Native ITALIAN Teacher (bilingual in English, also speak Spanish and French), with a Degree in Classics and Linguistics, 10 YEARS EXPERIENCE teaching FOREIGN students!

Find out more about Anna

• Do you speak this language fluently because of your origins or because a teacher inspired you to learn?

  I was born in Milan (Italy) so Italian is my Native Language. My passion for Italian started when I was very young and I have dedicated most of my academic path to studying how to teach it to foreign people. I think it's one of the most beautiful languages in the world, and I feel grateful whenever I have to chance to help spread it.

• Can you name a living, historical or fictional character that you think is the emblematic representative of the language's culture?

  Italian cultural is so vibrant and it has permeated all aspects of life throughout the centuries. Wether we're talking History -with Julius Caesar, the Roman Empire, the Medici family- or we're philosophizing with Seneca, wether we're listening to Vivaldi, Puccini or Pavarotti, or we're reading Dante or Pirandello, wether we're passing by an Armani store or we're watching a movie by Fellini, or admiring a Michelangelo or a Botticelli, Italian culture shines in all fields of knowledge and arts.

• Is there a typical word, phrase, tradition or behaviour in the language that you particularly like?

  I love the latin saying "Per Aspera ad Astra", which is still very much used in Italian. It means "Through hardships to the stars".

• Why does speaking this language matter to you?

  Like I said earlier, I am in love with my language. On top of being beautifully melodic and undeniably musical, Italian is the access point to a culture that is so fertile and creative. I believe whoever decides to learn it gifts his or her self something invaluable.

• What is the main difficulty in learning this language and what can help the process of learning?

  Like all Romance languages Italian is heavily based on Grammar. Most of my students find that to be the most challenging aspect of our Italian-learning journey. However, I take great pride in the fact that my academic path has proven very effective to help them through it. On top of being fully bilingual in English, while also speaking Spanish and French, for many years I have studied Linguistics (the science of Language): I have found that to be an immense help in immediately understanding how each of my students reasons and learns depending on which language they speak. We all function differently, and our native language significantly impacts how we process language-related information and structures. Adapting my explanations and approach to the individual student is at the core of my teaching method.

• Provide a valuable anecdote related to your language learning or your days at school.

  When I used to be a student myself, I remember being most passionate about the subjects taught by Professors who made the learning experience exciting and enriching. Curiosity and passion are very contagious, I find. They are essential in a class environment, they fill us with motivation to work hard and keep learning!

• How has travel or a specific trip helped you to increase your skill and knowledge of the language?

  Rather than a travel in space, it is a travel in time that most influenced me and equipped me in my learning -and subsequently teaching- my native language: by that, I am referring to the study of Latin and Ancient Greek (that I started in middle school and continued all the way through my the Degree in Classics). Latin and Ancient Greek are widely known as "dead languages", a term that I don't particularly love nor agree with, as there's nothing dead about them. Latin, especially, is the mother of Italian. Learning it has deepened my understanding of Italian itself making it all the more thorough and complete.

• What makes you a Superprof in language?

  Bottomline, I believe that preparation and experience are essential, and in the past ten years I have been fortune enough to acquire both. However, I think that the most essential trait in choosing a tutor is to find someone who loves the subject wholeheartedly. Like I said, passion is contagious. As my students can testify, Italian is my greatest passion, and every class feels like such a wonderful opportunity to share this beautiful, beautiful language!