"During the university years and my study of "Foreign Languages and Literature" I realized that "knowing a subject very well" is not enough to teach it. Therefore I also studied, practiced and researched in the field of human development in order to give a true meaning to the word "educare" (to educate, to teach; from the Latin "ex-ducere", to bring out). For me, the best educational experience is the one that allows each student to express (bring out) the best of him/herself.
Back in 1996, as Director of the Italian Language Program for the United Nations UNSRC Circolo Culturale Italiano in New York, I was strongly influenced by the challenge of teaching in a multicultural environment (192 different countries constitute the United Nations). I was determined to create a language program and method that could address the educational needs of different students and, at the same time, help them to express (bring out) themselves. I analyzed many learning approaches. Some students preferred a communicative and playful approach, others liked a more reassuring and analytical approach. Others wanted a combination of both. Some students preferred a self-study course. Others needed the guide of a tutor or the interaction with a professor. Some students liked the concept of long-distance study. Others preferred interacting with a teacher and the class. However, all students liked to express themselves and give voice to their opinions and personality. Thus I designed a method and different educational materials that could embrace all those learning needs, with the goal of allowing each student to express the best of him/herself: CyberItalian was born." (Maura Garau, President CyberItalian Inc.)
With the CyberItalian method you learn the language in 5 steps:
Listen and speak = you are immediately exposed to the Italian language by listening to a dialogue, practicing and recording your pronunciation, and verifying your comprehension. A glossary, pronunciation guides and a voice-recording tool are always available to help you.
Learn the Culture = learn about Italian habits and culture and continue practicing your listening skills.
Discover the Grammar = discover how the language and its structures work through easy grammatical explanations and charts.
Exercise = make the grammar alive and put the language into use with exercises and exams; acquire the language structures and verify the results in your progress report. Some exercises may require you to give your opinion about a specific topic, describe a picture, create a dialogue, and more - creativity is allowed!
Have fun and reinforce = reinforce what you have learned, and practice with fun learning Activities that involve all your abilities (some activities may require you to sing along, cook Italian recipes, read articles, listen to dialogues, watch videos, cut and glue paper drawings, write poems, complete a word-search, etc.)
The CyberItalian Method is based on a program developed for the UNSRC Circolo Culturale Italiano at the United Nations in New York. It gradually presents the basic, intermediate, and advanced structures of the Italian language through 5 basic learning steps (1.listen and speak 2.learn the culture 3.discover the grammar 4.exercise 5.have fun and reinforce). The aim of our method is to provide students with the tools to both learn the language and learn how to learn it, so they quickly become independent in discovering the mechanisms of the language and deciding how to study and practice. Some students may prefer a playful and communicative approach, others prefer a rational, analytical, or grammatical approach: our method includes all these aspects. To see how we apply the method to a self-study lesson see this video presentation.
| Testimonial: "The site pleasantly surprised me, it is very complete in its different approaches to language learning. The inclusion of a wide range of subjects makes it very interesting and fun too; and the extra activities are a great way to reinforce what you have just learned." see more testimonials |
| Available learning itineraries: | Self-Study Courses |
| Tutored Courses | |
| 1to1 Private lessons | |
| Compare our learning itineraries | |
| Features: | online Lessons with access 24 hours a day from all over the world |
| pronunciation guides and voice recording | |
| more than 1,000 audio files | |
| videos | |
| fun learning Activities | |
| progress reports | |
| exercises and exams | |
| more than 3,000 words used in the lessons and listed in the Glossary | |
| Easy-to-understand grammatical explanations | |
| Ask-the-Prof-Service (so you will never feel lost during your Italian studies) | |
| Virtual Community | |
| Forums | |
| Highly qualified teachers | |
| Certifications: | CyberItalian Certificate of Participation after successful completion of each Standard, Intensive and Extended Tutored Course |
| Grades and CyberItalian Certificate after successful completion of each 16 weeks Tutored Course. For schools and university students. |
| Testimonial: "I have been a subscriber for two years and benefit from your timely format and informative links. I continue to learn Italian and depend on your site for help and guidance as well as current information about things Italian. Grazie. Vito" see more testimonials |
There is no average time for learning a language because it always depends on the needs and will of the student. Each of us has a different learning and acquisition time.
