What is the best way to consolidate a newly learned language? What is the best way to become fluent and enjoy this language?
To speak it, trust me!
But how can we speak the language if we don’t know where to start?
Fluency classes’ purpose is to provide my students with a structured ‘language gym’ with language aids (vocabularies and sentence structures), my assistance and a relaxed environment to practise. These kinds of classes are always small sized to minimise ‘performance anxiety’ and maximise individual attention. As we learn a lot from our mistakes, they are welcome as great resources from which everyone can benefit. After each lesson students can go over the notes and all the resources we used. In fact, I will email everything after the lesson, including some voluntary homework.
Students can do some voluntary homework to revise the lesson and they can email it on to me. I will check it and email them back with corrections. In this way we won’t use our precious Fluency class time to check it, and those who decide to do it will benefit from their individual feedback.
Fluency classes are different levels, so that all students can find their ‘language gym’ to practise depending on their own level and needs.
The idea behind Fluency classes comes from my personal experience, not only as a teacher, but especially as a language learner. Italian is my native language, but I learned French and English as an adult and I have been learning Gaeilge for a while…
My language learning experiences have led me to develop these fluency classes to fill the gap between learning the individual elements of a language, and being able to use it fluently while enjoying the great experience of speaking it!
I received a few text messages this week from my Leaving Cert students… they all did very well and one of them passed it with H1: Complimenti Emma!
It took me a long time to go through the Italian -> Irish credential translation process be registered as a teacher by the Irish Teaching Council, but it was especially important to have it this year. Especially when the Leaving Cert was cancelled because of Covid 19 and because of my Teaching council registration I became a primary source of evaluation for the students I was preparing (and giving grinds) for the Leaving certificate under the current government marking scheme.
I achieved my masters degree in Educational Sciences from the University of Turin and, as I was a mature student, I really knew what I wanted: to be a teacher and to pass on to my students the joy of studying, learning and empowering their lives through it. I have been a teacher for more than 20 years, but for the last 11 of them, I have been teaching Italian in Cork. Italian for adult education (College of Commerce, Dante Alighieri and ItalianCork), Italian for children (primary schools and Piccolitalia) and Italian for Leaving Cert preparation. I have been constantly refining my methodologies, sharpening my tools and winning over my students’ motivation 😉
Giving our children the opportunity to learn one or more languages is a great advantage not only for future work opportunities and travel, but for their Leaving Cert. A couple of years ago, Jack, one of my Leaving Cert students, told me something remarkably interesting: ‘I am very lucky Carolina (he was talking to me in Italian, obviously) because I know many languages. I am not as stressed out as my classmates and I don’t have to work as hard as they do’. In fact, he took French, Italian, Spanish and Irish for his Leaving Cert and and passed all of them brilliantly.
When starting early enough, lessons can be spaced out without overburdening parents and students. In fact, they can learn and enjoy their Italian daily, effortlessly and in a fun way through games, and interactive tasks in the comfort of their homes. Nowadays, we can even have our lessons online as they work very well. Their Leaving Cert preparation starts from day one though without them even knowing it. Every single word, verb and idiomatic expression we learn is thought out to gain higher marks. And we get to the exam completely ready and unstressed! Just remember, the sooner the easier.
If you are interested in your children taking up Italian, just get in touch (carolina@italiancork.com or 0879588375) but remember that spaces are limited and that… the sooner, the better 😉
Only two of our six new classes have places remaining
Upper Beginners Fluency Plus Class
Starts Wednesday August 19th 7 lessons – €80
Our regular Fluency Classes are designed to provide a relaxed and fun environment where we use our Italian as much as we can. Mistakes are very welcome as they are great opportunities to improve everyone’s Italian. For this reason we work in pairs and small groups (classes are limited to a maximum of 10 students) not only to ensure that everyone will actively take part in the class but also to minimize ‘performance anxiety’. During our next 7 classes we are going to work on conversational tasks which are practical, useful and fun: ask for information, buy train tickets (and get on the right train), buy bus tickets, talk about ourselves and the weather. We will watch videos and listen to audio to work on our listening and comprehension skills, learn new vocabulary and idioms. Role playing will give us the opportunity to put in practise all we learn and have a bit of fun with it! Fluency Plus means that there is a bit of grammar included in our classes. An ‘easy to digest’ pill before starting our conversational activities. In fact, we will have some grammar to consolidate what we learned in our Beginners Class. Therefore, we will ease our way into our conversation mode and we will also get ready for our next Continuation Class, starting in October.
