CIAO !
if you are searching among Italian courses in Italy and among the different Italian language schools in Italy and you are looking for study abroad programs and a course of Italian in Sicily, then we have it! Please, read what follows to know more about our school of Italian and our Italian language courses in Sicily, Taormina.
Our Italian courses can be language courses in a group or private language courses. Our Italian language school in Taormina, Sicily, offers study stays from one week up to one year! We can assist you in finding accommodation in Taormina
If, beyond a full immersion study abroad stay, you also want a full cultural experience, we offer a wider choice of culture courses from which to choose:
· cooking courses
· arts & crafts: ceramics, painting, sculpture and wood restoration courses
· Italian literature courses
· Italian history courses
· art history courses
Or, maybe you prefer something more active, dynamic, sporty? Then you can choose from:
· eco-tours
· sport & adventure
· golf
On the other hand, if you need courses for specific purposes, we can offer:
· business & executives courses
· commercial correspondence
With our Italian language courses we offer a program of social and cultural activities
Beyond all of that, our Italian language programs are officially recognized by:
· THE STATE DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION
· A.S.I.L.S. - Associazione delle Scuole di Italiano come Lingua Seconda -, the only one south of Naples
· I.A.L.C - International Association of Language Centres -, the only one south of Rome
And our School of Italian has signed agreements with:
· UNIVERSITY FOR FOREIGNERS of PERUGIA as Official Authorised Exam Centre for CELI Exams - Certificato di lingua italiana. The CELI exam is conform to the ALTE- Association of Language Testers in Europe – directives on the European standards fixed by the European Council. The exam sessions are in June and November
· UNIVERSITY "Ca’Foscari” of VENEZIA as authorized language centre for the apprenticeship of ITALS Master for teachers of Italian as foreign/second language
Do you already know our town, Taormina, and our island, Sicily?
Taormina has very ancient origins: in its Bay of Naxos, in 735 b.C., the first Greek colonizers landed and founded their first colony (Naxos) which was later to become the Magna Grecia. After them, whoever ruled over the Mediterranean Sea left their “footprints” on this wonderful island. Would you like to know Taormina a little bit better? Click on Taormina and have a look at our photo album and, if you have time, go for a virtual walk in town among its monuments, its history and its beaches.
Taormina can also be the basis for a trip in Sicily to discover the roots of the Sicily's culture and traditions. As W. J. Goethe wrote in 1786: "Without Sicily, Italy cannot be fully understood. It is here one finds the key to all things.”. Sicily has been at the centre of the Mediterranean See, and therefore of the European interests, for more than 2.000 years, until the “discovery” of the New World.
At the time of Dante Alighieri there was already a discussion among academics about which should be the national Italian language: that of the writers and poets of the courts of Frederick II or that of the court of the Medici in Florence. Then the divine Comedy was written and this put an end to the discussion… But it is in Sicily that the national theatre has its origins, with the tragedies written by Eschilo, Euripide, Aristofane. It is here that the genius of Archimedes anticipated the genius of Leonardo da Vinci. And it was the culture of the Magna Grecia that fed the Etruscan civilisation, first, and the Latin civilisation, afterwards, making Rome “Caput Mundi”. Click on myths of Sicily, if you want to know more about them.
Two of the Nobel Price for literature were Sicilians: Pirandello e Quasimodo. But many are the Sicilian writers who are fundamental in the history of the Italian literature: Verga, Capuana, Rosso di San Secondo e Tomasi di Lampedusa. And still nowadays the contribution of Sicily to the Italian literature is immense: : Vittorini, Sciascia, Bufalino, Consolo e Camilleri.
The same in music: from the “cantastorie” telling the stories of the French Paladins to the Opera composer Vincenzo Bellini.. The same in paintings: from Antonello da Messina to Renato Gattuso. And in fashion: from Mariella Ferrera to Dolce & Gabbana.
Not to be forgotten are also the treasures of the eno-gastronomy: from pasta alla Norma to caponatina, from cannoli to pasta reale, from Marsala wine to Malvasia.
Our Italian language courses can be the beginning of an unforgettable journey in Sicily. From Taormina, it is very easy to get to Syracuse, volcano Mount Etna, the Eolian Islands, Catania, Piazza Armerina and Noto. And, travelling a little bit further, to: Palermo, Selinunte, Segesta, Agrigento, Erice. And many more are the treasures of Sicily.
We would love to welcome you to our Italian language school in Taormina, Sicily for an unforgettable cultural and learning experience.
