
Come and join for fun-filled week soaking up the beautiful Italian language and speaking and understanding it as never before. You will benefit enormously, whether you are beginner or have studied Italian for years.
The reason is that we use a special method of teaching a foreign language to adults, which enables each person not only to learn from our teacher, (the wonderful Giulia Balestri), but from each other. Lois talked to a few of the participants on last year’s course to see what they thought.
We use the special approach of the Langues Services language school in Florence, who helped develop this course for the Watermill. They were inspired by the philosophy of Professor Bertrand Schwartz of Paris University, who overturned the concept of teaching to adults with a method that not only develops theoretical knowledge, but practical know-how as well.
The aim is to enhance the personal qualities of each student, tailoring the teaching to their needs and ambitions, establishing active and confident relationships, where the student is the true protagonist in the course. Well before it starts we will send you a questionnaire about your interests and aspirations and integrate your answers in the week’s tuition.

This really is a ‘course with a difference’. Not only are there formal lessons on the vine verandah, riverside terrace and walled garden (some 20 hours in the week), but you also make visits, guided tours and excursions to savour the natural beauty of Lunigiana, the area around the mill, to explore its history and culture, to sample its traditional foods – and above all, to meet the people, speak Italian, and practise what you’ve learned.

The Watermill has teamed up again this year with Giulia, to produce a week in which you can learn Italian in the most natural and enjoyable way, helping you to treasure everything you learn and make it a seamless part of who you are.
As another course participant said: “A super language week: well organised, giving us a taste of the ‘real Italy.’ Despite the disparity in ability our tutor managed to help all of us towards a better understanding and production of the Italian language. The lessons were fun, interactive and helped me enormously.
Here are some previous students enjoying the first day of a course :

Giulia Balestri
14 – 21 October 2023
A novel approach to learning Italian
To learn more about our unique Italian language course please visit our Language Programme page