Students' Comments

Results of questionnaire July-November 2011

In the November 2011 we sent our ex-students questionnaires asking them to give us ANONYMOUS feedback on their experiences studying at our school. 40 people replied. Here is a summary of the results.

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How satisfied were you with the quality of the teaching?
"not satisfied" 3% "satisfied" 18% "very satisfied" 79%
How satisfied were you with the improvement in your level?
"not satisfied"13% "satisfied" 47% "very satisfied" 40%
How satisfied were you with the school's facilities?
"not satisfied" 5% "satisfied" 40% "very satisfied" 55%
How satisfied were you with the price of the course?
"not satisfied" 13% "satisfied" 66% "very satisfied" 21%
How satisfied were you with the accommodation service?
"not satisfied" 0% "satisfied" 42% "very satisfied" 58%
How satisfied were you with the social activities?
"not satisfied" 10% "satisfied" 36% "very satisfied" 54%

We also asked our ex-students:

Would you do another course in Bologna?
"Not Bologna" 10% ""Maybe Bologna" 32% "Probably Bologna" 58%
Would you do another course at Madrelingua?
"Not Madrelingua" 0% "Maybe Madrelingua" 18% "Probably Madrelingua" 82%
Would you recommend Madrelingua?
"No" 0% "Maybe" 3% "Yes" 97%

Many of those who replied to our questionnaire added their own comments. Here are a selection of them, both positive and negative:

My school has Madrelingua as an option but they recommend two other schools instead, but after me being there, I think they will recommend Madrelingua to many students!

Some of the teaching is weak and lacks method.

I loved the school and its general atmosphere. But, being a teacher myself, I found the mid-morning lessons totally unprepared and rambling and disappointingly, they bore no relation whatsoever to the first lesson of the morning. To my mind (and several of my fellow students) this devalued the course considerably. In addition to the homework we should also be asked to prepare more written work which could then be very usefully corrected in class. Learning from one's mistakes is by far a better way to learn.

The teachers and staff are great!!! All of them.. it's been two fabulous weeks. Thank you Madrelingua.

This school has excellent facilities, teachers and staff willing to accomodate to the needs of the client, although I was never made to be felt like a client, I always felt like a student. Madrelingua is always striving to make your time in Bologna an unforgettable experience, and they achieve that.

Each one of the teachers, right down to the homework tutors at the school, are excellent. They go out of their way and beyond their call of duty to interact and help students settle in. They were always willing to help with any problems and give advice, not just with grammar but with any problem I may have had in Italy. I think it's a special group of people at Madrelingua and I am happy to have been part of it. The social programme was brilliant and it is so important in practising Italian and getting to know people. The organiser was always easy to talk to and always showed and interest in what I had to say, and there was always conversation. This was really key, because there were students of different levels and she managed to make each social programme interesting, different and at the same time accommodated all the students. The pause at the bar was a good way to break up the day and talk Italian to the teachers in a relaxed environment.

I would DEFINITELY go back to Madrelingua!

Personally, I prefer a more structure in the lessons. The part before the break was fine, but then the second part seemed a bit short (due to the long break?). On the other hand, going to the bar with all students is a nice opportunity to meet students from other classes and practise your Italian.

The teachers were nice and sympathetic. It is definitely a good place to study. The school is a bit small though (which is not a bad thing), so that very advanced students may feel that they do not learn many new things.

We both thought the book series you use was not too helpful. Certainly at the beginner's level it would be better to have some English translation or a dictionary at the back. I made heavy use of a separate dictionay, and sometimes the words in the book l esson were not adequately explained in the dictionary. Everthing else was great!

I loved feeling like I was living in Bologna - not just a tourist. Your staff helped with that, also my host family, who were wonderful!

Air conditioned classrooms would be helpful. If we left the windows open for air, the street noise was a problem.

I thought all the teachers were excellent. Everyone at the school was pleasant and helpful.

I love Bologna and would gladly return. There are lots of cultural events and opportunities to study art, architecture and many phases of history. I'm older than your average student and have different interests, but after four months here, I'm still not done with Bologna. We have experience with another popular language school in Bologna, and I would definitely recommend Madrelingua as superior in facilities, organisation and personal attention. Did I mention that I love Madrelingua's teachers?

One of the best things about being in Bologna is how easy it is to leave. That is, the railway can get you anywhere from Bologna, so day or weekend trips are simple.

I have recommended Madrelingua to friends at my Italian classes in the UK.

I really have no complaints, but actually have to praise Madrelingua for being such a good school. I was there for a very brief period, but it was indeed very useful and pleasant.

I would recommend Madrelingua to my friends and classmates at Dante Alighieri in The Hague, The Netherlands!

I actually chose the school because the atmosphere seemed more comfortable yet professional compared to the other language schools in Bologna.

I am very satisfied with the way Madrelingua works and would not consider changing the school when coming back to Bologna.

I think the "pausa" needs to be well monitored if there are a lot of students. Sometimes I thought it went too long at the expense of the conversation class that followed.

The conversation lesson was less about the students conversing and more about listening to the teacher talk. I would have preferred if around 80% of the time was spent in conversational activities, but, on average around 75-80% of the time was spent listening to the teacher talk.

