MULTICULTURAL PERSPECTIVES OF L2 LEARNING

One of the significant issues in the context of migration is learning the language of the country of arrival as a vehicle for inclusion and integration. This topic has been extensively discussed in several studies, and much data has been collected on adult language erosion due to migration (Wong Fillmore, 1991) or L2 learning difficulties (Liddicoat & Taylor-Leech, 2014). It has been observed that the interaction and interdependence between L1 and L2 can be paramount in determining migrants' language choices. In addition, a rapid process of learning and acquisition of the target language could facilitate encounters with different cultures, encouraging integration and inclusion. During this process, two variables come into play that can make a difference in L2 learning: motivation to pass the B1 citizenship exam for reference documentation (according to Italian regulations) and anxiety about not being up to the task of adequately learning the language to foster full autonomy. Based on these premises, the research objectives were: - to measure the level of motivation toward learning Italian and toward Italians; - measure the level of anxiety within Italian L2 classes. The type of research was purely quantitative, and the data matrix allowed the analysis tool (histogram) to calculate individual and cumulative frequencies for a range of cells and classes of data. The research involved the online administration of a questionnaire through google forms. Participants answered questions within the attitudinal/motivational test battery (Gardner, 1985) with a 7-point response mode on a Likert scale (strongly disagree to agree strongly). A total of 30 migrants (15 females, 14 males, 1 non-binary) attending two Italian L2 classes in the city of Palermo (Italy) with an age range of 20-50 years participated in the online survey. The main results show that most participants expressed a positive attitude toward learning Italian and Italians with a high degree of interest in foreign languages; a moderate level of embarrassment or anxiety within the classes emerged. In conclusion, as teachers, trainers, and pedagogists, it would be appropriate to mitigate and facilitate this learning process by promoting a serene and non-judgmental environment to foster language learning from a perspective of active listening and intercultural empathy. Thus, try to intervene so that the acquisition of the new vocabulary is seen as a tool for autonomy in the migrants' decision-making processes and not as a building block to obtain the documents required by current regulations, and thus a mutual bond that can ensure mastery of the second language combined with personal skills.