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Frequently
asked questions about the school, courses, accommodation and arrival.
| ABOUT THE ITALIAN
LANGUAGE SCHOOL in Cefalu, Sicily, Italy |
- Where is the italian
language school
located?
Cefalu is a well-known tourist
resort situated on the northern coast of Sicily only an hour from
Palermo (by train or car). The school's premises are in
the town centre not far from the cathedral
- How do I get to the
school?
Our students usually walk to
school since their lodgings are only a short distance away. Only the
hotels are some 20/25 minutes walk from the school. A local bus service
connects the hotels with the town.
- How much is the bus
fare?
The ticket costs € 0.62, the
monthly pass costs € 18.08.
- Is there a bus stop
near the school?
The nearest bus stop is very
close the school.
- How can I enrol at
the Italian language school?
You can request our brochure
with enrolment form, or download the enrolment
form from our website
and fax, post or send it on-line with the required deposit.
- How do I know if my
enrolment has been correctly registrered?
After receiving your enrolment
form we will send you by post, fax or e-mail a letter of confirmation
with the details of your language course and your accommodation, and
some extra information.
- How do I pay my
deposit?
Payment can be made through
international postal order or cheque made out to
Didyme s.a.s
Kulturforum
Corso Ruggero 55
90015 Cefalù - Italia
or through bank transfer.
- Can we receive or
send e-mail from the school?
Yes. Our students have free
access to the internet at school.
- Can we receive mail
at the school?
Yes, of course. Your teacher
will give it to you before the beginning of the class.
- Can we send or
receive faxes?
Yes, the costs for sending
faxes are available at the office.
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| ABOUT
THE ITALIAN LANGUAGE COURSES in Italy, Sicily, Cefalu |
- How many levels do
you have?
We have six levels, from
absolute beginners to upper advanced. The groups are carefully arranged
so that each course is built around the students and around their
previously acquired knowledge and linguistic competence
- When can I start my
Italian language course?
On the suggested dates, or every
Monday.
- How many students
are there in a class?
The maximum number of students
per class is 8, but on average there are 5/6 students per class.
- What if there are no
other students of my same level?
The lesson becomes one-to-one,
and the weekly hours will be reduced to 10.
- How can I find out
what my level is? How do you place me in the right Italian language
course?
All students take a preliminary
test the first day of the course and according to the result they are
placed in the appropriate class. In addition to the written test, there
is an oral test in the form of a short conversation with a teacher.
Often students are competent at reading and writing and have a good
knowledge of grammar, but have difficulties in speaking and
understanding the language. Should a student feel uncomfortable in
his/her class we invite them to discuss their problem with the director
who will arrange a change of class.
- What teaching method
do you use in your Italian language school?
We do not use a fixed method.
Our courses
are tailored to the particular requirements and background
of our students. We generally opt for a communicative approach focusing
on active use of the language in everyday situations, without
discounting a solid grammatical basis which enables the students to
speak Italian correctly.
- Are the teachers
qualified?
All our teachers are university
graduates and all have long experience of teaching Italian as a foreign
language. The school organises regular In-Service training for its
staff in order to keep teachers up to date with new methods and
techniques of language teaching.
- Do I receive a
certicate at the end of my Italian language course?
At the end of their Italian
language course students receive a certificate of attendance specifying
their level.
- What time do lessons
start?
All lessons start at 9a.m.
- If I book a combined
Italian language course when does the one-to-one lesson take place?
Usually straight after the group
lesson, in some cases or if requested, in the afternoon.
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| ABOUT
ARRIVAL IN SICILY |
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How do I get to Cefalu when I arrive in Sicily?
- Travelling by train you get
off at Cefalu.
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From Catania airport take the
bus to Palermo Centrale railway station and then continue by train to
Cefalu.
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From Palermo airport take the
bus or train to Palermo Centrale railway station and from there take
the train to Cefalu.
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With a rental car from Catania
or Palermo airport take the Palermo-Catania motorway, then at
Buonfornello join the Palermo- Messina motorway, direction Messina and
turn off at the Cefalu exit.
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If you come by car from mainland
Italy, when you arrive in Messina take the Messina-Palermo motorway
towards Palermo and turn off at the Cefalu exit.
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If you wish to travel more
comfortably our Italian language school can arrange a transfer from
Palermo or Catania airport.
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| ABOUT
ACCOMMODATION IN CEFALU |
- Is the accommodation
close to the Italian language school?
The apartments
and host families
are all in the immediate neighbourhood of the school from 2 to 10
minutes walk away. The hotel is some 20/25 minutes
walk from the
school. You can either walk or if you wish hire a bike from the hotel
or take the local public transport that connects the hotels with the
town.
- Is the accomodation
far from the seaside?
All our accommodation
is only a
few minutes walk from the beautiful beach of Cefalu. The hotel has a
private beach.
- How do I get to my
accommodation on arrival in Cefalu?
We will send someone to pick you
up at Cefalu railway station or, if you come by car will meet you and
take you to your accommodation.
- If I arrive very
late at night in Sicily can I still go to my accommodation, or would
this cause a problem particularly if I am staying with a host family?
All students are kindly
requested to contact us 3 or 4 days before their departure and
communicate to the school the expected time of their arrival, so that
we can inform the host families. At any rate it is advisable not to
arrive very late as in that case it could be a problem to reach Cefalu
by public transport. Should intend to arrive late we suggest booking a
transfer.
- Shall I have my own
bathroom if I stay with a host family ?
In most accommodation students
have their private bathroom, in some cases however students have to
share it with the family.
- Can I take my meals
with the family?
Breakfast is included in the
price, on request it is also possible to have lunch or dinner with the
family. Please let us know beforehand, since not all families offer
this service.
- Can I prepare my own
meals at the home stay?
Usually this is not possible,
though some families will allow you to use the kitchen for a small
charge.
- Can I change my
accommodation if I am not satisfied with it?
Yes, if feasible. We suggest
speaking to the director about this. We do our best to satisfy our
students' requests, but sometimes problems may arise, that we may not
always be able to solve easily.
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