Jules Buck Jones, TX State University

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I am a drawing instructor at TX State University and have been selected to teach the drawing component of a Summer Study Abroad Program in Florence. I knew I needed help getting an understanding of the language in a somewhat short chunk of time, and Carlos was immeasurably helpful. Carlos has a wonderful, intuitive teaching style that gracefully weaves in and out of grammatical and conversational skill sets. He is super generous with his handouts and printed material, which allow for thorough homework assignments and drills. Carlos is super capable of fine tuning his approach to students individual needs, which makes for a very productive course and smooth learning curve. I am here in Italy now, receiving kudos from taxi drivers, shopkeepers, baristas, and even another Italian teacher! I only studied with Carlos for 4 months and I improved greatly. I highly recommend his services. He is a great teacher, a fun conversationalist, and a very nice guy. I look forward to continue studying with him when I return.

Kathryn McIntyre, MD

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 I have studied other languages in a variety of settings: classrooms, self-study and small groups, but my private lessons with Carlos have been the most enjoyable and efficient method I have tried.  The lessons are always pleasant because Carlos provides a variety of methods to keep the lessons interesting.  As he is a native speaker of Italian, Carlos can explain difficult concepts and model pronunciation in a way that inspires confidence in the student. 
   One really striking aspect of the experience is Carlos’s skill in tailoring the material and approach to the needs and interests of the student.  Because of this, the grammar I learned took about half the time it would have if I had been in college.   He is always prepared with something interesting, provides recommendations for films and books and hosts a conversation salon that is welcoming and helpful for all students.  Carlos is friendly, personable and encouraging.  I recommend him as a teacher to anyone who wants to learn Italian.

Kathryn J Kotrla, MD

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Italian is such a beautiful language and Italy such a wondrous destination that for the past 20 years, I’d wanted to speak passable italian. I’d listened to tapes, self-studied a bit, and could use certain limited phrases, but couldn’t converse, and, more importantly, didn’t understand the grammatical rules governing the language. Fortunately, there was the opportunity to study with Carlos. Carlos is an exceptional teacher. He has condensed the rules of the italian language into digestible bites. He has a wide array of exercises that build on one another, so that one must integrate all aspects of the language into new concepts. He’s a master at adapting to the needs of each individual student. But really, the proof is in the outcome. After studying with Carlos for around 6 months, on our last trip to Italy, I received uniformly positive feedback from the Italians themselves. Carlos is an ideal teacher for students at all levels. 

Meg & Chris Phillips

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My husband and I have an apartment in Italy where we spend four months a year. Hence, we have been trying to learn to speak Italian for quite some time- we have taken informal courses at UT, weeklong courses in Rome, and we have used tapes, books, and various other programs. Nothing we have done compares to the personalized approach Carlos took with us. The progress we made in a couple of months is very encouraging. Carlos quickly assessed our skills and our weaknesses, and he provided a variety of platforms for practice. Carlos always takes notes of where we falter and then is ready at the next lesson to teach and practice that skill. Carlos is a superb teacher, and he has a knack for explaining difficult concepts in a way that is both understandable and memorable. The fact that he is a fluent English speaker and Italian speaker makes it easy for him to understand the idiosyncrasies of both languages, and he uses that understanding to make things clear for his students.  Time flies with Carlos. Yes, we review homework and the nuts of bolts of grammar, but more importantly, we have a lot of fun, enjoying  Italian conversation on topics that are interesting and relevant. We leave next week for spring in Italy, and we go with greater confidence as Italian speakers than before. We recommend Carlos as an excellent teacher without reservation! Plus, you will be happy to make a new friend!

Don Kimelman – Philadelphia, PA

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My wife and I arranged to have lessons with Carlos during a February trip to visit our son in Austin.  We met in the charming confines of Caffè Medici in West Austin (excellent espresso though the staff did not seem to speak a word of Italian!).  Carlos quickly ascertained our level of competency in the language and how our time could best be used.  He then structured four 90-minute sessions that combined conversation with fortifying of key grammatical concepts.  He is clearly a gifted teacher and his enthusiasm for the language was palpable.  He went above and beyond in providing videos of Italian movies and other materials he thought we would enjoy after our sessions together ended.  If Carlos were Philadelphia-based, we could surely have a continuing learning relationship with him. In short I recommend Carlos to others without qualification. 