Thanks to everyone who took the trouble to reply! We rely appreciate your comments and are doing our best to improve in the areas where you have told us improvement is required!

Results of questionnaire May-June 2011

In the Spring of 2011 we sent our ex-students questionnaires asking them to give us ANONYMOUS feedback on their experiences studying at our school. 20 people replied. Here is a summary of the results.

How satisfied were you with the quality of the teaching?
"not satisfied" 10% "satisfied" 35% "very satisfied" 55%
How satisfied were you with the improvement in your level?
"not satisfied"15% "satisfied" 65% "very satisfied" 20%
How satisfied were you with the school's facilities?
"not satisfied" 5% "satisfied" 26% "very satisfied" 69%
How satisfied were you with the price of the course?
"not satisfied" 21% "satisfied" 68% "very satisfied" 11%
How satisfied were you with the accommodation service?
"not satisfied" 0% "satisfied" 46% "very satisfied" 54%
How satisfied were you with the social activities?
"not satisfied" 0% "satisfied" 25% "very satisfied" 75%

We also asked our ex-students:

Would you do another course in Bologna?
"Not Bologna" 17% ""Maybe Bologna" 33% "Probably Bologna" 50%
Would you do another course at Madrelingua?
"Not Madrelingua" 0% "Maybe Madrelingua" 15% "Probably Madrelingua" 85%
Would you recommend Madrelingua?
"No" 0% "Maybe" 5% "Yes" 95%

Thanks to everyone who took the trouble to reply! We rely appreciate your comments and are doing our best to improve in the areas where you have told us improvement is required!

Many of those who replied to our questionnaire added their own comments. Here are a selection of them, both positive and negative:

Moved to Bologna, compared some schools and at the end Madrelingua looked most professional and I received a nice welcome. First impression was good.

I very much enjoyed my lessons at Madrelingua and wished to pass on my compliments for the professional and convivial manner in which the school is run.

The computer facilities / wifi and library/DVD collection are a long way ahead of the facilities offered at other schools I've attended.

Painfully slow computers!

The school has a lovely facility, convenient location, friendly and professional staff & a good schedule.

This was the best Italian course and the best teacher I ever had!

I progressively lost motivation as I felt I was making such slow progress.

The e-mail contact with you was always very friendly and easy and gave me a good impression of the school.

I particularly appreciated the changing of the teachers. Good to meet different teaching personalities, ways of teaching.

I would recommend Bologna because it's more genuine than, for example, Florence. And I would recommend Madrelingua because of the full concept, from classes, bar visit to social activities - a full concept every day.

Detailed website - also good to have the views of past students. The accommodation finding service was an excellent additional attraction

Results of questionnaire December 2010

In December 2010 we sent our ex-students questionnaires asking them to give us ANONYMOUS feedback on their experiences studying at our school. 22 people replied. Here is a summary of the results.

How satisfied were you with the quality of the teaching?
"not satisfied" 5% "satisfied" 18% "very satisfied" 77%
How satisfied were you with the improvement in your level?
"not satisfied"14% "satisfied" 41% "very satisfied" 45%
How satisfied were you with the school's facilities?
"not satisfied" 0% "satisfied" 45% "very satisfied" 55%
How satisfied were you with the price of the course?
"not satisfied" 5% "satisfied" 59% "very satisfied" 36%
How satisfied were you with the accommodation service?
"not satisfied" 0% "satisfied" 33% "very satisfied" 67%
How satisfied were you with the social activities?
"not satisfied" 5% "satisfied" 45% "very satisfied" 50%

We also asked our ex-students:

Would you do another course in Bologna?
"Not Bologna" 18% ""Maybe Bologna" 41% "Probably Bologna" 41%
Would you do another course at Madrelingua?
"Not Madrelingua" 0% "Maybe Madrelingua" 14% "Probably Madrelingua" 86%
Would you recommend Madrelingua?
"No" 5% "Maybe" 5% "Yes" 90%

Thanks to everyone who took the trouble to reply! We rely appreciate your comments and are doing our best to improve in the areas where you have told us improvement is required!

Many of those who replied to our questionnaire added their own comments. Here are a selection of them, both positive and negative:

The computers can be slow. Also it seems expensive to have to buy an entirely separate week instead of being able to extend the course.

I did not improve my Italian speaking level. I wasn't satisfied with the quality of the actual contact hours or the take home work. I didn't feel like it was good value for money.

Was a bit annoyed only told week before there was a public holiday on monday as we had booked months before and only had the week at school

Best school I have been to in Italy, as a teacher myself I could see the preparation and thought that went into our classes, much appreciated by me!

I have unfortunately “plateaued” living in Australia having 2 hrs a week of Italian learning difficult stuff I will never use! Your school was great it was me who was the problem!

Mi è piacuto che la scuola ha ASILS. Quando ho incontrato Stefania primo del corso, ho deciso di prenotare

A little remark to the school's facilities: I would have liked a proper facilty to prepare some tea..

Mi piace che tutti gli insegnanti sono presentati sul vostro website

E stato il mio primo corso in una scuola di lingue, ma non mi posso immaginare che possa andare meglio

Proverò anche delle altre scuole ma certamente tornerò a Bologna e Madrelingua

Ero contenta con le attività fuori le lezioni perche aveva viaggiato da sola

Age range of students is also important - if target is for under 30 year-olds probably would not consider

If I attend once again an Italian course at that level (with this amount of hours and with that price), I'll come back to Madrelingua. Up to now it is the best langauge school which I tried. I appreciate very much: the level of teaching, the good organisation (i.e. the idea with coffee break) and the friendly, relaxed atmosphere in the school. Thank you.

