Italian Language and Culture 20 hrs/week -Long Term

Koinè Center - Italian Language School in Lucca

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Course description

Long term course.
Italian Language and Culture: 20 hours/week , 4 hours language tuition 9:15 a.m. to 1 p.m. plus optional afternoon activities.

For those who can devote several months to learning Italian and want to greatly improve their
confidence and fluency or who need a solid language and cultural grounding, we offer a special price for a 6, 9 or 12 month long stay on "Italian Language and Culture" (20 hrs/week from 9:15 am to 13:00). Students on long term programmes are placed in classes according to their level. Students may join existing classes. Our experienced teachers ensure a smooth integration and a friendly, positive classroom atmosphere for all students.

This is an ideal way to enjoy learning to and have full benefit from practicing your skills and interacting with other students. Your teacher will give you clear guidance and many opportunities to communicate effectively in Italian through a range of activities. S/he will work with you as a group, in pairs and individually, making your classes even more varied. Because of the small size of the groups, we can give personal care and attention to each student. The maximum number of students per class is 12 but on average there are 6 or 7 students in each class. This allows you to gain maximum benefit from the time available through intensive exposure to all aspects of the Italian language.

Course topics

Listening, Speaking, Pronunciation, Reading, Writing, Vocabulary, Grammar and Activities

Class schedule

Course duration
1-52 weeks
Start dates
Every Monday (except for beginners)
Start dates for beginners
18 Nov 2024 and 02 Dec 2024
Classes per week
20 lessons per week (each lesson lasts 55 min)
Class days
Monday - Friday
School holidays
08 Dec 2024, 21 Dec 2024 - 12 Jan 2025, 06 Jan 2025, 21 Apr 2025, 25 Apr 2025, 01 May 2025, 02 Jun 2025, 15 Aug 2025, 20 Dec 2025 - 11 Jan 2026

Koinè does not hold classes on the holiday dates above. The school does not compensate for these holidays, so make sure to choose your start date accordingly.

Class times

You can choose from the following class times:

Morning session
09:15 AM - 01:00 PM

Class schedule may change depending on availability and season.

Class level

All levels, beginner to advanced
You will take a placement test on your first day to determine your class level. You may also take this test before your arrival in Lucca.

Class size

Average 6 students
Maximum 8 students

Student age

Age range 16 years old and older
Average 45 years old
(35 in the summer)

Certificate

A certificate of completion will be issued at the end of the course.
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photos

Photos

  • Homestay housing offered by Koinè Center - Italian Language School in Lucca 1/32
  • Homestay housing offered by Koinè Center - Italian Language School in Lucca 2/32
  • Homestay housing offered by Koinè Center - Italian Language School in Lucca 3/32
  • Koinè Center - Italian Language School in Lucca 4/32
  • Students of Koinè Center - Italian Language School in Lucca 5/32
  • Activities offered at Koinè Center - Italian Language School in Lucca 6/32
  • Activities offered at Koinè Center - Italian Language School in Lucca 7/32
  • Students of Koinè Center - Italian Language School in Lucca 8/32
  • Teachers and Staff at Koinè Center - Italian Language School in Lucca 9/32
  • Students of Koinè Center - Italian Language School in Lucca 10/32
  • Classroom at Koinè Center - Italian Language School in Lucca 11/32
  • Classroom at Koinè Center - Italian Language School in Lucca 12/32
  • Reception of Koinè Center - Italian Language School in Lucca 13/32
  • City of Lucca 14/32
  • Activities offered at Koinè Center - Italian Language School in Lucca 15/32
  • City of Lucca 16/32
  • City of Lucca 17/32
  • City of Lucca 18/32
  • Reception of Koinè Center - Italian Language School in Lucca 19/32
  • 1-on-1 classes at Koinè Center - Italian Language School in Lucca 20/32
  • Activities offered at Koinè Center - Italian Language School in Lucca 21/32
  • Students of Koinè Center - Italian Language School in Lucca 22/32
  • Students of Koinè Center - Italian Language School in Lucca 23/32
  • Activities offered at Koinè Center - Italian Language School in Lucca 24/32
  • Classes at Koinè Center - Italian Language School in Lucca 25/32
  • Activities offered at Koinè Center - Italian Language School in Lucca 26/32
  • Teachers and Staff at Koinè Center - Italian Language School in Lucca 27/32
  • Classes at Koinè Center - Italian Language School in Lucca 28/32
  • Activities offered at Koinè Center - Italian Language School in Lucca 29/32
  • 1-on-1 classes at Koinè Center - Italian Language School in Lucca 30/32
  • City of Lucca 31/32
  • Classes at Koinè Center - Italian Language School in Lucca 32/32
reviews

Reviews

95% recommend

based on 21 reviews
5 stars
9
4 stars
11
3 stars
1
2 stars
0
1 star
0
Quality of teaching
School facilities
Social activities
School location
Housing

"Professional commited school"

Georgina Douglas, student from Australia

High level teaching appropriate to each language level. Grammar language and cultural training in good balance.
The private lessons I had for two hours every day were a high light for me.
The teaching facilitated very fast progress in language learning.

