Dr. Sara Mattavelli’s multifaceted contributions to the field of Italian Studies this fall highlight her professional leadership, innovative course design, and dedication to promoting cultural understanding through education and communication. In November, Dr. Sara Mattavelli attended the ACTFL (American Council on the Teaching of Foreign Languages) Annual Convention and Expo in Philadelphia, PA, where she played a dual role: as a researcher and as a member of the leadership board of the American Association of Teachers of Italian (AATI).
On Saturday, November 23rd, she delivered a presentation titled “Reflecting on Identity and Belonging in Postcolonial Italy” to an audience of colleagues from various disciplines and institutions, ranging from college to K-12. Her talk centered on the advanced language and culture course, The New Italians. Immigration and Globalization in Twenty-First Century Italy (ITAL 377), which she taught at Chapman in Spring 2024. This course explores the realities of postcolonial Italy through a variety of media and texts and guides students in examining the concepts of identity and belonging while reflecting on their own identity. Dr. Mattavelli’s presentation showcased her innovative course design, highlighting the backward design approach and multiliteracies framework, with student portfolios featuring creative works like songs, poems, video games, and artwork as a culmination of their learning.
Dr. Mattavelli presenting her research
A long-time member of the American Association of Teachers of Italian (AATI) – the oldest association of Italian Studies in North America – Dr. Mattavelli was elected as the association’s Director of Communication last January. Together with colleagues from other institutions, she has worked tirelessly to advance AATI’s mission to “promote, advance and preserve the study of Italian.” In her role, she manages all the association communication, including the listserv, newsletter, social media platforms, website, marketing materials, and branding.
At ACTFL, she also attended several official events with the ACTFL Executive Board and the Delegate Assembly. She coordinated the association booth at the Expo Center and spoke at the Executive Board meeting and the Annual General Meeting of AATI.
The AATI Leadership team. From the left: James Goetschius (Treasurer), Christen Visceglie (VP K-12), Sara Mattavelli (Director of Communication), Daniele De Feo (VP of College/University), and Marina Melita (President)
AATI members and vendors at the ACTFL Italian pavilion
