Linguistic landscape e contesti educativi. Uno studio all’interno di alcune scuole italiane

Abstract – Linguistic Landscape (LL) is defined as the study of languages in their written form in the public space. One of the most recent and interesting developments in the field sees LL related to educational contexts. The aim of the study presented here was to observe, document and analyse the linguistic occurrences in written form on signs in a sample of Italian secondary schools. The research seeks to give a full overview of the functions of the so-called Linguistic Schoolscape, paying particular attention to the presence of immigrant languages, the characteristics of multilingual signs and the differences between top-down and bottom-up signs. The data presented here are intended to contribute to research in a number of respects: to the development of LL studies in school structures, towards a greater understanding of language dynamics within Italian schools and as a contribution to educational research. The Italian school is in a moment of great linguistic turmoil due to many factors, such as the high number of first and second generation immigrant pupils and the pressure from the Council of Europe, which is pushing for plurilingual and intercultural education to be implemented. The observation of the LL of classrooms and corridors appears to be a useful tool in order to obtain a first picture of how these factors influence and find space within the school walls