Renowned as the language of love, Italian is the fourth most studied language in the world and Italian with Anna, which is proving to be a hit with a flurry of online members is the innovation of County Durham-based language entrepreneur, Anna Mason.
Anna began to teach a series of online Italian classes shortly before lockdown in 2020 and subsequently saw the concept go from strength to strength. A previous secondary school teacher, now advising in the field of education/language, Anna also launched and delivered relaxed and friendly evening Italian classes at Sunderland’s seafront café bar, Fausto Coffee. When lockdown hit in 2020, Anna made the decision to move all sessions online and these weekly zoom classes have continued to provide a key lifeline to many.
Now with the growing success and continued demand for interactive and relaxed online learning which has seen members tune in from across the UK including Sunderland, Newcastle, Leeds and London, Anna will now launch a series of ‘Aperitivo’ sessions. The first session will start on Thursday 30th September (6pm), running weekly for 6 weeks, priced at £30.00 for the block booking.
Aperitivo is a ‘pre-meal’ drink and an Italian cultural ritual. It is a moment of the day, a recurrent and friendly time spent in good company after work. The new beginner-friendly taster sessions will be an opportunity for budding new members to stimulate and whet their appetite for a splash of Italian with this 6-week taster course in the comfort of their own homes.
Anna Mason whose background is in languages in Italian and French to degree level said: “I’m really excited to launch the new ‘Aperitivo’ sessions. At 35 minutes in length and with a ‘bite-sized’ feel, these are just the right amount of learning per week and are ideal for beginners.
My overall aim is to help anyone and everyone access and enjoy the Italian language alongside various aspects of Italian culture. My inspiration comes from all kinds of sources – music, books, films, TV shows, recipes, photographs, news stories and more. There really is a lot of material out there to choose from – I’m never short of ideas!”
The new weekly sessions will cover basics such as greetings, numbers, days, months and of course, interspersed with interesting Italian cultural topics.
Anna added: “It has been amazing to see the progress and building of relationships within my zoom classes over the year through a very difficult period. Thanks to technology we were able to continue the sessions and open sessions up to a wider range of members. The evenings are drawing in and the September nip is in the air so it’s a perfect time to grab an Aperitivo and immerse yourself in Italian culture, from the comfort of your own home!
The sessions are very relaxed, and participation is very member-led – you can have the camera on or off, whatever you feel comfortable with.”
Helen McAninly, a zoom session member said:
“Italian with Anna was a lifeline during the lockdown and is still something I look forward to every week. The teaching is excellent and lessons are so well-paced and structured to be very inclusive for everyone without any pressure. The other class members are all lovely and I really enjoy the variety of tasks involving culture, conversation and grammar which make the lessons so enjoyable. I can’t wait to put my new skills to practise in Italy!”
Italian is a beautiful and intricate language, and evidence shows that studying a foreign language can stimulate the brain by boosting problem-solving skills and improving memory, alongside broadening horizons, improving self-confidence and deepening an understanding of another culture.
To find out more and to sign up for sessions email italianwithanna21@gmail.com or follow @italian_with_anna on Instagram.
