Enhancing L2 skills through independent learning: the case study of Italian e-magazine

Engaging students in the learning process of a second language can be challenging and the tutor always needs to find new tools to enhance motivation for learner engagement in and outside the classroom. Starting from our linguistic and journalistic background, we started to create an e-magazine in Italian language (dealing with Italian topics, current affairs in Italy, etc.) with the active involvement of the Italian class students from Upper Intermediate to Proficiency level (B1 to C2). The Italian e-magazine is created within the Department of Languages at Leeds Beckett University to allow students to develop academic skills and to embrace a topic-based linguistic challenge of authentic materials. The students have been deeply engaged in research, reading, discussion and writing in Italian and the results of this experiment have been significantly impactful. The practice of the four skills has resulted in an enrichment of the vocabulary, a development of accuracy and the creation of group works with exchange of opinions. The experience has shown how the flipped classroom experience and the independent learning can interchangeably inform each other. All these activities led to: • Developing motivation • Stimulating interest and curiosity • Engagement in research • Flipped learning Students became active participants in planning and delivering learning activities. They have developed and produced tools in a learner-centred approach, showing a great interest in the idea and a significant improvement in their learning process. “The important practical contribution of the students represents the strength of their engagement in the study of the target language and the involvement in writing as a tool for learning and development” (Ferris D., 2008). It has become clear that this project is going to grow more and more thanks to the enthusiasm of our learners and the support in the group work.