SICILIA ITALIAN LANGUAGE SCHOOL

I very much appreciated the format of the classes : first, some grammar and second, the discussions around specifics themes. All students together inthe second part allowed for interestings subjects to be introduction. Specifically about Sicily
That constituted a good introduction to the region, the culture and the language. The use of the internet to show us what we d'idiot understand was a great plus. Very dynamic.The song to the small children was also interesting to learn as it showed the live the parents have for their children in a poetic way. Hopefully I wouldgo back for more than a week and preferably having study in advance.

Business part:
- My booked arrangement conditions were unclear and caused quite some stress to me at the first days.
- No organized activities took place within 2 weeks, without any explanation. Other than stated on website.
- Teaching material paid with 50,- EUR were 20-30 sheets of partly badly copied book pages only.

Organisation & Infrastructure
- Lessons were often interrupted.
- The level of communicating organizational issues was very poor.
- The (only) two classes existing were too heterogeneous.
- I’m not sure that I was placed at the class best fitting for me.

Content of lessons
- Strong stress on grammar, on partly wrong issues in my opinion = I'll be never good enough to use them.
- No training in and for practical situations at all. Other than stated on the website.
- Almost only frontal teaching, very rarely gaming situations, working in small groups or any other kind of playful learning took place.

+ Location of the school is quite good.
+ Teachers were nice, engaged and motivated in general.

As a result of all this, during these two weeks in Palermo I felt more insecure and incomplete regarding my Italian language skills than before. I felt often like a complete fool. After 4 years of keeping up I seriously thought about quitting completely my efforts to learn Italian! This is exactly the opposite of what I should have experienced.

The teachers made a good job. I was there in December and there was no heater in the classroom, it was very cold. If you go to this school twice a week it is okay, but if you spend every day in this school, it is boring. There were no activities. You need other input and other people. Some students brought their family to Palermo or studied at the University, so they had contact to others.

School: Small school with a particularly familiar atmosphere and nice personal contacts

Classes: As advertised, has a small course - which includes the difficulty to teach one level

Teachers: Competent and very friendly with a wide range of motivating subjects.

On some occasions, they gave too much stress on, as far as I am concerned, less important grammar chapters (passato remoto!).

Location: City centre

Facilities: In spite of the school being rather small, it offered all that was necessary.

Activies: In the first week there were practically none. It was only after I had talked to the head that the situation improved a lot in the second week - with city walks and small excursions.

I recommend at least one walk of the city centre on one of the first days to help the students find their way in a big City like Palermo and to get used to their new surroundings.

Housing: Excellent apartment - though unlike advertised (as a 5 minute walk to school), it took me around 20 minutes to walk to school.

Generally speaking, I found Palermo and the school an interesting experience once I got used to the big city and the heavy traffic. Its rich history and culture make it definitely a place worth visiting.

The classes were very well planned. The teacher used books as educational material, though I missed some books and pedagogical materials provided to the students.

We had a marvelous lesson outdoors, as we had a city tour which was wonderful. They were very flexible with the time and the program which for me was really important.

The school has a great location in the heart of Palermo. The classes were very interesting and the teachers very helpful and nice. The island has a lot of things to offer. You can find everything that is pleasurable and makes you relax. The sea, the monuments, beaches, and of course food which personally I think is the best on Sicily. Each week the school organizes amazing trips around the city and the island. I really recommend the school and the place :)