To any it may concern:

I just returned to America after spending 6 weeks in Florence attending Scuola Leonardo da Vinci. I would like to give my comments about the school, the staff and activities.
Firstly, I was in Livello 5 (in May 2003) and the first half of Livello 6
(in June). For Livello 5, I had Gianni for grammar and Lucia for
conversation. In Livello 6, Simona was the instructor for grammar and
Gianni conducted the conversation lesson.
Lucia is kind, tactful and thoughtful. She handled the group well,
encouraging students to interact. She had interesting ideas for topics and brought in various articles and handouts to stimulate conversation.
Simona is so sweet---whenever someone would make a mistake, she had a gentle way of correcting him or her. Her enthusiasm is appreciated.
As you know, Livello 5 grammar covers (in my opinion) some challenging topics like il Congiuntivo and i Congiunzioni. These subjects are truly Gianni's strengths. He is very detailed, clear and concise in his teaching style. I like his matter-of-fact, direct personality. He is a very intelligent and cultured man, but certainly not a snob. His skills in the conversation lessons are also excellent. He knows how to facilitate (rather than dominate) a discussion. For me, Gianni's grammar classes were challenging, but not overwhelming. And, if I started to doubt my abilities, he was always encouraging and helpful.
You are probably not aware of Gianni's generosity towards his students. He would often give extra effort and time to help meet the needs and interests of his students.
I also participated in some extra activities like the excursion to San
Gimignano/Sienna and the afternoon trip to the vineyard in Chianti.
Monica's passion for Art is evident. She was wonderful as a guide.
Daniele did a great job as our escort to Chianti. His explanations were understood by even beginner-level students. Many of the others made similar comments about Monica and Daniele.
I also participated in the Cooking Classes (4 lessons). They were so much fun---the time flew by. Clarissa is energetic, enthusiastic and kind. Also, the secretarial staff at the school was always polite and very helpful.
As for my housing arrangements, I opted for the "family plan" for the 6 weeks. I stayed in the home of Mrs. Nada Albertazzi. Everything was wonderful. She is kind, thoughtful, and friendly yet not intrusive. Her home is beautiful, comfortable and exceptionally clean. It was a perfect arrangement for me.
My only suggestion for improvement is the hall that I was in for Livello 5. (I think it was number 23 or 24---it's the largest of the three along Via Bufalini, on the west end of the school.) It was difficult to hear due to the acoustics of the hall and the noise from the street. Perhaps something could be added to the walls to help absorb the sound.
Overall, my experience at Scuola Leonardo da Vinci was excellent. I would highly recommend the school to anyone interested in learning Italian.

Sincerely,
Dawn Mattera Young

The website is excellent and has answered the questions that I have. I am planning to attend the school for four weeks in April of 2004. In addition to the language classes I want to take the Art History class. I am looking forward to having a wonderful experience.
Right now I am finishing one college year of Italian at the University of Colorado. I am a retired person.
I am planning to stay with a host family eating breakfast and dinner with the family. I have not yet taken "Test Your Italian." I will wait until I have finished my classes this year to take the test to see where I will probably be placed!