Essential Classroom Commands/Words for ESL Teachers in Italy

I must first explain that in the Italian language the words change when commands are directed to one person or to more than one.

1. Siediti (sing) Sedetevi (pl) - Sit down

2. Vieni qui (sing) venite qui (pl) - Come here

3. Piano - Slowly

4. Smettila ! (singular) Smettetela (plural) - Stop doing that ! It's quite harsh for children and usually they stop at once. A nicer way is to say: Non fare così (sing) - Non fate così (pl) but it is much less effective. When the class is just too noisy or out of hand a good strong word is Basta ! (Stop)

5. Veloce ! Muoversi ! Presto ! - Quickly! Move! Hurry!

6. Zitto (sing) Zitti ! (pl) - Quiet

7. Attenzione ! - Be careful. It can also be used to get children to pay attention.

8. Sporco (sing) Sporchi (pl) - Dirty

9. Pulito - Clean (noun)

10. Pulisci (sing) Pulite (pl) - Clean (command)

11. Disordinato (sing male) - Messy

12. Cancella - Erase. To get children to redo their work if it is untidy or not correct, the word is Rifai (sing) Rifate (pl)

13. Bene, bravo - Good or nice. Children love to hear Bravo ! A remark like Bravissimo ! written by the teacher on the child's exercise book is worth the maximum mark

14. Educato (sing male) Educati (pl) Educata (sing fem) Educate (pl fem) - Polite

15. No - No

16. Si - Yes

17. Grazie - Thank you

18. Buongiorno - Good morning. This is the first word in the classroom

19. Maestra (fem) Maestro (male) - Teacher. Children in Italy will always call the teacher by this name and not by the real name as Miss Jones, or Mr. Jones etc. I guess it is out of habit

20. Fate un cerchio - Form a circle

21. Mettetevi in riga - Form a line

Copyright 2004 Laura Trevisan