Italian at NWLA

In all adult classes, the emphasis is on conversation, vocabulary building and pronunciation, with enough grammar to provide a firm foundation. The goal is maximum language acquisition for meaningful, real-life communication. Much more fun than the classes you took in high school or college!

Children's classes are an immersion in the living atmosphere of language via games, stories, song, whole body movement, food and crafts.

FOR ADULTS
Beginning Italian
Continuing Italian
Advanced Italian

“As human beings, language is one of our most important tools; whatever we can articulate we can imagine and therefore actualize.”

—Josephine Hendrix, founder NWLA
“Learning a Foreign Language” 1999

Conversation Only (for intermediate levels and up):
Una bella chiacchiera!! Let’s talk! Discuss a different topic of interest every week as well as read a short novel in Italian at home and discuss in class. Improve your vocabulary, oral skills and comprehension. No homework!!

Travelers Language Café
Language intensive for travelers. Designed to facilitate your travels by introducing you to conversational systems on various themes that you encounter while traveling: booking a hotel, shopping, getting directions, using the phone, making friends, and many more. Instead of memorizing phrases, learn basic “patterns of conversation” that you can apply to a variety of circumstances. Practical travel tips and cultural orientation are highlighted.

FOR CHILDREN

Family Programs
These are intended for multigenerational attendance; preschool age children with an adult family member, and other siblings, can attend together. These are available as ongoing programs, weekend mini-camps and summer immersion camps.

Language Clubs
These are for elementary through middle school-aged children and are usually staged after school or on Saturday mornings.

Young Adult
Middle-school and high-school students enrolled in this program can receive a high school foreign language credit. These are usually year-long programs that meet a minimum of twice a week for 1.5 hrs. Our teen students can also participate as counselors and junior-counselors in the summer camps program.

“ This was an amazing week of potential and purpose and such creativity! I think it’s a wonderful opportunity for us and our kids, something very special!”

—Laura

In-School Language Programs
NWLA will design and staff curriculum-based in-school world language programs, as well as before - and after-school language programs, for children in kindergarten through 8th grade. Programs begin in the Fall or Winter quarters and can feature weekly or twice-a-week meetings. Interested parents and schools are invited to contact the program director at NWLA for further information and rates. We need at least two to three months' notice to set up a program.