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Nearly anyone that has traveled to Italy or has heard Italian spoken on a regular basis has either latent or overwhelming desire to learn to speak the language fluently. The wonderful musical quality of the language that allows speakers to sound as if they are reciting poetry when they are actually describing a recipe draws in all those with either an artistic streak or a hint of hedonism lurking under the exterior.

The most practical of people are generally not quite so intrigued with the idea unless they are moving to Italy. The practicality of learning a language that is only predominant in one country is right up there with the practicality of taking the time to make homemade pasta when you can just buy it at the store. So learning the language usually appeals to those with a strong appreciation for Italian culture. Italian language courses at home are not the same experience as Italian language courses in Italy on a few levels.

The primary benefit of taking advantage of the existence of the many schools for learning while you are in the country is the immersion factor. When you have lessons in the morning and then are left to either wander beautiful cities and museums putting into practice what you learned just hours before it reinforces the lessons like not amount of study can. The smiles you will get from Italians for the effort taken to learn their language are an additional reward. Many of the Italian language courses in Florence, Rome, Milan and other locations with a lot of tourism increase the immersion factor by offering cooking classes, wine tours and other excursions that will increase your exposure not only to the language, but also to the culture.

In many of the schools that offer Italian language courses in Italy, the schedules can be altered significantly. Most of the classes will be offered late morning to early afternoon, leaving you to have virtually all of the afternoon and the entire evening free to do as you please. Virtually all of the larger schools have an offering of private lessons that can be arranged to your preference, not so much in the early morning though. The majority of schools are extremely accommodating as far as levels of ability as well. For foreigners taking Italian language courses in Florence or Milan or other large cities they will have an assortment of classes from absolute beginner to advanced speaking levels.

Either learning or improving your Italian is much easier when you are surrounded by people speaking the language throughout your day. Whether you opt for a one week intensive Italian language course on a short trip, or bi-weekly private lessons while taking an Italian sabbatical your learning curve will benefit immensely. From constantly responding to and asking questions to ordering coffee to listening to the radio and watching TV; you will absorb pronunciation and idiomatic expression in a way you just can not accomplish elsewhere. And, yes, by the time you are finished you will be speaking with your hands as well.

Author: Susanna Aloisio