Tutti erano molto gentili con gli studenti e sempre pronti ad aiutarli. Inoltre mi è piaciuto che le classi erano piccole.

I liked the response when I called for info. They were also willing to give me a trial lesson.

I was somewhat confused with the sequence of the course. I realise that students come at different times, so if one takes a week course, they can be somewhat confused when what was previously taught is alluded to in the current class. Maybe it would be a good idea to have the instructor provide goals and objectives to be covered for the week.

Results of questionnaire August 2010

In August 2010 we sent our ex-students questionnaires asking them to give us ANONYMOUS feedback on their experiences studying at our school. 26 people replied. Here is a summary of the results.

How satisfied were you with the quality of the teaching?
"not satisfied" 12% "satisfied" 19% "very satisfied" 69%
How satisfied were you with the improvement in your level?
"not satisfied"0% "satisfied" 58% "very satisfied" 42%
How satisfied were you with the school's facilities?
"not satisfied" 4% "satisfied" 48% "very satisfied" 48%
How satisfied were you with the price of the course?
"not satisfied" 23% "satisfied" 77% "very satisfied" 0%
How satisfied were you with the accommodation service?
"not satisfied" 17% "satisfied" 44% "very satisfied" 39%
How satisfied were you with the social activities?
"not satisfied" 16% "satisfied" 84% "very satisfied" 0%

We also asked our ex-students:

Would you do another course in Bologna?
"Not Bologna" 4% ""Maybe Bologna" 48% "Probably Bologna" 48%
Would you do another course at Madrelingua?
"Not Madrelingua" 0% "Maybe Madrelingua" 12% "Probably Madrelingua" 88%
Would you recommend Madrelingua?
"No" 0% "Maybe" 0% "Yes" 100%

Thanks to everyone who took the trouble to reply! We rely appreciate your comments and are doing our best to improve in the areas where you have told us improvement is required!

Many of those who replied to our questionnaire added their own comments. Here are a selection of them, both positive and negative:

The page on the website with students' comments was probably what sold me over the other Bologna schools - Madrelingua seemed by far a more warm and friendly environment, where you really got to know your teachers

Bologna was a perfect city for learning Italian! I visited a friend studying in Florence, and the experience was so different there because the city was so much more touristic.

I wasn't told about the discounts for people under 30 and only found out after registering, when it was too late to benefit from it. I thought it was a little unfriendly not to mention this somewhere more clearly, for instance during registration

All of my co-workers were going there and enjoyed it and learned so much. So I decided to take classes there.

I work for an organisation in Bologna and so we live there. We decided last year when have new co-workers who need language we'll send them to Madre Lingua only

Your computers and other equipments (CD players, air conditioning) sometimes don't work properly. Then the social programme seems fine but sometimes its price excludes some students.

The only thing that sucked was leaving.

And after when I was in school I returned again! I like teachers so much in it school! and I will be back soon again!

I like everything in it school! all always can help me! to resolve my problems!

the low internet performance was for me the only little disadvantage

friendly teachers, nice city, good school...

I preferred to choose a city where I would not have thousands of touristic attractions around me, therefore Bologna seemed to be the right place, which turned out to be the right decision

I would recommend Madrelingua because I had a time at the school. But I was disappointed by the fact the school suddenly closed so early because of the vacation...Although the website promised the students to be able to use the facilities until 7pm! Everything is just a matter of information! I once came after 5 and nobody there anymore... Just not nice..

I didn't appreciate the pressure of the teachers in joining the social activity. In fact, as soon as you get to know people, you will organise your own programme anyhow!

Only real suggestion: plan the social activities further in advance so that plans can be made to attend them. There were several that I would have done, but found out about them too late.

Overall very good teaching. I teach language in the US (French), so I was a bit nervous about what the pedagogy would be like there. But he teachers were trained in teaching. There were some issues with coordination between the various teachers who didn't seem to know what the previous teacher had done. I was particularly happy with the staff who took time to interact with students so that we got to practice beyond just our single instructor. The staff was really lovely and friendly.

It was the only school in Bologna, of those I found online, which offered evening classes, the location in the city centre was good and I had a good impression from the homepage.

Those working at the school were always helpful and friendly. Classes were interesting and stimulating, and I appreciated the DVDs and books on offer all the time.

I have already recommended Madrelingua to students from my home university going to Bologna in the future!

Results of questionnaire May 2010

In May 2010 we sent our ex-students questionnaires asking them to give us ANONYMOUS feedback on their experiences studying at our school. 20 people replied. Here is a summary of the results.

