ABSTRACT
Italy underwent radical social change in the 1980s and 1990s, becoming one of the most popular destinations of migratory routes in Europe. Italy have led to new dynamics of language transmission and to high levels of mobility and innovation in language repertoires, fostered by the typological proximity between the minority language (Spanish) and the dominant language (Italian). The chapter aims to highlight the important role Latinos in Italy play in performing new multiple identities and in innovating linguistic practices within the globalized and transnational Spanish speaking world. The Spanish in-motion, a dynamic language is able not only to adapt to local contexts, but also to reshape and influence them. The chapter offers an overview of Spanish as a heritage/minority language in educational settings, analyzing it in relation to Italian language policies. Despite a growing awareness of plurilingual schooling, no educational policy currently exists that fosters the maintenance and development of Spanish as a heritage language (SHL).
