First Day of School – Italian Language Lessons

---

Monday 28 May

First Day of School – Italian Language Lessons

At il Sasso Language School I opted for classroom lessons of just for 4 hours per day (8.45 – 1.15, including breaks). This seems to be the norm, although some students also take private lessons during the afternoon. It really depends why you want/need to learn the language (work requirement or pleasure) and how quickly you want/need to learn. I’m taking lessons so that I can learn enough to get myself out of trouble when I’m travelling, and to know enough to be able to read documents when researching family history.

By the end of the first day my head was swimming. Unlike the way languages are taught in Australia, with explanations in English, the method for classroom teaching at this school is no, absolutely no other language but Italian to be spoken. Even explanations were in Italian with the teacher miming out the words where necessary. As an absolute beginner and I mean absolute, I found this style very frustrating as I couldn’t work out some of the mimes. What about text books you say? All in Italian, no English!

---

Photos

IL SASSO
Me outside my language school