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My ratings for this school

Quality of teaching
School facilities
Social activities
School location
Housing
Duration of study
3 weeks
Date of study
30 Sep 2024 - 25 Oct 2024
Would you recommend this school?
Yes
This is a verified review. This student has booked a course at this school through Language International.

"The course was challenging and very instructive for me."

Jürg Bosch, student from Switzerland

The training location was a 10-minute walk from my accommodation (perfect). Lorenzo had put together a new, great and challenging program every day. He led and facilitated the lessons excellently. The training room was very echoey and it was difficult to communicate with each other at times. My accommodation was good. It was a pity that the room was small. Unfortunately, it was always dark in the house because the shutters were closed.

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My ratings for this school

Quality of teaching
School facilities
Social activities
School location
Housing
Duration of study
3 weeks
Date of study
9 Sep 2024 - 4 Oct 2024
Would you recommend this school?
Yes
This is a verified review. This student has booked a course at this school through Language International.

"With Koinè learning italian is fun"

Geraldine, student from Switzerland

Classes were not to big, we always had enough time and opportunities to speak. All teachers are very good qualified. The school is in a old house; all the houses within the wall in Lucca are old. The facilities are functional but not modern. The activities in august were ok and useful to get to know Lucca better but also to get to know other students and to practice italian. I was very lucky with my accommodation, not far away from school and a wonderful host.

I liked the ambience at the school and the professionalism and friendliness of the teachers.

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My ratings for this school

Quality of teaching
School facilities
Social activities
School location
Housing
Duration of study
3 weeks
Date of study
5 Aug 2024 - 30 Aug 2024
Would you recommend this school?
Yes
This is a verified review. This student has booked a course at this school through Language International.

"Best beginning immersion language class ever had; fun, smart engaging teacher for beginners"

Marianne Morgan, student from USA

Lorenzo, the teacher, made the experience of learning fun and challenging. Very knowledgeable about language learning, skilled in English and other languages to help us foreign students along the road to understanding and speaking. Wish I could have stayed longer than this week.

The staff was very helpful. Facilities were airy and adequate for # of people. We felt taken care of. Nice historical lecture/excursions by staff. Lucca an interesting city with much to see and do.
Great students, good food and gelato.

July heat was a challenge; housing generally lacked good air circulation.

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My ratings for this school

Quality of teaching
School facilities
Social activities
School location
Housing
Date of study
15 Jul 2024 - 19 Jul 2024
Would you recommend this school?
Yes
This is a verified review. This student has booked a course at this school through Language International.

"Loved Lucca"

Carol Gaffney, student from USA

I loved being in Lucca for 2 weeks. Obviously the Koine Center was a major portion of this.

I enjoyed my classmates and the school location.
What I would have liked is an introduction to the other students on the first day. I wasn't introduced to the staff or the students. Yes, I'm an adult and did what I could to learn names and countries of origin while in the room the first day. The second week I went right to my classroom and did not meet the rest of the students.
Staff was generally friendly but again there were no introductions. Again - yes, I'm adult and maybe this is the Italian way and if it is, I apologize for my lack of cultural knowledge. It would have been nice to meet other students.

The first day of the second week there was an introduction to Lucca as students were taken through the city and shown buses, trains, etc. I learned of this on that day and couldn't participate. It would have been nice to have had the same opportunity the first week I was there.

I paid for the full day of classes for 2 weeks yet because there were only 2 of us in the first week's class we stopped at 11. That's about 10 hours where I did not have instruction. I enjoyed my time with Karen as we made the most of it but I think this is a big shortcoming. The first few days of class for the first week had different instructors and no set curriculum as it seemed they were trying to find instructors for the class.

The second week during class was much better as we went from 9 - 1 rather than to 11 so there was much for teaching and learning.

I wish I had been able to participate in the events for the 2nd week and would have arranged my schedule if I had known ahead of time rather than on Monday.

This no doubt sounds negative and maybe my expectations were too high but I was ready to be fully engaged so I was disappointed. At the same time I enjoyed my time in Lucca and would have to ask more questions if I were to return.

Also - I'm wondering whether I paid for round trip travel between Pisa airport and Lucca. If I did then I would like to have the return trip refunded.

My housing was great - Loved Francesco and his family. I had recent knee surgery so it was a surprise to find 64 steps to the 4th floor but I got stronger as the weeks went on. I participated in Cooking with Momma and Francesco was an enjoyable and patient instructor.

