Thanks for your PM which I can't reply to because I don't have access. I'll try to convey some thoughts via the language thread.
Firstly, I am passionate about the Italian language (if you hadn't picked that up before!) and have loved teaching it first to school children in primary and Junior secondary school and now to seniors.
My parents were Italian but we always spoke English at home. I met my Italian husband when I went to Perugia's Universita` per Stranieri to improve my rather basic language skills. So, as you can see, Italian is not really my first language. I have, however, lived in Italy for a while and travel there regularly to visit family and friends.
I tell you this to encourage you. It is not essential to speak Italian as a mother tongue to be an excellent teacher of the language. In fact, it often helps not to because, having learned the language from scratch yourself, you have an intimate understanding of the difficulties and pitfalls which are encountered by your students.
It is, though, very important that:
a) you know the language thoroughly so that you are self-confident in your ability and can inspire the students' confidence in you! b) you have a positive and enthusiastic approach which is communicated to the students. A positive attitude on your and the students' part helps to overcome the many difficulties met in teaching/learning a new language c) you need to develop creative, interesting strategies so that you can introduce and practise grammar elements constantly without the students getting bored (particularly in the initial stages when it is all too easy to think it's all just "too hard") d) you need to choose and then follow a programme/text book which provides a clear, easily followed structured progression. Choosing a course is not as easy as it sounds i.e. just buying an Italian Language Course book and doing what is says. Some of the courses available are really complex, convoluted and far too much for people who wish to learn Italian in a once or twice a week situation. I always find that I supplement the book with lots of my own personal material specifically designed for the students in the class (e.g. age, previous Italian, personality type, sense of humour, perseverence etc) e) lessons need to be divided into sections so that students don't become bored or lose concentration because that particular element has gone on for too long - things like readings, songs, anecdotes, revision, vocab drills, new grammar, cultural content, written exercises, fun-type drills, not so fun-type drills, video clips, listening exercises with tapes, taping of student dialogues, making up own dialogues, role plays - the list goes on and on just as long as the activities are keeping the students motivated, stimulated, entertained, in learning mode of the target language at all times (even if they don't realise it!) f) if something doesn't work the first time and you can sense that it hasn't sunk in - try another way. People have different styles of learning and if one method doesn't work then another one might. g) Be patient, be patient, be patient. Not only with the student but (maybe more importantly) with yourself. If you lose heart, so will the student.
Summed up? Knowledge, competence, pace, variety and creativity
I think that your six years and various trips to Italy have given you a wonderful grounding and every new course you take will add to the final package as "The Best and Most Sought After Teacher of Italian in Hawaii"
I don't know what is offered in Siena but certainly, the Universita` per Stranieri in Perugia offers a two week intensive course for intending teachers of Italian for which they give a certificate at the end. If you go to:
on page 22 you will find the details. The next course of two weeks is from 17 - 28 July 2006 and costs 250 euro.
I did my course in Perugia (long time ago now!) and loved every single second of my time there as have my two daughters. Claire (Saint_Bambi) is there now and in just two months has become a profficient speaker from a very, very basic beginning. The people she has met there have been of all age levels and nationalities and she has made really strong connections with many of her fellow students. And she adores Perugia and its atmosphere - a real student town with masses of buzzing students (not to mention the passeggiata!)
Perugia is the right size in terms of a good place to acquire Italian (I guess Siena is, too,) because it is not too big, not too small; courses at the Uni are well planned/taught and highly respected; it offers plenty of opportunities to speak Italian with Italians in day to day situations; there's plenty to do when you are not studying in terms of concerts, cultural events and places to go/see inside and outside the city; it's just a fascinating place to be with its Etruscan/Roman/Mediaeval origins (even after 40 years I am still discovering bits I didn't know about!)
Hope this helps and you haven't been too bored. Let me know if you have other questions and if I can I'd love to help.
There can never be too many good Italian teachers in the world!!!! Purtroppo, there are lots of mediocre ones (but we won't even consider those!)
grazie infinite per la tua generosità (spero che non ti offendi se ti do del "tu"). Mi hai incoraggiato tanto. Conserverò i tuoi consigli e li rileggerò quando mi sento scoraggiata....
