Scheduled Classes

percorsoItaliano periodically publishes a program of small classes with scheduled days and times for beginner, intermediate, and advanced students. Our three main terms are fall (September/October-December), winter (January-March), and spring (April-June). During these sessions, we offer 5- and 9-week classes for all levels. In the summer, we typically offer Conversation and Review classes.

Classes are held in Seattle in a cozy, contemporary setting in Laurelhurst, near University Village. Classes are small and lively; in addition to textbooks, we use our own materials and incorporate conversation into the curriculum. Classes are taught primarily to adults of all ages from diverse backgrounds—artists, musicians, actors, writers, editors, physicians, lawyers, engineers, cooks, college students, and retirees. Classes are also taught to high school and college students. Italian coffee and tea are served at every session. 

Because class sizes are small and interactive, students have the chance to ask questions, go over homework, be involved in their learning experience, and foster camaraderie. There are a total of 9 First Steps levels that provide you with a solid foundation and show you how much fun learning a new language can be. We emphasize the importance of immersion and comprehension from the beginning, so starting from the first class of First Steps 1, you will be spoken to in nearly all Italian. Students who come out of the First Steps series can hold their own.

Let's take a trip with the tenses with TRAVELING WITH VERBS! During this ten-week class, students will engage in spoken and written activities using mainly the past simple and past perfect simple of the verbi regolari e irregolari, verbi riflessivi, verbi modali (potere, dovere, volere). During this 10-week class, students will learn to coordinate the various tenses, chatting, reading, and writing about personal experiences.

In the ADVANCED series, students will develop their Italian conversation skills, enrich their vocabulary, and get a deeper knowledge of Italy and its culture through readings, videos, and short film clips from recent Italian movies. During this 10-week session, we will engage in activities that stimulate observation, reflection, and comprehension, progressively improving grammar and language skills through exercises, group activities, and discussion. Students will gradually learn vocabulary and use it repetitively through various creative exercises.

In our NEWS AND FUN FACTS class, students converse in Italian for pleasure while learning more about the diversity of Italy and what it is to be Italian. Students will be exposed to a more communicative approach to Italian (with less focus on grammar).

In this interactive class, brief up-to-date articles and audio will be presented to stimulate conversation. Students will explore contemporary life in Italy through various topics—the arts, travel, cinema, sport, cuisine, and pop culture. The audio recordings allow students to improve comprehension as well as increase their exposure to different native Italian accents. The grammar will be explained through various exercises as students cover the material.

In our ITALIAN THROUGH FILM class, students will explore different levels of conversation and comprehension through film. In addition to viewing various sequences of recently released Italian films, students will complete comprehension exercises, grammar activities, and vocabulary builders to increase their knowledge of the language. Different aspects of Italian history and culture will be explored. This class is ideal for students who have completed the study of Italian grammar and want to increase their knowledge of speaking, reading, writing, and comprehending the language.