Intermediate Fluency Class
Starts Tuesday August 18th 7 lessons – €80 Best suited to students who have previously completed Continuation class (2 modules), or an Intermediate class or are already fluent in another romance language, We will be working on the past tense, our vocabulary, useful expressions and Italian idioms. At the start of each lesson we will do activities to revise the previous lesson. There will be no grammar but just reminders as we go. We will use real life situations to solve problems such as renting a house, or asking for information to become more fluent and confident in our Italian
How do our online classes work For our online classes, we are using a fabulous new video teaching tool (Zoom) that allows students to join and interact remotely. It even allows me to break the class into little breakout groups for conversation practice, allows me to go from group to group advising and assisting and then bring everyone back together just like in a regular class. The tool has a free app for whatever devices you prefer (phone, tablet, computer, laptop) that is simple to install and use (links and instructions provided). A few minutes before each lesson, you will receive a link for our class by email that will magically transport you to our virtual classroom (like teleportation in Star Trek).
What makes them great I wasn’t sure how well it would work before I tried it but now I love it and having taught all my classes using it for a couple of weeks, my students really love it to. Some have even said they prefer it to regular classes. And not just because of the social distancing, there are a number of other advantages that I hadn’t thought about either:
All the notes I write in class o the whiteboard (notes, new words, grammar references) are automatically saved by the program. You can see them in the app when I write them but I also email them to you after class as a reference.
No more missing out on what I or other students say because your too far away from them. You just turn up the volume. The sound and video are fantastic quality
I can share all the documents, grammar pages, newspapers and reference material directly so they just pop up on screen for you. I can also make notes on them directly and of course email them all to you after class
Sit in your favourite chair, have a cup of tea (or vino) and relax during class. And wear whatever you want. We learn best when we are comfortable
We can watch movies and other videos, play games directly through the app. We don’t even need to switch off the light
The App is free, no login or signup process, no technical ability required
For our online classes, we are using a fabulous new video teaching tool (Zoom) that allows students to join and interact remotely. It even allows me to break the class into little breakout groups for conversation practice, allows me to go from group to group advising and assisting and then bring everyone back together just like in a regular class. The tool has a free app for whatever devices you prefer (phone, tablet, computer, laptop) that is simple to install and use (links and instructions provided). A few minutes before each lesson, you will receive a link for our class by email that will magically transport you to our virtual classroom (like teleportation in Star Trek).
What makes them great
I wasn’t sure how well it would work before I tried it but now I love it and having taught all my classes using it for a couple of weeks, my students really love it to. Some have even said they prefer it to regular classes. And not just because of the social distancing, there are a number of other advantages that I hadn’t thought about either:
All the notes I write in class o the whiteboard (notes, new words, grammar references) are automatically saved by the program. You can see them in the app when I write them but I also email them to you after class as a reference.
No more missing out on what I or other students say because your too far away from them. You just turn up the volume. The sound and video are fantastic quality
I can share all the documents, grammar pages, newspapers and reference material directly so they just pop up on screen for you. I can also make notes on them directly and of course email them all to you after class
Sit in your favourite chair, have a cup of tea (or vino) and relax during class. And wear whatever you want. We learn best when we are comfortable
We can watch movies and other videos, play games directly through the app. We don’t even need to switch off the light
The App is free, no login or signup process, no technical ability required
Would you or someone you know enjoy learning our beautiful language?
