Buondì. Someone was telling me the other day that adult learners want to be ‘articulate’ when speaking Italian, as they presumably are in their own language. Hence the need for a ‘structured’ approach to study, not the ‘haphazard’ approach she supposes I advocate. It’s also important, naturally, to be ‘accurate’, for making mistakes would be […]
“There are many ways to learn a language”
Buondì. I receive plenty of emails, and sometimes people comment on our various websites, with positive feedback, with suggestions, or with criticisms. Given that people have reached out to me, I usually respond to emails, and sometimes to comments. It’s the polite thing to do. Quite often, though, what people write falls on a scale […]
Mad dogs and Englishmen / 25% Off New Ebook Easy Reader
Buondì. It has to be said that Bologna, where I live, has a most unpleasant climate at times. In the winter it can be grey, cold, and humid, while in the summer it’s still humid, but now excessively hot. Unlike in other parts of Italy, it’s almost never windy, which means the humidity hangs around, […]
“Why can’t you make it different?”
Buondì. I’ll keep this quick, as we’re taking Roomie to the coast this afternoon, on the train (‘ciuf ciuf” she calls it)! The unusual choice of transport might make it feel like a holiday, a great adventure, perhaps. But, in any case, it cuts the risk of getting stuck for hours in a traffic jam […]
Too soon to reminisce?
Buondì. I have a new assistant, an American college student, a friend of my daughter’s, who my wife remembers as being ‘very smart’. She’s working remotely, so I haven’t actually met her, except ages ago when I cooked for some of Sofia’s friends at her flat in Glasgow, back in 2019, so before the pandemic, […]
25% Off New Ebook Easy Reader and ALL Our Film Easy Readers!
Buondì. This morning, after taking Roomie to her kindergarten, more or less on the exact opposite side of the Italian city I live in, then crawling back through the rush hour traffic, I’ll be swapping our antique people carrier for my even more antique motorbike and heading back out into the snarl up for a […]
Incomprehensible foreign concepts there to trick you!
Buondì. Now that I’m done banging my head against a brick wall (teaching Italian adults English), all sorts of new projects are coming to mind, more than enough to fill any extra time I might have. One of those ideas is to go back and look at the organisation and content of the club website, […]
Perfect life: practice run!
Buondì. Yesterday, I taught my last English class to Italian adults. Ever! One of whom bought me cakes from the finest pasticceria in the city, by way of thanks. I don’t eat cakes, because I prefer my excess calories in liquid form, but my wife was pleased. Then, late last night, today’s individual lesson got […]
Not what I was expecting, rather disappointed…
Buondì. Many, many years ago, when I first came to Italy and was looking for films to practice my listening comprehension on, I bought a rather expensive VHS cassette, from Ipercoop. Ipercoop still exists, but no longer sells VHS cassettes, nor DVDs for that matter. They have some reasonable malt whiskies, though. Anyway, the film […]
Boh!
Buondì. Despite the obvious irritations of always having underfoot a small human, the risk of wine being spilled, or getting bitten when trying to brush tangled hair, there are plus sides. Such as being forcibly reintroduced to songs for young children, which can, I admit, be entertaining, and also educational. One of our staples for […]