The Italian language schools Domus Aurea and Apulia

Apulia and Domus Aurea are two centres of Italian language and culture offering courses in two very different cities but using the same didactic principles and methods.

Apulia is situated in Lecce, a spectacularly beautiful baroque city but at the same time only a few kilometres from the unspoilt beaches of the Ionian and Adriatic seas.

Domus Aurea is situated in the heart of the eternal city, just a short walk from the Colosseum, Piazza Venezia and the Trevi Fountain. The school is easy to reach by public transport from every part of the city and are within walking distance of the A and B underground lines.

Students who opt to do a combined course, studying both in Rome and Lecce, have the best of both worlds. They get a full immersion in all aspects of Italian life - town and city, sea and country. The experience will be unforgettable in every way and the only difficult part will be making your mind up about which after-school activity to take part in from the many on offer.

Apulia and Domus Aurea have chosen to adopt a functional-communicative approach to language learning, filtering grammar notions through communication strategies.
At the beginning of each session students take a written and oral test which helps the teachers to establish their level and thus place them in the right group. Classes are formed according to test results and range in level from beginner to advanced. There are six levels and each level requires 80 hours of contact lessons.

Both schools use a wide range of up-to-date language text books together with their own Domus Aurea Manuals - a collection of authentic teaching materials and activities which can be adapted for the levels and requirements of the different groups.
There is a maximum of 10 students per group and this gives the teacher the opportunity to dedicate time and attention to each student's individual pace, and help them to achieve their language objectives. At the end of each course, students are assessed and receive a diploma certifying the level attained and attendance frequency.

Both Domus Aurea and Apulia are authorized by the Italian Ministry of Education.

Regular and intensive courses are the quickest and best way to learn Italian. They can be organised for students of all levels and can be planned over a time period ranging from 1 to 48 weeks.
Extensive coures are intended for students who plan on staying in Italy for a longer period of time. Classes are held twice a week either in the morning or in the afternoon, according to the class timetabling requirements.

For students who need to personalise lesson times and days or for those who need to study specific aspects of the language, mini-groups and individual classes are offered.

Studying Italian at Domus Aurea means learning a language in context. Thanks to the weekly activities programme, students are constantly involved in activities, events, trips and gettogethers which give the every opportunity to put into practical use everything they have learnt in class.
This practical application of the language encourages the student to speak, listen and learn. As well as improving his/her language level, it helps them in their social contacts. They learn lots of new words on a daily basis and then learn to use them. This means that they begin to notice improvements in a very short space of time and are then stimulated to work even harder.

Students can take part in two activities per week at no extra cost and can choose from a range of activities such as guided tours of the city, cookery classes, literature study groups, film showings, current affairs discussions - to name but a few.

Throughout the year, but especially during the summer months, the notice-boards in the schools are updated on a daily basis with the latest "what's on in the city" news and information about cultural events, excursions in and around the city, cinema, musical and theatrical events.

Conversation classes with Italian students are also organised to give everyone the maximum opportunity of speaking (and thus improving) their command of Italian.

Both schools have a register of hotels, bed-and-breakfasts and private flats to rent to suit all accommodation needs. They have all been checked out to ensure that they meet high standards.

With only 4 weeks prior booking notice, Apulia and Domus Aurea can also find students accommodation in the following categories: a single room in a flat sharing with other students or with an Italian family, a double room in a flat sharing with other students or with an Italian family, self-contained flats with one or more rooms to rent, hotels and guest hourses in the immediate vicinity of the school. All flats are located in central areas of the city and are well connected to the local public transport routes. Rooms to rent in families have the option of either breakfast only or full/half board.

1: The Italian language school Il Centro
2: Learning Spanish in Barcelona - Crash and burn or Fly and learn?
3: Bread, wine and language
4: Learning Spanish in Xela, Guatemala
5: Learning Spanish in Tulum
6: Terramare – Italian courses in the Maremma region of Tuscany
7: 10 tips for language learning success