Benvenuti! Our language program is characterized by communication in a fun and relaxed environment and students' active participation.
We will help you learn Italian through classes that build both spoken and written fluency. Buon divertimento!
NEW! SUMMER 08' Program is now available!
Classes start on July 7th and end in September. Please check the schedule for specific days/times.
 Click here for SUMMER Classes Schedule (PDF)
To download the enrollment form and check out prices click here (PDF)
NEW TEXTBOOKS!
You Asked. We listened.
Starting Summer 2008 the ICC will gradually introduce a new textbook: “Ciao!”.
 This book is very popular and it is available at all major regular and on-line stores. It will eventually cover levels 1 through 5. The first classes introducing the new book will be Italiano 1 and 4, more classes will introduce it in the following quarters.
Ciao! Book and CD
Authors: Carla Larese Riga, Chiara Maria Dal Martello
Publisher: Heinle
Edition: 6th
ISBN-13: 9781413016369
ITALIAN LANGUAGE CLASSES
Italian for Travelers
This popular and lively course of Italian starts you in the right direction with phrases about hotels, restaurants, shops, cafes, and museums. These basic conversational skills will greatly enhance your Italian experience. No prior knowledge of Italian required.
Italiano 1 - for absolute beginners
Goal: This course gives students the basic tools needed to successfully understand and communicate in Italian. At the completion of this course, students should be able to greet others, introduce themselves, ask for information and directions, talk about themselves and others, and describe people, things, and places. Grammar: Pronunciation, subject pronouns, c’è (there is) and ci sono (there are), indicative present tense of essere (to be), avere (to have) and regular verbs in -are, articles, gender and plural of nouns, numbers 0-49, formal and informal communication, prepositions, interrogative. (Textbook: Ciao! Book and CD, 6th edition, Carla Larese Riga and Chiara Maria dal Martello, Thomson Heinle, Chapters 1- 4)
Italiano 2 - for students with basic knowledge of Italian
Goal: to build on Italiano 1 and give students stronger and wider skills needed to understand, speak, and write. Songs will be used as additional material. At the end of the class students should be able to ask and give directions, ask and tell time, plan a trip, describe one’s habits and daily life, and talk about holidays and traditions,and family. Grammar: Adjectives, c’è/ci sono, present tense, past tense, ci vuole/ci vogliono, reflexive verbs, possessive adjectives. (Book: Italian Espresso 1, Chapters 5–9)
Italiano 3 - for students with a fairly good command of Italian
Goal: to build on Italiano 2 and give students the structures necessary to make polite requests, express tastes and preferences, describe people and experience from past, make comparisons, express wishes. At the end of this class students should be able to communicate in a shopping environment, talk about their childhood, describe and compare people and things, make social arrangements. Grammar: reinforcement and practice of all tenses of the indicative mood, including imperfect and past perfect, direct and indirect object pronouns, conditional, comparative and superlatives, present progressive. (Book: Italian Espresso 1, Chapters 10– 14)
Italiano 4 – for students with a good command of the language
Goal: This course helps build on Italiano 3 and give students a stronger foundation to developtheir skills base in order to achieve a higher level of complexity in their speaking and reading. At the end of the class students should be able to talk in detail about Italian cuisine, ingredients, and kitchen tools, communicate about vacation, real estate, and converse about economy and employment.
Grammar: Direct, indirect, and disjunctive pronouns, the future tense, the verb piacere, the invariable pronouns ne and ci, double object pronouns, and the conditional mood. (Textbook: Ciao! Book and CD 6th edition, Carla Larese Riga and Chiara Maria dal Martello, Thomson Heinle, Chapters 11–14)
Italiano 5 – for students with a strong command of the language
Goal: to build on Italiano 4 and give students stronger and wider language skills to be able to interact at a high level of complexity. At the end of the class students should be able to ask and give information, describe a city, express complaints, regrets, personal opinions, debate, judge and talk about goals. Grammar: relative and indefinite pronouns, past conditional, remote past, subjunctive (Book: Italian Espresso 2, Chapters 5– 9)
Italiano 6 – for students with a strong command of the language
Goal: to build on Italiano 5 and give students stronger and wider language skills to be able to interact at a very high level of complexity. At the end of the class students should be able to debate, judge and talk about any subject. Grammar: conjunctive, conditional tense, relative pronouns, and gerund (Book: Italian Espresso 2, Chapters 9 and up).
