Associazione Lingua Madre

Lingua Madre is a cultural linguistic association created by the founders out of a desire to spread the Italian culture and to encounter new worlds and cultures. LINGUA MADRE is closed to historical centre and easly reachable by bus or train. INTENSIVE COURSE - 20h per week. Classes start every Monday. Monday to Friday, 9:30 am to 1:30 pm. INTENSIVE EVENING COURSE - 6 hours per week. Monday, Wednesday, Thursday: 6:30 pm – 8:30 pm. This is the ideal course for people working in Genoa. LEARN ITALIAN IN A SMALL GROUP - 2 or 4 hours per week - total of 30 hours. Lessons are available during the afternoon or evening. CERTIFICATION OF ITALIAN AS A FOREIGN LANGUAGE PREPARATION COURSE: 2 hour minimum. Monday to Friday from 2 pm to 8 am. ONE-TO-ONE: 2 hour minimum. Monday to Friday from 2 pm to 8 am ITALIAN CONVERSATION GROUP FOR FREE! Let’s sit around and have a chat about literature, poetry, current affairs, politics and so on! The conversation groups take place twice a month, in the evening. Conversation groups are open to everyone, even if you are an Italian native speaker. These groups are free for all the associate members. On request, we also organize Italian for special purposes courses, for architects, doctors, lawyers, opera singers… All levels are offered from absolute beginner to advanced (A1- C2), following the Common European Framework. At the end of each course students will receive a certificate of attendance. The main objective of our courses is comprehension of a foreign language through the study of grammar, current media (newspapers, magazines, TV, DVD …) and of culture. In addition we provide written and oral exercises of selected texts recommended by our school. The individual and group courses offered by Lingua Madre school is administrated by professors whose mother tongue is the language they teach.

LINGUA MADRE is closed by PRINCIPE Railway, historical centre is at 5 minutes by walk and the acquarium too. LINGUA MADRE has very large garden where students can take rest, talk and meet a lot of people.

The teaching methods used by LINGUA MADRE school are based on communication. Students actively exercise the four fundamental functions of the language: listening, speaking, reading and writing. Particular attention, however, is given to conversation, to develop in the student an increasing capacity to express himself/herself and communicate in language from the very beginning of the course. Naturally this method includes the study of the rules of syntax and grammar, which are essential to language learning. Various authentic materials have been carefully chosen and are used throughout the courses: slides, videos, newspapers and magazines articles, films, texts, songs, etc. These materials introduces students the culture, costumes and traditions, and daily life. The need of the students are always considered by the teacher in preparing each lesson, take in consideration the needs of the students. The teacher’s aim is the pleasant atmosphere in which students can learn. The group consist of 8-10 students maximum. The first day of the course the students take an entrance exam in order to estimate your knowledge adequately and, later on, an evaluation test will be given. At the end of the course, the school will prepare a certificate of attendance indicating the level of course completed. The groups are organized following the Common European Framework of Reference for Language . A1 - Breakthrough A2 - Waystage B1 - Treshold B2 - Vantage C1 - Proficiency C2 - Mastery Our school offers language courses in specialized fields, like architecture, medicine, law and musical opera, as well as, preparation for language certificate CELI In collaboration with Perugia University. LINGUA MADRE is an exam centre for CELI certificate .

LINGUA MADRE association collaborates with the network of Bed and Breakfast, Host families and apartments to make your stay in Genoa the safest and most comfortable as possible. Booking and payment are guaranteed by LINGUA MADRE association. Students can book accommodation either for short or long periods. Payment is made directly to the host. We do not charge any extra-fee to put you in contact with the institutions we collaborate with.

Our main purpose is to make easy your approach to the Italian culture, for this reason, as a cultural association, your experience of Italy and particularly of Genoa, with its culture and language, is our main priority. In collaboration with people, living in Genoa and loving it, we will guide you around the historical centre, the lovely promenade of Nervi and if you want even in the hinterland. We invite you to the most beautiful places, palaces, hidden alleys, museums and festivals, guided visit to the Monumental Cemetery of Staglieno. We also want to spend time with you at to the most delicious “aperitivo quiz”, to taste the best Italian wine, “spaghetti al pesto” or Lasagne! And in order to offer you a very glad journey … COOKING CLASSES On request we organize classes in Italian cuisine. The chef is a lovely lady, very professional, who prepare regional dishes and typical Italian specialities like “Bolognese” sauce, “pasta al pesto” (with basil), pizza… This is a perfect opportunity to speak Italian and then to dine in a friendly atmosphere. The fee of the course is 35.- euro per person with minimum of 3 participants. In collaboration with TAVERNA DEL SOLE Leisure 5 TERRE TOUR A trip in the past, by train in only 2 hours from Genoa. The Cinque Terre represent one of the best preserved natural and semi-natural areas of the Mediterranean. Historical and geomorphologic reasons have forbidden excessive housing development and the creation of major roadways. Human activity and especially viticulture, have contributed to create a unique landscape in which development of the typical stone walls is so extensive as to equal that of the famous Great Wall of China. All this, combined with the characteristics of a crystal clear sea, of architecturally interesting locations, of a varied and extensive network of paths (one of the most enviable in the whole Mediterranean), makes the Cinque Terre an increasingly sought after location among Italian and foreign tourists. The Cinque Terre are not a classic touristic resort...particularly in Manarola and Corniglia everything has remained as in the past; local people's life has been influenced by tourism only in marginal aspects. The Cinque Terre area is National Park. A prestigious acknowledgement has recently been made also by UNESCO, which has defined this territory as 'Humanity's World Heritage'. In one day, we will guide you from Riomaggiore to Monterosso, by walk or by train, we will taste the particular wine “sciacchettrà”, the famous olive oil and to end the day a relaxing, invigorating dive in the water!SAILING TRIP We organize sailing jaunts during the week end. The weather conditions, number of participants and the season could modify the schedule. TOUR IN VENICE We organise wine tasting where you can visit different wine bars which are very tipycal in the region and as well you have the chance here to buy also their products. If you are interested in these tours, please let us know and we will provide you with additional information.