Preparation course for the CILS exam

I couldn't recommend this more. I had 1-1 tuition in the dark room and out in the city taking photographs. My teacher was so friendly and helpful in all areas. I had a truly terrific experience and feel lucky to have done it. The location was a short walk for me, the classroom was intimate and friendly, the activities were just what I was after.

I really enjoyed the mix between pure language classes and cultural aspects of the Italian language. The teachers had different teaching styles which made every week a bit different. Further this also meant that every new teacher had to assess my level again at the start of a new week. I believe that the learning outcome would be even better if there would not be that much change regarding teachers. But this is a very minor point. The classes were very intense which benefited the learning process. Overall, I’m very satisfied with my experience.

The lessons took place in an old palazzo just 20 minutes walking distance from our host family.

Communication with the school went very smoothly.

The teacher was very competent. She took my wishes into account.

The host family was very welcoming. There was plenty of opportunity to practice the language.

I will definitely book a course again in the future.

My experience at Centro Italiano was totally positive. I cannot think of one negative aspect.

First of all, the administration was most helpful in setting up my class schedule and home-stay. They were prompt, efficient and very understanding.

My choice of courses turned out to be a very good one. I opted to take activities that were conducted in Italian rather than language courses per se. I started with one week of painting and drawing at a nearby studio. The instruction and the teachers were excellent. The teachers were very knowledgeable and supportive. I spent the second week learning to cook with Ottavia. I can't complement her enough. She was pleasant, warm and a most capable teacher. We would start our sessions at 10:00 and spent three hours preparing three or four Tuscan dishes from scratch. Around 1:00 we would sit down to a delicious lunch which I had had a great part in preparing. The whole experience was delightful. My sincerest thanks to my excellent teacher Ottavia.

The other aspect of my Centro Italiano experience that i have to mention is the home-stay. The school chose carefully and well when they placed me in a conveniently located home near the Duomo. My host was Anna. A sweet, kind woman who was very thoughtful and most helpful. At the beginning of my stay in Florence i had a slight 'accident' while walking through the local market. Anna was like a close friend helping and guiding me through the 'crisis'. I am sure that she and I will stay in touch in the future.

Classes
Likes - The rooms were fine.
Dislikes - The foyer to the building where the school is needs lights. I could not see the door once I was buzzed into the building, and after two days, would feel around for the door knob out of muscle memory.

Teachers
Likes -- Maria was fantastic. I took one on one lessons, hoping to have a low pressure experience reviewing Italian and building up my ability to be conversational. Maria absolutely took this to heart and provided the experience I was looking for.
Dislikes -- That my lessons ended! :-(

Location
Likes -- perfect location. It was an easy 20 minutes' walk from the apartment where I was staying. It was also away from the touristy center of Florence, so I got to have a morning walk with my coffee in quiet neighborhoods on my way to class. The class is near a supermarket (Carrefour) which was useful.
Dislikes -- none.

Facilities
Likes -- they were fine
Dislikes -- the light switch to the bathroom is outside the bathroom door.

Activities
Likes -- Maria's activities were helpful. We spent a lot of time in conversation and then did some didactic review of tenses, which also included some activities using flash cards and games. This was the perfect experience I was looking for.

Housing
Not applicable - had my own housing.

Maria, my teacher, was excellent. She followed a definite program based on my level and was able to outline that for me at the beginning. She was friendly, energetic and interesting. I particularly liked that she let me finish my sentences, full of mistakes, before correcting me so I could finish my thought.

The school personnel were always friendly, professional and efficient. The learning spaces were quite comfortable, and the various areas of the school were inviting. I didn't feel locked into a sterile classroom.

I feel like my competence in speaking Italian advanced significantly in my two weeks at the school.

It was awkward for me as a vegan when I was invited to try things that were being made in the cooking class that was going on at the same time as my lessons. Especially with my level of Italian not being very high yet. While I could tell that the intentions were nothing but friendly, it was difficult and somewhat embarrassing. On raising the issue with my student advisor it was sorted out.