PERTH - Francomacaro is a Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation (MAECI) lecturer. For three years, she’s been teaching the Italian Language and Culture at the University of Western Australia (UWA) in Perth.
The lecturer, who is on a six-year contract, also works with the Italian Consulate of Perth to organise events that share and promote the Italian language and culture.
One thing that Francomacaro appreciates most about her professional experience Down Under has been the collaboration with colleagues in UWA’s Department of Italian.
“[I appreciate how good they are at their job,] from the point of view of content and methodology, but at the same time their humanity,” she shared.
Francomacaro said that the collaboration has been helpful without taking away any of her autonomy.
One of the lecturer’s goals for the next three years of her contract is to foster her students’ independence, seeing her role as being more of a “student guide”.
“I can’t [do the students’ work for them] … I have to give them the tools to be able to continue learning Italian independently, because the process of learning a language never ends,” she explained.
This is true for a second language, but it’s also the case for our native tongue, the teacher pointed out. A person is most likely not to be 100 per cent proficient in all aspects of their native language. Instead, it’s a process of “long, light learning”.
In this sense, a teacher must guide students to be autonomous and capable of continuing to learn even when the language course is over and the teacher won’t be around.
Along with providing students with tools for their course of study, Francomacaro sees the role of a lecturer as that of a cultural ambassador.
“We lecturers are not part of the diplomatic staff from a practical and administrative point of view, but we have a duty to represent our country, and that’s what we do on a daily basis,” she said.
Francomacaro explained that in her role she meets “so many people, so really [us lecturers) represent Italy”.
“That’s why my participation, not only in the university’s educational activities but also in all those cultural events promoting Italy, is important.”
As a temporary migrant in Western Australia, Francomacaro says she perceives “a positive attitude towards Italy” from locals, adding there is even gratitude towards the Bel Paese.
During her tenure, the lecturer intends to leave an imprint by contributing new ideas for the educational program and developing avenues that may prove useful, particularly through the creation of new ties with Italian universities.
One such tie came from the recent agreement signed by UWA with the Università degli Studi della Campania Luigi Vanvitelli, where last January a group of Australian students attended a two-week language and culture course.
