Italian Language Lessons in Northern Italy

Reggio Lingua, Reggio Emilia:
Reggio Lingua is a specialized language center in Reggio Emilia, north of Italy, teaching Italian language and culture to people of all ages and nationalities. We organize Italian courses for groups, individuals, and businesses (for managers, technicians and employees), as well as for high school and university groups, homestay programs in an instructor’s home, and courses in preparation for the CILS and CELI exams.

GROUP LESSONS:
Students can choose 20, 40, 60, or 80 hours of lessons. Each lesson lasts 55 minutes. Courses can be intensive (Monday-Friday, 4 hours per day) or more protracted. Before the beginning of the course students will take a test to evaluate their knowledge of Italian in order to form homogeneous classes. The classes are small, with a minimum of 3 students and a maximum of 8, to encourage learning and participation and to create a pleasant, relaxed, informal atmosphere.

At the end of each didactic unit, students will be given a test to systematically evaluate progress. At the end of each course students will take a final exam to pass to the next level. At the end of each course students will receive a certificate of attendance.

PRIVATE LESSONS:
For students wanting a personalized, flexible course, Reggio Lingua organizes private lessons. Students can choose 20, 30, 40 or 50 hours of lessons with a weekly schedule adapted to the individual student’s needs. At the end of each course the student receives a certificate of attendance.

ITALIAN FAMILY HOMESTAY PROGRAMS:
Homestay means private Italian tutorials at a qualified Italian teacher’s home. The teacher will host a student and will be at his/her disposal not only to offer regular Italian language tutorials, but also to promote the different aspects of local culture and Italian family life. The student will have the opportunity to participate in the Italian tutor’s social and family life and will therefore be able to learn Italian in every moment of the day, casually chatting with his/her teacher or teacher’s family, going to the cinema or theatre, visiting friends or shopping. This is the ideal solution for those who need to learn as much as possible in a short period of time and for those interested in having direct contact with our country’s family life and culture without language barriers.

The “Homestay” also offers the advantage of flexible scheduling, from 2 to 4 hours per day, and a custom program coordinated by the teacher and student together. The student will have a private bedroom and, when possible, a private bathroom. The rest of the house will be shared with the Italian host family. Italian tutors are carefully selected and constantly monitored.

Homestay programs: where ?
Our homestay program offers a wide variety of locations and teachers to choose from.

Homestay in Reggio Emilia
It is a small, welcoming and accessible town (140,000 people). It is very lively and it offers a wide range of cultural activities in every moment of the year, from ballet to opera, from jazz concerts to ethnic music or classical music. The town is also quite active in organizing a number of interesting events such as fairs, arts and craft markets and art exhibitions. Reggio Emilia is particularly famous for the rich culinary tradition and the production of Parmesan cheese and balsamic vinegar. Public transports are very efficient and it is easy to reach the sport facilities and shopping malls. In less than an hour you can also reach Bologna, Verona, Mantova and in a couple of hours you can go to Florence or Milan. Reggio Emilia is also renowned for the hospitality and warmth of its people.

Homestay in Villaguardia (Como)
It is a very small town, but it has an ideal location: it is just 8 km from Como, its famous lake and its beautiful villas, gardens and characteristic fishing-villages scattered on the hills like the world-wide famous Bellagio, with its neoclassic villa and its luxurious gardens, or Cernobbio, renowned holiday resort for its enchanting atmosphere and for the spectacular international congress centre at Villa Erba. If you are fond of mountains, from Villaguardia you can also go to Switzerland that is just 10 km far and enjoy the spectacular Alpine landscape, and last, but not least, Milan, the ‘city’ with any kind of exhibits, stores, cinemas and restaurants, is 50 km from it.

Homestay in Ferrara
It is called “The City for Cyclists” as it is really comfortable and amusing to cycle in and around this ancient beautiful city, with its famous castle and the long massive walls surrounding the city centre. There is a plenty of shops, stores, pubs, cinemas and restaurants where you can taste the local cuisine. If you are fond of arts, “Palazzo dei Diamanti” features interesting art exhibits, while “Teatro Comunale” welcomes world-wide known theatre groups and musicians like Abbado.

The river “Po” flows just near Ferrara and it divides it from Regione Veneto, which is not far to reach: in about one hour you can get to the enchanting Venice by train and Verona is about 40 minutes by car, with its famous “Arena” and “Juliet’s balcony”. Depending on the period of stay, it is also fun to go to the seaside.


Homestay in Spinea (Venezia)
Spinea is a town located at only 20 minutes from Venice's historical center. Venezia, La Serenissima, Queen of the Adriatic, city of canals and palaces. For a thousand years the city was one of the most enduring mercantile sea powers on the face of the earth. Venice is built on 117 small islands and has some 150 canals and 409 bridges. The city's 'main street' is the Grand Canal, which passes most of the districts as it twists along the length of Venice from the railway station to St Mark's, which is one of the most spectacular houses of worship in the world, attesting to the Venetian Republic's former maritime and commercial might. The cluster of sights around the Piazza San Marco are beautiful, but the more secret pleasures of the hushed backstreets are just as entrancing. One of Venice’s principal pleasures is to take time to lose yourself in the maze of canals and lanes. The shallow waters of the Laguna Veneta are dotted by a mosaic of islands, including Murano, Burano and Torcello.

Homestay in Rome
Visitors have been coming to this historic tourist destination for over 25 centuries and this 'Eternal City' contains more sights than you could possibly ever see during one holiday. Therefore it makes sense to prioritise, visit your chosen tourist attractions and then simply relax, soaking up the vibrant Italian atmosphere present in this capital whilst perhaps enjoying a coffee on one of the numerous spacious squares.

ITALIAN COOKING COURSES:
The Italian cooking courses consist of daily classes of three hours each taking place from Monday to Friday.  You will learn to prepare the typical dishes of Reggio Emilia: tortelli, lasagne, cappelletti, erbazzone, different types of sauces for pasta, and traditional desserts. For lunch we will eat what we have cooked together. We can also visit local wine cellars, and Parmesan cheese and balsamic vinegar producers. The courses are held at a local agriturismo (agricultural B&B), where rooms are available for overnight accommodation. The agriturismo is located 4 kms from the center of Reggio Emilia and is easily reached by bus or bicycle. During your stay, the owners can offer many possible activities such as: golf, horseback riding, mountain biking, and nature hikes through the Reggiana hills. Italian lessons are available upon request.

PROGRAMS FOR SCHOOL AND UNIVERSITY GROUPS:
Our school organizes language stays for university and high school groups for one or more weeks. Students stay with carefully selected, local host families providing breakfast or half board. In addition to Italian language courses, the program provides conversational exchanges with other youth, activities tailored to the students’ ages and interests, excursions and guided tours. We are also available to work with organizations or agencies involved in education.

Reggio Emilia is home to the internationally renowned Reggio Children early childhood education program.The program includes 20 hours of language instruction, guided tours to various cities, conversational exchanges with other students, tours of Parmesan cheese and balsamic vinegar producers, tours to the Ferrari factory in Maranello or the Ducati plant in Bologna, etc.

Programs can be tailored to fulfill university requirements. Some suggestions: workshops with students and seminars with professors at the University of Reggio Emilia, tours of various cities like Florence, Venice, Bologna etc., tours of the Reggio Emilia preschools and other schools (with the possibility of a brief internship at or tour of the International “Loris Malaguzzi” Center and the ReMida Creative Recycling Center), and tours of local cooperatives, businesses, and wine, Parmesan cheese or balsamic vinegar producers.