Would you like to use this abundance of free time to learn a beautiful new language in a fun and relaxed environment? It’s a great way to keep your mind busy and enjoy learning in a small group of students who share the same interest in learning Italian. Since we switched to online classes students keep telling us that having our weekly Italian lessons to focus on is a great boost, and helps to keep productive in a fun and positive way
Details
Beginning April 20th
Mondays from 6.30 – 8.30
Online classes (see below for details)
A 10 lesson course: €130
How do our online classes work
For our online classes, we are using a fabulous new video teaching tool (Zoom) that allows students to join and interact remotely. It even allows me to break the class into little breakout groups for conversation practice, allows me to go from group to group advising and assisting and then bring everyone back together just like in a regular class. The tool has a free app for whatever devices you prefer (phone, tablet, computer, laptop) that is simple to install and use (links and instructions provided). A few minutes before each lesson, you will receive a link for our class by email that will magically transport you to our virtual classroom (like teleportation in Star Trek).
What makes them great
I wasn’t sure how well it would work before I tried it but now I love it and having taught all my classes using it for a couple of weeks, my students really love it to. Some have even said they prefer it to regular classes. And not just because of the social distancing, there are a number of other advantages that I hadn’t thought about either:
All the notes I write in class o the whiteboard (notes, new words, grammar references) are automatically saved by the program. You can see them in the app when I write them but I also email them to you after class as a reference.
No more missing out on what I or other students say because your too far away from them. You just turn up the volume. The sound and video are fantastic quality
I can share all the documents, grammar pages, newspapers and reference material directly so they just pop up on screen for you. I can also make notes on them directly and of course email them all to you after class
Sit in your favourite chair, have a cup of tea (or vino) and relax during class. And wear whatever you want. We learn best when we are comfortable
We can watch movies and other videos, play games directly through the app. We don’t even need to switch off the light
The App is free, no login or signup process, no technical ability required
Book for yourself or invite a friend but don’t wait as class size is limited to ensure everyone gets to participate fully
Beginners Class
Starts Monday April 20th
10 lessons – €130
Learn, use and enjoy your Italian from day one in a fun and friendly class with a qualified, experienced, native Italian teacher. Class size is limited so book now to avoid disappointment
Upper Beginners Fluency Class
Starts Wednesday April 22nd
8 lessons – €90 (see note below)
Best suited to students who have done a Beginners or Continuation class previously. We will use real life situations, such as shopping, check-in and check-out, talking about the weather, and many others, to gain fluency and confidence in our use of Italian. Using supports like flash cards, videos and role playing in a relaxed and fun class with a maximum of 10 students ensures that everybody actively participates in the lessons.
Intermediate Fluency Class
Starts Tuesday April 21st
8 lessons – €90 (see note below)
Best suited to students who have previously completed Continuation class (2 modules), or an Intermediate class or are already fluent in another romance language,
We will be working on the past tense, our vocabulary, useful expressions and Italian idioms. At the start of each lesson we will do activities to revise the previous lesson. There will be no grammar but just reminders as we go. We will use our Italian to solve real life situation such as renting a house, complaining about something or visiting a pharmacy to become more fluent and confident in our Italian.
How do our online classes work
For our online classes, we are using a fabulous new video teaching tool (Zoom) that allows students to join and interact remotely. It even allows me to break the class into little breakout groups for conversation practice, allows me to go from group to group advising and assisting and then bring everyone back together just like in a regular class. The tool has a free app for whatever devices you prefer (phone, tablet, computer, laptop) that is simple to install and use (links and instructions provided). A few minutes before each lesson, you will receive a link for our class by email that will magically transport you to our virtual classroom (like teleportation in Star Trek).
What makes them great
I wasn’t sure how well it would work before I tried it but now I love it and having taught all my classes using it for a couple of weeks, my students really love it to. Some have even said they prefer it to regular classes. And not just because of the social distancing, there are a number of other advantages that I hadn’t thought about either:
All the notes I write in class o the whiteboard (notes, new words, grammar references) are automatically saved by the program. You can see them in the app when I write them but I also email them to you after class as a reference.