As you can probably tell from this short paragraph, I have long way to go, but I have a time-tested enthusiasm for the language, culture, and people, which deepens with every visit to Italy. And now that I have made a commitment to pursue a new career, I know I will be quite dogged about it. You could get confirmation of this from my husband, who often is waiting for me to turn out the light as I read my latest Camilleri novel in bed. Right now it's "Gli arancini di Montalbano", a collection of short stories. When I was in Italy last month, I watched "Il Commissario Montalbano" series with great interest.
I have not stayed in Umbria before, and I wonder if you could tell me a bit about the character of the people in Perugia. I know that there are a wide variety of people in every city, but having stayed for extended periods in Siena over the years, I could identify for you some of the defining characteristics of Senesi. For example, many of them are very sporting (probably because of the Palio), and a bit provincial (like we are here in Hawaii). They are VERY proud of their city, but then, this is true of every Italian resident I have ever met, who believes their city is the absolute best in the country. Such civic pride!
I was also wondering if the reputation of the University in Perugia is heads and shoulders above that of the University in Siena, in language teaching circles both inside and outside of Italy. Is it like the Harvard or Oxford University of Italy?
A presto, Dana
Posts: 25 | Location: Honolulu | Registered: 28 March 2005
Gosh, how to answer your query about the character of the perugini? I'm probably the wrong one to ask because I'm in the inner circle, as it were, being married to one. I met a perugino, born, bred and educated in Perugia all his life. When we met he liked me (and I liked him!) and he introduced me to his perugino friends who were all welcoming. Later on I was taken into the family with open arms and huge generosity. While I was studying in PG I lived with a Perugian couple and they are still my friends. All the perugini that I know are genuinely warm, sincere and open.
But traditionally they consider themselves as mountain people - i.e. more reserved and quieter than i toscani; no frills friendly; sincere and helpful when approached but not gushing; warm and honest towards strangers but perhaps keeping a little distance until they know you a bit better or they can see that you are truly interested in them. (Don't forget that St Francis of Assisi was an Umbrian and a mystic - those reflective elements are perhaps still present in today's Umbrian)
I can't comment on whether they are particularly sporty but when, a few years ago, the Perugia Football Club made it into seria A the whole town went totally nuts with joy - and the hysteria lasted for days. There were wild scenes of Perugia flag waving and utter strangers were embraced in the outpouring of pride and elation.
Culturally they are sophisticated and knowledgeable. They have in their blood the mingled elements of four powerful periods in art and history - etruscan, roman, mediaeval and renaissance - examples of which you can see and be introduced to right through the city. And i perugini love telling you about their heritage - but probably only if you ask otherwise they probably won't force it on you!
Yes, civic pride in bucket loads but they won't boast aloud about how their city is the best/most interesting/most beautiful/most important/best preserved. They probably think it but won't flaunt it. They'll let you make up your own mind.
The Uni per Stranieri, along with that of Siena are both highly regarded in the world of language teaching/learning. They are both prestigious and proud institutions and fiercely protective of their reputation for excellence, research, development of methodology and world class practice. I haven't been to the Siena Uni so I cannot give a personal comment on how I found their courses and teachers.
Perhaps other Slow Travellers can add their comments about personal experiences of the people and university of Perugia. Having travelled in Italy so widely and often yourself, you'll know that how we judge people depends on our own personal experiences with them. It is so very hard to generalise because, as they say, one man's meat is another man's poison - and my experiences have led me to happy conclusions!!!
I'm Valda's daughter who is currently living it up in Perugia and, as such, can give you a much more up-to-date view of what it's like studying here.
First thing I'll say is that it's really really lively. Even in the depths of winter at 2am there are people out and about. This is what comes from being in a town with both an Italian and Foreign university. In winter the place is full of Italian students, and in summer full of foreign students. I was astounded visiting Assisi, Spoleto and Orvieto (generally much more touristed than Perugia) in February and March to see how completely DEAD they all were.
