about me

your Italian teacher

Ciao! My name is Daniela Gentile and I am happy to take you on a nice journey towards Italian fluency

Mi chiamo Daniela, piacere!

I am a qualified and experienced teacher of Italian as a second language. 

I have always been passionate about the Italian language. That is the reason why, after my university education in Italian Linguistics in Rome, I specialised in teaching Italian to non-native speakers and I taught Italian in the Netherlands for 6 years, first in Enschede and then in Groningen. I worked for several language schools and started my own Italian school organising classes and also language immersions in Abruzzo.

With fond memories of the Netherlands and a wider wealth of experience, I decided to continue this journey back in Italy and to invest in the region I love: Abruzzo.

In today’s frenetic world I made a crosscurrent choice. I decided to live in a place whose richness lies in the diversity of flora, fauna and nature; in the cultural heritage; in the precious traditions passed down from generation to generation; in the power of small communities.

Gentilmente School

Now I live in L’Aquila where I opened my own school for learning Italian. The school is located in the heart of L’Aquila, in Palazzo Chiarizia: a beautiful building from the 16th century, recently renovated.

Gentilmente School is a place where you can immerse yourself in the Italian culture, get in touch with the local community and feel free to experiment with the Italian language. 

A place where you can feel at home and learn Italian in a relaxing environment.

Italian teacher_L'Aquila

My studies

  • DITALS II level certification: advanced competence in teaching Italian as a Foreign Language (Università degli Stranieri di Siena)
  • Bachelor’s and Master’s degree in Linguistics (La Sapienza – Università di Roma)
  • Refresher courses: to ensure high quality and efficient classes, I constantly keep myself updated, participating in refresher courses for Italian language teachers.

My teaching vision

/gen·til·mén·te/

During my studies I was trained to teach Italian by stimulating and experienced teachers, all very active and well known in the field of modern language didactics. I constantly keep myself updated participating in refresher courses about new didactic techniques and approaches: in particular, the global approach and the task-oriented approach.
“Tell me and I forget.
Teach me and I remember.
Involve me and I learn”
B. Franklin

My Italian lessons are based on these principles:

  • In class, the students and I speak as much Italian as possible, in a pleasant and positive environment, where they can feel comfortable to speak Italian from the very beginning.
  • The classroom is a safe place and mistakes are a necessary part of the learning process.
  • The students are at the centre of the learning process, therefore they have an active role. I like to see the classroom as a ‘laboratory’ where students are encouraged to experiment with the language, without worrying too much about perfection.
  • The activities proposed in the lessons require the use of the mind, but also of the body. Learning by moving through the classroom is very effective and also fun.
  • The activities have a practical purpose. The students focus not only on the form of the language, but especially on achieving tasks. In this way they acquire new skills in an effective way.
  • Learners improve when they are motivated. That is why I choose activities that can constantly keep the involvement and attention high.
  • I commit to creating an effective program and a positive learning environment, so that they can leave the classroom with a greater confidence in speaking Italian and an overall enriching experience.