Thoughtful Advice in the Classroom

In  Italy, most foreign language classes are co-taught by two teachers: the Italian teacher focuses on grammar and literature, while the native speaker supports speaking practice and communication. This teamwork ensures students get both structure and real-life language use.

Before each lesson, I always met with my colleague Giorgia to share my ideas. This not only kept our teaching progress aligned but also gave me the chance to hear her thoughtful suggestions.

One memorable moment came when my first-year students had just finished the unit on “family.” My plan was to assign a presentation where they would introduce their own family members in Chinese. Giorgia gently reminded me that one boy, Francesco, had lost his mother two years earlier. She suggested this task might be painful for him.

I immediately adjusted the activity: instead of introducing their real families, students could pick a cartoon or TV series they loved and present the family members in Chinese. Francesco chose The Simpsons and delivered a wonderfully fluent presentation. The whole class felt proud that they could describe their favorite shows in a new language, and the exercise turned out to be both fun and motivating.

This small piece of advice revealed to me the deep care Italian teachers show toward their students. Since then, I’ve made it a habit to stay after class or chat with students in the hallway, learning more about their personalities. Not only did this strengthen our teacher-student bond, but it also improved my Italian—students were always happy to correct my pronunciation or grammar. In many ways, after class, they became my Italian teachers.

Teaching abroad is not just about language instruction; it’s about empathy, cultural exchange, and growing together with students.

If you’re also interested in learning Chinese and exploring more cultural stories, check out our resources at Chino Easy.