Philosophy and Approach
After teaching Italian for many years at several major language institutes in Our typical students are working professionals, busy moms, and people who don’t always have the luxury of studying two or three hours a day. In the past, I realized that, at the end of the each quarter or year, many people felt like they were left in a daze. They had learned something, or even a lot, but the program, in an effort to keep up with a “standard” curriculum, was just too fast. Therefore, I decided to postpone an in-depth study of the subjunctive and other forms to the second year. Classes are still somewhat fast paced but there is no hurry to cover every single grammar issue in the first year. My philosophy is that, in the end, people need to be comfortable enough to express themselves and communicate in Italian even if every verb combination is not exactly perfect. I cannot stress enough how important grammar is. In fact, every lesson formally introduces it, discusses it, and drills on it. Italian as a language strongly relies on complex grammar structures which ought to be learned. However, grammar per se should not replace practice. Practice, practice, practice. My students have heard this a million times from me, but guess what? It works. A certain amount of homework is expected particularly from students in group classes. Group classes need to stick to the program as closely as possible and students need to be, well, on the same page. Short tests will be regularly administered and corrected in class to gauge the progress of the class and, more importantly, to understand what should be reviewed and what has been effectively learned. Instructors are Italian native-speakers and Italian is used almost exclusively in class. Exceptions are made to explain some grammar points so that the class will move forward expeditiously. I’m so much looking forward to having you in one of my classes! Signing up for group classes
Please send a check for the full amount of tuition to:
Nuovo Centro Italiano
340 15th Avenue E. Ste 300
Seattle, WA 98112
Please make the check out to "Nuovo Centro Italiano". We will hold on to the check until we are sure the class is a go. Please include your name and contact information (phone number and email address). We will keep you posted on the status of the class.
Kindly call ahead if you plan on just showing up the day of class to confirm that the class is starting as scheduled or if there are enough spots left.
