English for Young Learners from Pre-school to Lower Secondary: a CLIL Teacher Training Project in Italian Schools

This collection of essays examines English language learning in formal education contexts from pre-school to lower secondary level. Focused on an in-service teacher education project that aimed to enhance the teaching of English in a group of schools, it takes into account the perspectives of multiple stakeholders – heads of school, teachers, parents and children. Its novelty lies in the variety of themes it covers, such as the account of a vertical implementation of a Content and Language Integrated Learning (CLIL) project at three school levels, teachers’ attitudes to using picturebooks in L2 settings, cultural differences in the presentation of content in textbooks, and the role of the native language assistant. “English for Young Learners” makes a valid contribution to research on a matter of crucial importance in Italian education in the 21st century, the improvement of the teaching and learning of English. It will be of interest to student teachers, educators, practitioners and researchers.