Textbooks for teaching Italian: a comparison

It is not always easy to choose a good textbook to start an Italian course. In this article I compare three textbooks for beginners (level A1) that I like to use with my students.

Textbooks for teaching Italian: a comparison

Dieci A1 by Alma Edizioni / Hueber

The book has a very nice, young and attractive layout. However, sometimes too much information is presented on one page, which can be a bit chaotic or confusing. The video course consists of interlinked episodes, so it is not possible to show them individually or in a different order. The audio files are appropriate for the level.

The cultural part is very short, but varied and interesting, in any case it can be the occasion for in-depth discussions. Innovative is the illustrated vocabulary per lesson and the intercultural partwith the cartoon episodes “Vivere e pensare all’italiana”. Very useful are the activities “l’italiano in pratica”, with which the theme of the lesson can be practiced. However, there are few texts to read.

The book Dieci is available in both a monolingual Italian edition (published by Alma Edizioni) and an edition for German-speaking learners (published by Hueber). The book with interactive e-book offers audio, video course, videogrammar and interactive exercises with correction.

Dieci A1 (book + e-book) for German-speaking learners (Hueber)

Dieci (Book + E-Book) monolingual edition (Alma Edizioni)

Al dente 1 by Casa delle lingue

Al Dente is a very modern textbook, both in terms of the topics covered and the layout. The grammatical progression is very fast and it is a book recommended for ambitious teachers and learners. It is dedicated to vocabulary with many activities and exercises. The videos are very original and entertaining. The audio files are varied and interesting. In addition to the “Salotto culturale” section, at the end of the book we find the cultural appendices (geography, art, history, people…). There are also many additional reading texts in the exercise section. The book is also recommended for preparation for the Cils, Celi and Plida exams.

Al dente 1 – Edition for German speaking learners

Nuovo Espresso 1 by Alma Edizioni / Hueber

The layout and themes are a bit outdated. This is a very classic textbook, both in terms of the topics covered and the teaching method. Of the three books, it is definitely the easiest to use, both as a teacher and a learner, but also perhaps the least stimulating and innovative. The videos are nice and useful for teaching, especially in combination with the Videogrammatica. The theme of interculturality is proposed in the section “Caffè culturale“. The final review games in the style of the “goose game” are also very popular.

The book Nuovo Espresso 1 is available in both a monolingual Italian edition (published by Alma Edizioni) and an edition for German-speaking learners (published by Hueber). The book with interactive e-book is available only as monolingual version and offers audio, video course, videogrammar and interactive exercises with correction. The book for German-speaking learners has the DVDs with the video corso and the audio CDs, but no interactive version (this can be purchased separately here).

In addition, hueber.de offers a lot of free extra material for teachers and learners such as worksheets, placement tests, online exercises and audio files for downloading

Nuovo Espresso (book with DVDs and audio CD) for German-speaking learners (Hueber)

Nuovo Espresso (Book + E-Book) – monolingual edition (Alma Edizioni)

My recommendation

Personally, I would recommend Nuovo Espresso for the slightly slower VHS audience that loves the classic method of language learning. Dieci requires more work from the teacher and more flexibility from the learners. But it’s definitely more fun and varied. I would recommend Al Dente to a young, open-minded and flexible audiencewho are used to learning foreign languages. It is definitely the textbook that requires more preparation on the part of the teacher and more work on the part of the student, but it is the most stimulating and best suited for letting the imagination run free in the classroom.

Claudia e Renata

Claudia and Renata are Italian teachers and good friends. Their paths crossed late in life, but they immediately understood each other and their initial professional collaboration grew into a wonderful friendship.

Renata, who is passionate about languages, travel and Japan, graduated in Venice with a degree in Asian Linguistics (four-year degree in Japanese Studies) and completed her professional training with a second Master’s degree in Advanced Planning of the Teaching of Italian Language and Culture to Foreigners. Claudia, who is interested in foreign countries and public relations, studied International Science in Padua and specialized in intercultural communication in Munich.

They met at the Technical University of Munich, where both are lecturers responsible for teaching Italian to foreigners. They decided to face the challenge of the pandemic together and have become inseparable ever since. Renata is the more technically skilled and experimental of the two. She is always looking for new software, tools and teaching methods to surprise and motivate her students. Claudia is a volcano of ideas, always taking on new challenges and drawing Renata into new adventures. They share a love of their work and books that threaten to bury them alive sooner or later! A new textbook or grammar rarely escapes their attention (and purchase).

Therefore, they have decided to share their decades of experience with you, in the hope that their opinions and advice on the subject will be useful both to their colleagues and to anyone who wants to learn our wonderful language.