Nancy Scarselletta

(518) 346-7096

ALBANY, NY – March 16, 2012 – The Language Learning Institute is offering people a rare chance to have fun and immerse themselves in Italian culture with a trip to San Gemini, Italy during their annual Medieval Festival this fall.

“We have always been dedicated, not only to helping people learn the Italian language, but to  understand Italian culture and history,” said Nancy Scarselletta, the school’s founder. “This trip offers an opportunity for all three immersions. This is not something just for our students. It’s for anyone who wants a true Italian cultural experience.”

Since 2005, the Language Learning Institute has been helping children and adults interested in learning French. By 2006, Italian language classes became available as well. Since then the Institute has helped children learn French and Italian as second languages, while also helping adults who need language skills for personal enjoyment, travel or business purposes. The Institute also offers programs in Russian, Mandarin Chinese, ESL and Spanish as well as a program for heritage speakers of French.

The week long trip starts on Sept. 28 and runs through Oct. 6, and has been designed to coincide with the annual San Gemini Medieval Festival.

“By tying the trip to the festival we will be able to see both how Italian culture works today, and what it was like hundreds of years ago,” Scarselletta said. “It is a rare opportunity to get off the beaten path and see the real Italy. San Gemini is a small town that will provide you with exposure to the real Italian lifestyle. If you are naturally curious about Italian culture and history, this is the trip for you.”

The trip will also give people the chance to visit Deruta, Siena, Florence and Rome.

“You don’t have to speak Italian to take the trip,” Scarselletta said. “But you may pick up along the way. You’ll have the chance to see how Majolica ceramics are made, attend wine, cheese and olive oil tastings, and explore the city of Siena. After several days of seeing how Italy was during the Middle Ages, you’ll get to explore Florence and see the birthplace of the Renaissance.”

The trip will conclude in Rome with tours of the Vatican, the Sistine Chapel, the Spanish Steps, the Coliseum and other places of historical interest.

“We only have room to take 13 people on this trip,” Scarselletta said. “We want to make sure that everyone has a chance to talk to our guides, ask any questions they may have, and truly benefit from this once in a lifetime experience.”

The full itinerary of the trip is available at the Language Learning Institute site: http://www.languagelearninginstitute.com/2012-italy-travel-itinerary/

Contact:
Nancy Scarselletta
518) 346-7096

ALBANY, NY – The Language Learning Institute has opened a new educational center in Saratoga to help adults and children learn French, Spanish, Italian and Portuguese.

“We want to bring the love of language to as many people as possible,” said Nancy Scarselletta, the school’s founder. “While we have always been proud of our Albany base, we realize it is not convenient for everyone. With our arrival in Saratoga we will be able to help many more people learn new languages and cultures. ”

The Language Learning Institute has been helping children and adults interested in learning French since it was founded in 2006. A few months after its establishment in 2006, Italian language classes became available as well at its Albany location. Since then the Institute has helped children learn French and Italian as second languages, while also helping adults who need language skills for pleasure or business purposes.

“As part of our ongoing expansion, we will also be offering classes in English As A Second Language in the very near future, “ Scarselletta said. “It’s part of our mission to help upstate New York residents communicate with their neighbors and generate an overall sense of community.”

In order to give people a sense of what the educational experience will be like, the Language Learning Institute is offering free half-hour sample classes. These sample classes will be held in the Susman Room of the Saratoga Library, on the ground floor.

Sample classes for children will be from 4:30 to 5 p.m. on the following dates: May 31 (Spanish), June 1 and June 22 (French), and June 7 (Italian).

Sample classes for adults will be at the following dates and times: May 26, 6:30 p.m. (French); June 18, 10:30 a.m. (Spanish); and June 18, 10:45 a.m. (Italian).

“We picked a variety of times and dates for the sample classes in order to give people as much flexibility as possible,” Scarselletta said. “We want to show them that you are never too young or too old to learn a new language.”

