Abstract:

The first and fundamental purpose for students to represent themselves perfectly and express their abilities by learning a foreign language. However, if it is intended to deepen their knowledge, they should not shirk from studying the culture of their birthplace. This happens because the language is inseparable from the history and identity of its own people.

The peculiarity and cultural variety of the Italian Peninsula lies in the great complexity and richness of local and regional cultures. Each of these is the bearer of its own identity and traditions, which distinguishes it from the others. Furthermore, the presence of numerous dialects, some of which are comparable to real languages, makes the Italian landscape even richer.

This article is a report based on research conducted by using the empirical method. It got through the experimentation of didactic materials and exercises. it's main aim to create a multisensory environment and involving the emotional sphere, used within a foreign language seminar.

The experimental lesson was centred on the Neapolitan culture and language, due to which, their particular characteristics easily lent themselves to such an experiment. Naples, in fact, is a city with a very strong identity and decidedly folkloric popular traditions, well rooted within the population.

The target class was composed of adult students with an Italian language knowledge at a medium-high level, ranging from B1 upwards, while the teacher who conducted the experiment was a Neapolitan native.

The assimilation of the culture and the individual identity’s building belonging to a specific community is an Osmotic Process. Therefore, the requirement to experiment with new materials and methods has arisen to make this subject in its depth. The complexity's an object of study, usable for those who has not born and raised yet. Moreover, in many cases they have not even visited a specific country.

Given this premise, the core purpose of the aforementioned experiment was to test an alternative method for teaching the cultural side related to the language with the support of an organic process. It's exactly as it happens within the natural environment, in which an individual develops. Foreign students will have to perceive the culture as a living thing, rather than something abstract that is learned from books without a confirmation in reality.

In conclusions, it was noted that:
1) The informal and relaxed atmosphere unhesitatingly created a serene and collaborative environment among the students, even though they did not know each other.
2) The absence of complicated exercises, such as reading or structural exercises, the predilection for continuous interaction, maintained maximum concentration throughout the duration of the lesson between the participants and minimizing the moments of tiredness.
3) The use of role play and the enhancement by the competitive ludic aspect has created curiosity as well as a continuous desire for learning, comparison and discovery.
4) At the end of the lesson, all students have fully completed the tasks assigned to them and achieved the required aim.

The experience was positive for both students and the teacher. However, not all types of information lent themselves perfectly to such an application.

Keywords:

Teaching a foreign culture, Neapolitan culture, experimental lesson, Italian as foreign language (L2).