Ciao e… a presto!
Alessandro Adorno
founder & school director
PROGRAMMA
Our Italian language course program has been developed from a communicative based approach and focuses on the four language abilities (listening, speaking, reading, writing). Our first goal is comunicazione, both oral and written. Our courses are structured to conform with the European standards set by ALTE (Association of Language Testers in Europe) and by the Council of Europe.
Our Standard group course is divided in two parts: 2-hours of language analysis followed by 2-hours of practice with communicative tasks. The analitical activities includes controlled oral and written production, while the communicative tasks involve listening and reading comprehension and free oral and written activities. The instructors rotate weekly to add variety and interesse to the group dynamic. Grammatical structures are presented in order of frequency and relative complexity. The material is always introduced in some form of authentic text (newspaper or magazine article, taped dialogue, video-taped situation, letter, short story, etc.). Progress is monitored and all teachers meet weekly to facilitate organization and ensure proper student placement.
There is a massimo number of 10 students per class, although depending on season our average class size is generally between 4 and 6 people. This limit ensures a small group environment conducive to communication and offers each student the opportunity to speak as much as possible.
Ranging from Absolute Beginner to Advanced, our Italian language course
program is divided into six different levels of abilità. Students may enrol in our weekly
classes for up to 6-months of coursework, depending on their goals. All students
are placed in a level based on their entrance exam (both written and oral).
Though we are somewhat flexible, we highly recommend that all students begin
on our specified start dates, which occur roughly every two weeks
(please consult Course Schedule). Absolute beginner courses start only according
to our course schedule.
Our Italian language courses are structured to conform with the European standards set by ALTE (Association of Language Testers in Europe) and by the Council of Europe.
The Formation Program is diviso into three levels and allows students to reach the “threshold level”, the level of communicative competence according to the Modern Language Project of the Council of Europe.
Formation:
Beginner (1st level)
Intermediate (2nd level)
Superior (3rd level)
The Specialization Program is also divided into three levels and allows the students to reach a level of competenza in the Italian language which is necessary for entrance into an Italian university.
Specialization:
Advanced 1 (4th level)
Advanced 2 (5th level)
Advanced 3 (6th level)
Each level last four weeks. However, completion of a particular 4-week course does not guarantee advancement to the next level. Language learning is not a mechanical endeavour. It is an academic endeavour which also involves a personal and psychological component. Some studenti have elected to repeat a particular level or delay advancement by a week or two, so as to continue study and practice of particular structures. Since our Italian language program is developed by a communicative-based approach, our materials, activities and tasks are quite extensive and it is rare that the student will repeat the same activities, using the same materials. We have designed our program with this in mind.
Most of our students take full advantage of the authentic materiali we use in the classroom and the communicative activities and tasks we employ, which often extend out of the classroom and into the students’ free time.
Upon request, we also offer completion exams to solidify and measure progress achieved. As an accredited language institution, our school corresponds to various International continuing educational programs.
I NOSTRI INSEGNANTI
All the teachers of our Italian language courses are university graduates and many speak at least one or two other lingue.
Most of them have studied foreign languages at università and/or language schools abroad and all have been trained to teach Italian as a second/foreign language.
As a member school of A.S.I.L.S. our teachers take advantage of the regularly scheduled teacher training seminari and workshops offered by the Association of Schools of Italian as a Second Language as well as by other professional organisations.In addition, we organize our own, ongoing, in-house teacher training program.
Progress of the students is continuously monitorati and all teachers meet weekly to facilitate organization and ensure proper student placement.
We consider extremely importanti our weekly teachers' meeting during which teachers can also exchange their own experiences in class and the results of the different activities proposed to the students.
Learn and study Italian in Italy at our Centre for Italian Studies: Italian full immersion programs & intensive Italian language programs, Italian language group courses, intensive Italian lessons.
