Intercomprehension for Specific Purposes: Tourism in Rural Areas
Overview
The Intercomprehension for Specific Purposes: Tourism in Rural Areas Blended Intensive Programme (BIP) is organized by the University of Turin (Italy) in collaboration with:
- University of Savoie Mont Blanc (France)
- University of Pau (France)
The programme focuses on intercomprehension within the Romance language family, with specific application to Language for Specific Purposes (LSP) in the field of tourism in rural areas.
Objectives and programme description
Intercomprehension is a communicative approach where several languages of the same linguistic family are studied and used in parallel. These languages are related either to the learner’s mother tongue (or language of education) or to a language already learnt.
The approach systematically focuses on receptive skills, as developing comprehension is considered the most tangible way of using knowledge of a related language to learn a new one.
A distinguishing feature of this approach is that whole linguistic families (the Romance family, in this case) are the object of learning activities. The only pre-condition is that learners must already master one of the languages, either as their mother tongue or as a second language.
During the intensive week, students consolidate knowledge and skills developed during the online component of the BIP. They focus on techniques and principles of Intercomprehension (IC) in Language for Specific Purposes (LSP), specifically in the context of tourism in rural areas.
Activities include participation in content classes using video recordings, simulations, or actual classes depending on availability.
Interdisciplinary approach
The programme integrates:
- Intercomprehension (IC)
- language acquisition
- Language for Specific Purposes (LSP)
- multilingual and multicultural approaches in tourism-related disciplines
Teaching methods and learning outcomes
Virtual training component
The virtual activities are carried out autonomously by students and are based on the plurilingual online course “Elementi di Intercomprensione”, freely available on the Start@Unito platform.
A first meeting is organized to explain the syllabus, goals and requirements of the course. Two additional online meetings are held to monitor students’ progress and propose collaborative tasks and exercises.
Physical component
During the intensive week, activities include:
- IC warm-up sessions
- IC back to basics
- task-based activities (general and LSP-oriented)
- IC and LSP sessions
- reading strategies
- LSP classes
- outdoor activity IC
- mountain hikes
- one night in a mountain refuge
Students are required to bring a sleeping bag and appropriate trekking gear (hiking boots, suitable clothing, sun protection).
Students:
- consolidate knowledge and skills developed during the online component
- develop techniques and principles of IC applied to LSP contexts
- apply reading strategies and task-based methodologies
- engage in multilingual and multicultural communication in tourism-related contexts.
General information
Language acquisition, Intercomprehension.
English and UNITA official languages.
Requirement: knowledge of one of the Romance languages.
4 ECTS
Undergraduate / postgraduate / PhD students of disciplines related to tourism in rural areas and interested in a multilingual and multicultural dimension.
Key dates and location
- First general meeting: between 03/06/2026 and 22/06/2026
- Two additional meetings: between 06/07/2026 and 17/07/2026
- 29/06/2026 – 03/07/2026
- Location: Turin
Provisional programme
| 30/06/24 | 1/07/24 | 2/07/24 | 3/07/24 | 4/07/24 | |
| 9.30-10.00 | Welcoming session | IC warm up | IC warm up | IC warm up | Outdoor activity IC task-based activity (LSP |
| 10.00-11.15 | IC back to basics | IC task-based activity (general) | IC task-based activity (general) | IC task-based activity (LSP) | |
| 11.30-12.30 | IC back to basics | IC and LSP Reading strategies | IC and LSP Reading strategies | IC and LSP Reading strategies | |
| 12.30-14.30 | break | break | break | break | |
| 14.30-16.00 | Task-based activity (general) | LSP class + tasks | Outdoor activity IC warm up | LSP class + tasks feedback IC warm up |
Organising institutions
- Host University:
University of Turin, Italy
Contact: Elisa Corino – [email protected]
- Partner Universities
University of Savoie Mont Blanc (France)
University of Pau (France)
Nomination can be sent to [email protected] by 30/04/2025.