How satisfied were you with the quality of the teaching?
"not satisfied" 15% "satisfied" 30% "very satisfied" 55%
How satisfied were you with the improvement in your level?
"not satisfied"25% "satisfied" 45% "very satisfied" 30%
How satisfied were you with the school's facilities?
"not satisfied" 5% "satisfied" 45% "very satisfied" 50%
How satisfied were you with the price of the course?
"not satisfied" 15% "satisfied" 55% "very satisfied" 30%
How satisfied were you with the accommodation service?
"not satisfied" 19% "satisfied" 44% "very satisfied" 37%
How satisfied were you with the social activities?
"not satisfied" 10% "satisfied" 40% "very satisfied" 50%

We also asked our ex-students:

Would you do another course in Bologna?
"Not Bologna" 21% ""Maybe Bologna" 42% "Probably Bologna" 37%
Would you do another course at Madrelingua?
"Not Madrelingua" 5% "Maybe Madrelingua" 15% "Probably Madrelingua" 80%
Would you recommend Madrelingua?
"No" 0% "Maybe" 15% "Yes" 85%

Thanks to everyone who took the trouble to reply! We rely appreciate your comments and are doing our best to improve in the areas where you have told us improvement is required!

Many of those who replied to our questionnaire added their own comments. Here are a selection of them, both positive and negative:

I had planned to attend a different school but they didn't respond so I looked at the internet, saw Madrelingua, called Stefania who was immediately helpful, friendly and responsive, and signed up! In less than five minutes.

The teachers seemed all to be professional, skilled and extremely helpful. They seemed genuinely interested in their work, they were very friendly and positive.

I already have recommended the school to some friends here.

The atmosphere and the staff are nice and helpful.

I called a couple of schools and Madrelingua was the only one where someone answered the telephone. The professionalism displayed during that first telephone conversation convinced me that the school would be well run.

It was pity that the students do not search contacts between themselves, it would bring them more improvement, its important that in houses where they live during the course people are willing to communicate with them, aren't too busy.. in this point I was a little disappointed

a beginners course was offered

the welcome was nice and friendly

although I would like more grammar

all the information on the website made the school seem really friendly and helpful, and when I got there I found you all even more so!

I've been telling everybody I know about bella Bologna and Madrelingua

I was inspired by the information on the web. I wanted efficiency and result and your school sounded like that

I would recommend you to listen to the students and pick up their opinions quickly and if you need to change the programme, the teachers, etc - just do it! It will improve your brand.

I would absolutely choose ML againand before coming to the school talk to you about my preferences to make sure I get the best out of my stay

It is a complete experience and every part contributes to the impression. The accommodation and the possibility to improve the language are the most important factors to me.

I wanted to come to Bologna and was searching for a language school there. Your site was welcoming and easy to navigate. When I sent an e-mail with a question, I received an immediate response that was clear, warm and welcoming.

I love the way the social programme is integrated with the lessons .e. the pausa when everyone goes to the bar and chats together. There was always something to do after class. The instructors were very warm and friendly. It was a great experience.

I am planning to return to Bologna and do it all again!

Before I had wanted to come to Bologna and I chose Madrelingua by chance, but the second time I came to Bologna I also wanted to return to the school because it had been such a good experience the first time.

Results of questionnaire December 2009

In December 2009 we sent our ex-students questionnaires asking them to give us ANONYMOUS feedback on their experiences studying at our school. 29 people replied. Here is a summary of the results.

How satisfied were you with the quality of the teaching?
"not satisfied" 3% "satisfied" 31% "very satisfied" 66%
How satisfied were you with the improvement in your level?
"not satisfied"3% "satisfied" 55% "very satisfied" 42%
How satisfied were you with the school's facilities?
"not satisfied" 3% "satisfied" 31% "very satisfied" 66%
How satisfied were you with the price of the course?
"not satisfied" 0% "satisfied" 72% "very satisfied" 28%
How satisfied were you with the accommodation service?
"not satisfied" 14% "satisfied" 33% "very satisfied" 53%
How satisfied were you with the social activities?
"not satisfied" 3% "satisfied" 31% "very satisfied" 66%

We also asked our ex-students:

Would you do another course in Bologna?
"Not Bologna" 24% ""Maybe Bologna" 0% "Probably Bologna" 76%
Would you do another course at Madrelingua?
"Not Madrelingua" 0% "Maybe Madrelingua" 0% "Probably Madrelingua" 100%
Would you recommend Madrelingua?
"No" 0% "Maybe" 3% "Yes" 97%

Thanks to everyone who took the trouble to reply! We rely appreciate your comments and are doing our best to improve in the areas where you have told us improvement is required!

Many of those who replied to our questionnaire added their own comments. Here are a selection of them, both positive and negative:

"I was thinking of visiting 2or3 schools in Bologna and found Madrelingua among others on Internet. Madrelingua was the first school I arrived at and after meeting you in reception I didn't need to consider any alternative school "

"Our first experience at the school was so welcoming and friendly, who wouldn't want to stay. "

"I wanted to study in a large Italian city that was not flocked with tourists, which is how I ended up in Bologna. Of the schools in Bologna, you're seemed the most organized and professional. I also read a lot of review online (at travel forum) to form an opinion. "

"The only little convenience I had was having to pay in cash to avoid a service charge "

"High level of satisfaction throughout. "

"I was welcomed with open arms. Everyone was more than helpful and I can't wait to come back! "

"I liked the social activities, which were a good opportunity to get to know other students and the teachers. "

"I sweated three and a half shirts and by the end of the course my brain was smoking!;))) "

"A few teachers’ changes during my course made it necessary to continually adjust to different teaching methods. "

