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.
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!
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.
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.
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.