I hope this helps. - sorry for being so late in responding - the end of the class was not the end of my travel and I'm just now able to get the time to sit and write.

Carol

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My ratings for this school

Quality of teaching
School facilities
Social activities
School location
Housing
Date of study
18 Mar 2024 - 22 Mar 2024
Would you recommend this school?
No
This is a verified review. This student has booked a course at this school through Language International.

"Es waren zwei interessante Wochen, in denen ich mein italienisch deutlich verbessern, bei einer tollen Gastfamilie untergebracht war und ein sehr schöne Stadt kennenlernen durfte."

Karin Böhm, student from Germany

Unterricht: zunächst etwas enttäuschen, da ich die einzige Anfängerin war und somit keine Gruppe und keinen Kontakt zu den anderen Schülern hatte (da auch meine Unterrichtszeiten anders waren). In der zweiten Wochen waren wir zu zweit, das war dann echt prima.

Die beiden Nachmittagsveranstaltungen (Stadtrundgang in der 1. und 2. Woche, Besuch im Nationalmuseum, Vortrag über Puccini) waren etwas enttäuschend, zum einen, weil alles auf italienisch stattfand und zum anderen wenig abwechslungsreich war. Ich hätte mir etwas mehr Alltag (kochen oder Olivenölverkostung, Ausflüge, ...) gewünscht.

Die Unterbringung in einer Gastfamilien mitten in der Città war ganz hervorragend, herzliche Menschen in toller Umgebung. Kleines Problem zu Beginn: Die Gastgeberin spricht kein Englisch, aber nach einigen Tagen konnten wir uns doch verständigen. Ich habe mich dort trotzdem vom ersten Moment an wohl gefühlt.

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My ratings for this school

Quality of teaching
School facilities
Social activities
School location
Housing
Duration of study
1 week
Date of study
11 Mar 2024 - 22 Mar 2024
Would you recommend this school?
Yes
This is a verified review. This student has booked a course at this school through Language International.

"Super expérience! Bien apprécié le professeur, l'endroit et la façon d'enseigner."

Sylvie Lavigne, student from Canada

J'ai bien apprécié le professeur, très patient et bon pédagogue.
Bien apprécié le nombre de personnes dans le cours (3), donne plus d'échange et beaucoup plus d'apprentissage de la langue étudiée.
Je souhaite vraiment y revenir l'an prochain, pour plus longtemps cette fois!
Concernant les activités d'après-midi (une activité a été offerte deux fois dans la semaine), j'ai aussi bien apprécié!
J'en aurais pris d'autres!

Merci beaucoup!

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My ratings for this school

Quality of teaching
School facilities
Social activities
School location
Date of study
26 Feb 2024 - 1 Mar 2024
Would you recommend this school?
Yes
This is a verified review. This student has booked a course at this school through Language International.

"I recommend it!"

Katarina Berg Widfeldt, student from Sweden

This was my fourth visit to Koine in Lucca so I already new what to expect and I wasn’t disappointed. I was in a class at B1-level and I think it was good that we got to talk quite a lot. At the same time we also learned some grammar. I had the teacher Isabella and was pleased about her way to teach. I will return again!

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My ratings for this school

Quality of teaching
School facilities
Social activities
School location
Date of study
2 Oct 2023 - 6 Oct 2023
Would you recommend this school?
Yes
This is a verified review. This student has booked a course at this school through Language International.

"Discover how to speak Italian without being bothered by grammar rules"

Gerdinand Heeling, student from Netherlands

Housing was very nice, staying in a home with an Italian family was nice and very good for learning Italian
School, nice location in the city center, very good teachers, as well Isabelle and Nadyah.
Activities, especially cooking were very nice and good for learning Italian

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My ratings for this school

Quality of teaching
School facilities
Social activities
School location
Housing
Date of study
7 Aug 2023 - 11 Aug 2023
Would you recommend this school?
Yes
This is a verified review. This student has booked a course at this school through Language International.

"At the right level with the right pre-requisite knowledge, it could be a game-changer."

Ersilia Fialdini, student from Italy

Thank you for the opportunity to provide feedback.

Location
Lucca is such a beautiful place, so the location of the school is ideal. For someone travelling in-and-out on a daily basis by
train, the school was easily accessible from the train station.

Staff
The staff are friendly and helpful, and it was a pleasure to meet all of them. As residents of Lucca, their knowledge of the city
and all it has to offer is excellent!

Facilities
I only availed of classes offered by the school and did not make use of housing offered.

Activities
I thoroughly enjoyed the excursions that were offered to explore Lucca and learn about the culture of the city, even though I
could not join all of them.
I suggest offering the afternoon excursions earlier in the day rather than at the end of the day. For a non-resident of Lucca,
travelling in-and-out it meant spending most of the day walking around in the city. Without a "home-base" to return to in the
city, the days were quite long and exhausting. I understand that the majority of students either reside in Lucca or availed of
the housing offer however there was no provision made for non-resident students.

