reggio emilia: meaning, definition, pronunciation and examples
Low (outside of educational contexts)Formal, technical (in educational contexts)
Quick answer
What does “reggio emilia” mean?
A city in northern Italy, known for its historical architecture, gastronomy, and manufacturing industries.
Audio
Pronunciation
Definition
Meaning and Definition
A city in northern Italy, known for its historical architecture, gastronomy, and manufacturing industries.
Primarily refers to the educational philosophy for early childhood education, known as the Reggio Emilia approach, which originated in municipal preschools of the Italian city of the same name.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
No significant differences in usage. The term is international in educational discourse.
Connotations
Neutral for the city; strongly positive and progressive in educational contexts.
Frequency
Equally low frequency in both varieties as a geographical term. Equally common in educational literature in both varieties.
Grammar
How to Use “reggio emilia” in a Sentence
[be] inspired by Reggio Emilia[follow] the Reggio Emilia approach[implement] Reggio Emilia principlesVocabulary
Collocations
Examples
Examples of “reggio emilia” in a Sentence
adjective
British English
- The nursery has a distinctly Reggio Emilia ethos.
- We are aiming for a more Reggio Emilia-style environment.
American English
- The preschool uses Reggio Emilia methods.
- It's a Reggio Emilia-inspired classroom.
Usage
Meaning in Context
Business
Rare, except in contexts of educational publishing or consultancy.
Academic
Common in pedagogy, early childhood education, and sociology of education literature.
Everyday
Very rare, unless discussing preschool education.
Technical
Standard term in educational theory and practice.
Vocabulary
Synonyms of “reggio emilia”
Strong
Neutral
Weak
Vocabulary
Antonyms of “reggio emilia”
Watch out
Common Mistakes When Using “reggio emilia”
- Misspelling as 'Regio Emilia' or 'Reggio Emelia'.
- Using it as a countable noun (e.g., 'a Reggio Emilia') instead of a proper noun modifier.
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
Primarily, yes, but in international English, it is far more commonly used to refer to the educational philosophy that started there.
No, it's a modifier. You should say 'a Reggio Emilia school' or 'a school using the Reggio Emilia approach'.
No, the usage is identical in both varieties, as it is a specialised, international term in education.
Yes, always. It is a proper noun (the city's name) and a proper noun modifier derived from it.
A city in northern Italy, known for its historical architecture, gastronomy, and manufacturing industries.
Reggio emilia is usually formal, technical (in educational contexts) in register.
Reggio emilia: in British English it is pronounced /ˌrɛdʒiəʊ eɪˈmiːliə/, and in American English it is pronounced /ˌrɛdʒioʊ əˈmiːliə/. Tap the audio buttons above to hear it.
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “It's not a Reggio Emilia school, but... (used to contrast educational settings)”
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Think of REggio Emilia: RE stands for 'Respectful Education' for young children.
Conceptual Metaphor
THE CHILD IS A COMPETENT RESEARCHER (core metaphor of the educational philosophy).
Practice
Quiz
In which context is 'Reggio Emilia' most commonly used in English?