"Noise was a problem due to construction. It was hard to find a place that was quiet enough to hear without being too hot. "

"I had a number of teachers, all but one were fantastic. The one was not a bad teacher, just not great "

"Staff was all very friendly, and always helpful with any questions I had to ask. "

"The standard of teaching was excellent and all staff at school was very welcoming and soon became my friends. I will remember my experience in Bologna with nothing but kinds regards. "

"I like to travel so this is why I would go to another Italian city, hoping for the same quality I found at your school "

"This school really impressed me, it was my first hand experience, and I’ve never been to Italy before. Teaching was extremely good, atmosphere was friendly, and days spent in the school were exciting. I would be happy to come back and attend classes next year. "

"I’m definitely planning to come back "

"In Australia, we tend to lapse into a bit of English during our Italian classes and I thought it was really good for me and even better for my son to have to try to communicate just in Italian. Even though his school is not offering Italian for his final 2years of school, I was really pleased that he managed to do quite well in his end of year Italian exam which he has just completed. "

"I wish you had a school in Parma!!!!I’ve no interest in Bologna except the school and that’s not enough reason for me to return to a city I don’t really like. You are very professional while also being supportive and fun. A rare combination. "

"Already recommended it to my cousin. "

"I would definitely recommend this school, all aspects of my experience here were positive. "

"The price is important, but you also pay for what you get. I would rather have good teachers, good resources, etc.., and pay a little more for it. "

"None of the school we’ve checked out in Parma offers the facilities, or social programs of Madrelingua. "

"I was in the first cooking class group in October...we made gnocchi, meatballs and dessert...I was not satisfied with the cooking teacher for a few reasons. We started too late. Some of the students were so hungry they were not well by the time we ate..the meatballs were undercooked.. I didn’t want to eat them..The gnocchi were left along on a platter before cooking, stuck together and had to be quickly re-formed, this made dinner even later...very frustrating...the gnocchi were gummy. For that much time and work, the food should have turned out better. Sorry, just my honest opinion, I would have paid more for a more high quality experience. "

Results of questionnaire October 2009

In October 2009 we sent our ex-students questionnaires asking them to give us ANONYMOUS feedback on their experiences studying at our school. 32 people replied. Here is a summary of the results.

How satisfied were you with the quality of the teaching?
"not satisfied" 3% "satisfied" 23% "very satisfied" 74%
How satisfied were you with the improvement in your level?
"not satisfied"10% "satisfied" 42% "very satisfied" 48%
How satisfied were you with the school's facilities?
"not satisfied" 6% "satisfied" 29% "very satisfied" 65%
How satisfied were you with the price of the course?
"not satisfied" 19% "satisfied" 58% "very satisfied" 23%
How satisfied were you with the accommodation service?
"not satisfied" 5% "satisfied" 40% "very satisfied" 55%
How satisfied were you with the social activities?
"not satisfied" 3% "satisfied" 27% "very satisfied" 70%

We also asked our ex-students:

Would you do another course in Bologna?
"Not Bologna" 25% ""Maybe Bologna" 41% "Probably Bologna" 34%
Would you do another course at Madrelingua?
"Not Madrelingua" 3% "Maybe Madrelingua" 16% "Probably Madrelingua" 81%
Would you recommend Madrelingua?
"No" 3% "Maybe" 10% "Yes" 87%

Thanks to everyone who took the trouble to reply! We rely appreciate your comments and are doing our best to improve in the areas where you have told us improvement is required!

Many of those who replied to our questionnaire added their own comments. Here are a selection of them, both positive and negative:

"The description of the afternoon activities and the library and IT facilities also swayed me. Your school seemed to have a little bit extra. The fact that it was a family-run business also attracted me."

"I have already passed on details of the school to a friend. "

"we liked having a free half day class to see if we fit in "

"Madrelingua was the highlight of our stay in Bologna "

"If I were to return to Bologna, I would definitely come back to Madrelingua "

"The teaching was really great, but the afternoon activities weren't as good as I had hoped. "

"I would definitely go back to Bologna and definitely to Madrelingua "

"I think the teachers are a major asset to your business, the energy, the patience they showed was outstanding. I enjoyed every lesson, even when I found them challenging. "

"I also believe that having a student helper was a fantastic idea, showing the best places to go, outside of lessons "

"the website was professional and encouraging and the prices seemed comparable to other schools in Bologna "

"My teachers and all the staff were really fantastic. I couldn't have been happier with my level improvement. The school library is a fantastic resource. I participated in several of the social activities, and in general I was happy with the opportunity to speak Italian. My one complaint is with the cooking course - it was totally overpriced for what it was, and way too long to only learn 2 simple dishes "

"The general impression of your school is a good one (building, rooms, position in the city of Bologna) "

"Looked trustable "

"I never met teachers in language schools who had been so active in their private life and shared their private life with their students "

"Truly it's a fabulous school. My teacher was really an excellent teacher. She found the perfect book for me to use and was always very prepared. I would study again with her in a mini-second. She really prepared me for my continuing studies in Italian and I liked her a lot too. "