Classes
Although I am currently residing in Italy for a while, I am originally from South Africa, and Italian is not my native language.

I understand, and fully agree that the best way to learn a language, is to speak it. This is quite difficult though if one lacks the
vocabulary and the grammatical knowledge.

There was no indication that grammar will not be covered in the class, and I (erroneously, in the end) assumed that the
lessons throughout the day would include some grammar learning.

This was not the case, and combined with the fact that the class had students with different levels of knowledge of the
Italian language, (some students were attending a second or third week of classes, or had been attending classes for
longer), it was sometimes difficult, not just for me but also for other new students, to follow the conversation(s).

In-class activities were mostly group-based (which I actually enjoyed as far as I could understand everything) to enable
conversation however it was not possible to determine how correct the "answers" were, because it was only conversation -
based. There was no way of knowing (especially with written activities) whether we were on-track with the answers provided.
Some group members were more comfortable with conversations and had a better ability to express themselves, which
means not everyone was learning at the same level. and/or pace.

I for one, struggled to express myself and many times the nuance(s) of what I was trying to say were lost as a result of that.

My suggestions therefore would be to:

* Indicate very clearly when advertising the classes, that knowledge of Italian grammar and vocabulary are a pre-requisite
* Ensure that all students are at the same level (of knowledge and ability) in the same class
* Conduct an online interview prior to student(s) arriving to ensure that students are placed in the correct level of class
without having to combine different levels in one class because everyone already arrived
* Provide some form of feedback, in the form of a memorandum/summary and of possible and correct
answers to activities/questions, for reflection and reiteration of learning
* Provide an activity book for students to complete activities and revise the day's learning

. It is difficult for me to comment on the school facilities, as I am not sure exactly what that entails.

If the pre-requisites and student expectations were clearly stated upfront, students could benefit more from attending the
classes. That way learning will be more effective, and the overall experience will be better.

I would not have enrolled for the class had I known exactly what it would entail, because I know that my language skills and
conversational abilities are not at the level that was expected in the class.

Creating a safe learning space for students is integral to the learning process. Expecting a learner to perform at a level they
are not fully capable of is detrimental to their learning process. I stayed for the full course because I really wanted to learn as
much as I can, and because I had already paid for the course.

I (tried) shared my experience in the class and tried to explain to Isabella exactly where I was coming from however,
again, the nuance of that conversation was totally lost, as I did not have the ability to express myself.


As a student, my needs and expectations were not met, and as such, left me disappointed.

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My ratings for this school

Quality of teaching
School facilities
Social activities
School location
Date of study
31 Jul 2023 - 4 Aug 2023
Would you recommend this school?
Yes
This is a verified review. This student has booked a course at this school through Language International.

"I learned a lot!"

Felicia Lacksen, student from USA

Location is amazing. Lucca is a one of a kind place Just big enough to get a little lost but small enough to feel comfortable in just a couple of days. Other students in my class were great and I loved meeting people from alll over the world that love Italian like I do.

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My ratings for this school

Quality of teaching
School facilities
Social activities
School location
Date of study
17 Apr 2023 - 21 Apr 2023
Would you recommend this school?
Yes
This is a verified review. This student has booked a course at this school through Language International.

"Very good atmosphere in the class and good teachers"

Maija Hatakka, student from Finland

We had a very nice group, 5-6 persons from all over the world. Teaching focused on speaking which was important to me. The most important grammar issues were covered, but not too much. The teachers were experienced and almost all spoke Italian clearly.

The location of the school was perfect, near the wall in the old historical city. The toilet facilities of the school were small and old-fashioned.

The cultural activities as well as the lectures organized by the school in the afternoon were interesting. I participated in all of them. I liked the best the walking in the old city of Lucca and the excursion in Pisa. The guidance of the school teacher in both places was excellent.

Koine center organized my accommodation in Lucca. I had a room in a family. Otherwise I was satisfied with the accommodation, but during the first week the room was extremely cold. The heating device was not working properly? The nights were very cold.

La signora was very friendly and helpful and the food, breakfast and supper, was good. The living was at a suitable distance from the school, 20 minutes on foot.

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My ratings for this school

Quality of teaching
School facilities
Social activities
School location
Housing
Duration of study
3 weeks
Date of study
6 Feb 2023 - 3 Mar 2023
Would you recommend this school?
Yes
This is a verified review. This student has booked a course at this school through Language International.

