Italian beginners: module 1

Ciao! My name is Veronica De Felice and I come from Southern Italy. I was born in Pompei ("not in the ruins", a joke I always make with my students) and I have always been fond of languages. Indeed, I studied languages at secondary school (English, Spanish, French and Latin) and I graduated at the University of Naples, l'Orientale, with a BA (Hon) in Modern Foreign Languages. I moved to London in 2002 and, after three years, I gained a CLTA qualification at Goldsmith University, and a few years later a level 5 Diploma in Teaching in the Lifelong Learning Sector. In 2006, I started working as an Italian tutor in various colleges and universities, such as Goldsmith College, the University of Arts, Croydon College, University of Wesminster, City University and City Lit since 2010. At the moment, I am also teaching A level italian at LAE Tottenham, and the IB diploma in an international school in central London. I believe that studying and speaking another language expands your personal and communication skills, and makes you see the world from a different perspective. For me, learning a language is about challenging yourself, getting out of your comfort zone and having fun!

I hold an MA in Modern Greek and Italian Language and Literature from ELTE University in Budapest, where I specialized in Neo-Latin Linguistics and completed a Teacher Training Programme. I furthered my studies with a postgraduate course in Teaching Modern Greek as a Second Language at the University of Patras, Greece, supported by a Greek Government Scholarship. Additionally, I studied Neo-Latin Linguistics for a semester at Roma Tre University in Italy on a scholarship. My approach to language learning emphasizes communication and real-world application, focusing on conversation to help students confidently use the language in everyday situations. As a CELTA-certified instructor, I incorporate communicative teaching methods to create an engaging and immersive learning environment. I believe that learning a language is also an opportunity to explore its culture, history, and traditions. Through my lessons, I encourage students to embrace both the linguistic and cultural aspects of Greek and Italian, making their learning experience enriching and enjoyable.

Anna was drawn to London in her adolescence, by her love of English language and culture. She received a TEFL (Teaching English as a Foreign Language) and Modern Languages Teaching Certificate from Westminster College in 1996 and her Postgraduate diploma in Higher Education from Goldsmith University, in 1999. In 1997, she started teaching Italian at the London College of Fashion and Central Saint Martin, before moving to the London School of Economics, in 1999, where she is still working as a teacher and as a coordinator of Italian language. She started teaching adults at the City Lit in 1998, where she began to appreciate working with a wide range of students of various ages and backgrounds. She enjoys the social aspect and human contact of education, always reflected in her approach to teaching. In her classes she encourages interaction among students, which is the foundation of learning a language as she has experienced, whilst learning French a Spanish. Anna also taught Italian at the Courtauld Institute of Art between 2009 and 2019.

Ottavia Castellina is an art historian, photographer and tutor. After gaining a degree in Art History at Turin University she completed an MA in Photography at the London College of Communication. Over the past years she has been teaching Italian, art history and photography both in Italy and in the UK, while her photographic work has been internationally exhibited and published. She currently works as a photography lecturer at Genoa University while organizing workshops and courses in a range of different contexts and institutions.

Simona is from Perugia but studied in Milan where her passion for languages culminated with a degree in French. There, she taught French at a Senior high School before going to the States for 6 years. She moved to London and, from 2001, she has been teaching Italian (Adult Education) at CityLit, other Colleges and at Kingston University. From 2012 she has also been teaching Community Interpreting and that has given her the opportunity to have a deeper insight into other cultures and backgrounds. Her teaching techniques, personality and empathy have earned her very gratifying feed backs from her students: “… after just one year I feel able to have simple conversations about various topics, … Simona also incorporated many interactive activities in class so that I had the chance to speak, make mistakes, get corrected and learn to use the language… I would definitely sign up again… Konrad) “… A wonderful teacher (Simona is very friendly and engaging and always helpful and adapted really well to going online). "(Malcom)