[Nibile]

so, I've had the presumptiousness of posting this in the culture section, forgive me.

this is the idea: I am thinking about teaching Italian using the Internet. d'oh. some of my past students have asked me for it, and I am trying to develop a suitable system. it will be for English speaking students.
I have put up a blog, in which I plan to post "lessons" about specific topics, starting from the first level obviously, as well as audio files with the pronouciation of words and so on, the conjugation of verbes maybe.
this blog will be open only to invited readers, in the plan they will be the ones who have paid.

then: it won't be a real e-learning, because the main work will be done via personal e-mails. I will prepare lessons and exercises, and I will email them to my students, I'd say once a week, maybe twice if it works fine. they will study my lessons, do the exercises, email them back to me, and I will correct them and send them again to the students with corrections and explanations. so, it will be a normal teaching, only using the Internet. it will be focused, obviously, mainly on the grammar.
I know that you can simply buy a book, but the book doesn't answer specifically your questions, doesn't write nor talk and doesn't boulder 8a+.

this all is still an idea that I've had for a while, but given the students' requests, I'd better pull the finger out.

so, here we are.
I'd like to test this system with UKBers willing to learn Italian. they must have the same level, that for the moment will be - more or less - absolute beginner. Patsy Kensit is welcome.

I don't know how many students I will be able to manage, given that I have to teach at the school, and train.
let's say that I will start with the first 5 who send me a PM showing their real interest.

I am open to suggestions, and I really hope this shit works.

[slackline]

Sounds like a good idea, and I wish you all the best with it.  I tried learning Italian years ago at school and didn't get very far (ultimately I've resigned myself to the fact I'm shit at languages, probably 'cause I don't understand English well enough, to be able to say what a conjugated verb is without looking it up, plus I can not get my head around words having sexes).

One suggestion though that may be useful is whilst exercises are well and good to speak it really helps to be able to hear, so perhaps some free video/audio conferencing tools like Skype or Google Talk might be useful to speak to your students in real time and provide feedback.

Good luck!

[Dolly]

I'd be really interested in that Nibs, but I can speak a little Italian so that might rule me out.
I appreciate that might make it difficult as it would mean you couldn't use the same content for everyone.
Good luck with it anyway

[Nibile]

Dolly,
that's absolutely fine for me, if you're interested I'm sure we can work it out. you're the first one by the way!!!

Slack,
thanks, audio conferences are another idea. I'll have to sort out a better Internet connection though. it will probably be for advanced students because hearing a foreign language through a tool (tv, radio, etc) is really quite hard at the beginning.
I'll be glad to accept the challenge with you!!!

[Dolly]

OK Great 
Shall I just PM you my email ?

[rich d]

I'd be up for that, I speak no Italian and was looking at learning another language - but due to work can't commit to a regular night.
Would be happy to be a guineapig.

[Nibile]

yes, please if you're interested, PM me your email address.

I'll start things out in a few days, set the blog up with some audio files, and then I will put you in the "invited" list of the blog. then I will also give you the blog URL.

let's see if anyone else is into it, and then we'll start.
thanks alot, really.

[mrjonathanr]

I'd be interested, depends a bit on time required but I've wanted to learn Italian for a while and this might be fun. Quite a commitment for you though isn't it Nibs?
I don't know Italian but I do know a bit of how to go about learning a language - well French and Spanish anyway :I teach them in school .
If you'd be able to include me in the class list that would be great -and I'd be grateful for any instruction that guarantees bouldering 8a+ by the end of the course (did I read that right? )
How do I sign up? Grazie
Ciao
Jon

[SpanishJuan]

I too would be interested in learning Italian 8a+ bouldering moves by the end of the course.  But would taking part involve me sending my bank details to a Nigerian bank account?
If not where do I sign???

[Baldy]

Hell, I dont know any italian at all.
This could be a fun experiment to take part in, and even give me a potential new place to go hang out in holidays.
If you have one more space for a willing participant I shall PM you my email.

[Nibile]

yes, please PM me you email addresses!

I will try to srto things out if there are students of different levels.
will let you all know more next week!

many thanks to you all.

[magpie]

Grazie...
Ciao

Show off! 

[nik at work]

Nibs my wife is keen for some Italian rock god language action if you have room for her.
I'll PM you her email.

[Nibile]

Nibs my wife is keen for some Italian god action if you have room for her.

cough.

sorry I couldn't resist!

jokes apart, she's welcome, thank you!

[mrjonathanr]

Grazie...
Ciao

Show off! 

  this  is all you need.

[Richie Crouch]

I would be keen also Lore!

mi non parlo italiano!

It would be quite useful for climbing around the border between switzerland and italy and for future visits to Florence 

I get a fair bit of down time in the shop to put some effort into this, I guess it would be quite constructive use!

[Nibile]

ok,
so for the moment the guineapigs are:
- rich d
- Dolly
- JonI
- camear
- nik's wife
- mrjonathanr
- Richie
- SpanishJuan ?

I have everyone's email bar the last two.
I'd say it could be fine for the moment.

[mrjonathanr]

In quel caso facciamo da cavia!

[Nibile]

that's a pretty damn good Italian, mr.!
you sure you need me?
 

[mrjonathanr]

Sorry I thought it was the 'Pretty Much Exclusively for Magpie' thread 

[Nibile]

ok,
so we are complete. thanks to you all in advance.
 

[SpanishJuan]

Did you get my message with my e-mail nibs?

[Nibile]

yes I did, thank you!!!

[Nibile]

ok, just a small briefing.
finally I should be done with Ron's book, they basically asked me to proof read all myself, wa**ers.

tomorrow I will go climbing because temps are perfect and I will destroy my project. but then, next week, in between my training sessions for the UK invasion of Feb, I will finish and upload the first videos on the blog.
they will be two videos with basic rules of pronounciation: the Italian alphabet and some particular groups of letters.
then I will send you the first lesson.
I think we will be able to do at least two or three lessons before my vacation. when I'll be in UK I'll test you!!!
grazie come sempre.
Thanks as usual.

[mrjonathanr]

Thanks for doing this, it's very generous to give your time.