"Engaging teachers"

Emily Pfau, student from USA

I had a wonderful time learning at Koinè Center. Located within the walls of Lucca, it was a perfect location to be immersed in Italian language and culture. My teacher was funny, engaging, and caring with her students.. She was a wonderful conversation facilitator and ensured everyone's interests were covered by covering a lot of topics: music, Italian history, fashion, politics - in addition to Italian, I learned so much! I enjoyed the afternoon lectures and walking tour of the historic downtown.

I had taken Italian over ten years ago in college - so was a bit rusty. While not a "true beginner" because of this foundation, I found the freer practice method of the teaching a bit challenging at times. If you have a basic foundation of the language, this course is great to be able to use the language with an experienced instructor there to help fill in gaps in your knowledge and answer questions. If you're not confident speaking Italian - perhaps some focused self-study would be beneficial before starting the course. They do offer a true beginner's option.. which may have been helpful for me. Regardless, my understanding of the language and confidence in using it certainly grew after my time at Koinè!

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My ratings for this school

Quality of teaching
School facilities
Social activities
School location
Housing
Date of study
18 Jul 2022 - 22 Jul 2022
Would you recommend this school?
Yes
This is a verified review. This student has booked a course at this school through Language International.

"Beautiful small school"

Astrid Fehr, student from Switzerland

Small class, lots of talking, competent teacher,

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My ratings for this school

Quality of teaching
School facilities
Social activities
School location
Housing
Date of study
30 May 2022 - 3 Jun 2022
Would you recommend this school?
Yes
This is a verified review. This student has booked a course at this school through Language International.

"Great small school"

Anne Davis, student from USA

The small school is in an excellent location within the walls of Lucca and near the train station. Given it is small size the staff and teachers are able to be very flexible in adding private classes and accommodating schedule changes when possible. For my advanced beginner level the teachers had a wonderful approach of favoring conversation among the students, coupled with grammar when needed.

Class size depends on who is there at the time. My class was only 3 students including myself.

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My ratings for this school

Quality of teaching
School facilities
Social activities
School location
Duration of study
2 weeks
Date of study
14 Mar 2022 - 1 Apr 2022
Would you recommend this school?
Yes
This is a verified review. This student has booked a course at this school through Language International.

"A splendid experience with truly dedicated and superb teachers and a wonderful afternoon activities - unforgettable"

sylvie, student from UK

My spoken Italian felt like a pea under an enormous number of duvets. I am only an elementary level and could hardly express myself, but after one week I was ever so surprised how much the teacher's encouragement and structured lessons allowed for the pea to shoot up so beautifully. At the end of the week I was able to have meaningful conversations. The teachers are fantastic - so dedicated, passionate, professional, knowledgeable and can answer the most tricky questions. They know how to adjust their language so that you understand and learn so quickly.

I only wish the classes were longer ;)) but the afternoon activities make up for the craving. It is as if more learning happens without you even realising.

Lucca is the most picturesque place and I felt so at home. Safe and friendly atmosphere everywhere. So nice.

I am thinking of going back, this time for two weeks, to saturate myself even more so with the atmosphere of the town and the Italian culture.

With much love,

Sylvie

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My ratings for this school

Quality of teaching
School facilities
Social activities
School location
Date of study
30 Sep 2019 - 4 Oct 2019
Would you recommend this school?
Yes
This is a verified review. This student has booked a course at this school through Language International.

"A very enjoyable experience, not only improving our Italian language skills, but also adding to our knowledge of Italy and the culture - especially wine and olive oil."

David Michael Fryer, student from UK

The teachers were very knowledgeable and friendly and we enjoyed meeting our classmates and learning more Italian with them. The facilities are typical of an old palazzo - which means in February you need to wrap up warm. Location was great and the wine and oil tastings were a real education as well as being fun. We are already thinking about booking ourselves in for another course.

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My ratings for this school

Quality of teaching
School facilities
Social activities
School location
Date of study
11 Feb 2019 - 15 Feb 2019
Would you recommend this school?
Yes
This is a verified review. This student has booked a course at this school through Language International.

"Marvellous"

Marina Vaes, student from Belgium

Everything was superb!

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My ratings for this school

Quality of teaching
School facilities
Social activities
School location
Housing
Date of study
27 Aug 2018 - 31 Aug 2018
Would you recommend this school?
Yes
This is a verified review. This student has booked a course at this school through Language International.

"The Koinè Center in Lucca is a very good school for an Italian language course"

Ruth Nafe, student from Germany

The teacher Marco had the lessons very well structured but also entertaining.
The location of the school is located in the historic center of Lucca.
The afternoon excursion offers the school I really liked. I took two of them.
The accommodation in a host family with half board is highly recommended. I felt very comfortable in my host family and the food was excellent.

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My ratings for this school

Quality of teaching
School facilities
Social activities
School location
Housing
Date of study
14 May 2018 - 18 May 2018
Would you recommend this school?
Yes
This is a verified review. This student has booked a course at this school through Language International.