"Fantastic experience and as it can be seen from my rating I was extremely satisfied!!! Great school, great staff, everything was perfect. HOWEVER, only thing to be improved dramatically is the way students are placed in different levels, really defficient comparing to other schools I have been. In my case I was requested to fill in online a questionnaire that I found extremely easy... (Website editor's comment - this complaint was very long, technical, and we feel unjustified, so I have cut it short!! However, we have noted your comments and will do our best to ensure that other students do not get a similar impression, even if unjustified.) "
"The school was suggested to me by a friend and then I went and checked it out myself. The staff there were VERY welcoming, helpful and accommodating. They made me feel like I was making the right choice to go to this particular school. "
"I would absolutely definitely 100% recommend Madrelingua. I've been to several language schools before and this one was very special - very WARM, which really makes a difference when you are living abroad. Also the tradition of having coffee at the bar in the mornings is fantastic - a great way to get to know people and feel more a part of. "
"I chose the school because it was an IIC suggestion and I could obtain a bursary "
"Thank you again for a great learning experience! "
"First person I talked to was Stefania over the phone. As I couldn't speak a word of Italian I was very happy to talk to somebody in English.. and from the talk I had a very good feeling... which proved to be true:-) "
"I would say it's a school for adults: people there really want to learn and they take the courses seriously but after the school there was always lot's of fun and I met very nice people there "

Results of questionnaire June 2009

In June 2009 we sent our ex-students questionnaires asking them to give us ANONYMOUS feedback on their experiences studying at our school. 22 people replied. Here is a summary of the results.

How satisfied were you with the quality of the teaching?
"not satisfied" 5% "satisfied" 24% "very satisfied" 71%
How satisfied were you with the improvement in your level?
"not satisfied"14% "satisfied" 43% "very satisfied" 43%
How satisfied were you with the school's facilities?
"not satisfied" 0% "satisfied" 43% "very satisfied" 57%
How satisfied were you with the price of the course?
"not satisfied" 14% "satisfied" 50% "very satisfied" 36%
How satisfied were you with the accommodation service?
"not satisfied" 8% "satisfied" 38% "very satisfied" 54%
How satisfied were you with the social activities?
"not satisfied" 20% "satisfied" 40% "very satisfied" 40%

We also asked our ex-students:

Would you do another course in Bologna?
"Not Bologna" 9% ""Maybe Bologna" 43% "Probably Bologna" 48%
Would you do another course at Madrelingua?
"Not Madrelingua" 0% "Maybe Madrelingua" 24% "Probably Madrelingua" 76%
Would you recommend Madrelingua?
"No" 0% "Maybe" 0% "Yes" 100%

Thanks to everyone who took the trouble to reply! We rely appreciate your comments.

Many of those who replied to our questionnaire added their own comments. Here are some of them:

"It was wonderful and the instructors were excellent. "

"Thank you! "

"My e-mails requiring more information were answered quickly and in a friendly way giving a good impression of the school. "

"The school is flexible and adapts itself to the needs of the students "

"Discounts available, excellent website "

"Very enjoyable experience. Great teachers. Nice buzz around the school. Definitely coming back. "

"Lucia, Francesca Piccola and Francesca Grande are wonderful teachers. Stefania you were so lovely and helpful. Thank you. "

"There is a definite feeling of informal efficiency that comes across from the website. It is also very student focussed rather than school and rules focussed. "

"A very good course, very challenging with the tutors giving a lot of energy and support "

"I was already in Bologna and Madrelingua had the best resources, prices and the friendliest staff "

"It shows that the teachers put in a lot of time to ensure that each student is improving "

"I plan on returning to Bologna in the future and probably taking up some private lessons because that's where I saw the most improvement in my Italian "

Results of questionnaire November 2008

In November 2008 we sent around 75 of our ex-students questionnaires asking them to give us ANONYMOUS feedback on their experiences studying at our school. Around 30 people replied. Here is a summary of the results.

How satisfied were you with the quality of the teaching?
"not satisfied" 0% "satisfied" 33% "very satisfied" 67%
How satisfied were you with the improvement in your level?
"not satisfied" 8% "satisfied" 54% "very satisfied" 38%
How satisfied were you with the school's facilities?
"not satisfied" 0% "satisfied" 37% "very satisfied" 63%
How satisfied were you with the price of the course?
"not satisfied" 12% "satisfied" 63% "very satisfied" 25%
How satisfied were you with the accommodation service?
"not satisfied" 9% "satisfied" 36% "very satisfied" 55%
How satisfied were you with the social activities?
"not satisfied" 17% "satisfied" 37% "very satisfied" 46%

We also asked our ex-students:

Would you do another course in Bologna?
"Not Bologna" 16% ""Maybe Bologna" 32% "Probably Bologna" 52%
Would you do another course at Madrelingua?
"Not Madrelingua" 0% "Maybe Madrelingua" 20% "Probably Madrelingua" 80%
Would you do another recommend Madrelingua?
"No" 0% "Maybe" 4% "Yes" 96%

Thanks to everyone who took the trouble to reply! We rely appreciate your comments.

Many of those who replied to our questionnaire added their own comments. Here are some of them:

"I personally visited as many schools as I could find and Madrelingua was friendly, well supported with a library and computers, and the price was reasonable."

"It was a very nice week!"

"I did a lot of online research and contacted several former students via email and received only positive feedback."