Second thing is that even though Perugia is full of foreigners, they're not tourists. You don't get busloads of tour groups crowding the town. This means you get all the benefits of Perugia not being on the tourist trail - you see real Italians in the street and you go into shops and people won't speak to you in English but in Italian. They're used to foreign students here, and will most likely ask you "how long have you been learning Italian?"
Third is that I think the Uni here is great. It's a real true University. All the teachers you will have speak Italian as a mother-tongue and are really truly University professors specialised in teaching Italian to foreigners. They are all multilingual, and know what sort of mistakes are particular to the English, Greeks, Spanish etc and can explain why it's different in Italian. There are five levels, from beginner to superior. In levels 4 and 5 you choose an indirizzo, and focus on that particular area, for example linguistics, art history or technical/business. There are loads of cultural activities on - Italian films every Thursday and Friday, English films at the Pavone every Monday, (paid) excursions most Sundays (more often in summer), concerts, academic conferences etc.
What is the character of the Perugini? Gosh, like my mum, I'm probably the wrong one to ask, as I've spent a lot of time with my Perugian family here. I'd say that most of the time foreigners associate with foreigners, mainly because they get accommodation through Atena service and hence live with other foreigners. Also, there are LOADS of Italian students here from all over Italy studying at the Universita` Degli Studi so chances are that the people you'll be sharing an apartment with anyway won't be Perugians (who live at home with their parents), but from other parts of Italy.
btw - lectures at the Universita` Degli Studi are open to everyone, so you could go and sit in if you wanted to. It's one of the oldest and most respected universities in Italy.
Whether you live with foreigners or Italians can be either good or bad. These are the observations I've made from seeing how different friends have lived depending on who their flatmates are. Living with foreigners means you'll probably speak English at home, but on the other hand you will always be out and about - going out to dinner, doing daytrips, exploring Umbria together. Living with Italians means you'll speak Italian at home, but probably won't go exploring as much. From a personal point of view (I lived with family) I had to work hard at cultivating friendships with people in my class so that they'd invite me to do things with them and their flatmates.
As for living in Perugia, I find it very easy. The historic centre is great and easy to walk around and most things you'll need you can get here. I only leave the centre to go to the large supermarket near the train station, or to the train station itself. If you need to get out and about for a bit there are two train lines that connect you to many of the major AND minor towns in Umbria, plus a plethora of buses that will take you most places the train won't.
That's all I can think of for now. My experience here has been overwhelmingly positive. In just two months in level 3 my Italian improved by leaps and bounds. I can now say pretty much everything I want to say, follow about 75% of the news, watch tv shows dubbed in Italian and am now even starting to get the congiuntivo trapassato right!
the people of Perugia sound lovely...but of course, you married one! Thanks for your insights.
I followed another thread back in January regarding various language schools -- I see you commented there also -- but no one seemed to know much about the Uni di Siena.
Has anyone who has studied there offered some insights?
Posts: 25 | Location: Honolulu | Registered: 28 March 2005
as I was typing my message just now, I heard that little beep and saw your response. Thank you for sharing your experiences in "real time". Perugia is a now a must-visit for my late/summer early fall trip, and I will try to sit in on some lectures. I am leaning towards taking a short-term intensive course.
Posts: 25 | Location: Honolulu | Registered: 28 March 2005
Actually, to be honest, I'd think twice about doing an intensive course. 40 hours a week is A LOT. You'll be completely knackered at the end of it and it won't leave you any time for exploring or enjoying "just being there." You'll likely have a few days where you start at 8am and finish at 6pm with a one hour break.
To be honest, I found 20 hours a week of classes a lot (and I skipped quite a few classes!) My brain was fried at the end of each day.
Of course, you know what's best for you in terms of language learning. Perhaps you're tougher than me!
Okay, have to go. Internet point is about to close!
Ciao, Claire: Now that you mention it, I once took an intensive course that included two hours of private tutoring in the afternoons, in addition to the 9am - 1 pm morning classes. You're right: I was fried after four hours and my brain just couldn't seem to fit anymore new information. I may have to reconsider my plan....
Dana
Posts: 25 | Location: Honolulu | Registered: 28 March 2005
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