by Heather Arrigo (Boston, USA, level 6)
Taking on learning a new language is no small task. Add to this, living in a different country with different customs (umm…I know it’s Sunday but I was hoping to go to the grocery store…) and being far away from family and friends, one is left to think that there really must be something rewarding to learning Italian and in fact there IS !! At the Scuola Leonardo da Vinci Milan, where every week students from all over the world start classes ranging from complete beginner to advanced, we thought it was a perfect opportunity get to the bottom of why Italian and why Scuola Leonardo da Vinci Milan? Here are our questions and our students candid responses:
Why did you choose to study Italian here? What was or is the most difficult thing about learning Italian for the 1st time and how did you get through it?
I really like Italian food and Italian cooking. I speak Spanish so I wanted to add Italian to the languages that I speak. I visited Milan before and liked it, so I decided to return to Milan to study. The most difficult thing for me, at the beginning of my studies, are the verbs and how to conjugate them. If I don’t understand something, the teachers are always patient and helpful, then I review it and it’s not confusing anymore.
Jamie (Boston, USA, Level 1)
Why did you choose to return to Scuola Leonardo da Vinci Milan for a second time?
I decided to come back to the school because I liked it, now I know people here…even the directors of the school I got to know. Also I like Milan, the last time I was here I made a lot of friend. This time I was also able to stay in the same apartment living with the same family that I already lived with. I had a good experience in the home and as well as at the school. This is why I come back !
Robert (Vienna, Austria, Level 6)
How do you balance learning Italian with all the places you can visit during your stay in Italy?
Living in Milan is pretty much studying itself. You don’t necessarily get to know things during the class. Whatever you do, buy milk in a shop, refill your phone, buy train ticket,
you study. The school organizes lots of trips, meetings, parties, etc. I always try to practice mu Italian with other students of the school, which means I am studying and having fun at the same time. That would be my tip for Italian learners: try to practice your Italian always, not just during classes !
Alisa (Moscow, Russia, Level 6)
Why did you choose Scuola Leonardo da Vinci Milan when there are so many language schools in Italy?
I find this school to be very modern…where you can really learn Italian and not get board ever. You can also learn about culture, life style and traditions and not just the language. Here, there is no time to feel lonely. Almost everyday the school organizes excursions and meetings so that the students can socialize also out of the language classes. In that way, the school creates the possibility for the students to practice the language in a friendly environment that is very useful !
Elena (Moscow, Russia, Level 3-6)
Why does the Scuola Leonardo da Vinci Milan succeed in teaching Italian to foreign students ?
We succeeded in helping students to learn Italian because we use the “communicative method” which permits us to teach the language through every day situations and real life contexts. Our approach is humanistic and that is why we take into account that every student is different and has it’s own learning style. The main importance is placed on oral comprehension and expression and the grammar is learned in a natural, deductive way.
Claudio (teacher and trainer)
What surprises you most about the students here at Scuola Leonardo da Vinci Milan?
What surprises me the most is their sincere interest in the Italian language and culture. Students that have studied Italian in their home country, arrive with a solid knowledge and it makes me happy finding out how well Italian is taught abroad.
Roberto (teacher)
Scuola Leonardo da Vinci Milan
Thanks to its prestigious universities and academies, Milan is the elected place of education for numerous Italian and international students.
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