A club member wrote to me on Wednesday, after receiving that day’s email with the link to the free material.
It was a fairly advanced listening task, you might remember.
Anyway, it was too hard for her, so she wondered if she could change level and receive something more appropriate.
A good question, and one that I suspect a lot of new members ask themselves.
So today, a quick clarification on the role of these emails, sent out each Monday, Wednesday and Friday.
What they are NOT, is any kind of organised course or syllabus.
You should find all of that on the club website.
Click the links, explore a bit.
There are thousands of pages of free materials for learning Italian, organised into six levels of material, from beginner to advanced.
It’s all there, to be used however and whenever you want.
No password or registration is required.
And it’s free.
So what, then, is the point of these emails?
Well, first of all, it’s been my own experience that I visit a website with lots of great stuff on it, make ambitious plans to come back soon to make use of it, and then never do!
Maybe you’re the same.
In which case, the emails serve to remind you, nice and regular like, of your interest in learning Italian.
If you enjoy reading them, then you’ll hopefully be trying out the materials.
If not every time, then at least now and again.
Dipping your toes in, like this, might hopefully become a habit.
And regular study, for those who manage it, leads to learning and eventual mastery of Italian.
Secondly, the emails are also a channel of communication.
If you have feedback, want advice, spot a typo, or have a suggestion – just hit reply to write to me.
Knowing what people think about our club helps us improve it.
So you can expect a reply, usually within 24 hours.
Finally, the emails are how we publicise the (paid for) ebooks and online lessons which fund all the free stuff.
At times, I’ll be trying my best to sell you something.
For example, next week.
When I get back from Texas, and can therefore man the computer full time again, we’ll be having a Summer Sale on ebooks and online Italian lessons.
(I’ve heard that some of our regular online lesson clients have been waiting for an offer so they can renew at a favorable price…)
During a promotion, there’s an email every day, rather than just Monday, Wednesday and Friday.
If that’s a bore, feel free to unsubscribe.
There’s a link to do this at the bottom of every email I send. Just click it and follow the instructions.
More about the Summer Sale on Monday.
Today though, I have another free listening, with transcript and new task:
What should you do if it’s too hard or absurdly easy?
Very good!
Visit the club website to find material that’s more suitable to your level and study that instead.
But do study.
A lunedì.