"I chose Madrelingua because the story on the website was beautiful and made me want to come in and meet the teachers. After meeting the teachers in person I decided to take classes with the school. I also liked the website because of the amount of information posted. I found it easy to use and it answered all of my questions upfront."

"My husband and I were in Bologna for 2 months and wanted to take Italian lessons. We looked at various courses and yours offered the flexibility that we were looking for. You have a great location too. We wanted afternoon sessions to give us time to exercise in the morning, we wanted a class together even though I can speak manageable French and he doesn't have a second language, we are adult learners AND we weren't doing it for a specific certificate, just general interest."

"We didn't use the accommodation services as we had our own place. Staff and owners were just super and very helpful. Lucia is a wonderful instructor and was very impressive as she juggled our two levels of language experience. She tied in a lot of our everyday life in Bologna with the lessons."

"Madrelingua was a big highlight for us. We appreciated Daniel's offer to sit in on a class to help us make up our minds. We would definitely go to Madrelingua again and have recommended it to others. Social options were great too. My only grumble.. we took the courses in July and it was HOT.. at least for this Canadian. I found the class rooms without air-conditioning a challenge. Fans did help but were dangerous to our papers!"

"I will be back in March."

"When calling the school to enquire, the staff (especially Stefania “Grande”, was extremely helpful and very friendly."

"Your website was comprehensive and easy to use. The student comments really helped me decide to go with you over other schools in Bologna."

"I wanted to come back for some one-to-one lessons to improve my spoken Italian but did not hear back from the school despite having sent the email several times. Not sure what happened. Perhaps another time."

"Francesca was an excellent teacher and we all had fun and learned a lot – even grammar! I would not hesitate recommending your school to others."

"Good location – in the center."

"I had never been to an Italian langauge school before and didn't know what to expect. I was very impressed with Madrelingua, in particular, the very friendly and helpful staff, the quality of the teachers and the social outings. After 4 weeks at the school I found my Italian had improved beyond my expectations and feel the experience was well worth it. I am planning to come back to Bologna next year and would happily do some further study at Madrelingua. Many thanks to all the staff!"

"Your website convinced me that Madrelingua is a reliable and serious Italian language school."

"The general word of mouth on the Net about ML is very good."

"I like languages as much for the new friends and human contact as with the language itself, which is more a hobby/side thing."

"The position of the school in the center is very convenient. The school is welcoming because of the library, the computer room and the atmosphere."

Student comments on Italian courses in Bologna April - June 2008

Here are a selection of comments received anonymously via the Internet from students who completed an Italian course at Madrelingua in Bologna in the period April - June 2008:

Over the years I've attended three schools in Italy, all similar in cost, but Madrelingua was far and away the best for services offered and friendliness of all staff, which in its turn influenced relations among the students.

As a teacher myself, I was very impressed with Madrelingua and my experience there. I would and do happily recommend the school to those considering language study in Italy.

I felt right at home from my first visit to the school, everyone was welcoming and the course, facilities and options were clearly explained. The staff were very professional and extremely helpful in helping me achieve my language goals. The social activities (l'aperativo) were excellent and loads of fun...we even got a little language practise in!

I liked the response from the school to my expression of interest - very quick, very warm and inviting, tolerant of endless questions and small worries.

Madrelingua attained a fine balance between offering a serious academic programme and activities that were great fun even while often being informative. During my time there the age-range of students was very wide but proved to be entirely unimportant both during classes and excursions.

I feel that the social program at the school and all the extra activities offered really enhanced my learning experience. In particular, it was nice that the teachers were involved on a social level, not just with the students in class.

Overall I think the school is excellent. It is run very well and in a professional manner. I would definately come back again for more lessons in the future. Bravo.

I soooooooo enjoyed your course and your school Stefania !!! You and Daniel and of course Paola were very nice and I would recommend your to anyone !!!!

I did a lot of research on the net when trying to find an italian language school and I kept coming back to Madrelingua because the site was well set out and answered most of my questions by navigating around the site. Generally though I just got a good feeling from the site.

I choose the school based somewhat on price, but looking at the website Madrelingua seemed like a good mix of culture and language learning. It was nice to read about the teachers before I started classes. It made the school seem more personable.

I feel the most important aspect to language studies are the quality of the teaching and resourses available. The social programme is important as I found it enriched my overall experience.

There is usually a very good atmosphere at the school. For me it has been a place where I was always comfortable and at ease, due to the very friendly and warm staff.

All teachers dealt extremely well with differing levels of language ability in one class. Even during time out of school we were constantly being taught and staff were very generous with their own time.

E-mail from former student, historian and author, Steve Hendricks

"Avete davvero una scuola meravigliosa, e Stefania era davvero una prodigiosa insengante. Spero che ci incontriamo di nuovo presto.Volevo convidere con ve una recensione che ho scritto su Madrelingua:

