC)

Background

I have designed and taught courses of Italian language and culture in a variety of contexts (private sector, Italian and American universities in Rome, Italian and UK University Language Centres, Continuing Education, GCSE and A level) and conducted courses in language pedagogy for trainee teachers (Laziodisu, Rome). I have been a script marker for the Certification of Italian as a foreign language (CertIT), and External Examiner in the UK.

At the ºÚ¹Ï³ÔÁÏÍø, I coordinated a cross-departmental Language Teaching Community of Practice. I also held various responsibilities in the University and College Union (Executive Committee member, Anti-casualisation Officer, Health and Safety Officer) and, in these roles, I contributed to improving the conditions of work for staff. I strive to ensure that staff conditions are recognised as essential to excellence in teaching and learning, and I believe in education as a right, at all levels and throughout life. I follow an empowering and enquiry-based approach to learning, and practise principled eclecticism to respond to the dynamics of each class by making informed methodological choices. I pursue an ecological approach to pedagogical decision making and acknowledge diversity as an essential element of teaching.

Academic qualifications

  • Senior Fellow of the Higher Education Academy
  • MA Applied Linguistics, ºÚ¹Ï³ÔÁÏÍø
  • PGCert Lifelong Learning, Università di Roma Tre
  • PGCert Teaching Italian as Foreign Language, Università per Stranieri, Siena
  • PGCert Intercultural Education, Università di Roma Tre
  • Laurea Magistrale in Lettere e Filosofia, Università La Sapienza, Rome
  • ASILS Certificate in Teaching Italian, International House, Rome

Awards and honours

  • Teaching and Learning Enhancement Projects (TLEP) funds for:  ‘Enhancing and developing the use of OneNote Class Notebook beyond the Covid-19 pandemic’, ºÚ¹Ï³ÔÁÏÍø (UoR), 2022
  • Rewarding Excellence Award, School of Literature and Languages, UoR, 2019
  • Teaching and Learning funds for: ‘’How did I do?’ Finding new ways to describe the standards of foreign language performance’, UoR, 2019
  • Teaching and Learning Development Fund (TLDF) for: ‘Sharing the secrets. Involving students in the use (and design?) of marking schemes', UoR, 2016
  • Outstanding Contribution to Teaching Excellence Award (group award for the Italian Section) ºÚ¹Ï³ÔÁÏÍø University Students’ Union Excellence Award, 2016
  • Rewarding Excellence Award, School of Literature and Languages, UoR, 2014
  • Rewarding Excellence Award, Department of Languages and European Studies, UoR, 2013
  • Outstanding Contribution to Teaching and Learning Award, School of Literature and Languages, UoR, 2008

Professional bodies/affiliations

I am a member of:

  • British Association of Applied Linguistics
  • Society for Research into Higher Education

Conferences and presentations

  • ‘The Scholarship of Language Teaching and Learning’. Scholarship Forum SIG meeting, Association of University Language Communities (AULC), 23 June 2023 (on-line)
  • ‘Beyond ‘errors’ and ‘mistakes’. When learners and theories agree’. Empowering students via knowledge of language variation and change’, LKALE SIG annual meeting, British Association for Applied Linguistics, 29-30 April 2023 (on-line)
  • ‘‘How did I do?’ Finding new ways to describe the standards of foreign language performance by involving students in the redesign of two marking schemes’. Assessment and Feedback: Changing Practices, CQSD, ºÚ¹Ï³ÔÁÏÍø, 7 November 2019
  • ‘From sharing the ‘secrets’ to working with students as partners. Enhancing the process of assessing writing and speaking skills in foreign language learning’. Researching, Advancing & Inspiring Student Engagement (RAISE), Annual Conference, Sheffield Hallam University, 5-7 September 2018
  • ‘A teacher-learner collaborative appraisal of rubrics for performance based assessment in foreign languages’. Radical Pedagogies: A Humanities Teaching Forum, University of Kent, 11-12 January 2018
  • ‘Involving students in the appraisal of rubrics for performance based assessment in Foreign Languages'. Students as partners, CQSD, ºÚ¹Ï³ÔÁÏÍø, 19 October 2017
  • ‘What place for scholarship in university language learning and teaching?’ Enhancing Student Learning Through Innovative Scholarship Conference (with Chiara Cirillo), Durham University, 16-17 July 2015

Publications

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