Scarselletta feels it’s important for people to learn the cultures associated with the languages as well.

“The more you learn about other cultures and languages, the more you will understand yourself, your own culture and your community,” she said.

Additional information is available at the Language Learning Institute website: http://www.languagelearninginstitute.com

“We want to encourage people to celebrate the freedom of language,” said Nancy Scarselletta, the school’s founder. Last week we celebrated America’s freedom on July 4. This weekend we want to celebrate the birth of democracy in France.”

Scarselletta noted that the French Revolution, which was inspired by our own independence, helped the French people seek their rights under the rule of law. Bastille Day is one of the most important national holidayholidays in France and commemorates the July 14, 1789 storming of the Bastille prison in Paris.

The Fourth Annual Language Learning Institute Bastille Day Celebration will run from 1 to 9 p.m. During the day there will be carnival games and Bastille Day craft activities that will benefit the Language Learning Institute Scholarship fund. Scarselletta says the institute hopes to raise $10,000 in scholarship monies this year.

“When you help people children learn a language, you allow them to open up their minds,” Scarselletta said. “They get to understand new ways to relate to the world. You give them the ability to communicate and take part in the Global Village. We also offer scholarships for people who need to learn English as a second language in order to integrate into our community and live the American Dream.”

There will also be a Bastille Day parade at 5pm starting at Jay and State Street led by Grammy nominated Captain Squeeze and the Zydeco Moshers, who will perform from 6 to 8 p.m. The event will also include a wine tasting, snow cones, Pizzazz tThe Clown, flag and fire twirling, and a magician, and an historian who will inform us of the French influence in our region.

“We invite everyone to come down and say, ‘Liberté, Egalité, Fraternité!’” said Scarselletta. “Bastille Day is a wonderful example of how America has helped inspire freedom and equality across the globe!”

Since 2005, the Language Learning Institute has been helping children and adults interested in learning French. By 2006, Italian language classes became available as well. Since then the Institute has helped children learn French and Italian as second languages while also helping adults who need language skills for personal enjoyment, travel or business purposes. The Institute also offers a program for heritage speakers of French.

Scarselletta holds an MA from Middlebury College, has been teaching for more than 20 years and continues to strive to offer the best French and Italian curriculum possible.

“One of the main goals of the Language Learning Institute is to help people connect with and understand French and Italian culture,” said Nancy Scarselletta, the school’s founder. “In our classes we do so through language, but with this event we hope to expose people to the culinary habits that are an important element of the French and Italian experience.”

The event will feature eight types of cheese from Italy and France that have been matched with wines that would be served with them if you were in Europe. The goal is to move beyond a traditional wine tasting and create a complete cultural experience.

“Most wine tastings just give you a few sips of wine and some crackers,” Scarselletta said. “But that misses an essential part of the experience. In France and Italy the types of cheeses that are eaten with a particular wine are very important. We’re going to show you how perfectly these tastes can blend together as part of their native culture.”

In addition to the wine tasting, the event will include a silent auction to help raise money for the Language Learning Institute’s scholarship fund. The fund is used to help children who want to take part in the Institute’s programs but cannot afford the normal tuition charges.

“When you help a child learn a new language, you expose him or her to a new world,” Scarselletta said. “You show them a new way to think and allow them to expand their horizons. As the world becomes more and more globally connected, I feel it is imperative that as many children be exposed to different languages as possible.”

Tickets for the event, which will be held at 5:30 p.m. on May 8 at the Fennimore Gallery at Proctors Theater, are $45 in advance and $50 on the day of the event. They can be ordered through the Language Learning Institute’s website, http://www.languagelearninginstitute.com or by calling 518-346-7096.

Since 2005, the Language Learning Institute has been helping children and adults interested in learning French. By 2006, Italian language classes became available as well. Since then the Institute has helped children learn French and Italian as second languages while also helping adults who need language skills for personal enjoyment, travel or business purposes. The Institute also offers a program for heritage speakers of French.

