My teaching experience . . .

I teach Italian as a foreign language in a private school of Athens. In this school the students have a free choice of a second foreign language among Italian, French, German and Spanish (the first foreign language of course is English). They study their foreign language from the third elementary class until the third class of high school.

            So my students are from 8-15 years old !

            Therefore for the 3^rd elementary class the main idea is to get the students close to the Italian sounds, the Italian pronunciation, culture and music. Basically I use flashcards, songs and videos with main educational tool the interactive blackboard.

            For the next classes they learn to write phrases, to decline verbs, to speak. The role-play activity is very constructive and they empower their communicative skills so as to reach at the last class of primary school to the A1 level. The students at this age participate to the PLIDA juniores exams of Società Dante Alighieri and they obtain the certificate of A1 level.

            For the high school I enrich their vocabulary, we improve speaking-reading and writing skills and the students reach at the B1-B2 level (PLIDA exams).

            As a weakness I have to refer that the students study Italian as a foreign language and not as a second language, which is very different. Second of all, in the context of a private school and the language exams of A1-A2 and B1-B2 level it becomes very difficult to find enough space for cultural activities and non formal education. I try to induct cultural stimulus and have a methodology based on a communicative context.

            A small sample of my work:

• Visit to the Italian Institute of Athens with the students of elementary school. The students had the chance to speak in Italian, participate to an experimental workshop of Italian geography, attend an exhibition of photography dedicated to Venice and taste the famous Italian pizza….

• Summer Workshop: “Greetings from Europe” where the students of Italian Language create their own postcards from Italy with the technique of a collage among monuments, photos, greetings in Italian and stamps from Italy for their friends. 

• My body: a small workshop for the small students of elementary school.

• My desires: The desires of the 3^rd class of high school !