Photo of Masciello, Clelia

Clelia Masciello, Ph.D

Visiting Lecturer of Italian

Faculty Advisor for the Italian Club at UIC.

Hispanic and Italian Studies

Contact

Building & Room:

UH 1828

About

Dr. Masciello is a Visiting Lecturer of Italian in the Department of Hispanic and Italian Studies at the University of Illinois Chicago. She specializes in Italian language and literature and has a Ph.D. in Romance Languages from the University of Chicago. With over 20 years of teaching experience, Dr. Masciello is deeply committed to language education and cultural immersion.

Thanks to her valuable expertise in curriculum development, Dr. Masciello's contributions to the program were immediate and impactful, allowing for a comprehensive and engaging learning experience for students. She integrated modern digital platforms and assisted in the language curriculum overhaul based on an innovative action-based pedagogy. Her teaching repertoire and Italian culture and literature courses extend from beginner to advanced levels. She is passionate about innovative and engaging methodologies. Her research explores the use of ludic approaches in daily instruction and the incorporation of graphic novels in language classes to promote cultural understanding and intercultural literacy. Additionally, she is interested in the implementation of Universal Design for Learning and in technology-enhanced communicative language instruction.

In her classes, Dr. Masciello combines her vast experience with a commitment to creating an inclusive and dynamic learning environment that places learners at the center and aims to foster students’ deep appreciation of the Italian language and culture. Dr. Masciello has also honed her skills in online language teaching through extensive pedagogical training.

Beyond her academic contributions, Dr. Masciello is the Faculty Advisor for the Italian Club at UIC. Her dedication was instrumental in revitalizing the club following a hiatus due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Under her guidance, the club has seen a resurgence in activities and student engagement, fostering a vibrant community for Italian culture and language enthusiasts.

Education

2013 Ph.D., Italian Language and Literature, University of Chicago

Dissertation: “Donne in guerra. Agnese: agnello sacrificale della Resistenza o
figura ancestrale dell’emancipazione femminile? Il contributo della Resistenza femminile
all’emancipazione della donna.”

Committee: Rebecca West (Chair), Armando Maggi, Rocco Rubini

1999 M.A., Humanities with a concentration in Italian Studies, Florida State University

1997 B.A., International Affairs and Italian, summa cum laude, Florida State University