Scarselletta holds an MA from Middlebury College, has been teaching for more than 20 years and continues to strive to offer the best French and Italian curriculum possible.

NISKAYUNA — The Language Learning Institute recently launched its Italian program in March with a beginner class.

Institute Director Nancy Scarselletta said once the program develops, multiple levels will be offered. Advanced classes in Italian are expected to be added later this year. Eleonora Morrell, Italian class instructor, has a bachelor of arts degree from SUNY-Binghamton in Italian literature and language.

“Teaching at the Language Learning Institute has given me the opportunity to share the Italian language and culture with others who are as passionate about it as I am,” Morrell said.

Scarselletta said institute classes emphasize speaking, accuracy of pronunciation and comprehension of the spoken word.

“We promote the standard language while recognizing the familiar, slang and dialects and, most importantly, language is not merely words strung together. My programs are not grade-oriented, but rather learning- and study-oriented,” she said.

The institute also offers the Learn French and Travel program.

This program is designed for people who may want to travel and are interested in the culture and history of the French-speaking world, not necessarily just learning the language. This concept will eventually be expanded in 2008 with the launch of the Learn Italian and Travel program.

The Institute has after-school enrichment programs and summer camps for children. The institute also offers tutorial and advanced studies for middle school and high school students. There are also full-language programs for adults who just want to dabble or for those who want to become fluent.

Scarselletta holds a master’s degree in French from Middlebury College and a bachelor’s in French and secondary education from Siena College. She taught for more than 20 years in many different settings. She opened The Language Learning Institute in an effort to expand the learning experience beyond the classroom setting.

Those interested in learning more about current and future class offerings for either French or Italian or the Learn [a Language] and Travel program can contact the institute at 346-7096 or by e-mail at info@languagelearninginstitute.com.

Additionally, the week of September 29th, our Mommy and Me program for children ages 2 months to 4/5 years of age will also be launched in Delmar. This program will be offered on Monday and Wednesday mornings from 10:30 to 11:10am.

Those interested in learning more about the class offerings and for those who would like to register can contact Nancy Scarselletta at the institute at (845) 346-7096 or by e-mail at info@languagelearninginstitute.com. The institute can also be visited on the web at www.languagelearninginstitute.com

The Language Learning Institute will hold its 2nd Annual St. Nicholas Day Celebration on Sunday, December 7, 2008 from 1 p.m. to 4 p.m. at the Fennimore Gallery at Proctors Theater. The event is a fundraiser for the local area Make A Wish Foundation. Advanced tickets are $12 for adults, $8 for children ages 5 and up, $1 for children 4 and under. Special VIP tickets are available for $20. Tickets at the door will be $14 for adults, $10 for children ages 5 and up, $1 for children 4 and under. Sponsorship opportunities are still available and donations are welcome. Call 518-346-7096 for further information. Visit the Web site at www.languagelearninginstitute.com.

Events include meeting St. Nicholas at the City Hall end of pedestrian Jay Street then marching in a parade to Proctors Theater. Children are encouraged to bring homemade instruments and play them in the parade. In the Fennimore Gallery, attendees will enjoy visiting with St Nicholas, refreshments, mini language lessons, music, hands-on craft demonstrations, activities and more. VIP ticket holders will enjoy a pre-event party, which includes a crêpe making demonstration and tasting. They will also receive VIP placement in the parade.

The St. Nicholas Day Celebration honors the person upon whom Santa Claus is based. St. Nicholas is known as the protector of children and a generous giver of gifts and random acts of kindness. For many countries, such as France, Italy, Germany and Belgium, St. Nicholas Day is celebrated on December 6th with the giving of gifts.

The Language Learning Institute, LLC, is a foreign language school located in the Albany, NY area, specializing in the learning and studying of French, Spanish and Italian. For further information and tickets, visit the Web site at www.languagelearninginstitute.com.