Learn Italian in Florence & Bologna, Italy

Centro Koinè:
Koinè, named after a Greek word meaning “common language”, is a special kind of school set up in 1980 as an association of teachers, all with personal and professional experience in the area of teaching Italian as a foreign language. These teachers decided to create a new type of organization which would differ from other private schools in its style of working and teaching methods. Today Koinè offers its own didactic methods, its own text books, cassettes and videos, teachers specifically trained in these methods, lessons which are not limited purely to the teaching of the language, but completed by a series of introductory courses and guided visits to show our country’s hallmarks.

Italian Language and Culture:
The group course is our most common activity. Within a class of 4-8 and not more than 12 students, you will be learning Italian through guided conversation exchanges with other participants from all over the world. The classes concentrate on the spoken language that you will encounter in daily life in Italy. The Koinè method involves active participation in conversations, dialogues, games, and class readings.

We offer two different group courses:
- 20 hours/week group course for 1, 2, 3, or 4 weeks with starting dates every 2 weeks (mornings 9:00-13:00 for 4 hours for 5 levels).
This course is also offered as a long term course with special price reductions for a period of 6, 9 or 12 months

- 30 hours/week group course for 1, 2, 3, 4 weeks for starting dates every 2 weeks (morning 9:00-13:00 for 4 hours for 5 levels, and afternoon 2 hours of reading and writing practice for 2 levels) This course is held only in Florence.

In Florence, new classes begin every 2 weeks. Afternoon art, cultural, and gastronomic activities are offered. The course fee includes a welcoming party in a florentine Enoteca and a tour of the city center.
Lessons in Tuscan cooking and wine tasting, tours of the Duomo and Palazzo Vecchio, and excursions to Siena, Lucca, and the Chianti are offered for a small additional fee.

In Lucca, Cortona, Bologna and on Elba the Italian language course includes afternoon art, cultural, and gastronomic activities 2-3 times a week in the course fee. Tickets, food and beverages will be charged extra.

Combined Intensive Italian Course:
In addition to the four hours of group tuition in the morning, it is possible to attend a one-to-one afternoon lesson of one ore two hours with a teacher, in which you will have the chance to address any particular learning problems and cover your specific interests. The group session meets in the morning from 9 am to 1 pm, Monday through Friday, and one-to-one lessons are conducted from 2 pm to 4 pm or from 2 to 3 pm. This kind of course enables you to get a grasp of general linguistic notions through the group and exchange work in the morning, whereas the afternoon lesson is dedicated to the necessary subject knowledge or linguistic terminology of each single participant. 

Individual Intensive Italian Lessons:
Individual intensive lessons are offered for those with a personal or professional interest in the Italian language and with time restrictions. You may select a specific focus, such as Italian for economics, business, medicine, banking, history, art or architecture. Minimum duration: 1 week (Monday to Friday). Minimum frequency: 2 hours a day. Structured lessons for 2, 3, 4, 6, and 8 hours/ day. The 6 and 8 hours course is divided into 2 parts and taught by 2 different teachers, one from 9 am - 1 pm, the other from 1 pm - 3 pm or 1 pm - 5 pm, the 8 hours course includes a conversational lunch with one of the teachers. For greater student convenience, Koinè Center has introduced flexible schedules and prices for the Individual Intensive Lessons at the students’ homes too. Starting dates every working day of the year. Intensive lessons 2, 3, 4, 6, or 8 hours/ day.

A Tutor Course (Homestay):
This course offers the chance to work intensively in a full-immersion setting, at the same time allowing the participant to live together and share their experience closely with the teacher. During the Renaissance the aristocracy used to receive tutors in their palaces to teach their children, if you choose our course you will be given accommodation and learn directly in your tutor’s home! Tutor course is a super-intensive course at the teacher's home, featuring 7 hours of lessons a day from Monday to Friday (9:00-13:00 and 13:00-16:00; including lunch with teacher from 13:00-14:00). Starting date every working day of the year.

CILS Examination Course:
The official Italian Language Examination CILS (Certificazione di Italiano come Lingua Straniera) is held twice a year in June and December at several Universities in Italy and at other institutions abroad. The certificate is recognized by most Italian universities as a requirement for admission.  The Koinè Center offers preparation courses in Florence and Bologna to reach the four levels of Italian certified by the University of Siena. Three afternoon meetings a week on Monday, Wednesday and Friday from 2 pm to 4 pm. Group lessons in small groups, following the program of the University of Siena.

Courses for teachers of Italian:
Il Centro Koinè, fino dalla sua fondazione (1980), ha affiancato al normale insegnamento un'attività ricerca e di aggiornamento nel campo della glottodidattica, comprendente anche corsi per insegnanti e produzione di materiali didattici. I contenuti dei corsi sono stati elaborati e sperimentati all'interno delle lezioni di italiano con studenti di varie nazionalità sono stati sottoposti a verifiche e confronti nell'ambito di annuali seminari specifici. I corsi sono rivolti sia a partecipanti di madrelingua straniera che ad italiani.