Each of our online lessons provides enough material to practice and study for about 3/4 hours or more. The successful completion of each Self-Study Courses (Beginner, Intermediate or Advanced) should take you from 30 to 40 hours. We recommend that you complete each Self-Study Course in about 2 and half months (and no more than 3-4 months) to avoid long breaks between the lessons. This means studying about 1 lesson per week (including all the activities, practice, audio listening, pronunciation practice and recording, grammar studies and exercises). Some lessons may take you a little longer than others.
The Tutored Courses last 8 weeks (standard course), 6 weeks (intensive course) or 12 weeks (extented course):
- Standard 8 Weeks - practice from 3 to 5 hours per week
- Intensive 6 Weeks - practice from 6 to 10 hours per week
- Extended 12 Weeks - practice from 3 to 5 hours per week
The 1to1 Private lessons (for individuals or groups up to 6 people) are geared toward the educational needs of the student/s and it is up to the student/s to decide when they want to start or stop their personalized instruction. A teacher is always available to advise the student/s about their educational goals, to assess the progress and to discuss the structure of their studies. The minimum recommended time for the Private Lessons is 6 hours (a 6 lessons package).
CyberItalian professors and teachers are native speakers of Italian, highly qualified professionals dedicated to the promotion of the Italian language and culture.
If you have any doubt or questions regarding your studies, you are not alone!
With CyberItalian you have many ways to contact a professor or teacher, ask questions, and find the answers to your questions.
You can contact a teacher via real-time chat, dedicated forums, or e-mail.
Pinocchio is a character created in 1881 by the Italian writer Collodi. This famous Italian puppet will be your guide in the Lessons.
Pinocchio represents the idea of "personal growth" at all levels (intellectual and emotional). Personal growth is a very important factor in any learning process. Our lessons show a progression in this sense:
- In CyberItalian Beginner lessons, Pinocchio introduces himself, his family and friends, and discusses familiar topics. Students learn and practice basic language structures. They learn to describe and talk about familiar topics (family, food, transportation, travel, school...) with simple sentences.
- In CyberItalian Intermediate lessons, Pinocchio travels through Italy, meets very famous Italian people (Leonardo, Michelangelo, Rossini, etc.) and discusses cultural topics such as opera, art, literature. He also wants to know what is friendship. Students learn to narrate and to express them selves with more complex sentences.
- In CyberItalian Advanced lessons, Pinocchio continues his travel through Italy, meets other famous Italians (Ferrari, Galileo, Machiavelli, etc.), discusses important topics such as history, education and politics. He also wants to know what is the best job and how to be happy in life. Students learn how to write their resume in Italian, make hypothesis, refine and maintain the language using more complex structures.
Yes, take a FREE trial lesson NOW, and see if you like studying online. You can log in anytime, from anywhere, and study at your own pace.
Practice your pronunciation, listening and comprehension skills with the help of our pronunciation guides, Maria (beginner course), Franco (intermediate course) and Giulia (advanced course). Listen to the dialogues, check the grammar and glossary when you need, have fun with the learning activities and complete the exercises.
- Self-Study Course - beginner trial
- Self-Study Course - intermediate trial
- Self-Study Course - advanced trial
All CyberItalian Courses include access to the Lessons with audio, pronunciation guides, video, self-administered exercises and exams, easy gramatical explanations, and to the Activities.
Students in the tutored courses (six levels from beginner 1 to advanced 2) are guided and graded by a CyberItalian teacher. Students follow the teacher's instructions, post their assignments in the class forum and receive corrections and feedback. Every other week they meet the teacher in a real time group lesson (audio/video class, using a custom conference software).
See a sample of a Tutored Course session:
- Tutored Course - beginner 1, session 1
Due to the nature of our 1to1 Private Lessons we cannot offer a free trial for those.
