Italiano
Hello everyone! My name is Raffaella, and I’m an Italian language teacher for foreigners.
My teaching journey began when I was 18, helping my peers with Latin and Ancient Greek to get through the dreaded high school translation exams. At the time, I never imagined it would one day become my profession.
In fact, at university, I took a completely different path and trained as a development worker, earning both a bachelor’s and a master’s degree in International Cooperation and Development Studies.
This international field allowed me to study several languages—Spanish, English, French, and even a bit of Chinese (which inspired my master’s thesis on China). It also gave me firsthand experience with many integration challenges, especially those related to language.
My desire to help others led me to train as a teacher of Italian for foreigners. I did this at the renowned “Torre di Babele” school in Rome, a truly lovely and welcoming place where I met many fantastic teachers. I learned a great deal from them and prepared for the DITALS exams.
Then fate shuffled the deck and led me to travel and live a wonderful professional experience as a development worker in Latin America, specifically in Peru. After earning my DITALS certification, I stayed there for nearly four and a half years—first working in cooperation with ASPEm, MANTHOC, and Amnesty International, and later as an Italian teacher at the Italian Cultural Institute and the Dante Alighieri School in Lima.
During my time in Peru, and before and after the COVID period, I also earned a degree in Italian Language and Culture through the ICON Consortium, with a thesis on digital Italian at the University of Pisa.
After returning from this incredible experience, I worked in migrant centers along the Roman coast and in various Italian and international schools, including the Sollares Institute in Warsaw, the Dante Alighieri Society, and the Mangiaparole School in Rome.
I also became a certified CELI and PLIDA examiner.
I’ve trained to teach students of all backgrounds and ages, supporting them through the often challenging process of acquiring a new language. I always try to understand and respond to their needs, adapting my teaching as much as possible to each student’s characteristics—modifying materials, activities, and strategies—because every person is different. A teacher should be like a tailor, crafting a custom-made suit so the student can wear it comfortably and confidently.
I love traveling and discovering new cultures, cooking, painting, and reading. I’m passionate about crime series, romantic films, and psychology books. Some of the movies I never get tired of watching are Jurassic Park, Jumanji, The Karate Kid, and What Dreams May Come.
My favorite dish is a simple plate of spaghetti with fresh tomatoes, and among traditional Italian desserts, I love Neapolitan sfogliatella riccia and tiramisù.