No more missing out on what I or other students say because your too far away from them. You just turn up the volume. The sound and video are fantastic quality
I can share all the documents, grammar pages, newspapers and reference material directly so they just pop up on screen for you. I can also make notes on them directly and of course email them all to you after class
Sit in your favourite chair, have a cup of tea (or vino) and relax during class. And wear whatever you want. We learn best when we are comfortable
We can watch movies and other videos, play games directly through the app. We don’t even need to switch off the light
The App is free, no login or signup process, no technical ability required
Pay what you can
For our Fluency class students.
It is a difficult, sad and moving time for all of us. To keep our minds busy, enjoying learning in each others company is a way to keep up our relationship with others who have the same interest, have fun together and switch off for a while from our ‘Forced Isolation’. It’s great that many of us kept working, and others are receiving some government support, but some of us might be facing harder cut backs. In that case, pay what you can. To be together is more important and I wouldn’t like that some of you would miss out on taking part in these classes (and all that comes with them) because of financial restrictions. Just let me know. Grazie mille.
Happy to help.
Email carolina@italiancork.com or call 087-9588375 to know more or with any queries you might have regarding these classes.
How does it work
For our Fluency online classes, we are using a fabulous new video teaching tool (Zoom) that allows students to join and interact remotely. It even allows me to break the class into little breakout groups for conversation practice, allows me to go from group to group advising and assisting and then bring everyone back together just like in a regular fluency class. The tool has a free app for whatever devices you prefer (phone, tablet, computer, laptop) that is simple to install and use (links and instructions are below). A few minutes before each lesson, you will receive a link for our class by email that will magically transport you to our virtual classroom (like teleportation in Star Trek).
What makes it great
I wasn’t sure how well it would work before I tried it but now I love it and having taught all my classes using it for a couple of weeks, my students really love it to. Some have even said they prefer it to regular classes. And not just because of the social distancing, there are a number of other advantages that I hadn’t thought about either:
All the notes I write in class o the whiteboard (notes, new words, grammar references) are automatically saved by the program. You can see them in the app when I write them but I also email them to you after class as a reference.
No more missing out on what I or other students say because your too far away from them. You just turn up the volume. The sound and video are fantastic quality
I can share all the documents, grammar pages, newspapers and reference material directly so they just pop up on screen for you. I can also make notes on them directly and of course email them all to you after class
Sit in your favourite chair, have a cup of tea (or vino) and relax during class. And wear whatever you want. We learn best when we are comfortable
We can watch movies and other videos, play games directly through the app. We don’t even need to switch off the light
The App is free, no login or signup process, no technical ability required
Fancy learning Italian? Whether you are going to Italy for your holidays or you have decided to learn this beautiful, musical and colourful language, let’s start with our Beginners course. Practical conversation is included from our first class and, during our lessons, we will learn how to introduce ourselves, place an order at the restaurant, ask for information and more. Grammar is immediately implemented in practical and useful conversational tasks, but it will also give you good foundations if you decide to progress with your Italian and join the next course. Booking your place is essential, but remember that this course is for a small group in order to allow students to fully participate and get the best learning experience.
Therefore, I would recommend that you book as soon as possible to avoid disappointment. In order to book your place you can transfer the course fees to the ItalianCork bank account (Contact me for details: carolina@italiancork.com or 087 9588375).
Course details:
Starting date: 3rd of February
Last day: 6th of April
Time: 6.30-8.30 pm
Number of lessons: 10
Max number of students: 10
Location: Blackrock
Price: €130
Refreshments provided during our 10 minute break
NB: Students who miss class will receive an email with the course material, a summary of what was covered and audio files/video (if used during lesson) so that they don’t fall behind.
Stiamo per ripartire con le nostre lezioni del Gruppo Scuola. Abbiamo quasi finito di ripassare il programma dell’anno scorso e stiamo per iniziare nuovi argomenti. Studieremo gli aggettivi di secondo tipo (veloce/i, grande/i), ci divertiremo con le preposizioni semplici (di, a, da, etc.), quelle articolate (nel, dal, della, etc.) e con gli aggettivi possessivi (mia, tua, suo, etc). Attraverso corte storie lavoreremo sul nostro ascolto e sulla nostra comprensione.