CyberItalian Online Self-Study lessons are for all ages!
Teens and Adults: CyberItalian lessons address students with different learning needs offering playful and fun activities as well as analytical and grammatical explanations and exercises.
TAKE our FREE TRIAL lessons: discover your learning approach, relax and enjoy your study online.
Pre-teens: CyberItalian encourages parents to participate in their child's experience in cyberspace! Our lessons offer two approaches to learning and practicing the Italian language:
1) activities, songs, sounds, and exposure to the language and culture
2) grammar, explanations, analysis, exercises, and exams.
We think that a child should be exposed mostly or exclusively to the first
approach; for best results, the child should practice Italian and enjoy the
site with a parent or teacher. Here is a list of fun things you can do on CyberItalian
(a child might need your help for certain things):
1) Listen to the audio files provided in the
lessons. Read aloud a passage from an audio file and compare the pronunciation
to the original audio file.
2)
Songs are one of the best ways to practice the language and pronunciation!
Listen to the songs on lessons 5 and 7 and record as you sing.
3
) Do the activities
in the Activity area of each lesson. Print, cut, play, follow the instruction...
4) Do especially the activity in lesson 2 (the house), 3 (describe yourself
and your friends), 4 (say what you like or you don't like to do), 5 (singing),
7 (the weather), 8 (the body), 10 (clothing). Again, in these activities you
are asked to listen to the sound of certain words; listen, repeat and compare
your pronunciation to the original file.
As for all of us (children, adults, and puppets!), the secret to learning is: exposure, practice, and repetition.
CyberItalian Tutored Courses and 1to1 Private Lessons are for dedicated students, interested in a guided study and/or grades.
- Self-Study Courses:
The nature of a Self-Study online course does not allow to check the student's identity and evaluate his/her study; for this reason an online certificate would not give appropriate credit to the level of your linguistic competence.
- Tutored Courses:
Upon successful completion of a course, students receive the CyberItalian Certificate of Participation.
If you need to receive grades with certifications, please check our 16 weeks Tutored Courses. Your school or university may also contact us to receive more information about the program, exam, class material, grade system and CyberItalian Certificate.
- 1to1 Private Lessons:
Upon successful completion of at least 1 package of 6-private-lessons, and upon request, students can receive the CyberItalian Certificate of Participation.
Please note: If you want to obtain a language proficiency certification officially recognized by the Italian government, you have to take the CELI exam (provided by the University of Foreigners of Perugia) or CILS exam (provided by the University of Foreigners of Siena). These exams can be taken in Italy (at the Universities for Foreigners of Perugia or Siena) or outside of Italy (at the Italian Cultural Institutes available in more than a hundred cities in different countries). Other universities are now offering official certifications.
In the self-administered exercises included in the Lessons students receive an automatic score based on the percentage of correct answers. For educational purposes, these self-administered exercises can be taken several times (in this case, each time the student will have to re-enter the entire text in the exercise - which makes it a very good practice); the latest score of each exercise will be recorded over the previous one.
In the self-administered exams included in the Lessons students receive an automatic score based on the percentage of correct answers; only the score of the first time you take the exam will be recorded.
In the Tutored Courses the Final Exam is automatically scored based on the percentage of correct answers.
In the 16 Weeks Tutored Courses for schools, CyberItalian grades students in different areas of study:
- Self-Administered Exercise in the Lessons - 10% weight - based on the percentage of correct answers
- Self-Administered Exams in the Lessons - 20% weight - based on the percentage of correct answers
- Audio/Video Classes - 20% weight - for participation and effort to speak
- Special Assignments - 20% weight (60% of the grade for number of mistakes, 40% of the grade for effort and quality of homework)
- Mid-term Test - 10% weight - based on the percentage of correct answers
- Final Exam - 20% weight - based on the percentage of correct answers
In CyberItalian you find your scores in the Progress Report page.
The page is divided into the different areas of study that students are required to complete.
