Hello, my name is Irene Staffieri and I'm an experienced Spanish tutor currently living in Mexico. I have been giving Spanish lessons online with Verbalplanet since 2018. I am currently offering a discounted initial trial lesson at 50% off my normal lesson price for new students.
5 Reasons to get started...
Check out the top 5 reasons people learn online with us...
Free trial lessons
Builds confidence
Personal to you
Flexible lesson times
Experienced teachers
Meet me on
Latest Reviews
dan a United States
Irene es una profesora muy paciente y complaciente!
ronebone United States
Irene communicated very clearly and did not overwhelm me with language that is too advanced for my beginner level. I felt very comfortable and not over challenged.
EvelynTherese United States
Irene is fantastic and has a thorough understanding of how language acquisition works. She has clear lesson plans while also accommodating my particular learning curve and interests. It is a pleasure to have her as my spanish teacher!
Stefanomessana United States
Irene is a great teacher and a pleasure to work with.
Giulia G Italy
Irene is a very helpful person and good at teaching! I had a very good time taking classes with her :)
My name is Irene Staffieri and I work as an Italian language teacher. I was born in Sardegna, a wonderful Italian island which I see as the heart of the Mediterranean Sea. From a young age, I was very curious about other languages. I studied English at school and I also had the opportunity to learn Spanish while living in Barcelona. Currently I'm living in Mexico and I have the chance to speak Spanish daily. Recently, I started studying French taking one-on-one classes.
Learning new languages has opened many doors to me both personally and professionally. I have had the chance to meet wonderful people and share my culture. It has also allowed me to develop my creativity and ability to adapt to new situations.
Qualifications & Experience
I have two degrees. First, I studied Literature and Philosophy, with a specialization in Performing Arts and Musicology at Università di Bologna. Then, I found a passion for Italian Sign Language and I studied to become a professional interpreter. Upon graduation, I began working as an interpreter as well as an Italian teacher to foreigners living in Italy. I am a member of Aprimondo, a professional organization dedicated to teaching Italian to immigrants.
Currently, I'm teaching Italian in Playa del Carmen and Cozumel, Mexico. I give one-on-one classes and group classes in a local language school and at University of Cozumel.
Teaching Approach
I plan my lessons based on personal goals, learning styles and areas of need. Normally my teaching is centered on oral communication (speaking and listening). I include reading and writing in order to support the learning.
Based on the student's level, I invite students to express themselves on different topics of personal interests, in order to acquire a vocabulary that will be useful for them. I also reserve some time to work on pronunciation: based on my experience, it really helps students to gain confidence when speaking spontaneously. Each class, I spend a bit of time revisiting previous topics to ensure that the student feels comfortable with the language structures.
I use Italian as much as possible and I offer explanations in English or Spanish when it is necessary.
dan a