Learn italian the proper way!

Courses from 1 week to one year and more
Ages 14 to 99...
Abc School is centrally located in Florence, Italy

"Last spring I took a beginning Italian course at ABC Centro di Lingua e Cultura Italiana in Florence. I had a great time! (There are a few schools with similar names; ...) The total cost for one month, including two 2-hour courses daily and accommodation with an Italian couple came to about $800 US. This is less than I would have spent staying in hostels for that month.
The school has daily activities and weekend field trips around Tuscany. The teachers are knowledgeable and friendly and the school is located in a former palace near the Piazza della Signoria and the Ponte Vecchio. Not many Americans seem to go there (I was one of two there out of about 60 students ), so this is a good chance to meet other students from around Europe."
Jicky — Bellingham, WA

In the heart of Florence, the ABC Center offers to their own students the avalaibility of partecipating at language, art and culture courses. The teachers at ABC Center are Florentines who are certified or have studied at Florence University. They have experience in teaching the Italian language to foreigners have apprenticed with experienced teachers at the center and are extremely friendly and welcoming. Listed below, is an example of how to spend your time at the ABC Center:   
1. A wide choice in Italian language courses.
2. Summer courses in Taormina.
3. Art and culture courses.
4. Afternoon seminars on current Italian issues.
5. Student Lounge.
6. Up to date information regarding cultural events, concerts, art shows, meeting places and economical shopping.
7. Guided tours of Florence, Tuscany and Italy.
8. Dinners, parties, visits to the countryside and to the sea group visits to the cinema and theatre.
9. Carefully selected accommodation.
10. Young and qualified teachers.
11. A reduced number of students per class (Max 7-10).
12. Low prices.
 
For many years the ABC Center has carried out research in the field of linguistics and didactics according to the Direct Teaching Method but the Center also takes into account the various existing trends in didactics exspecially regarding a solid grammatical base. The aim of this teaching method is oral and written communication and to achieve this there is a maximum of ten students per class.
 
This situation makes accurate and precise teaching possible where the students learn quickly and thoroughly. Two teachers lecture standard and intensive courses offering the students the opportunity of hearing different accents. The lessons and seminars take place exclusively in Italian. In order to place the students accurately in a class, there is an oral and a written test first.

The courses are divided into six levels and into two programs:

1. Formation

2. Specialization
The Formation Program is divided into three levels (elementary, middle and superior) and allows the students to reach the Threshold Level, i.e. the level of communicative competence according to the Modern Language Project of the Council of Europe. At the end of the program the students are able to express themselves correctly in Italian in written and in spoken form.

The Specialization Program is divided into three levels (Advanced 1, Advanced 2, and Advanced 3) and allows the students to have complete command of the language and a notable ability to express themselves In written and In spoken form.

Usually each level corresponds to a 4 week standard course.
It is possible to attend a course for a maximum of 24 weeks to complete the entire study program. Though some students decide to stay even longer...

Language Courses

STANDARD
A standard group course (20 lessons a week)
Classes focus on improving and developing your ability to communicate well in Italian in a variety of situations, practising in the four skills: Listening, Speaking, Writing and Reading.

STANDARD PLUS 3/5/10 INDIVIDUAL LESSONS A WEEK
Combine the advantages of small group tuition in the morning and the benefits of individual tuition (3- 5 - 10 lessons a week) in the afternoon for your precise language needs.

SPECIFIC
This group course allows the possibility to concentrate only on a specific part of the program, choosing between two daily lessons of grammar or conversation.

INDIVIDUAL COURSES
Structured to meet your precise linguistic and professional requirements.
Totally flexible (hours, contents, dates by arrangement).

TANDEM
The advantages of close individual attention, shared by two persons choosing to come together with a similar level of Italian.
Timetable, course duration, and starting dates by arrangement.
(Each lesson hour lasts 55 minutes)

Special Courses:

OTHER COURSES
Italian opera Singing
Graphic Illustration
Architecture Drawing and Perspective
Photography

OENOGASTRONOMICAL COURSES
Please, note that from this year we can organize also workshops in restaurants, wine cellars and wine shops, pizzerias, ice-cream labs, bars, confectioner's labs and so on.  Every students will learn directly, practising the choosen art.

ART COURSES
Drawing and Painting  
Ceramics: Throwing  
Majolica Decoration  
Drawing and painting  
Ceramics: Handbuilding  
Majolica Decoration  
Glass Soldering  
Modern Mosaic  
Glass Fusing  
Ceramics: Throwing and Handbuilding  
Sculpture  
Modern Mosaic  
Glass Soldering  
History of art and guided art-visits in Italian and in English are also available

JEWELLERY COURSES
Jewellery  
Wax Making  
Engraving  
Chasing  
Jewellery open work

LANGUAGE COURSES
CILS Certificazione d’Italiano Lingua Seconda  - Università per Stranieri di Siena. 
AIL Accademia Italiana di Lingua.  
CELI Universita’ per Stranieri di Perugia  For those students who wish to prepare for these exams we suggest:Standard plus 10 Individual lessons a week. Minimum 4 weeks.
COURSES FOR ADMISSION TO THE FOLLOWING ITALIAN UNIVERSITIES Medicine, Veterinary Medicine, Pharmacy, Biology, Chemistry, Physics, Natural Sciences, Architecture, Engineering, Economics, Law, Political Science, History of art, Philosophy, Psychology. Requisite: ability to express yourself in both verbal and written of Italian.
COURSE FOR THE PERFECTION OF THE ITALIAN LANGUAGE  Requisite: ability to express yourself in written and spoken form of Italian
COURSE FOR THE PREPARATION TO TEACH ITALIAN  Requisite: ability to express yourself in written and spoken form of Italian.
LITERATURE •HISTORY OF ART  
COMMERCIAL CORRESPONDENCE  
ITALIAN COOKING

Elementary, Intermediate and Advanced levels can start every Monday.

Courses can last from one week to one year. No age limit

• All the individual courses begin every monday .
• "Lessons are not held on the following public holidays: Easter Monday (24/03) / 25.04 / 01.05 / 02.06 / 24.06 / 15.08 / 01.11 / 08.12
• * Senior course program 1 start on: 31.03 / 12.05 / 09.06 / 15.09 / 13.10 / 10.11
  Instead Senior course program 2 every Monday
• * The school is closed for Christmas from 20.12.08 to 12.01.09

Language Courses Prices:

Standard
4 weeks: euro 600,00
3 weeks: euro 498,00
2 weeks: euro 349,00
1 week: euro 240,00
each further week euro 136,00

Standard Course Plus 3 Individual Lessons a Week
4 weeks + 12 h. 1.020,00
3 weeks + 9 h. 813,00
2 weeks + 6 h. 559,00
1 week + 3 h. 345,00
Each further week 241,00

Standard Course Plus 5 Individual Lessons a Week
4 weeks + 20 h. 1.300,00
3 weeks + 15 h. 1.023,00
2 weeks + 10 h. 699,00
1 week + 5 h. 415,00
Each further week 311,00

Standard Course Plus 10 Individual Lessons a Week
4 weeks + 40 h. 2.000,00
3 weeks + 30 h. 1.548,00
2 weeks + 20 h. 1.049,00
1 week + 10 h. 590,00
Each further week 486,00

Individual Courses
price per lesson 40,00

Duetto (2 person, 1 teacher) 20 less./week, prices per person
4 weeks: (80 less.) euro 1.812,00
3 weeks: (60 less.) euro 1.360,00
2 weeks: (40 less.) euro 906,00
1 week: (20 less.) euro 482,00
each further week euro 424,00