Impariamo divertendoci ed impariamo in modo efficace con un approccio olistico che include l’aspetto cinestetico e visuale molto importanti nei bambini. Impariamo continuamente, non solo attraverso giochi, ma anche attraverso video divertenti e canzoni che i bambini potranno rivedere e cantare a casa! Le lezioni del Gruppo Scuola si terranno ogni due sabati e saranno di un’ora e mezza… ci sarà tempo per imparare, divertirsi e festeggiare il Carnevale, tutto in italiano (ovviamente)!
Dettagli per il Gruppo Scuola
Numero di lezioni: 10
Date delle lezioni:
1) sabato 25 gennaio
2) sabato 8 febbraio
3) sabato 22 febbraio
4) sabato 7 marzo
5) sabato 21 marzo
6) sabato 4 aprile
7) sabato 18 aprile
8) sabato 2 maggio
9) sabato 16 maggio
10) sabato 30 maggio
Orario: 12.00-13.30 am
Libro di testo: Grammatica italiana di Sabrina Galasso (Alma edizioni)
Prezzo: € 120 per 10 lezioni
Discount: €110 per ogni fratello o sorella (di bambini già iscritti)
Numero massimo per bambini per lezione: 10
Per maggiori informazioni su metodologie ed obiettivi andate al link https://www.italiancork.com/metodologie-obiettivi/
Per iscrizioni e domande e-mail carolina@italiancork.com o telefonate a 087 9588375.
GRUPPO SCUOLA (School Group)
We are about to start with our Gruppo Scuola. We have almost finished to revise our grammar and we are ready to start with new topics. We will study the second type adjectives (veloce/i, grande/i), we will have fun with prepositions and prepositional articles (della, alla, nel, etc.) and we will learn Italian possessives adjectives (mia, tua, suo, etc.). We will work on our listening and comprehension through short stories. We won’t get bored at all!
We’re learning while having fun using a holistic approach which includes kinaesthetic and visual elements so important for children. We constantly learn, not only through games, but also through videos and songs that students will be able to watch and sing at home. The Gruppo Scuola will be held every two weeks and will be 1.5 hours long… plenty of time to learn, have fun and celebrate Carnevale… all in Italian!
Details of the Gruppo Scuola
Number of lessons: 10
Dates:
1) Saturday 25th of January
2) Saturday 8th of February
3) Saturday 22nd of February
4) Saturday 7th of March
5) Saturday 21st of March
6) Saturday 4th of April
7) Saturday 18th of April
8) Saturday 2nd of May
9) Saturday 16th of May
10) Saturday 30th of May
Time: 12.00-13.30
Book: Grammatica italiana di Sabrina Galasso (Alma edizioni)
Price: € 120 for 10 lessons
Discount: € 110 for brothers and sisters (of attending children)
Maximum number of children per class: 10
For more info you can send us an email at carolina@italiancork.com or ring on 087 9588375.
Gioca e Impara (Play and learn) English below
Stiamo per cominciare il nostro Gioca e Impara! Per tutti i bambini che vogliono imparare l’italiano o per quelli che già lo parlano un po’ e vogliono impararlo meglio in modo attivo, divertente e soprattutto in compagnia di altri bambini. Andremo avanti con la storia dei nostri amici bruchi di Raccontami 1 ed impareremo molto sui diversi piatti della cucina cucina italiana e delle altre nazionalità, un buon modo per imparare nuovo vocabolario ed aggettivi! Insomma, non ci annoieremo di sicuro! Impariamo divertendoci ed impariamo in modo efficace con un approccio olistico che include l’aspetto cinestetico e visuale molto importanti nei bambini. Lavoriamo continuamente sul nostro vocabolario, non solo attraverso giochi e storytelling, ma anche attraverso video divertenti e canzoni che i bambini potranno rivedere e cantare a casa! Le lezioni di Gioca e Impara si terranno ogni due sabati e saranno di un’ora e mezza… ci sarà tempo per imparare, divertirsi e festeggiare il Carnevale… tutto in italiano, ovviamente!