Depending on the course in which you are registered, the page may look approximately like this:
Please note: in the Lessons area, Column 2 shows the percentage of exercises completed, Column 3 reports the average score of the completed exercises.
CyberItalian online registration is very easy. Open the registration page and follow the instructions. For more details watch this demo (Flash required).
YES.
CyberItalian online registration transaction is secure and encrypted (see full key or lock at the bottom of the registration page plus the SSL Web Server Certification). The information you provide are confidential and unavailable to third parties.
Privacy Policy: CyberItalian is strongly committed to protecting the privacy of its Users. Throughout cyberspace, CyberItalian wants to contribute to provide a pleasant and safe environment for consumers. CyberItalian does not disclose information that you may give us, such as your name, address, email address, or telephone number, to any third parties. See our registration form here
You can pay with PayPal or by check or traveler's check. If you live abroad, please contact your local bank for information on how to send a check or traveler's check payable to a US bank. See our registration form here
If you have never studied Italian (even if you understand it a little or you used to speak it as a child), you should start with a beginner course. Otherwise take a Placement Test now.
Compare here our learning itineraries (courses and programs).
YES! We provide a license of use and discounts for schools that wish to purchase 10 or more Italian language courses. Contact us for more information.
YES!
Your purchase is backed by a 100% satisfaction guarantee*. We want you to be happy with our work. We've put a lot of work into creating what we feel is the easiest-to-use Italian language learning method online. We're proud of what we do, and we work hard to make you happy. We know that CyberItalian method delivers results and will help you learn Italian. However, if you decide within 30 days of purchase that CyberItalian is not right for you, we’ll refund 100% of your money for the self-study courses, and 100% of your money for the package of private lessons or tutored courses (standard, intensive or extended) minus the cost of any private or tutored class that you might have already completed. *Please note: the refund policy for our recovery or 16 weeks tutored courses for schools is different and can be discussed during, or before, registration.
You can buy with complete peace-of-mind!
YES! Click here.
Problems with the access to the site may be due to:
- a temporary failure of the lines or connection (in this case try again later)
- an incorrect insertion of username and password. Keep in mind that username and password are CASE SENSITIVE and you have to enter them exactly as you entered them in the registration form (paying attention to capital letters!)
- the browser you use (we support Netscape Navigator, Microsoft Explorer version 6 and up And Firefox version 1 and up)
Select LOG IN and 'Forgot Password?'. Data will be sent automatically to your e-mail (the one you inserted in the CyberItalian form when you registered).
Problems with the online registration may be due to:
- incompatibility between your browser and our encrypted registration form (in this case, if you can, try using a different computer or select Contact Us in the menu to the left.)
- busy lines or connections (if lines or connections are slow or busy, the payment transaction may be discontinued and the registration canceled. In this case, please try to register later).
The Internet requires some patience at times! If you still cannot register online, contact us and ask for a manual registration. Before you register with us, make sure you can use CyberItalian with your computer system: TAKE a FREE TRIAL lessons now.
- Basic requirements
To enjoy CyberItalian you need a computer with Internet access. Minimum Internet modem connection required to access the site is 56K (or up).
CyberItalian.com is best viewed with Microsoft Internet Explorer (version 6 and up) or Firefox/Mozilla (version 1 and up).
Newer versions of AOL should now work well (in case of problems please contact AOL customer support).
- To participate in the Tutored Courses - Audio/Video classes
The following are the minimum system requirements needed to attend the Audio/Video classes in our Tutored Courses.
For Windows Systems:
- Windows 2000, XP, Vista or later
- Java 5 (J2SE 1.5) or later
- Internet Explorer 6+ or Firefox 2+
For Mac Systems:
- Mac OS 10.4 or later (PPC or Intel)
- Safari 2+ or Firefox 2+
For All Systems:
- Broadband Internet connection
- Headset/Microphone combination
- 512 MB System Memory
- Javascript and Cookies enabled in browser
- Java Web Start configured as helper application for browser
The webcam is NOT required as only the teacher will have this feature available (you will see the teacher but the teacher will not see you).