Todd Fleming | Vice President & GM Legends Global Sales

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The thought of learning another language was a scary proposition for me. Add to those worries the fact that these lessons were going to be absolutely critical for a project I had begun for my place of business and that is the scene for the very first day of class with Professor Capra. Within 30 minutes of the first lesson those fears and worries started to disappear, not because I mustered up some form of courage but it was all due to the personalized approach of Carlos.   I was in a class of 4-6 people, all with different motivations for being there and all with different levels of how quickly or slowly they grasped the content. Professore had the unique ability to determine each individuals learning style and developed content that not only appealed to the entire group but he found ways to tie the lesson and overall content of that day directly to your style of learning. Being in an environment like that, one that made you feel comfortable being uncomfortable and one that allowed you to see success on a daily basis was something that I had never experienced in school or from any other learning environment I had been in before.   His approach and his commitment to you as an individual is something that I would recommend for anyone looking to learn another language. He makes it fun, he makes you challenge yourself and more importantly he is just as invested in your development as you are yourself. He’s become a friend and I would recommend his work to anyone or any corporation.  

PS: His work with me has provided me the opportunity to communicate effectively with very high level business men and women in Italy which has resulted into multi-year contracted business.      

Yves Oberlin

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I have been fortunate to have some great teachers in my life, school teachers, yoga teachers, teachers in meditation or skiing or music. Carlos Capra ranks among the best of them, in that his instruction of the Italian language goes beyond the technicalities, or grammar, but his presence inspires you to want to learn. His is patient, methodical but intuitive in his approach; he clearly has a lot of experience in that he can adjust his instruction to the level and background of the student.

I highly recommend him, you will learn Italian quickly and efficiently and have fun in the process.

Charles Lewis

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What makes a great language teacher? Profound knowledge, complete proficiency, great patience? All these are necessary, true. However, I believe the most important factor is a fondness for what you do. Carlos is both a maestro and amante of Italian. His love of Italian is contagious. You can’t help but catch it with every lesson.

I must confess that I’m a bit of a language aficionado myself. I speak Italian, French, and Spanish, as well as English. In total, I’ve studied with nearly a dozen instructors over more than a decade. Carlos has been the best, in any language. When we started several years ago, I’d never studied Italian before. Yet Carlos actually had me conversing within a week. If you are planning a trip to Italy and want to blend in with the locals, pay a visit to Carlos. He’ll have you chatting nearly from the get go. If you’ve studied Italian before, but lost your linguistic mojo, he can help make you fluent again. His private lessons are a really good value, considering the advantages. The one-on-one attention will enable you to progress much more quickly than in the typical group setting. Lo raccomando senza esitazione! Non ve ne pentirete mai!

Ali Campion

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What can I say about Carlos? He’s an amazing teacher. I’m currently studying abroad in Perugia, and to prepare, I worked with him for three months this summer. His lesson plans were personalized to my needs, and he taught me in a way that was very efficient and clear for a beginner. Not only were our lessons informative, but also they were fun. Carlos himself really helped me feel prepared for my trip, teaching me about the food, customs, and fashion. Now that I’m here, I feel confident enough to use my Italian when interacting with the locals. My Italian teacher in Italy even gave me compliments for coming so far in only three months. All credit goes to Carlos for being such a great teacher. Carlos really takes the time to help you understand and use this beautiful language. I highly recommend him! Thank you again!!

Brandi Herdzina

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We started working with Carlos to prepare for a return trip to Italy and couldn’t be more pleased with the result. Working once per week can be challenging for anyone, but he was always generous in giving us plenty of materials to study at home between lessons. He also gave us additional resources we could use to help our understanding. During our trip, our Italian friends were impressed by how much we had learned in such a short amount of time. A couple even commented on our use of proper grammar! I think this is one of the greatest compliments. Sure you can learn a language, but to speak it properly is a beautiful thing. We are grateful, Carlos!