[Nibile]

ok, so as many of you know, i am now teaching italian to foreigners in a school in florence, and when i can i also give private lessons.
i'm thinking about putting up something on the net, like a blog or something else, to give italian lessons on line, for english speaking people.

my idea is to put on line, every monday and tuesday, for example, or once a week, a new lesson, starting from the very first level. the lesson would comprehend the grammar rules, examples, and when needed, esp. at the start, some audio file for the pronounciation.
everything with an introduction, obviously in english.
then i could post also, a few pages of excercises for the students to print and do, and, the following lesson, the correction.

what do you think about this idea?
could it work?
do you have some suggestion?
are some of you interested?

thanks!

it will take some time for me to prepare things, lessons, scan the excercise pages and so on, but should be funny i think.

[slackline]

I think this is a good idea 

But, for it to work it needs careful planning and implementation.

Do your research.  Is there anything similar out there already?  What has worked and what hasn't?

Technical things to consider are the quality of the sound/video recordings.  All very well recording in HD, but if its hosted on YouTube the compression will loose all of the quality (possible solution use Vimeo and make originals downloadable).

What aspects of teaching face to face are most important?  For example do you end up mouthing words to people, if so how do you translate this to a non-interactive medium?

Perhaps you could develop a multi-lingual training manual as your a bit of a beast!!!

I tried learning Italian some X years ago at school, but didn't do very well, but then I was never good at French which I spent five or six years on*.
Thats not to say I wouldn't read/view any blog, but sometimes I have trouble understanding the structure/semantics of English let alone another language (although I've read that English is the most bastardised/inconsistent language around).

All the best with it, its certainly a more productive use of time than watching TV.

* As a consequence I'm of the opinion that languages should be learnt young (i.e. 3-12) when the mind learns 70-80% of the words that are used through the rest of an individuals life (sorry no reference, but its TRUE  I tell you).

[Bubba]

Great idea Nibile but there's some pretty good stuff out there aleady - see this BBC site for instance.

[SA Chris]

What is yes yes fucking yes in Italian anyway? si si fuckingo si?

[magpie]

Apparently, the best way to learn a language is to live with someone who is fluent, so, I think you should let me come and live with you in Florence for 6 months, then you'll have taught one person a useful new skill 

[SA Chris]

I think you should let me come and live with you in Florence for 6 months, then you'll have taught one person a useful new skill 

Plus you might pick up some Italian while you are there.

[Nibile]

cheers guys, thanks for the inputs!!!

[Nibile]

magpie,
one other project that i'm currently thinking about is the following:
- i would like to find a teaching job in siena, my home town, where my parents have a house where i used to live;
- given that this house has a spare room, i'd like to start one to one italian courses, in which the student can live at my house, where the lessons will also take place. a sort of full immersion. this for the grammar lessons. the conversation lessons will happen during everyday's life and especially at the boulders, because the courses will address to climbers.

other option is all the above but in ticino.

[magpie]

That would be brilliant, I think; sign me up for your future mailing list 

[Monolith]

Trust me, 14 days with this man will leave you

a)Full of omega 3 (no not semen, seafood)
b)Strong
c)Wanting to move to Italy
d)Speaking Italian much better than before you went

Let's know if I can help you in any way Lore.

[soapy]

- given that this house has a spare room...

pffft, i'm not playing your meredith kercher

[Houdini]

... thanks for the inputs!!!

Porco Dio!  There'll be inputs 24/7 if you let Mags in your house, Nibz.

[Nibile]

i'll tell you this: i want to cling to this job as strongly as i can. it's the first time in my life that i find a work that can turn my mood from bad to good!!!
this happens almost everytime i get to word a bit sad or bored or tired.