Dr Carmen Silvestri

Email:
c.silvestri@reading.ac.uk
Phone:
100
Job title:
Research Associate

Areas of interest

My research interests are in language policies and practices in primary education and in community settings, especially in relation to the maintenance and development of heritage languages and the processes of identity negotiation in multilingual and multicultural settings. I make use of a range of qualitative approaches for investigating language policies and ideologies and I combine them with elements of quantitative research. Driven by policy-oriented objectives, I approach academic research with principles of active citizenship and collaboration.

Research centres and groups

Centre for Literacy and Multilingualism (CeLM)

Research projects

Progression in Primary Languages with Rowena Kasprowicz (Principal Investigator)

The Progression in Primary Languages project is a four-year, longitudinal study exploring language learning in primary school. We are working with primary schools across England, who teach French, German, or Spanish, to track children's linguistic progression throughout Key Stage 2 (age 7 to 11). Over four years, we will build a detailed picture of how children’s language knowledge develops and the individual and contextual factors that affect children’s language learning. The project is funded through a UKRI Future Leaders Fellowship.

The new Italian migration to the UK: experiences, challenges and the role of education [2025-ongoing]

Integrating demographic trends with personal narratives, this study will explore Italian migration to the UK since the 2008 financial crisis. It will examine motivations for migration from Italy, reasons for remaining in the UK, and the everyday social lives and community dynamics of Italian migrants, paying particular attention to the diversity of educational backgrounds within the Italian diaspora.

European heritage languages in primary schools: understanding identity and pedagogy in multilingual London (AHRC scholarship ) [2020-2023]

The project explored the interplay between multilingual pedagogies and transnational identities in post-Brexit England, focusing on the Italian community. The ethnographic study conducted in an Italian complementary school in London examined heritage language maintenance and education, language policies and practices, and critical pedagogies.

Background

Since 2010, I have taught Italian and Spanish as foreign and heritage languages across five countries (Italy, Syria, Turkey, Morocco, and the UK) in bilingual, mainstream, and complementary schools. I hold a degree in Linguistics and Cultural Mediation with a focus on educational linguistics, and a Master's in Near Eastern Languages & Civilisations, specializing in Semitic philology and anthropology. My PhD research at the University of Essex was a linguistic ethnographic study of an Italian complementary school in London, examining multilingual identities and pedagogies through the lens of linguistics, anthropology, and education. As a social activist, I advocate for multilingualism as a tool for social justice and equity.

Academic qualifications

PhD (2024) in Applied Linguistics, University of Essex
MA (Distinction) (2014) in Near Eastern Languages & Civilisations, University of Florence
BA (Hons) (2012) in Linguistics and Cultural Mediation, University for Foreigners of Siena

Awards and honours

2025 – ‘’ award. Winner for the Social Sciences and Humanities category

Professional bodies/affiliations

Coalition for Language Education, Co-coordinating Member ()
National Association for Language Development in the Curriculum (NALDIC), Executive Committee ()
Manifesto di Londra (Italian cultural association), Executive Committee
British Association of Applied Linguistics (BAAL), Membership
Association of Italian Scientists in the UK (AISUK), Membership

Selected publications

Silvestri, C., Pisauro, A., Pepe, G., Lasagni, G., Hammoud-Gallego, O., Cavaliere, I., & Brondolin, M. (2025). Inghilterra e Galles. Radici mobili: vent’anni di migrazione italiana [England and Wales. Shifting roots: Twenty years of Italian migration]. In D. Licata (Ed.), RIM Rapporto Italiani nel Mondo 2025. Speciale Oltre la Fuga. (pp. 435–450). Tau Editore.

Brondolin, M., Filauri, F., Pisauro, A., & Silvestri, C. (2024). Regno Unito. Italiani tra cittadinanza e identità in un mosaico di esperienze, generazioni e culture. [United Kingdom. Italians between citizenship and identity in a mosaic of experiences, generations and cultures]. In D. Licata (Ed.), RIM Rapporto Italiani nel Mondo 2024. Speciale Cittadinanza (pp. 440–456). Tau Editore.

Silvestri, C. (2023) Heritage languages in complementary schools, EAL Journal (19), p.46-47

Silvestri, C., Pepe, G. (2022, June 8) No-vax, yes-vax: a sociolinguistic perspective on vaccine discourse in Italy, Strictly Language

Silvestri, C. (2015) A Story of Italian Heritage: Jewry, Christianity & Secularisation. Common Ground Magazine (CCJ, Winter 2015/2016), pp.23-25

Enterprise Activity, External Roles and Consultancy

National Association for Language Development in the Curriculum (NALDIC), Blog Lead (Publications Committee)
Reviewer for Language and Education, Sentio

Conference Presentations

Invited

2025 - ‘Presentazione del Rapporto Italiani nel Mondo 2024’[Presentation of the 2024 Italians in the World Report], presented at the Italian Consulate of London, 20th January 2025 (public event)
2024 - ‘Building a new coalition for language education’, presented with Dr Declan Flanagan, Dr Yvonne Foley, Conrad Heyns, Tom Lichy, Professor Ben Rampton, Dr Mel Cooke and Professor Ros Mitchell at the British Association for Applied Linguistics, 57th Annual Conference (BAAL 2024), University of Essex
2024 - ‘L’italiano come lingua d’origine: uno studio etnografico’ [Italian as a heritage language: an ethnographic study], presented at the Italian Consulate of London, 10th May 2024 (public event)
2023 - Book launch “New Migrations, New Multilingual Practices, New Identities” by Giulia Pepe, University of Westminster, invited panellist with Professor Adriana Patiño, Dr Siria Guzzo and the Italian consul, Diego Solinas.
2022 - ‘Researching multilingualism in the family and in complementary schools: methodological explorations’, opening session of the WFLL- Westminster Forum for Language and Linguistics Research Seminar at the University of Westminster

Conferences

2025 - ‘Parental attitudes towards foreign language education in England’s primary schools: Insights from multilingual families.’ Presented by R. E. Kasprowicz & C. Silvestri at the British Association of Applied Linguistics Annual Conference 2025, University of Glasgow.
2025 - ‘Primary languages in post-Brexit England: Navigating policy and practice, exploring ambitions and constraints.’ Presented by C. Silvestri & R. E. Kasprowicz at the British Association of Applied Linguistics Annual Conference 2025, University of Glasgow.
2024 - ‘Legitimising minority language and identity options: critical pedagogies in complementary school’ Paper presented at the British Association for Applied Linguistics, 57th Annual Conference (BAAL 2024), University of Essex
2024 - ‘Motivation and young language learners: the role of age and school factors’ Paper presented with Dr Hannah Davidson, Dr Nicola Morea, Ms Jasmin Silver and Professor Suzanne Graham at the British Association for Applied Linguistics, 57th Annual Conference (BAAL 2024), University of Essex
2022 - ‘Multilingualism in the family and in complementary schools: methodological explorations’. Paper presented at the Bringing the Outside In Conference, University of Essex
2022 - ‘Multilingualism in the family: exploring children’s agency and shared practices’. Poster presented at LingO 2022 Conference, University of Oxford and Paper presented at 16th LangUE Conference, University of Essex
2021 - ‘Collaboration and Community’. Colloquium organised with the CHASE Education Network for the Virtual CHASE Encounters Conference 2021
2020 - ‘European Heritage Languages: Understanding Identity in Multilingual London’. Paper presented at the CHASE Encounters Conference 2020

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