Sara Mattavelli

Dr. Sara Mattavelli is an Assistant Professor and Director of the Italian Studies Program at Chapman University within the Wilkinson College of Arts, Humanities, and Social Sciences. She is affiliated with the World Languages and Cultures department, where she teaches language and culture courses at various levels and advises the Italian Club.

• Education
  • PhD in Italian with a Minor in Second Language Acquisition from University of Wisconsin-Madison
  • Master of Arts from University of Virginia
  • Laurea magistrale in Language Sciences and Foreign Literature from Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore (Milan, Italy)

Her research focuses on second language acquisition, literacy-based instructional methods, translanguaging, and contemporary Italian literature. Her pedagogical practice integrates the communicative approach and multiliteracies framework, emphasizing scaffolded activities to balance content and form. She prioritizes diversity, equity, and inclusion in course design to accommodate diverse learners and accessibility needs.