Click here for your system requirements test
Install the latest Java
- To participate in the 1to1 Private Lessons
The following are the minimum system requirements needed to attend the 1to1 Private Lessons.
For Windows Systems:
- Windows 2000, XP, Vista or later
For Mac Systems:
- Mac OS 10.39 or later (PPC or Intel)
For All Systems:
- Broadband Internet connection
- Headset/Microphone combination
- 512 MB System Memory
- A Skype access and username (Skype is downloadable* for FREE from the website Skype.com)
- The webcam is not required.
Need help about Skype? See here
*Downloading a software is pretty easy. However, if you are not familiar with computers and the Internet, find someone, (a relative or a friend), who can help you in setting your computer and browser properly! Please note: CyberItalian is not responsible for the location, downloading, usage and properties of the recommended softwares.
To listen to our MP3 audio files, your browser needs to be audio enabled and have Flash 6 installed or a later version.
Most browsers are audio enabled and have Flash already installed (you might just need to update your Flash version). If you have Flash, you will see the following image for each audio file:
click on the "Play" button (indicated by the orange arrow) to listen to the audio (DO NOT click on Pinocchio's head!)
To check if your browser is audio enabled and if you have Flash, use here the control buttons to Play/Pause and Replay the audio:
If your browser does not show the second image of Pinocchio with the Audio Control Box, it means that you do not have have Flash installed; please download* the latest FREE version from Macromedia Flash Player.
*Downloading a software is pretty easy. However, if you are not familiar with computers and the Internet, find someone, (a relative or a friend), who can help you in setting your computer and browser properly! Please note: CyberItalian is not responsible for the location, downloading, usage and properties of the recommended softwares.
To use our pronunciation guides and recording system you need to have:
- Microphone or Headset/Microphone combination connected to your computer
- Java installed
To verify if you have Java, please go to:
You should follow the instructions in that page: see if a pink box comes out telling you which version of Java is installed.
In case Java is not installed go to:
press the blue button and follow the instructions. After installation close the browser, open it again and test the installation going to Java Tester.
When you open the "Pronuncia" window (from the right menu in each Lesson) you will see the following image. Please allow the recording program to download completely before you press any button.
Press the "Next >>>" button. After a few seconds, you will see the following image:
At this point use the control buttons and your microphone to record your voice. Then play back the audio and listen to your own voice speaking Italian!
You can compare your voice with the one of the pronunciation guide (Maria for beginners, Franco for intermediate and Giulia for advanced students). Type a word or sentence in the box under "Enter text to be pronounced:" and press the button "Maria say it, please".
*Downloading a software is pretty easy. However, if you are not familiar with computers and the Internet, find someone, (a relative or a friend), who can help you in setting your computer and browser properly! Please note: CyberItalian is not responsible for the location, downloading, usage and properties of the recommended softwares.
When you do the exercises and exams in our Lessons, you need to write the Italian accented characters, otherwise the system does not recognize your answer as correct. These are the Italian accented characters: "à, è. ì, ò, ù" (as in: caffè, università, più, etc.). Sometimes you need also "é" (as in: perché). ÀÈÌÒÙÉ.
English keyboards are different from Italians and do no show the keys with the Italian accented vowels.
A solution could be to set up your system to switch between the English
and Italian keyboard and mark the five keys that represent Italian
accented vowels.
E.g. on the English keyboard, the following keys correspond to the
Italian accented vowels on the Italian keyboard:
- ' = à
- [ = è
- { = é
- ; = ò
- \ = ù
- = = ì
Windows users: find here a layout of the Italian keyboard and more info on Windows language support and how to configure your system.
Mac users: click here.
If you don't want to set up your keyboard, you can write the exercises using this editor for accented characters.
Otherwise you can copy the Italian accented vowels
from here or from our lessons and paste them in the exercise field:
à, è, ì, ò, ù, é. À, È, Ì, Ò, Ù, É.
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