In this short video, Laura introduces her Italian lessons — who she is, how she teaches, and what to expect from individual tuition and group classes.
Laura is a native Italian teacher from Sicily with over 20 years’ experience, qualified with QTS, a PGCE and the Cambridge CELTA. She teaches live online across the UK, and one to one in person locally to Dursley.
Ready to start? Get in touch for a free chat, or explore online Italian lessons.
Ciao! A few words about me
I’m Laura Geraci, a native Italian teacher from Catania, Sicily, now based in Dursley, Gloucestershire. In the video above I introduce myself and the way I teach — but here it is in writing too.
I’ve been teaching Italian for more than twenty years, in schools and to private students of every age. I hold a PGCE and Qualified Teacher Status, along with a CELTA, and I’ve taught Italian at GCSE and on the International Baccalaureate programme in the independent sector, as well as adult classes for Bristol Adult Learning.
My lessons are practical and relaxed. We speak Italian from the very first lesson — real, everyday Italian, the kind you’d use ordering coffee in Catania — and I explain the grammar clearly as it comes up, rather than drowning you in tables. Students tell me the culture is half the fun: the food, the gestures, the little rules (never a cappuccino after dinner!) that make Italy Italy.
I teach one-to-one online lessons across the UK at £30 an hour, in-person lessons in Gloucestershire and Bristol, and a small online beginners’ group. If you’d like to start, get in touch — or download my 50 essential Italian phrases and try a few out loud.
Video transcript
Prefer to read? Here is what Laura says in the video, in her own words.
Non è mai troppo tardi o troppo presto per imparare una lingua — it’s never too early or too late to learn a language. Perché la lingua è amore, cultura, vita e emozione — because a language is culture, is life, is emotion, and is love.
What about my teaching methods? If you are a beginner, I normally tend to start with mini dialogues, because right from the beginning they help to create a sense of conversation and give you the chance to learn set phrases and keywords. Learning with me happens gradually, but almost effortlessly, through structured and guided repetition which is enriched step by step with the addition of new words. I also love using the method of modelling — short presentations on different topics which a student can use as an example to build on their own language.
I consider grammar a very useful tool to improve your Italian quickly: you can use it to spot patterns and to build your vocabulary. It’s a little like the skeleton of a language — just as our muscles build on the bones of our skeleton, so the words of a language build on the structure of its grammar. And if grammar is not your cup of tea, not a problem: I always customise lessons for each and every student, and I always carry out a needs analysis to see whether what you want to improve is pronunciation, fluency, confidence, or perhaps widening your vocabulary.
I think the most effective way to learn a language is to treat it as a game. I love incorporating lots of fun expressions and anecdotes, related to your own personal experience. As an Italian speaker I have a southern accent, because I grew up in Sicily — allora il mio accento è molto bello, molto colorito, molto vivace, perché la Sicilia è la terra del sole, la terra dell’allegria. I have a very colourful accent, and I love talking with gestures — parlare con le mani e con le espressioni facciali — because gestures and expressions really help the understanding of a language, and they make it more fun.
So, what are you waiting for? Enrol for your first trial session — I hope you have enjoyed watching, and hopefully see you there soon. Arrivederci e grazie, a presto!
In practice: a free, no-obligation chat about your level and what you want comes first, then lessons at £30 an hour. There is no separate trial lesson.
Common questions
What happens in my first lesson with Laura?
Every new student starts with a friendly needs analysis: Laura finds out whether you want to build pronunciation, fluency, confidence or vocabulary, and shapes the lessons around you. Beginners usually start with mini dialogues, so you are speaking Italian from the very first session.
How does Laura teach grammar?
As the skeleton of the language — a tool for spotting patterns and building vocabulary quickly, never an end in itself. If grammar is not your cup of tea, lessons are customised so you learn it naturally through conversation, repetition and games instead.
Where do lessons take place?
Live online over Microsoft Teams, wherever you are in the UK. One-to-one lessons are £30 an hour, and there are small online groups for beginners too.