Italian language school for children initiates a free pilot program at two primary schools in Eindhoven.
This month a pilot Italian language program is being started free of charge at Basisschool Trudo in Strijp and Basisschool de Hasselbraam in Stratum. The target group for the pilot is children who speak Italian at home with one or both of their parents.
The pilot Italian lessons will take place after school (from 15:00 to 16:30) during the week, so that children who attend these schools can go from the BSO (after school care) directly to the lessons, making it easy for parents. Children who do not attend these schools are welcome to register for the lessons as well. The first pilot lesson is scheduled for Friday, February 22, at Trudo and the second for Wednesday, February 27, at the Hasselbraam.
The goal of the Italian classes is to strengthen the children’s command of Italian, since many Italian children in Eindhoven were born in the Netherlands and have never followed a class in Italian language. Classroom instruction allows for a deeper knowledge of the children’s mother tongue, beyond what can be achieved at home. Many benefits – academic, social, and cognitive — are expected when children are given the opportunity to follow classes in their home language.
A recent survey showed that Italian families would like their children to develop more confidence in speaking skills, to expand their vocabulary, to better understand their heritage culture, and to learn formal skills like reading and writing. The pilot program aims to promote these areas of language development in an engaging setting where children take an active role in their learning.
If there are sufficient participants, then regular courses administered by the “Ente Scuola Italiana nei Paesi Bassi” can be started in Eindhoven Italian school “La Lampadina” in the 2019-2020 school year. Ente Scuola Italiana is in charge of the organization of courses of Italian Language and Culture throughout The Netherlands, as well as teacher training, on behalf of the Italian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, which partly finances such courses. An official certificate, legally recognized in Italy, is awarded to the children who attend a full school year.
Here you can find more details about the school and the registration or visit their Facebook page.
For Eindhoven News: Gisi Cannizzaro and Laura Pirani