SEMI STANDARD - Italian courses
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These Italian courses are designed for those who want to study only 2 hours per day, focusing on the language analysis activities or the communicative tasks |
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2 hours per day
language analysis OR communicative tasks
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STANDARD - Italian courses
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These Italian courses are designed for those who want a complete language experience, studying 4 hours per day, focusing on the language analysis activities and the communicative tasks
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4 hours per day
language analysis AND communicative tasks
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STANDARD PLUS - Italian courses
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These Italian courses are designed for those who, beyond the advantages of the Standard group course, want to have an extra individual hour (one-to-one) especially devoted to their individual language needs
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5 hours per day
language analysis AND communicative tasks
PLUS 1 hour individual lesson per day
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INTENSIVE - Italian courses
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These Italian courses are designed for those who want to have a more intensive group course to strengthen their abilities in a shorter time
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6 hours per day
language analysis OR communicative tasks
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INDIVIDUAL COURSES (One-to-one) - Italian language courses
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These Italian courses are designed and arranged on an individual basis to meet your needs, for as many hours as you want, in a given period of time |
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1 hour
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€ 37
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10 hours per week |
€ 370 |
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15 hours per week |
€ 555 |
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20 hours per week |
€ 740 |
CLOSED GROUP COURSES (Two-to-one) - Italian language courses
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These Italian courses are designed for two people who want to share a language course with no one else, for as many hours as you want , in a given period of time |
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1 hour
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€ 52
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10 hours per week |
€ 520 |
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15 hours per week |
€ 780 |
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20 hours per week |
€ 1040 |
On top of that,
cookery in Sicily has the taste of its history. When cooking and tasting Sicilian food and Sicilian recepies, you will track back how cookery in Sicily has been influenced by Greeks, how cookery in Sicily has been influenced by Arabs, how cookery in Sicily has been influenced by Spaniards. Cooking in Sicily has the flavour of the waves of the Sicilian "Magna Greece" sea, cooking in Sicily has the flavour of the shiny, tasty and colourful vegetables of the Sicilian soil that Romans introducing their aqueducts, cooking in Sicily has the flavour of the sweetness of the Arabic poetry, cooking in Sicily has the flavour of the Spanish baroque so dominant over the island.
A language is not the result of a set of grammar rules. A language is the result of a culture and its traditions, its history, its life style and its places. With this in mind, if want a fuller cultural experience in Sicily, and not just be a simple tourist but be a real traveller, you can combine an
Italian language course in group or
Italian private lessons with
"CASALINGA COOKING" CLASS:
| The "CASALINGA" COOKING CLASS is given by a real Italian/Sicilian "mamma" or "papà" in their home and it is for those who wish to learn "la cucina casalinga". You will learn how to prepare a full meal with first course (pasta, risotto or soup), a second course (vegetarian, meat or fish), side dish (salad or vegetables) and, during the week, one sweet or cake. The price includes dinner with "mamma" and family in her home!!! |
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3 days a week, 3 hours and half per day
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€ 190
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| Price is for 1 week. All courses are extendable for as many week as you wish. All courses are given in Italian. Knowledge of the language is required |
| The COOKING CLASSES FOR REAL CHEFS is meant mostly for professionals or for people interested in "high level cuisine" and "nouvelle cuisine". You can observe professional while cooking at work in the kitchen of a top category restaurant. You will be tutored by a professional chef but, because of laws on hygiene and work you will not be allowed to touch or cut or mix food. The course does not include dinner. At the end of the training a Letter of Recommendation is issued by the restaurant and the chefs. Not available in July and August. |
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still to be confirmed for 2008
3 days a week, 3 hours and half per day
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still to be confirmed for 2008
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| Price is for 1 week. All courses are extendable for as many week as you wish. All courses are given in Italian. Knowledge of the language is required |
| Our "WINE TASTING FOR BEGINNERS" program is meant for people who like wine and want to learn how to recognize quality, age, characteristics and want to be able to analyse wines: an introduction to become a sommelier in the future! 6 lessons (1 ½ hour each) in 2 weeks, including 1 visit to a wine producer cellar and fields. |
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6 lessons (1 ½ hour each) in 2 weeks,
including 1 visit to a wine producer cellar and fields
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€ 175
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| Prices is for 2 weeks. All courses are extendable for as many week as you wish. All courses are given in Italian. Knowledge of the language is required. |
Our "THE PRODUCT OF SICILY: WINE, OIL & CHEESE" program: Sicily has an extraordinary production of excellent wines, oils and cheeses. Come and learn more about them with a personal experience. The course includes tasting and explanations about origin, production, recipes. 3 lessons (1 ½ hour each) in 1 week, including tasting
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3 lessons (1 ½ hour each) in 1 week, including tasting
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€ 115
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| Prices is for 1 week. All courses are extendable for as many week as you wish. All courses are given in Italian. Knowledge of the language is required |
We wish to welcoming you soon in Taormina, Sicily and give you the opportunity to discover our island so full of history, so full of culture, so full of light!
For more courses, please
ask the school
SUPER INTENSIVE COURSE
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