Come insegniamo
percorsoItaliano teaches Italian in a very practical, amusing, and relaxed way. Although our teachers use various materials, including textbooks, the focus is always on practical and realistic Italian as spoken in everyday conversation. percorsoItaliano encourages spontaneous conversation emphasizing correct pronunciation, and Italian is spoken from the first day of class. Students will learn and practice grammar and conversation using films, literature, art, cooking, and games.
After teaching for many years and presenting curriculum in a more standardized, college-curriculum manner, we were eager to adapt the material to make it most effective for our students. There are no exams to cram for, no grades, and no pressure to “pass” a class. We take our time and present the material gradually and more in depth, so students can absorb knowledge and not feel overwhelmed by grammar rules and tests. In addition to using a textbook to highlight the fundamentals of grammar, we supplement materials with our own exercises, videos, audio clips, and more. Also, we often introduce a short story into the curriculum to allow students to practice reading, comprehension, writing, and conversation.
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We regularly incorporate technology into the classroom. This allows us to give students a window into the culture by supplementing the textbook with a more engaging approach. If students are studying the region of Sicily, we might share a video on how to prepare a Sicilian recipe, or if we’re focusing on conversation and upcoming travel to Italy, we might show a video on how to order a drink in a bar. In our Italian through Film class, we view excerpts of the current movie we’re studying to give students the chance to review a scene in depth and go over any questions they have. In our News and Fun Facts course, if the week’s article discusses a particular Italian singer, we’ll listen to the song in class and go over the lyrics.
All percorsoItaliano teachers are members of the American Council on the Teaching of Foreign Languages (ACTFL). They attend conferences yearly, where experts in foreign language instruction come together to share ideas and advances in teaching technology and social media. We believe in staying up to date on the latest resources that are available to language teachers, and we enjoy having the opportunity to learn more about what we can use in the classroom.
“The multiple methods used for teaching Italian meet the needs of different kinds of learners and keeps the classes interesting.”