Venice School | Italian Language Instruction

Three Tracks

Structured language instruction, expert exam preparation, and advanced cultural mastery.

Track One

Italian Language

Comprehensive instruction A1–C2

Systematic progression through all language skills—grammar, vocabulary, reading, writing, listening, speaking. Structured curriculum using the CEFR framework with cultural content integrated throughout.

Complete A1 to C2 progression
Balanced skill development across all areas
Content-based learning with authentic materials
Homework and supplementary materials included
Flexible scheduling adapted to your pace

$40 per 60-minute lesson

Start Learning

Track Two

CELI/CILS Exam

Learn from an official examiner

Preparation from a certified CELI examiner and CILS expert. Elena knows exactly what the exams test and how evaluators grade. Dozens of students have successfully passed citizenship and proficiency exams.

CELI examiner with insider perspective on grading
CILS expert preparation at all levels
B1 Citizenship certification pathway
Practice tests with actual exam formats
Proven track record of successful passes

$50 per 60-minute lesson

Book Exam Prep

Track Three

Cultural Mastery

For serious students of Italian culture

Dive deeper into Italian culture through art, literature, philosophy, and cinema. Analyze classic texts, explore the significance of great artworks, and engage with philosophical ideas—all in Italian. Elena’s MA in Philosophy and international teaching experience enrich every session.

Curated curriculum in art, philosophy, cinema, literature
Read texts in original Italian with analysis
Venice-specific cultural knowledge and context
Advanced linguistic refinement and sophistication
Limited to 5 students per quarter for depth

$60 per 60-minute lesson

Apply for Cultural Track

Background

About Elena

Born in Venice, Elena blends art, philosophy, and history into every lesson. As a CELI examiner and CEDILS-certified teacher, she helps students prepare for exams, explore Italian literature and cinema, and navigate real-life conversations. Fluent in English and French, she adapts to your goals.

Meet Elena and learn about her approach to teaching Italian

Education

Master's in Philosophical Sciences University of Padua, 2016–2018

Bachelor's in Philosophy Ca' Foscari University of Venice, 2012–2016

Certifications

CELI Examiner University for Foreigners of Perugia, 2023

CEDILS Certification Ca' Foscari University of Venice, 2020

120-hour TEFL Course Premier TEFL, 2024

Teaching Experience

Founder & Italian Teacher 2018–Present | Venice School

Teaching Italian as a foreign language to adults from different nationalities and backgrounds, A1 to C2 levels.

Italian Teacher & Teaching Assistant 2021–2022 | LR Primary School, Newcastle, UK

Organized "Italian Club" delivering language and culture lessons to children aged 5-11. Assisted with national curriculum delivery.

Teaching Assistant 2019–2021 | Teacher Active, Exact Education, Newcastle, UK

Interpreter 2022 | Premium Linguistics, Newcastle, UK

Providing interpreting services (English↔Italian) to the general public.

Specialized Programs

Intensive Cultural Programs

Multi-week immersions in specific aspects of Italian culture and language. Limited enrollment.

Venetian Masters

Engage in a ten-week study of Venice’s artistic, architectural, and cultural heritage, building Italian proficiency through its paintings, palaces, and history.

$1,500 for 10 weeks Advanced level (B2+)

Italian Philosophy

Develop advanced Italian reading and speaking proficiency by working through significant philosophical texts, focusing on argumentation, structure, and interpretation.

$2,000 for 12 weeks Advanced level (C1+)

Cinema & Language

Study Italian films from the postwar era to the present, using them as a foundation for advanced language practice and critical interpretation.

$1,200 for 8 weeks Intermediate to advanced (B1+)

Teaching Approach

Elena's Discovery Model

Learning Italian isn't about acquiring a skill—it's about discovering a new way of seeing the world. Through five stages, students move from curiosity to natural fluency.

Immersion in Context

L'immersione

The learner encounters authentic Italian through carefully chosen inputs—a poem by Montale, a scene from Cinema Paradiso, a vintage Campari advertisement, or lyrics from Battisti. The material feels mysterious but inviting, curated to resonate with each student's interests.

Key Principle: Learning begins with wonder, not explanation.

Active Exploration

La scoperta

Rather than receiving rules, students become linguistic detectives. Through guided questions, they identify patterns: "What do you notice about these verb endings?" The teacher resists explaining directly, instead asking questions that lead students toward their own insights.

Key Principle: Understanding that emerges from personal discovery creates deeper, more durable knowledge.

Provisional Understanding

La comprensione provvisoria

Students articulate patterns they've discovered in their own words. These early formulations may be imperfect—and that's expected. Mistakes are reframed as "not-yet-correct" rather than wrong, creating psychological safety for experimentation.

Key Principle: The classroom is a judgment-free laboratory where approximation precedes mastery.

Integrated Practice

L'integrazione

Grammar emerges naturally within meaningful contexts. Students don't drill conjugations in isolation; instead, they use the subjunctive while discussing Fellini's dreams, or practice the passato prossimo while narrating travel experiences. Cultural knowledge and language structure become inseparable.

Key Principle: Language is not a system to memorize but a tool for accessing a world.

Natural Fluency

La naturalezza

The rules that students once discovered consciously now operate beneath awareness. Italian no longer feels foreign—it feels like a natural mode of expression. Students reach this stage at different paces, and the teacher celebrates each milestone.

Key Principle: True fluency means the language becomes part of how you think, not just how you speak.

Core Pedagogical Values

🧭

The Teacher as Guide

Not depositing knowledge into empty vessels, but walking alongside students as they construct their own understanding.

✨

Personalization

Each student's path is shaped by their unique motivations and interests, creating a truly individualized learning experience.

🌱

Comfort in Imperfection

Mistakes are neither failures nor problems to fix, but necessary steps in the discovery process.

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Cultural Entanglement

Language and culture cannot be separated. Grammar lives within stories, songs, films, and history.

Reviews

What Students Say

From over 150 students worldwide, including dozens who have successfully passed CELI, CILS, and citizenship exams.

"Elena has an exceptional talent for timing. She offers corrections without ever making me feel interrupted, and lets me struggle just the right amount with new challenges."

Milo S. (2 years studying) Advanced Student

"I passed the CILS B1 cittadinanza exam on my first attempt after six months of studying with Elena, starting from almost zero Italian. I’ve worked with many teachers, but I’ve never met anyone like her. She gave me real confidence, pushed me in the right ways, and helped me bring out the best in myself. Her lessons are clear, focused, and unbelievably effective. If you need true guidance and results, Elena is exceptional."

Rick A. (CILS B1 Cittadinanza Exam Prep) CILS B1 Graduate

"Her lessons are clear, well-organized, and never boring. She manages to explain even the most difficult topics in a simple and engaging way. With her, you learn with a smile! I've learned more this way than I did in formal courses."

Sarah K. Intermediate Student

View 100+ Reviews

Learn Italian with Elena From Venice