Learning a foreign language can be both personally satisfying and professionally valuable. For anyone who wishes to learn Italian, there are a number or tools and tips that may be able to help. While traditional classes and computer programs are always an option, less traditional methods such as immersion programs, study-abroad programs, and Italian language programming may also work.
Whether for an upcoming vacation to Italy or to gain an advantage in the job market, learning Italian can be an excellent foundation language to build on. Italian is one of the original romance languages and is spoken by over 60 million people worldwide in countries as diverse as Somalia and Australia. The widespread use of Italian makes it a useful choice for either traveling abroad or broadening one's marketable job skills. In today's global marketplace, language skills can be a valuable asset when seeking employment.
Group classes and tutors are two options for learning Italian. Traditional group classes are always a good way to learn Italian; however, the pace may be slow and the instruction may lack cultural information and personal attention. Instead of a traditional group class, a private tutor is another option. While a private tutor may appear to be considerably more expensive at first glance, when the rate at which a person can learn Italian is factored in, a tutor may not be much more expensive than months or years of group classes which progress at a much slower rate.
Computer or audio-based programs can also be useful. To make even better use of the program, sleeping with the headphones on or the program playing in the background will help the information to sink in. Just as a person may incorporate what is going on in a television program into his or her dreams while asleep, the information from a language program that is playing while asleep is also sinking into a person's subconscious.
For anyone who is able, taking advantage of an immersion program or a study-abroad program may be the best way to learn Italian. Both options place the student in the home of an actual Italian-speaking family or university setting where the language is spoken around the clock. The student, therefore, receives both classroom and practical instruction in Italian, which not only rapidly speeds up the time needed to learn Italian, but also gives the student insight into the culture.
Italian language programming is another option for anyone who is unable to travel abroad. While full-length films are always an option, many people have found success watching cartoons or Italian soap operas, which are frequently easier to understand and rather entertaining. Italian language programming will allow the student to learn how the language is really used instead of the proper grammar often taught in a classroom.