"One week of its best!!! listening comprehention and talking, talking, talking - yes I can!!! thank you to the school for this method!"

Theresia Scholz-Raue, student from Germany

After a conversation with a teacher I came to an average level. We were six in the class.

I always struggled at school even at an adult school. But at Koinè Center no! With this way of doing - great:

Hear the Italian or read a text 5 or 6 times, after each and every time talking to a person in the classroom in italian, it's perfect to find confidence, get the exercise and the joy of the language!

Thousands thanks to Tulle the teachers !!!

Every teacher was kind, competent and ready to help - always in Italian! We did not need a dictionary! The teacher explained all the unknown words in Italian until we understand! We've seen a bit of a movie - but we did not hear it! After we agreed with colleagues what the people in the movie talk about, we had to sync the illustrations - I enjoyed this very much!

In the afternoon there is a different, voluntary and interesting activity! 2 guided city tours and a passage to different topics with a teacher. We could understand all, even beginners! The legends in Italian by the teachers.

The school asked me for a private room with a bath - very good. I lived half of the city! Wonderful!!! I did not want to eat at home. I went to the bar or bought something in a shop to picnic on the city walls or river out of town.

Lucca is my favorite city! It's beautiful!
The price for school and home was not expensive!
Thousand thanks to Simone Reich's help. First with his help I could speak in German what course I wanted. It was better!

After this one week I know what I know and what I can not do: I can talk about the topics set up but at home I need a dictionary. I can not talk to all everyday events because I miss the vocabulary, but now I dare to speak!

Bad? just a little:

Without Simone Reich I could not book the right course for me.

The review form after the course and the online form are in English - I do not speak English!

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My ratings for this school

Quality of teaching
School facilities
Social activities
School location
Housing
Date of study
5 Jun 2017 - 9 Jun 2017
Would you recommend this school?
Yes
This is a verified review. This student has booked a course at this school through Language International.

"Immersion into the language is so beneficial and it gave me more confidence to speak and hear the language."

Tom Clark, student from USA

I took private lessons with Marina for two weeks. I spent three to four hours a day conversing, reading and watching videos in order to improve on my previous knowledge of the language. This was so helpful as my previous lessons in the U.S. were I only had one hour a week with assigned homework and grammar. This was my big chance to speak the language everyday. The afternoon activities were also quite good. I went on a walk of the city with Stefano and other students. Stefano spoke clearly and slowly to the group as he gave us an orientation to the city of Lucca. I also did a tour in a palazzo with Elena, who also spoke to us in a manner that could be understood. I attended an olive oil presentation with Elena and Isabella and a hike in the hills outside of Lucca that ended with a ricca merenda of sausages, mortadella cheese and wine on a beautiful terrace overlooking the countryside. These activities were very useful to the learning experience and I should have done more of them.
Housing- I stayed with friends that rented an apartment. Very convenient.
Facilities- I would say that they were a little cramped. I would have preferred sitting at a table instead of a small student desk (especially since I am left handed). Technical issues with the Internet were somewhat of a problem. Bigger computers would be nice. Photocopies for exercises could be replaced with word or PDF files accessed on the computer or tablet.
Another thought could be for the teacher (one on one) to take an hour or so to walk and talk with the student and engage the student on how to order food, buy shoes, make a dinner reservation, etc.

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My ratings for this school

Quality of teaching
School facilities
Social activities
School location
Duration of study
1 week
Date of study
16 May 2016 - 27 May 2016
Would you recommend this school?
Yes
This is a verified review. This student has booked a course at this school through Language International.
housing

Housing

Koinè offers the following housing types:
homestay

Homestay - 2-person shared room - Breakfast - 2 students must book together

NZ$ 384
weekly
Age range: 16 years old and older
Location: In the city center of Lucca
Housing type: Homestay
Room type: 2-person shared room
Board type: Breakfast (6 meals per week)
Distance to school: 5 - 20 minutes by walk
Availability: January - December
Check-in: Sunday, after 06:00 PM
Check-out: Saturday, before 12:00 PM
Restriction: 2 students must book together
NZ$ 384
Homestay, double room with breakfast:
Students live with local residents. Your host can be a "traditional" family, a single parent, an elderly person or a single. In selecting your hosts, our priority is that they appreciate receiving foreign students and enjoys their company.

We know that an important part of your stay is comfortable and friendly accommodation. We want you to be happy with where you are staying, so that you can study well and enjoy your stay. This is the reason why The Koinè Centre offers an accommodation booking service which will, on request, book accommodation for you for the duration of the course. The booking service is free of charge to our students. When you fill in our booking form, please choose the type of accommodation you require and we will be glad to arrange the accommodation you have chosen: host family ( with/without meals, with / without the use of the kitchen facilities ), shared apartment, independent apartment, bed & breakfast, hotel...

