Our communication-focused Italian course consists of lessons taught on our platform that are primarily based around practising speaking and listening skills.  They are supplemented by learning resources posted in the pupils’ area on our website, including extra material upon request to help you focus on specific areas.

In addition to online classes, students will be able to enjoy personal tutorial sessions with any of our teachers to revise or practise the particular skills or topics that they need support with.  Each student can book a maximum of 6 sessions lasting 15 minutes each over the duration of the course, and can use up to 2 sessions at once to have a half-hour tutorial if they wish.  Students who would like to have more than 6 tutorials per year can purchase extra sessions in blocks of 10.

We offer you the flexibility to change group or level over the 6 months of the course as you progress and reach the goals set out at the beginning of your study.  Your teacher will monitor your personal improvement to situate you in the best class according to your individual capacity and needs at all times, giving you the best service and attention possible.

Teachers will use a variety of digital materials that help students to perfect their communication skills in a fun and direct way, developing fluency, pronunciation, general understanding and knowledge of vocabulary.

	Oral expression: students will participate in discussions and debates on a number of culturally significant topics in class, prepare presentations and do speaking activities that challenge them to improve their self-expression in Italian and become more confident communicators.
	Listening comprehension: we use both formal and informal recordings and videos on current affairs and appealing topics that are appropriate to each level in order to increase pupils’ exposure to all types of spoken Italian and practise the grammar and vocabulary suitable for their ability.
	Grammar and vocabulary: our teachers will separate grammar into manageable points that students can understand without difficulty or monotony, saving most practice exercises for homework. Vocabulary will be seen in readings and heard in listenings, aided by lists for each topic, and is always explained using definitions and examples. Students will then put this vocabulary into practice by doing energetic and entertaining activities or playing interactive games.
	Reading comprehension: pupils will work on reading for gist in class and for homework, as well as their ability to comprehend written texts completely and discuss the themes they have read about. Readings will be on interesting cultural subjects and contemporary issues that widen their general knowledge and expose them to key vocabulary and grammar.
	Written expression: We demonstrate in class how to write different kinds of functional texts that students may need to write in everyday life using a clear and consistent style that native Italian speakers can understand. We provide a selection of writing models for pupils to structure their work around, and will set these tasks for homework.

Throughout the course, three tests will be carried out:

• An initial level test, (including an oral assessment) which will help us to place you in the class best suited to your current level.
• A follow-up test, which will be taken partway through the course in order to check that you have absorbed the material studied so far.
• A final test, which will evaluate how you have assimilated all the content and if you have reached the level set out by the course.

Each level is designed to cover the linguistic needs essential to achieve the proposed objectives.

VOCABULARY:

• Greetings
• Numbers
• Colours
• Names of cities, nations, countries & regions
• Origins
• Residence
• Preferences & tastes
• Times, days of the week, months, seasons
• Parts of the day
• Places in the city
• Services in the city
• Types of accommodation
• Family members
• Jobs
• Daily actions & routine
• Food & drink
• Buying food
• Transport
• Leisure activities
• Physical appearance & moods

COMMUNICATION SKILLS:

• Greet someone and ask how they are.
• Thank, excuse and make simple requests.
• Introduce themselves and somebody else.
• Ask and say their name, age, nationality and occupation.
• Ask for simple information.
• Ask the price of something.
• Ask and tell the time.
• Write simple and short texts on daily life, holidays and their job.
• Use a formal register (Lei) and informal register (tu).
• Fill in a form.
• Ask and talk about daily actions.
• Ask about somebody’s plans.
• Invite someone to do something.
• Accept and refuse an invitation or proposition.
• Interact in a bar or restaurant.
• Say if they like something and ask others for the same information.
• Ask and say how to get somewhere.
• Give orders, suggestions and advice.
• Talk about past events.
• Describe physical aspects and personality.
• Describe the house, rooms and furniture.
• Build complete sentences.
• Begin and end letters, emails and phone conversations correctly.
• Talk about their family.

VOCABULARY:

• Adjectives to describe mood & aspect
• House, decoration & furniture
• City
• Holidays
• Expressions about places
• Study & work
• Health (body parts, aches and ailments, cures & medicines)
• Shopping
• Clothes
• Travel & tourism
• Free time
• Weather
• Italian food & dishes
• Memories
• Books & films

COMMUNICATION SKILLS:

• Say what they know about Italy and ask about it.
• Talk about trips and holidays.
• Ask for and give information about transport and schedules.
• Talk about the weather.
• Build subordinate sentences.
• Talk about past events.
• Describe festivities, traditions and gifts.
• Interact in a shop.
• Describe their studies and job.
• Ask for and give information about a house or apartment.
• Talk about future aspirations.
• Make promises and previsions.
• Describe past situations and events.
• Talk about sport and wellness.
• Talk about their health.
• Make a gentle request.
• Give advice.
• Express emotions.
• Talk about troubles and difficulties.
• Describe the objects they use and have.
• Make comparisons.

VOCABULARY:

• Tastes & preferences
• Emotions & moods
• Music & movie genres
• Interests
• Sport, wellness & free time
• Passions & hobbies
• Materials & objects
• Fabrics
• Technology, science & research
• News
• Personal opinions
• Cuisine, gastronomy & recipes
• Waste & recycling
• Jobs & instruction
• Dreams & desires
• History, biographies & narration
• Travel, tourism & attractions
• Cultural tastes & differences
• Dreams & aspirations

COMMUNICATION SKILLS:

• Communicate in Italian for simple, practical tasks and situations with ease.
• Successfully express basic opinions, thoughts, feelings, experiences and wishes in spoken and written Italian.
• Express opinions on abstract or cultural issues in a limited way.
• Participate in a class or conversation using simple language.
• Ask for information about things like accommodation and travel.
• Show understanding of basic opinions, thoughts, feelings, experiences and wishes in spoken and written Italian.
• Understand factual information, instructions and public announcements in spoken and written Italian.
• Follow a straightforward demonstration or presentation.
• Read and comprehend simple fictional and non-fictional texts in Italian, including
• articles, letters and short stories.
• Write clear, uncomplicated letters and emails on day-to-day subjects or topics they are interested in.
• Make reasonably accurate notes in a lecture or meeting on a familiar and predictable subject.

VOCABULARY:

• Cultural tastes & interests
• Lifestyle & personal decisions
• Mass media & advertisement
• Personal opinions
• Rights, dues & good citizenship
• Architecture & history
• Social justice & injustice
• Compensation requests & complaints
• Climate change, recycling & sustainability
• Migration, stereotypes & identity

COMMUNICATION SKILLS:

• Maintain a conversation on a reasonably wide range of subjects.
• Interact with enough fluency and spontaneity to be able to communicate with native speakers without a problem.
• Express opinions and give reasons without difficulty.
• Express arguments to a limited extent.
• Answer predictable or factual questions about studies or work.
• Ask for factual information in a social or professional context and understand the response given.
• Ask for clarification and extra information, being likely to understand the response given.
• Easily follow a speech on a familiar subject.
• Scan texts for significant information.
• Read news items in the media to find information quickly and interpret it correctly.
• Understand the key points of complex text on both specific and abstract subjects, including technical information about their particular area of specialisation.
• Understand the overall meaning of atypical letters in a professional context and the majority of their content.
• Produce clear, thorough text on a number of topics and explain your point of view on a matter by giving pros and cons.
• Write a straightforward, factual report in a professional or academic context, showing signs of evaluation and giving advice
• Write a professional letter to make or answer requests that are out of the ordinary.
• Make notes while someone is talking, as well as simple notes for writing an essay or for revision that summarise the main ideas of the matter at hand.