Diatopic varieties in the E/LE classroom in Italy: from the perceptions and beliefs of Italophone students to the adoption of an inclusive and pluricentric approach

This doctoral dissertation investigates the intersections between sociolinguistics and foreign language education, with a focus on the diatopic diversity of the Spanish language and its integration into Italian university classrooms. The study is structured in five chapters combining theoretical reflection, empirical research, and pedagogical proposals aimed at including American varieties of Spanish in the teaching of Spanish as a foreign language (E/LE). The first chapter offers a global overview of Spanish diatopic variation, describing eight major geolectal areas, their historical-cultural connections, and the language’s expansion beyond traditional territories. The second chapter analyzes the spread of Spanish in Italy, exploring the benefits and challenges of teaching a cognate language to Italian speakers. The third chapter presents the findings of a field study conducted with university students studying Spanish as a foreign language. The research assesses their linguistic awareness and perceptions of Spanish variation. Results indicate a marked preference for Castilian Spanish, which emerges as the dominant classroom model. This tendency reinforces the hegemony of central-northern Peninsular Spanish in the Italian educational context, revealing widespread biases and stereotypes—particularly against American varieties, often associated with informality and incorrectness. Building on these findings, the fourth chapter proposes theoretical and practical strategies to integrate general features of American Spanish into the E/LE classroom. Suggested approaches include the use of digital tools, audiovisual materials, and gamified tasks to stimulate metalinguistic awareness and prepare students for diverse communicative contexts. The fifth and final chapter offers a set of practical classroom activities designed to explore five major American macro-varieties. In conclusion, this dissertation emphasizes the need to incorporate linguistic diversity into Spanish language teaching in Italy, proposing a didactic model that fosters both linguistic competence and intercultural sensitivity, aligned with Spanish’s current pluricentric status.