|
|
BRINGING ITALIAN TO YOUR SCHOOLS AND COMMUNITIES
|
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
|
ABOUT USFONDAZIONE ITALIA
is a California 501(c)(3) non-profit organization founded in 1998 for the purpose of promoting the teaching and learning of
the Italian language and culture across the Southwestern United States. The organization receives grants from the government
of Italy in support of its mission, and it is governed by a volunteer Board whose members have backgrounds in education,
engineering, philanthropy, law and business. |
|
|
Saturday Classes for KidsFondazione Italia offers
Italian classes for children age 1 through 14. Classes are presently offered primarily on Saturday mornings at several locations throughout
Los Angeles and Orange Counties.
Fondazione Italia uses a communicative approach to build language skills.
Our native-speaking instructors combine Italian language immersion with games, songs, movement, arts & crafts and imaginative play to
create a fun, age-appropriate, natural learning environment. Our lesson plans are specifically tailored to each age group,
emphasizing practical themes in the context of real-life situations.
Fondazione Italia offers five developmentally-appropriate programs for children ages 1 to 14.
School-age students who have completed one school-year of Italian study (whether in a curricular or after-school program) receive the Attestato di Frequenza
con Profitto issued by the Italian Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
|
|
 |
After-school Classes at Your School
Fondazione Italia brings high-quality Italian instruction to preschools and elementary schools around the Los Angeles
and Orange Counties. Our native- or equivalent-to-native speaking instructors combine Italian language immersion with games,
songs, movement, arts & crafts and imaginative play to create a fun, age-appropriate, natural learning environment.
Our lesson plans are specifically tailored to each age group, emphasizing practical themes in the context of real-life situations.
School-age students who have completed one school-year of Italian study (whether in a curricular or after-school program) receive the
Attestato di Frequenza con Profitto issued by the Italian Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
For information on how to start a class at your school and to receive a cost estimate, please call (310) 691-8909 or
e-mail us.
|
|
Italian Classes for Adults
Classes for adults are offered at all levels. Content-specific classes such as cooking, opera, art, literature, music and cinema can be arranged on request
subject to availability of qualified teacher. A minimum of six students is required to start a class. Adult classes are presently offered at several
locations throughout Los Angeles and Orange Counties. If we do not presently offer
a class in your area, please contact us to see if we may be able to start one.
|
 |
|
 |
Corporate Italian Classes – Italian at Your Office or Ours
Fondazione Italia provides on-site corporate Italian classes for U.S. and Italian corporations based in Southern California. Group rates are determined based
on the number of students enrolled in a session and the duration of the course. To request an estimate, please call our office at (310) 691-8909 or
e-mail us.
Our highly-trained native-speaking instructors provide the finest instruction available, using various multimedia methods, current Italian periodicals
and other publications. Classes may be offered once or twice a week for 1 ½ or 2 hours per class. Corporate classes are tailored to the needs of individual
organizations, and special requests can be made upon registration. Our most popular programs are “Italian for Business” and “Italian for Travel”.
|
Italian for Business
This course focuses on business vocabulary and basic practical conversation skills, and it includes an overview of Italy’s business culture and practices.
The course targets professionals and entrepreneurs who wish to establish a closer relationship with their Italian business partners, or gain greater insight
on how to do business in Italy.
Italian for Travel
This course introduces basic spoken Italian and focuses on elementary language skills and vocabulary required to travel in Italy. The language of everyday life,
using a conversational rather than a grammatical approach, is emphasized.
By emphasizing conversation and role-playing, both programs are designed to be fun and effective.
|
Italian Resource Center
A wide selection of textbooks, books, CDs, DVDs and other instructional materials on Italian language and culture are housed within the UCLA World Languages
Center and are being made available to teachers. This Resource Center is in large part funded by the Italian government through Fondazione Italia, which administers
the funds and purchases the materials.
|
Grants to Schools
Over the past 10 years the Italian government, through its network of Embassy and Consulates, has been promoting the study of the Italian language in U.S.
schools. To this end, the Italian Ministry of Foreign Affairs allocates funds each year for the teaching of Italian language programs in the public and private
school system, specifically earmarked for students in grades K through 8. These funds are distributed through local non profit organizations, or enti gestori,
whose mission is to promote the Italian language in their regions. These organizations work in close collaboration with the Education Offices of the Italian
Consulates and are subject to the direction and monitoring of the Educational Directors attached within the 6 Italian Consulates throughout the United States.
Fondazione Italia, is one of such enti gestori operating in the area of jurisdiction of the Italian Consulate in Los Angeles—which includes Southern California,
Nevada, Arizona and New Mexico.
Each school year, subject to availability of funds, Italian government-funded incentive grants are made available through Fondazione Italia to schools interested in starting
or expanding an Italian program in the K through 8th grades. These grants help defray in large part the cost of a teacher, textbooks and instructional materials.
Since Italian government funds are only allocated to elementary and middle schools (grades K through 8th), Fondazione Italia welcomes private donations to fund grants supporting
the teaching of Italian in high schools.
| 
|
|
Seminars for Teachers
In collaboration with the Education Office of the Italian Consulate in Los Angeles, Fondazione Italia organizes professional development seminars for teachers
of Italian that are presented by leading Italian and U.S. educational institutions.
Scholarships
Fondazione Italia receives donations from local Italian-American organizations to fund scholarships that enable teachers to attend professional development courses.
Donations
Every donation to Fondazione Italia is tax-deductible and it helps support the ambitious goal of bringing the Italian language and culture to local schools and communities.
Please call our office at (310) 691-8909 or e-mail us if you wish to support one or more of our programs.
The organization is registered as a Charity with the Office of the California Attorney General. To view the organization’s Forms 990-tax returns
visit:
http://partners.guidestar.org/partners/cadoj/index.jsp
|
| |
|