We carefully select and inspect the accommodation offered to ensure that you have a pleasant and comfortable stay and we aim to fulfill any special requests you may have. Accommodation is at students’ disposal from the Sunday before the beginning of course until the Saturday morning following the end of the course.

If you choose the home-stay option ( with a family, with a single person or in a shared apartment ), we will confirm your booking as soon as possible and then send you full details of the accommodation at least ten days before the course starting date. We highly recommend this type of arrangement as it provides further opportunities for practicing the language outside the school and an insight into the Italian way of life

Homestay - Single-person room - Breakfast

NZ$ 461
weekly
Age range: 16 years old and older
Location: In the city center of Lucca
Housing type: Homestay
Room type: Single-person room
Board type: Breakfast (6 meals per week)
Distance to school: 5 - 20 minutes by walk
Availability: January - December
Check-in: Sunday, after 06:00 PM
Check-out: Saturday, before 12:00 PM
NZ$ 461
Homestay, single room and breakfast:
Students live with local residents. Your host can be a "traditional" family, a single parent, an elderly person or a single. In selecting your hosts, our priority is that they appreciate receiving foreign students and enjoys their company.

We know that an important part of your stay is comfortable and friendly accommodation. We want you to be happy with where you are staying, so that you can study well and enjoy your stay. This is the reason why The Koinè Centre offers an accommodation booking service which will, on request, book accommodation for you for the duration of the course. The booking service is free of charge to our students. When you fill in our booking form, please choose the type of accommodation you require and we will be glad to arrange the accommodation you have chosen: host family ( with/without meals, with / without the use of the kitchen facilities ), shared apartment, independent apartment, bed & breakfast, hotel...
We carefully select and inspect the accommodation offered to ensure that you have a pleasant and comfortable stay and we aim to fulfil any special requests you may have. Accommodation is at students’ disposal from the Sunday before the beginning of course until the Saturday morning following the end of the course.
If you choose the homestay option ( with a family, with a single person or in a shared apartment ), we will confirm your booking as soon as possible and then send you full details of the accommodation at least ten days before the course starting date. We highly recommend this type of arrangement as it provides further opportunities for practising the language outside the school and an insight into the Italian way of life

Homestay - 2-person shared room - Breakfast and dinner - 2 students must book together

NZ$ 518
weekly
Age range: 16 years old and older
Location: In the city center of Lucca
Housing type: Homestay
Room type: 2-person shared room
Board type: Breakfast and dinner (12 meals per week)
Distance to school: 5 - 20 minutes by walk
Availability: January - December
Check-in: Sunday, after 06:00 PM
Check-out: Saturday, before 12:00 PM
Restriction: 2 students must book together
NZ$ 518
Family, double room, half board

We know that an important part of your stay is comfortable and friendly accommodation. We want you to be happy with where you are staying, so that you can study well and enjoy your stay. This is the reason why The Koinè Centre offers an accommodation booking service which will, on request, book accommodation for you for the duration of the course. The booking service is free of charge to our students. When you fill in our booking form, please choose the type of accommodation you require and we will be glad to arrange the accommodation you have chosen: host family ( with/without meals, with / without the use of the kitchen facilities ), shared apartment, independent apartment, bed & breakfast, hotel...

We carefully select and inspect the accommodation offered to ensure that you have a pleasant and comfortable stay and we aim to fulfill any special requests you may have. Accommodation is at students’ disposal from the Sunday before the beginning of course until the Saturday morning following the end of the course.

If you choose the home-stay option ( with a family, with a single person or in a shared apartment ), we will confirm your booking as soon as possible and then send you full details of the accommodation at least ten days before the course starting date. We highly recommend this type of arrangement as it provides further opportunities for practicing the language outside the school and an insight into the Italian way of life

Homestay - Single-person room - Breakfast and dinner

NZ$ 624
weekly
Age range: 16 years old and older
Location: In the city center of Lucca
Housing type: Homestay
Room type: Single-person room
Board type: Breakfast and dinner (12 meals per week)
Distance to school: 5 - 20 minutes by walk
Availability: January - December
Check-in: Sunday, after 06:00 PM
Check-out: Saturday, before 12:00 PM
NZ$ 624
Homestay, Family, single room, half board:
Students live with local residents. Your host can be a "traditional" family, a single parent, an elderly person or a single. In selecting your hosts, our priority is that they appreciate receiving foreign students and enjoys their company.

