For Bethany E., learning a language is a gateway to the world.
“I think it’s important to learn a new language because you learn more about the world you live in and experience something different,” she said.
Bethany is taking Italian language classes at Skyline High School, which is the largest Italian program in Dallas ISD. She enrolled in the class her freshman year and never looked back.
“I wanted to take Italian because I was very interested in its culture and history and wanted to learn about it more in depth,” Bethany said.
Now a senior, she plans to continue taking linguistics courses in college.
Almost 150 students enroll in the Italian program at Skyline every year.
The course is made up of four levels. The first class focuses on vocabulary, basic concepts of the language, and culture. As students advance through the program, they learn about politics and current events. Throughout all four levels, they practice listening and speaking skills, all while learning about history, food, music, and fashion.
The comprehensive approach to the program is part of what drew Evelyn G. to the class.
“I wanted to take Italian because I wanted to know more about the history and how other places took their customs,” she said. “My favorite part about the course has been that we learned more about historic events and art pieces.”
Since many students have a background in Spanish, learning Italian can become second nature, said Alessio Giudice, Italian language teacher at Skyline.
“This makes it a no-brainer for them when they choose a foreign language,” he said. “Many times, I have asked the students directly, ‘Why Italian?’ and their answers are usually something along the lines of, ‘I already know Spanish and Italian seems similar.’ It has also helped the program as I have many students promoting Italian to their friends and family once they have taken my class.”
Born and raised in Italy, Giudice has been leading the program since 2016. He said he was inspired to teach his native language while he was working toward an archeological treasures degree.
“I worked as a student advisor and Italian tutor at Lorenzo de’ Medici in my hometown, where I discovered my passion for teaching Italian culture and language – my language to the students studying abroad,” he said.
Giudice went on to receive a Master’s Degree from the University of Houston.
“Afterwards I began teaching in colleges and universities until I had the opportunity to be a part of the Skyline family,” he said.
During his tenure at Skyline, the program received honors and recognitions, including a national poetry prize from the Italian Embassy in Washington, D.C. Several of his students have also been accepted to the American University of Rome and Università Ca’ Foscari in Venice.
“Our biggest turnout and most exciting opportunity open to all students is when we organize trips to Italy during the year,” Giudice said.
In fact, this summer, two of his students, Carlos B. and Ivan R., spent a month in Rome as part of a study abroad program.
Learning a second language is extremely important in this day and age, Giudice said.
“Yes, knowing English is vital but many colleges, universities, and companies are looking for individuals that are able to communicate in more than one language besides English,” he said. “On average, these bilingual or multilingual speakers can earn 5 to 20% more than their monolingual counterparts.”
Learning Italian is especially beneficial because Italy has one of the largest economies in the world, and is a leader in subjects like science, medicine, engineering, architecture, music, automotive, and aerospace, Giudice said.
As someone who learned a second language, his advice to his students is not to be scared.
“I know firsthand what it feels like to speak another language in public while being afraid of the judgment of others,” he said. “Just focus on the outcome and on the reward and pride you will have of being able to communicate to others while expanding your view and horizon of the world.”
