Piccola Università Italiana

General Information on Tropea

Tropea is a charming, medieval town with a population of 7.000. Located on the instep of the Italian boot, it lies on the same latitude as the famous Aeolian Islands. Italians affectionately refer to Tropea as the Pearl of Calabria. Here, you find unspoilt natural landscape with lush green vegetation, forming a magnificent contrast with the deep blue, crystal clear water of the sea.


The school

In 1993 the Centre was founded as “Caffè Culturale”. In 2004 the name was changed to “Piccola Università Italiana”, when it was recognised by the Italian Ministry of Education, University and Research. The school is located in the heart of the old town of Tropea in a beautiful historical building. The school has eleven classrooms, an internet point with two brand-new computers, a multi-media library, a cinema room with a piano, two small and two large terraces, a reception area with information desk and five bathrooms. On sunny days the terraces are also used for private tuition.
The school is open all year round and courses start every Monday.
All our teachers have a university degree with a high social-cultural level.


The lessons:

In order to give our students the opportunity to achieve a high learning effect, the number of participants is limited to a maximum of 6 students. The course unit last 55 minutes.
On the first day, in the morning, all the students have to do a written and an oral exam. Afterwards - due to the results of the exams - the classes will be formed. Then the lessons start.
The timetable of the lessons is as follows: 9:00h - 13:00h and 16:00h - 20.00h.
We have got the following 6 language performance levels in our program: A1, A2, B1, B2, C1, C2.
The conversation course is not recommended for "beginners 0" and "beginners1".
If, after having done the test, there won’t be a class (3-6 students) for a student with his own level he will have lesson in a smaller class from 1-2 students. In this case the number of lessons will be reduced to 50%.



The courses

A.     Conversation Course (2 hours a day / 5 days a week):

Classes Monday – Friday 11:10 – 13:00 or 18:10  - 20:00.
2 teaching units of 55 minutes each, in small groups of 3 to max. 6 students. For students of intermediate and advanced levels, newspaper reading and discussion on topics such as art, culture, politics and social matters.
Duration: min. 2, 4, 6 and 8 weeks (additional weeks are possible upon request)

B.     Main Course – mini-groups (4 hours a day / 5 days a week):

Classes Monday – Friday 09:00 – 13:00 or 16:00 – 20:00.
4 teaching units of 55 minutes each, with a 20 minute break, small groups of 3 to max. 6 students. Teaching covers grammar and practical exercises, vocabulary and idiomatic expressions, oral and written style, regional studies. Intermediate and advanced classes also include newspaper reading and discussions on topics such as art, culture, politics and social matters.
Duration: 1, 2, 3, 4, 6 and 8 weeks (additional weeks are possible upon request)

C.     Intensive Course 20 + 6 (B. Main Course  + 6 Private Lessons):

The students attend the main course, followed by 2 teaching units of 55 minutes each of individual teaching on 3 afternoons each week. This course allows the individual’s specific educational targets to be dealt with in detail, i. e. a tailor-made teaching programme is set up at the beginning of the course, focusing on various different topics as required: literature and film history, music, media, commercial Italian or technical Italian for students working in the tourist industry. A very effective course for motivated participants.
Duration: 1, 2, 3, 4, 6 or 8 weeks (additional weeks are possible upon request)

D.     Two-to-One:

If there are two of you at the same language level, we offer you a very favourable alternative to individual tuition. The two of you will be trained by one teacher following a programme customized to your requirements. This course is not only particularly suitable for work colleagues, but is also very popular with couples and friends.
Duration: 1 week or longer

E.     Individual Tuition:

The most effective form of teaching for students who wish to achieve maximum results in the shortest time possible. Customized to the student’s individual requirements, the course either focuses on everyday Italian or on Italian for specific purposes.
Duration: 1 week or longer



Cultural events & activities

The weekly cultural program offers various opportunities to immerse in the Italian Culture. Cinema evenings with classical Italian films, private classical concerts at school, motorboat excursions to discover unspoilt white sandy beaches with deep blue crystal clear water and many cultural excursions in Calabria, the Aeolian Islands and Sicily.





www.piccolauniversitaitaliana.com
www.italian-languageschool.info