The teaching of a foreign language involves the use of methods, rooted in an approach to language teaching, and often incorporates the use of technology such as computers and multimedia. In order to examine the approach, method, and use of multimedia technology in the teaching of Italian in British Columbia at the elementary and secondary levels, it is important to first define these critical elements. The first chapter examines the global shift from using a Grammar-Translation Approach to teaching foreign languages towards using a Communicative Approach. It is interesting to note that this shift spans numerous centuries and develops gradually through a series of innovative foreign language teaching approaches and methods. The second chapter provides an in-depth look at this Communicative Approach. It examines the theories it is based on, the components a Communicative Language Teaching or CLT syllabus incorporates, as well as the classroom manifestations of CLT, including the types of activities used, the role of grammar, the learning resources used, the teacher's role, and the student's role. The chapter also reviews criticism levied against CLT. The third chapter examines the role of computer technology in foreign language teaching. As computers become ubiquitous, it is important to highlight the reason why computers go hand in hand with CLT; computer technology incorporates aspects of the theories which Communicative Approach is based upon. As such, computer technology should be part of the CLT classroom but only after the most effective Computer Assisted Language Learning or CALL program has been chosen. This chapter identifies criteria for the selection of effective CALL as well as identifying how to implement CALL in the classroom setting. In trying to examine CALL's overall value to CLT, the chapter also highlights some of the positive and negative attributes of CALL. The final chapter uses the terminology and approaches introduced in previous chapters and relates them to the actual panorama of Italian taught at the elementary and secondary levels in British Columbia. The driving force behind the use of the Communicative Approach and the use of computer technology in the local teaching of Italian comes from the Italian Ministero degli affari esteri, or MAE. This can be seen through MAE's foreign policy, their financial assistance, their trained personnel sent to assist local teachers of Italian, and their ongoing commitment to the teaching of Italian abroad. The chapter, through a questionnaire completed by local teachers of Italian, also tries to ascertain whether the resources offered by MAE are being used to their fullest.

The teaching of a foreign language involves the use of methods, rooted in an approach to language teaching, and often incorporates the use of technology such as computers and multimedia. In order to examine the approach, method, and use of multimedia technology in the teaching of Italian in British Columbia at the elementary and secondary levels, it is important to first define these critical elements. The first chapter examines the global shift from using a Grammar-Translation Approach to teaching foreign languages towards using a Communicative Approach. It is interesting to note that this shift spans numerous centuries and develops gradually through a series of innovative foreign language teaching approaches and methods. The second chapter provides an in-depth look at this Communicative Approach. It examines the theories it is based on, the components a Communicative Language Teaching or CLT syllabus incorporates, as well as the classroom manifestations of CLT, including the types of activities used, the role of grammar, the learning resources used, the teacher's role, and the student's role. The chapter also reviews criticism levied against CLT. The third chapter examines the role of computer technology in foreign language teaching. As computers become ubiquitous, it is important to highlight the reason why computers go hand in hand with CLT; computer technology incorporates aspects of the theories which Communicative Approach is based upon. As such, computer technology should be part of the CLT classroom but only after the most effective Computer Assisted Language Learning or CALL program has been chosen. This chapter identifies criteria for the selection of effective CALL as well as identifying how to implement CALL in the classroom setting. In trying to examine CALL's overall value to CLT, the chapter also highlights some of the positive and negative attributes of CALL. The final chapter uses the terminology and approaches introduced in previous chapters and relates them to the actual panorama of Italian taught at the elementary and secondary levels in British Columbia. The driving force behind the use of the Communicative Approach and the use of computer technology in the local teaching of Italian comes from the Italian Ministero degli affari esteri, or MAE. This can be seen through MAE's foreign policy, their financial assistance, their trained personnel sent to assist local teachers of Italian, and their ongoing commitment to the teaching of Italian abroad. The chapter, through a questionnaire completed by local teachers of Italian, also tries to ascertain whether the resources offered by MAE are being used to their fullest. / Arts, Faculty of / French, Hispanic, and Italian Studies, Department of / Graduate

La tesi si inserisce nella discussione intorno al quadro del sistema politico italiano in Germania e analizza le modalità secondo le quali viene trattata la politica italiana nella stampa tedesca “di qualità” nel periodo della cosiddetta “Seconda Repubblica”. Oltre a presentare l’immagine delle istituzioni, dei partiti e dei candidati alle elezioni politiche nei media tedeschi, il lavoro illustra l’origine della percezione e i processi comunicativi che riducono la complessità della realtà nella cronaca politica estera basandosi sulle teorie di gatekeeping, news bias, news values e framing. L’analisi del lavoro quotidiano dei comunicatori mediali (ca. 90 interviste e questionari) e la content analysis di 1.024 articoli mostrano che il quadro del sistema politico italiano nella stampa tedesca non si caratterizza tanto per una valutazione negativa della politica italiana tout court, quanto piuttosto per una forte personalizzazione – con valutazioni costantemente aggiornate – intorno alle figure dei leader politici. La tesi dimostra infine come, diversamente da quanto avviene per le questioni di politica interna, l’orientamento politico delle testate non condizioni fortemente la cronaca politica estera, bensì come ai corrispondenti venga lasciata estrema libertà nella mediazione culturale tra Italia e Germania e nella valutazione dei fatti e personaggi che compongono il complesso panorama politico italiano. / In the ongoing discourse about Italy's political image in Germany, the dissertation adds to the discussion the analysis of the modalities about how the present-day image of Italy's political system is handled in the German media during the so-called “Second Republic”. More than the illustration of Italy´s political institutions, parties and leader images in German media, the paper consults theories of gatekeeping, news bias, news values, and framing handles with the origins of the perception and in particular with the communication processes that reduce the accuracy in political foreign news. The analysis of journalist's daily work through 90 interviews / questionnaires and a content analysis of 1.024 newspaper articles shows that the media image of Italy's political system is not so much characterized as permanently negative as it is a never-ending personalization of Italy's political leaders. Finally, the dissertation shows the political orientation of newspapers in contrast to national news doesn't significantly influence foreign news. Moreover it was demonstrated the processes of perception and communication that take place in foreign news is determinant. Under these restrictions the correspondents are able to use the scope of development for writing articles and judging the events and the characters of Italy's political system.