Learn Italian from a Roman artist in Rotterdam - order your coffee like a pro

From 52.7 £ /h

Ciao! I have been teaching Italian for the past twelve years. I have taught privately and at language schools like La Scuola Italiana del Greenwich Village in New York and ItalCultura, the school of the Italian Cultural Institute of Chicago. During the first few lessons I will make sure you have the tools to pronounce and identify all the sounds of the Italian language. This step is essential! And it will make everything easier afterwards. When I teach Italian I try to avoid all the things that I hated as a language student. We will use real songs, real literature, do real conversation and storytelling. When you are engaging all your senses it is easier to keep your mind relaxed and to remember new words.

I will customize my materials to your interests, needs and desired pace. And because you are learning from a native Italian you will also learn about Italian culture and history. You will absorb a way of thinking, not just grammar rules.

I speak a bunch of languages so I know a thing or two about how tedious language classes can be. My terrifying French teacher in middle school made us repeat the same fake dialogue from a really bad book ad nauseam, over and over and over again. Some of those dialogues are carved in my brain: “Bonjour, je m’appelle Richard Drapeau, je viens du Canada, je suis Canadien...”

When I teach Italian I try to avoid all the things that I hated as a language student. We will use real songs, real literature, do real conversation and storytelling and we will go on “talking walks” because when you are engaging all your senses it is easier to keep your mind relaxed and to remember new words.

I hold a degree in Lingue e Letterature Straniere (Foreign Languages and Literatures) from Università Roma Tre (equivalent to an American MA) and a Master’s of Fine Arts in Interdisciplinary Arts and Media from Columbia College Chicago. I wrote a thesis about translating a long epic poem by W. H. Auden and I tried to ride a horse across America.

Extra information

my Dutch isn't very advanced, so I will often use some English before we transition to only speaking Italian

Location

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At student's location :

Around Rotterdam, Netherlands

At teacher's location :

Gouwstraat, Rotterdam, Netherlands

Online from Netherlands

About Me

I recently moved to the Netherlands after living in the United States for seven years. I was born and raised in Rome, Italy. I am currently based in Rotterdam.

I wrote a thesis about translating a long epic poem by W. H. Auden and I tried to ride a horse across America.

I am a video/performance artist and a writer.

Education

I hold a degree in Lingue e Letterature Straniere (Foreign Languages and Literatures) from Università Roma Tre (equivalent to an American MA) and a Master’s of Fine Arts in Interdisciplinary Arts and Media from Columbia College Chicago.

Experience / Qualifications

I have been teaching Italian since 2010 in Philadelphia, South Carolina, New York and Chicago. I have taught privately and at language schools like La Scuola Italiana del Greenwich Village in New York and ItalCultura, the school of the Italian Cultural Institute of Chicago.

Age

Children (7-12 years old)

Teenagers (13-17 years old)

Adults (18-64 years old)

Seniors (65+ years old)

Student level

Beginner

Intermediate

Advanced

Duration

45 minutes

60 minutes