A Fantastic Experience - S. Hendricks, 16/05/2008

In April 2008 I had the great pleasure of studying Italian in Bologna at Madrelingua language school and would strongly recommend it. Class sizes were small (during my visit, the smallest had 1 student, the largest 6); the teachers were very smart, well vetted, and dedicated; and the lessons were well tailored to student abilities. They were also completely in Italian. This last should be de rigueur, but how many horrible classes have you heard about--or experienced--where half the time was spent in English? Perhaps what really set Madrelingua apart was that the folks there genuinely cared about whether we were learning Italian and feeling at home in Bologna. Wife Stefania (Italian) and husband Daniel (British) run the school like an extended family. I've rarely felt so quickly at home. One way they achieved this was by breaking up the 4-hour morning classes and taking the entire school out for a caffe'. In addition to getting 30 minutes of practice in unstructured, conversational Italian, we got to strike up friendships with the students and teachers in other classes. It doesn't hurt that Bologna is also a pearl. It has been called Italy’s Berkeley or Boulder, with all the vivacity and great restaurants those allusions imply, but it would be truer to say that most American college towns aspire to be the Bologna of the U.S. The folks at Madrelingua adore their city (the school is in a great building downtown) and offer a great walking tour, as well as nights out at aperitif bars and other places. I could go on, but you get the idea: this is a fantastic place. I hope I get to return soon.

Student comments on Italian courses in Bologna January - March 2008

Here are a selection of comments received anonymously via the Internet from students who completed an Italian course at Madrelingua in Bologna in the period January - March 2008:

I was more than happy with everything at the school and will recommend it to everyone who is interested in learning Italian back in Australia. Thankyou for everything. I will return when I can. Thankyou.

The personnel were responsive to my questions in a prompt manner. The website was well developed. The replies that I received were from a human (Stefania) – some of the other schools did not seem as interested in me. The location was perfect for me as I was living in Centro.

We had been to Madrelingua before and had a wonderful experience. The teaching is excellent and the program is well-designed.

I have recommended Madrelingua to several people already. It hope that at least one of them actually attends.

Thank you to Stefania and Daniel. You have left me with a happy memory of Bologna.

Results of questionnaire December 2007

We sent around 100 of our ex-students questionnaires asking them to give us ANONYMOUS feedback on their experiences studying at our school. Around 35 people replied. Here is a summary of the results.

How satisfied were you with the quality of the teaching?
"not satisfied" 0% "satisfied" 24% "very satisfied" 76%
How satisfied were you with the improvement in your level?
"not satisfied" 6% "satisfied" 52% "very satisfied" 42%
How satisfied were you with the school's facilities?
"not satisfied" 0% "satisfied" 39% "very satisfied" 61%
How satisfied were you with the price of the course?
"not satisfied" 12% "satisfied" 55% "very satisfied" 33%
How satisfied were you with the accommodation service?
"not satisfied" 9% "satisfied" 36% "very satisfied" 55%
How satisfied were you with the social activities?
"not satisfied" 3% "satisfied" 45% "very satisfied" 52%

We also asked our ex-students:

Would you do another course in Bologna?
"Not Bologna" 16% ""Maybe Bologna" 44% "Probably Bologna" 40%
Would you do another course at Madrelingua?
"Not Madrelingua" 3% "Maybe Madrelingua" 12% "Probably Madrelingua" 85%
Would you do another recommend Madrelingua?
"No" 0% "Maybe" 9% "Yes" 91%

Thanks to everyone who took the trouble to reply! We rely appreciate your comments.

Many of those who replied to our questionnaire added their own comments. Here are some of them:

"My experience at Madrelingua was wonderful. The quality of the teaching and the friendly environment was first rate. We are retuning this year and I have recommended Madrelingua to a friend."

"I liked the flexibility of being able to do any course, at any level, for any time - even as short as one week."

"The building was impressive and the classrooms looked bright and airy. I selected your school having surveyed others in Bologna, which seemed much less up to date."

"Stefania was a fabulous teacher.. Such dedicated people are so hard to find these days in any profession."

"I was in Bologna and I wanted to do an Italian courses, so in searching for schools I visited Madrelingua and I liked the school, especially because of the possibility of arranging a course according to my needs."

"I really enjoyed the time I spent learning Italian in Bologna. The atmosphere in the school made the learning experience enjoyable."

"I have been to schools in Florence. I like Bologna much better because there are not a lot of tourists. The food is fantastic, and the city is vibrant because of the university. The city feels safe and it's one of the best rail hubs so you can get to other cities easily."

"The owners, Stefi and Daniel, make the school like a home away from home. The atmosphere is warm and friendly. They are so helpful."

"This is by far the nicest language school I have seen in Italy, because it is not as comercial as other schools. It is family run (as an Italian school should be), it is central and in a nice area."

"The thing that I liked and enjoyed the most was the close and friendly relationship between school staff and the students. I would definitely choose this school again."

"You organised some very good social activities in which I could learn and practise my Italian...The teachers who joined those activities were nice and friendly."

"Thank you for your sincere attitudes to your students. I really appreciate your quality teaching."

"The school was conveniently located in the middle of the city."

"I am studying Italian at university and when I got home I recommended your school to all of the others, and to my faculty, because I was so satisfied with every aspect of the course."

"The teaching was excellent at Madrelingua. I felt really welcomed and cared for, like part of a family. Bologna is a lot of fun with many friendly people. I had the best time there and it would not have been possible without the Italian I learnt form Madrelingua. Highly recommended!"

"Madrelingua seemed the best choice geographically and because of the class size to learn Italian without any prior knowledge and to be able to see a good amount of Italy. We are coming back to Madrelingua this spring. I hope to improve my Italian significantly and to take full advantage of the good teaching and Bolognese hospitality."