An American Wordless Picturebook in Italian Classrooms: Inspiring Global Connections of People, Places, and Environments

ABSTRACT

What happens when five teacher candidates and their professor bring a wordless picturebook into Italian classrooms? This article presents a grounded discussion of our immersive experiences from the United States and the minilessons they taught stemming from a piece of children's literature through our study abroad program in Italy. The opening of Italian classroom doors provided reflective observations of the critical and creative thinking processes of more than 200 Italian students (ages 7–16). We (one professor and five early childhood and special education teacher candidates) taught minilessons in five Italian schools during a monthlong study abroad program offered by our university (further described in Author 1, 2017). Although this project was conducted in Italy, we have since used this minilesson successfully in our own classes, and we invite you to adapt our use to fit your teaching.

KEYWORDS:

• Children's literature
• global classrooms
• People, Places and Environments
• social studies

Acknowledgments

We offer sincere appreciation to Elena Roulett (teacher) and students of Institut Régional Agriculture, teachers and students from Scuola Elementare Luigi Einaudi, and Scuola St. Roch-Ponte di Pietra Aosta, Italy, Sindico (mayor) Emilia Muratore, Fabricio Lolli (headmaster), teachers and students of Scuola Primaria De Amicis; and friends, Vittorio, Silvana, and Gigliola Miani of Marano sul Panaro, Italy. These classroom interactions would not have been possible without their assistance.