Beginner Intermediate and Advanced Conversation
Italian culture - art, cuisine, cinema, lifestyles, music, fashion, etc– is the starting point for a number of conversations and discussions that will help students to both enrich their knowledge of Italy and build a larger vocabulary. Includes practical usage and review of the grammar previously studied.
Beginner Conversation requires Italian 2+ (or equivalent)
Intermediate Conversation requires Italian 3+ (or equivalent)
Advanced Conversation requires Italian 5+ (or equivalent)
Si Dice Così: Italian Idiomatic Expressions
This class is designed to enrich your knowledge of Italian idiomatic expressions in a relaxed and fun atmosphere, with many opportunities to practice them. Requires a good command of the language (4+)
L’Italia e gli italiani
This is a level 5 and higher course which promotes learning through interaction and reflection. Its goal is to present a realistic picture of modern Italy and its relationship to the world while strengthening the student’s current language skills. The themes and the selection of readings, situations and photographs are aimed at removing stereotypical images of Italy and Italians and providing a more complex and up-to-date portrayal. This course also integrates communicative aspects in all four skills – reading, writing, listening, and speaking. Grammar exercises and activities allow for individual creativity, thereby building correct usage of the language in an interactive, dynamic way. This will include: passato prossimo and imperfetto, modo congiuntivo e condizionale, periodo ipotetico, verbi causativi, si passivante and impersonale, discorso diretto and indiretto. (5+)
SUMMER '08 LECTURES
The Dining Experience and the “Aperitivo”
Thursday July 17 – 6:30-7:00pm at the ICC - Moved to July 24 same time
Lecture in English with Italian-English glossary, open to all levels 0+
Italians consider eating a recreational activity, which implies moments of joy, relaxation, socialization and conversation. In fact, it’s the most important moment of the day. A dinner with friends can last many hours and a Sunday family lunch can even last through the evening. This lecture will focus on every aspect of eating (and drinking) in Italy from family gatherings to restaurant dining, from a quick espresso to an elaborate fare. Come learn the dos and don’ts as well as the main peculiarities of eating in Italy. Special attention will be reserved for “Aperitivo”, which truly is an Italian ritual and varies from region to region.
The Travel Experience and Regional Differences
Thursday August 14 – 6:30-7:00pm at the ICC
Lecture in English with Italian-English glossary, open to all levels 0+
Italy is a relatively small country, however it is divided up in 20 regions and each region is very much different form the other. Being aware of regional differences prepares travelers for a more enjoyable trip. Every aspect of traveling to Italy will also be discussed from temperatures, to destinations, from special tips to dos and don’ts.
Shopping in Italy
Thursday September 4 – 6:30-7:00pm at the ICC
Lecture in English with Italian-English glossary, open to all levels 0+
Shopping is a truly different experience in Italy, far from what we are used in the U.S. Whether shopping for food or for fancy shoes, Italians have their own way. This lecture will cover every single aspect of buying and selling in Italy from currency, to credit card usage, from online shopping to the open markets. This subject will give us a chance to discuss other idiosyncrasies of Italian culture such as non verbal communication, unwritten rules and so on. Very entertaining!
WORKSHOPS
GRAMMAR WORKSHOPS
These workshops focus on those aspects of the Italian language that American students find difficult to learn. In general, lessons last two and one half hours and concentrate on a single narrow subject (pronouns, prepositions, use of the subjunctiv, pronounciation, idioms, etc
CULTURAL WORKSHOPS
These workshops are ususally a one or two day lectures on Italian cultural subjects of interest. They can be conducted in Italian and/or in English depending on the subject and on the knowledge of Italian language required.
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