Native Italian teacher with more than 7 years of experience in teaching Italian to foreigners. With a true appetite for languages, I currently speak five and I enjoy the journey of teaching and learn

Find out more about Micol

• Do you speak this language fluently because of your origins or because a teacher inspired you to learn?

  Being a native Italian speaker, I have always been fascinated by my mother tongue. When I was a teenager, I loved visiting ancient buildings in Rome and Milan and trying to translate the Latin signs on the facades. Finding the resemblance between Latin and Italian made me feel connected to history. My passion for social work inspired me to become an Italian tutor for undocumented foreigners and since then, I have not looked back.

• Can you name a living, historical or fictional character that you think is the emblematic representative of the language's culture?

  Italian culture is spangled by extraordinary characters and references. The first that comes to my mind is Totò, an incredible figure introduced to me through my grandpa.
  Totò is a household name in Italy and one of the most universally popular performers in Italian history. In addition to being one of Italy's greatest comedians, he is also celebrated as a dramatic actor, poet, and songwriter. Totò had an extremely colourful personal life, which was tainted by disappointment and tragedy and makes him the perfect example of the Italian concept of “l’arte di arrangiarsi” (the art of getting by).

• Is there a typical word, phrase, tradition or behaviour in the language that you particularly like?

  Italian is known for being a very colourful language. Being a clumsy person, I frequently use the expression “fare una figura di merda”, which literally means "to make an ass of myself".

• Why does speaking this language matter to you?

  Being able to speak the language of the country you are living in or visiting plays an enormous role in the experiences and connections you can make. For me, Italian is the language of memories, art, music, and the elders. The latter are the keepers of traditions, and we have the duty of preserving and sharing them with future generations.

• What is the main difficulty in learning this language and what can help the process of learning?

  Italian is a complex language, with many grammar rules and exceptions. For English speakers it is always challenging to keep in mind gender and pronunciation. Listening to music or watching series in Italian helps the learning process.
  In Spanish, verbs can be challenging and full of exceptions. Reading small texts and books tailored to your level helps to start recognising exceptions and enlarge your vocabulary. It’s always better to learn new words and verbs in a context that makes sense for you.

• What makes you a Superprof in language?

  
Knowing five languages and having learned them at different stages of my live is a great help. Being proficient in Italian, English and Spanish helped me to guide my students through the journey of language. I am often able to explain the differences between my students’ mother tongue language and the new one. I find creative tools to memorize vocabulary and grammar rules and tailor my students’ class to their own interests.
  Just like for a good pasta, the secret ingredients are patience, creativity, and encouragement!