General Information – Children’s Group Italian Language Classes, 2023 – 2024

Children’s classes run for 30 weeks, September – May.Class selection may vary slightly from year to year.

Exploratory – offered to children between ages 5 – 7 for 1 hour.
Exploratory students who turn 5 before the end of December of the school year will be allowed to register for the above class.

Beginning (levels 1, 2, 3) – offered to students between ages 8 – 12 for 1 hour and 30 minutes.
Intermediate & Advanced– offered to students between ages 12 and 14 for 1 hour and 30 minutes.

Textbooks are required for most classes, and are not included in the tuition prices and they must be purchased prior to the 1^st day of class.

All group classes require a minimum of 6 and a maximum of 12 students, unless otherwise stated by the Language Program Coordinator.
Transfers from one group class location to a different group class location are only allowed if approved in advance by the Language Program Coordinator.
Casa Italia also offers private classes to children. The minimum age requirement for children in one-on-one classes is 6 years old. The classes need to be scheduled at the convenience of the parent of the student and the instructor. For more detailed information and rates, contact our office.
To view to this year’s class schedule, please proceed to the last few pages of this document.

Student Responsibilities

Each student is required to obey all class regulations and rules of Casa Italia for the duration of the group class. Disruptive or disrespectful behavior to either the teacher or the fellow classmate will not be allowed.

Terms of Payment

To qualify for the early registration discount, the student’s enrollment form and the full payment must be received in the office and postmarked prior to the date of the specific deadline. No exceptions will be made.
Sibling discount offered to families who have more than one child enrolled in the program.
Register by Mail:Complete our online form and mail a check payment to Casa Italia, 3800 West Division, Stone Park, IL 60165
Register in Person:Visit Casa Italia’s office located in Stone Park (Monday through Friday 10:00 am to 4:00 p.m.)
Register Online:casaitaliachicago.org
No space in a class will be reserved until tuition payment has been received in full.
For more information call (708) 345-5933 Ext. 2 or e-mail us at info@casaitaliachicago.org.

Refund Policy

Refunds for classes are based on specific dates of withdrawal.

A full tuition refund of 100% will be given if a student withdraws before the first scheduled class. A partial refund of 80% will be given if a student withdraws between the first and second scheduled classes. NO refunds will be given after the second scheduled class.
Textbooks for children’s and adults classes are not sold by Casa Italia and are not returnable or refundable.
Any applicable tuition discounts will not be given at the time of registration. They will be applied retroactively once the tuition payment has been received.

Overview of Children’s Language Classes

Exploratory: In this class, the students will be at the early stage of Italian language learning. They will be exposed to a variety of materials used to introduce and reinforce basic vocabulary skills across a range of topics. Students will also experience fun-filled activities, such as Italian fairy tales, music and rhymes that will keep them engaged and immersed in the language learning process.

Please Note: Only students who are in second grade will be using a textbook.

Beginning: In this class, Level 1 students will continue to expand their vocabulary skills and will also experience the first approach to grammar concepts in a playful and fun way. Levels 2 and 3 students will acquire knowledge of new grammar concepts and will continue to expand their vocabulary, conversational and academic language skills. They will also be introduced to basic concepts of Italian geography and they will take virtual trips exploring ancient monuments, churches, fountains and squares of famous Italian cities.

Intermediate & Advanced: In these classes, students will focus on applying grammar rules correctly and communicating more effectively in Italian. They will sharpen their comprehension skills by reading a variety of cultural passages in the target language.

The Advanced students will learn new verbal structures and will work on developing their writing and conversational skills. They will also expand their knowledge of Italian geography & civilization and they will briefly be introduced to Italy’s history as well.

Please Note: Students in all classes will be exposed to memorable cultural experiences in a fun way. They will learn, through hands-on projects, all about important Italian holidays such as Natale, Carnevale, Festa del Papa’, and Pasqua. They will discover the Italian traditions of each specific Italian holiday and they will be able to compare and contrast the ways each holiday is celebrated in Italy and in the United States.

Children’s Textbooks

Exploratory Class:

(ages 5-6) All materials will be provided by the teacher. No textbook required.

(age 7) Al Circo, CD is recommended at additional cost. (textbook required for students who are in 2nd grade only)

ISBN: 9789607706775

Textbook can be purchased at Applause Learning: 1-800-277-5287

Beginning Class: (2 textbooks required)

(ages 8-9) Level 1- New Students

– Forte 1 (book and CD) (vocabulary) ISBN: 9789606632655

– Grammatica Italiana per Bambini ISBN: 9788889237700

(ages 10-12) Level 1 – New Students

– Forte 1 (book and CD) (vocabulary) ISBN: 9789606632655

– Forte in Grammatica ISBN: 9788898433322

Level 2 – Returning Students (2nd year students only)

– Forte 2 (book and CD) (vocabulary) ISBN: 9789606930447

– Forte in Grammatica ISBN: 9788898433322

Level 3 – Returning Students (3rd year students only)

– Forte 3 (book and CD) (vocabulary) ISBN: 9789606930720

– Forte in Grammatica ISBN: 9788898433322

Textbooks can be purchased at Applause Learning: 1-800-277-5287

Intermediate Class:(2 textbooks required) New Students

(ages 12+) – Avanti con L’Italiano book ASPR- 648 H-F

– Avanti con L’Italiano workbook ASPR- 648 W-F

Textbooks can be purchased at Applause Learning: 1-800-277-5287

Advanced Class:(1 textbook required)

(ages 13+) – Italian First Year (second edition) by A. Gimondo ISBN: 978-1-56765-441-7 (English Version) New Students

– Italian TWO and THREE Years (third edition) by J. Tursi ISBN: 978-1-56765-442-4 (Italian Version) Returning Students

Textbook can be purchased at Perfection Learning: 1-800-831-4190