Learn Italian in Florence

Elle::due Language Training Centre, Tuscany:
Our language consultancy, based in Florence, northern Italy, was set up in 1984. We started as language teachers collaborating with many schools and universities. Seeing as we wanted our teaching vision and beliefs to be wholly put into practice, we decided to open our own school where we could put our expertise and teaching mechanisms into practise.

My Italian courses; Business Italian; Special Purposes Italian; Single Skill Training; Italian through Content; Cookery ; "A fresco" and/or Watercolour

Here are 10 reasons for choosing one-to-one:

1. One-to-one is the number one choice for a personalized learning.

2. "One-to-one is essentially natural, the basic unit of our daily communication. Its essence is lack of artifice" (Peter Wilberg).

3. One-to-one makes it possible, and necessary, to go at the student's own pace. Lessons are handled according to your personality, level and learning style.

4. In one-to-one you learn by communicating with your teacher, so you learn twice: through your teacher's teaching and through a constant flow of communication.

5. In one-to-one all teaching material is tailor-made to suit the individual; you can have customized self-access extra work.

6. In one-to-one you can plan your course and schedule with your teacher; you can take breaks any time; you can have your teacher arrange visits and trips.

7. In one-to-one you can have a really conversation-based course.

8. In one-to-one your expectations, wishes, tastes and preferences are constantly taken into account. Part of your teacher's job is to help you to identify your language needs.

9. In one-to-one you can learn what to do when you feel stuck or blocked from forward movement in your Italian.

10. In one-to-one you learn faster. Think: could that possibly also mean an overall cost reduction for your "Italian Project"... ?

One-to-one teaching is different from class teaching. However they do have something in common. These "tips about our methods" are general enough to cover what our teachers are trained to do wether in one-to-one, two-to-one or group setting.

▪The teacher speaks only Italian during the lesson. With beginners important communications or feedback can be given/received, in a shared language, at the beginning or at the end of the lesson.

▪ What beginners are trained to learn first is what to do and what to say when they don't understand and when they are not understood.

▪ We do not adopt a specific textbook. We use carefully selected authentic materials for reading and listening activities. We create stimulating opportunities for talking and writing. The learning experiences are planned in every detail.

▪ We give students a concise Italian grammar booklet for personal consultation. However we tend to have students build their own grammar sheets as part of their learning. At the end of the course a dossier, including all materials employed or created by the student, document and illustrate her/his achievements and experiences.

▪ We do not adopt fixed programmes for each level. We think that the learning experience will be more successful if it is negotiated by the teacher and the students. What will be learned will be in any case different from person to person.

▪ The teacher's first aim is to enable learners to take as much responsibility for their learning as they can.

▪ The learning activities are of two types: "free" and "controlled". Free activities are when the student focuses on meaning and use, on fluency, on communication (while reading, talking, listening, and writing). Controlled activities are when the students focus on form and accuracy (ie on "grammar").

▪ The teacher never corrects the student during free activities. The student is encouraged to take the plunge. Feedback sessions are proposed to talk about the experience.