If you’re not familiar with the acronym FAQ, it stands for ‘Frequently Asked Questions’. Italians use it too (they pronounce it ‘fak’…)
So today, given our current offer on online Italian lessons, we’ll start with some of the things people always ask me.
After that, I’ll be reminding you of how to get started with your online teacher by taking advantage of the -20% promotion.
And finally there’ll be a link to today’s free Italian grammar exercise, to keep you busy over the weekend!
– I live in the USA/Australia. What days/times can I take lessons?
We know there may be a big time difference between Italy and where you live. For this reason we look for teachers who are willing to teach early in the morning or late at night (Italian time). With a little flexibility on both sides, it’s normally possible to accommodate even large time differences.
– Are my credit card details safe in your database?
We use Paypal to process payments. So your card (or Paypal account) details are stored in their servers. We never see them. Rest assured, your payment data is completely safe. No payment can be taken unless you specifically authorize it, and should you have any issue at all with OnlineItalianClub.com, Paypal will back you up.
– Who will my online Italian teacher be?
All our online Italian lesson teachers are professionals who are known to me personally. They have significant teaching experience and usually speak reasonable English. Either they work (or have worked) at my Italian school in Bologna, or they write (or have written) materials for us. We interview new teachers online before accepting them, and brief them thoroughly regarding what our clients need and expect. In the unlikely event there is anything (at all) that you’re not happy with, our teaching manager Lucia is your first point of call. Whatever the problem is, she’ll sort it out for you.
– What software/hardware do I need?
Obviously, a good broadband connection is a pre-requisite, and then you’ll need Skype, which is a free download. Most computers and tablets already have it installed. If you already use it to make video calls, the online lessons should work just fine for you. If you’re unsure about whether your computer/tablet is up for learning Italian online, let me know and I can organize a test call with you to check.
– Why take lessons with OnlineItalianClub.com, rather than a cheaper alternative?
Our mission is to provide good quality online materials and online teaching, while at the same time providing work for Italian teachers. We’re about building a trusted team of professionals to provide the best possible learning and teaching. Read the reviews on our online Italian lessons page (click the ’10 lessons’ product and scroll down to the reviews tab to see genuine, un-edited customer reviews.)
– Why are lessons just 30 minutes long?
As a teacher I think that, while a one-hour individual lesson is ideal when face-to-face in a classroom, an hour online can be heavy, especially when you’re just starting out. So we offer a default of 30 minutes instead. If you’d rather have a longer session, just book two lessons to run one after another. The price of two half-hour lessons is comparable with one full-hour session offered by other quality schools, but offers you more flexibility.
– Who decides the lesson content?
Normally, you do. Your lessons can include conversation, grammar, a mix, whatever you prefer. If you aren’t sure, ask your teacher for suggestions. She/he will be happy to advise you, or simply decide for you what you need.
– Do I have to study at a regular day/time?
Nope, it’s flexible. But people do tend to end up having a regular day/time because it just works out like that once lessons become a routine for you. Not to say you can’t cancel a lesson you’ve booked. Just write to your teacher in advance to let him/her know.
– Does the online teacher speak English?
It’s one of our requirements. But we’d strongly advise you not to use English as the ‘lingua franca’ for your lessons, as that rather defeats the point…
– What’s your refund policy?
I’ve never yet been asked to refund a client for an online lesson, and I’d be surprised if that happened. But should, for whatever reason, you not be entirely happy, please write to our teaching manager, Lucia, to let her know. If she’s not able to sort it out for you, write to me and I’ll refund your payment.
– How do I buy more than 10 lessons?
If you select the ’10 lesson’ option in our shop and add it to your cart, you can then change the quantity of the ‘product’ you’re purchasing, so instead of ‘1 x 10 lessons’ you modify that to ‘3 x 10 lessons’, or whatever. Regular clients wait for the offers (now, then again in January) to stock up on twenty or thirty lessons.
Well, I hope that’s given you a good idea of how things work! If you have a ‘FAQ’ I haven’t dealt with, email me and I’ll get right back to you with an answer!
Get started TODAY with online Italian lessons!
Here’s a discount code which’ll get you 20% off the price of 1, 5, 10 or more lessons with one of our team of experienced Italian teachers:
online_italian_lessons_20%_discount
If you’re already one of our students, go ahead and use the code to book your future lessons at a generous saving.
If not, why not try a lesson, or five, or ten, to see if you’d enjoy studying online one-to-one?
Price options for online Italian lessons are here.
Click on the package of lessons that interests you to read full details. Or use the ‘Add to cart’ button.
When you get to the shopping cart page, you’ll see a ‘Coupon code’ box.
Copy and paste the code online_italian_lessons_20%_discount into the box, then click the ‘Apply Coupon’ button.
The page will refresh.
If you SCROLL DOWN, you’ll see that the coupon is applied to reduce the total you pay for your lessons.
Once we receive a payment, Lucia, our online teaching manager will contact you to find out your needs and preferences and when you would like to take your lesson(s).
Then she’ll match you with one of our team of online teachers, who will contact you directly to introduce him/herself, and to arrange your lesson(s).
Simple as that. Any problems, Lucia will handle it. Or write to me directly, in the usual way, by replying to any of my emails, or using the address at the bottom of each page on our site.
New free Italian grammar exercise
Today’s free Italian grammar exercise is on pronomi e aggettivi indefiniti.
What are they?
Those essential little words to refer to people and things – ‘some’, ‘whoever’, that sort of thing.
This is an advanced-level exercise, but useful for students at more or less any level.
Click here to give it a try.
More on Monday, but in the meantime, don’t forget to book your online Italian lessons.
(Copy/paste coupon code online_italian_lessons_20%_discount to get 20% off!)