We know that an important part of your stay is comfortable and friendly accommodation. We want you to be happy with where you are staying, so that you can study well and enjoy your stay. This is the reason why The Koinè Centre offers an accommodation booking service which will, on request, book accommodation for you for the duration of the course. The booking service is free of charge to our students. When you fill in our booking form, please choose the type of accommodation you require and we will be glad to arrange the accommodation you have chosen: host family ( with/without meals, with / without the use of the kitchen facilities ), shared apartment, independent apartment, bed & breakfast, hotel...

We carefully select and inspect the accommodation offered to ensure that you have a pleasant and comfortable stay and we aim to fulfill any special requests you may have. Accommodation is at students’ disposal from the Sunday before the beginning of course until the Saturday morning following the end of the course.

If you choose the home-stay option ( with a family, with a single person or in a shared apartment ), we will confirm your booking as soon as possible and then send you full details of the accommodation at least ten days before the course starting date. We highly recommend this type of arrangement as it provides further opportunities for practicing the language outside the school and an insight into the Italian way of life
apartment

Shared apartment - 2-person shared room - No meals - 2 students must book together

NZ$ 288
weekly
Age range: 16 years old and older
Location: In the city center of Lucca
Housing type: Shared apartment
Room type: 2-person shared room
Board type: No meals
Facilities: Kitchen and heating
Distance to school: 10 - 20 minutes by walk
Availability: January - December
Check-in: Sunday, anytime
Check-out: Saturday, anytime
Restriction: 2 students must book together
NZ$ 288
Shared apartment, double room, with kitchen facilities.

We know that an important part of your stay is comfortable and friendly accommodation. We want you to be happy with where you are staying, so that you can study well and enjoy your stay. This is the reason why The Koinè Centre offers an accommodation booking service which will, on request, book accommodation for you for the duration of the course. The booking service is free of charge to our students. When you fill in our booking form, please choose the type of accommodation you require and we will be glad to arrange the accommodation you have chosen: host family ( with/without meals, with / without the use of the kitchen facilities ), shared apartment, independent apartment, bed & breakfast, hotel...

We carefully select and inspect the accommodation offered to ensure that you have a pleasant and comfortable stay and we aim to fulfill any special requests you may have. Accommodation is at students’ disposal from the Sunday before the beginning of course until the Saturday morning following the end of the course.

If you choose the home-stay option ( with a family, with a single person or in a shared apartment ), we will confirm your booking as soon as possible and then send you full details of the accommodation at least ten days before the course starting date. We highly recommend this type of arrangement as it provides further opportunities for practicing the language outside the school and an insight into the Italian way of life

Shared apartment - Single-person room - No meals

NZ$ 365
weekly
Age range: 16 years old and older
Location: In the city center of Lucca
Housing type: Shared apartment
Room type: Single-person room
Board type: No meals
Facilities: Kitchen and heating
Distance to school: 5 - 20 minutes by walk
Availability: January - December
Check-in: Sunday, after 06:00 PM
Check-out: Saturday, before 12:00 PM
NZ$ 365
Shared apartment, single room, with kitchen facilities, self catering Students share the flat with other students from the school. Our shared flats can host from 2 up to 4 students. The bathroom and kitchen are in common.

We know that an important part of your stay is comfortable and friendly accommodation. We want you to be happy with where you are staying, so that you can study well and enjoy your stay. This is the reason why The Koinè Centre offers an accommodation booking service which will, on request, book accommodation for you for the duration of the course. The booking service is free of charge to our students. When you fill in our booking form, please choose the type of accommodation you require and we will be glad to arrange the accommodation you have chosen: host family (with/without meals, with / without the use of the kitchen facilities), shared apartment, independent apartment, bed & breakfast, hotel...

We carefully select and inspect the accommodation offered to ensure that you have a pleasant and comfortable stay and we aim to fulfill any special requests you may have. Accommodation is at students’ disposal from the Sunday before the beginning of course until the Saturday morning following the end of the course.

If you choose the shared apartment, we will confirm your booking as soon as possible and then send you full details of the accommodation at least ten days before the course starting date.
visa

Visa support

We cannot apply for visas on behalf of students. However, the school can supply you with all the documentation you need to support your visa application.

Your letter of acceptance will be sent to your home address by regular mail at no charge to you. If you wish to receive your paperwork by express mail, you will be charged 70 € when you register.

Flights and airport transfer

Please note that we do not book flights for our students. If you are researching airfare costs, we recommend using Kayak.com, a search engine that lets you compare flight options from your home country to Lucca based on your budget, schedule and preferences.

Travel insurance

Study abroad worry-free with Language International's health and personal effects insurance coverage. When you book a course with us, you can opt to purchase an international insurance plan that covers not only your health care cost but also loss of your personal belongings. You must book your insurance in advance when you register.

Learn more about our insurance plan »

Read more...
questions

Questions and answers

Have questions? Get answers from Koinè Center - Italian Language School in Lucca staff, Language International student advisors, and past students.

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