Dettagli per Gioca & Impara
Date delle lezioni:
1) sabato 25 gennaio
2) sabato 8 febbraio
3) sabato 22 febbraio
4) sabato 7 marzo
5) sabato 21 marzo
6) sabato 4 aprile
7) sabato 18 aprile
8) sabato 2 maggio
9) sabato 16 maggio
10) sabato 30 maggio
Prezzo: € 120 per 10 lezioni
Discount: €110 per ogni fratello o sorella (di bambini già iscritti)
Orario: 13.30-15.00 am
Libro di testo:‘Raccontami 1’ corso di lingua italiana per bambini (Luca Cortis-Elisa Giuliani Pancheri)
Numero massimo per bambini per lezione: 10
Per maggiori informazioni mandate una e-mail a carolina@italiancork.com o telefonate a 087 9588375.
Gioca e Impara (Play & Learn)
We are about to start our Gioca e Impara class! For all children who want to learn Italian or for those who already speak a little Italian and would like to improve it in an active and fun way with other children. We will go on with the story of our friends, the caterpillars of our book (Raccontami 1), and we will learn a lot about different Italian foods and from other countries. Great way to broaden our vocabulary and learn adjectives! We won’t get bored at all!
We’re learning while having fun through the holistic approach which includes kinaesthetic and visual elements so important for children. We constantly learn new vocabulary, not only through games and storytelling, but also through videos and songs that students will be able to watch and sing at home. The Gioca e Impara group will be held every two weeks and it will be 1.5 hours long… plenty of time to learn, have fun and celebrate Carnevale… all in Italian!
Details of the Gioca & Impara
Number of lessons: 10
Dates:
1) Saturday 25th of January
2) Saturday 8th of February
3) Saturday 22nd of February
4) Saturday 7th of March
5) Saturday 21st of March
6) Saturday 4th of April
7) Saturday 18th of April
8) Saturday 2nd of May
9) Saturday 16th of May
10) Saturday 30th of May
Price: € 120 for 10 lessons
Discount: € 110 for brothers and sisters (of attending children)
Time: 13.30-15.00
Book: ‘Raccontami 1’ corso di lingua italiana per bambini (Luca Cortis-Elisa Giuliani Pancheri)
Maximum number of children per class: 10
For more info you can send us an email at carolina@italiancork.com or ring on 087 9588375.
I have been preparing students for their Junior and Leaving Cert in Cork for many years. Last year one of them told me something remarkably interesting, ‘I am very lucky Carolina (he was talking to me in Italian, obviously) because I know many languages. I am not as stressed out as my classmates and I don’t have to work as hard as they do’. He took French (he is bilingual French/English), Italian (incredibly fluent and accurate), Spanish and Irish for his Leaving Cert and he passed it brilliantly.
Learning a language at a young age is effortless and bears much fruit for our children’s future. I see how easily our pupils learn grammar during our Saturday’s lessons in Piccolitalia. Learning Italian at a young age through games, songs and presentations is easy, fun, and ensures the Italian language for life (grammar, idioms and traditions included). This is a gift that our children will be able to use, not only in Italy, but also to get higher marks for their Junior Cert and Leaving Cert.
Our classes are on here in Blackrock and are held exclusively in Italian and are open to Italians and non-Italians.
We have two groups (for now). One for children with a little or no Italian (Gioca e Impara, Play and Learn) and the other for children who can understand, read and speak Italian or get by. I am very proud to say that 2 of our students in the Gruppo Scuola are coming from our previous group (Gioca e Impara), they don’t have any Italian relatives, their Italian grammar is amazing and they took their parents to Italy this year! Well done and well done to their mum who is helping at home. Please take a look at our Courses’ presentation, but remember that places are limited and we have very few left for our next academic year (starting on the 28th of September).
I have been preparing students for their Junior and Leaving Cert in Cork for many years. Last year one of them told me something remarkably interesting, ‘I am very lucky Carolina (he was talking to me in Italian, obviously) because I know many languages. I am not as stressed out as my classmates and I don’t have to work as hard as they do’. He took French (he is bilingual French/English), Italian (incredibly fluent and accurate), Spanish and Irish for his Leaving Cert and he passed it brilliantly. 