SPEAKING IN PUBLIC PRACTICUM
Tour guide for a Florentine museum
Course Structure
1 – Practicum/Field Experience: 4 hours/week; 40 hours of practical experience in addition to the seminar.
2 – Weekly Seminar: 1 and a half hours/week; 18 hours total taught by an ISI faculty. These sessions will focus on student reports, assigned readings, and discussions.
Credits: 3
Course Title: COMM/CEP 300 – Tour Guiding & Multicultural Competence
This is a hands-on, pre-professional experience, meaning students will actively participate rather than just observe.
Most people report that speaking in public is their greatest fear. And yet the ability to give a speech is one of the most cherished skills today. With this practicum, you will learn how to lead a variegated international audience of tourists and introduce them to the art of the main Florentine churches (Santa Maria Novella, Santa Trinita, etc.) or museums (Galileo Galilei, etc.)
Students receive an information packet on the church or museum they choose. They are scheduled to follow a tour, led by an experienced guide, and once they feel comfortable with the material studied, they start giving their own tours. Candidates should be passionate about art history and have a group-leader attitude.
ASSISTING PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES PRACTICUM
Social organizations supporting people with intellectual and developmental disabilities
Course Structure
1 – Practicum/Field Experience: 4 hours/week; 40 hours of practical experience in addition to the seminar.
2 – Weekly Seminar: 1 and a half hours/week; 18 hours total taught by an ISI faculty. These sessions will focus on student reports, assigned readings, and discussions.
Credits: 3
Course Title: DIS/CEP 300 – Disabilities Studies: Discovering Abilities, Narratives, and Identities
This is a hands-on, pre-professional experience, meaning students will actively participate rather than just observe.
Students will engage with local social enterprises, such as restaurants, shops, and art labs, that employ and educate young adults with intellectual disabilities. Students will actively interact with and support these individuals, offering assistance in daily tasks and fostering meaningful interactions. Rather than just observing, students will gain hands-on experience, applying their knowledge, skills, and interests in a practical, real-world environment.
TEACHING ASSISTANT PRACTICUM
Local elementary, middle, and high schools
Course Structure
1 – Practicum/Field Experience: 4 hours/week; 40 hours of practical experience in addition to the seminar.
2 – Weekly Seminar: 1 and a half hours/week; 18 hours total taught by an ISI faculty. These sessions will focus on student reports, assigned readings, and discussions.
Credits: 3
Course Title: EDUC/CEP 300 – Childhood Education: Teaching & Multicultural Competence
This is a hands-on, pre-professional experience, meaning students will actively participate rather than just observe.
ISI Florence students are placed in local elementary, middle, or high schools to assist English-language teachers, enhancing a creative learning environment. The teaching assistants are often asked to create lesson plans, propose activities, and lead class discussions.
Students will also teach English to an Italian elementary or middle school student in a virtual setting, tailoring lessons to the child’s needs and learning goals.
This dual experience provides both structured classroom collaboration—where students contribute to an existing curriculum as teaching assistants—and independent tutoring, allowing them to develop their teaching strategies and adapt lessons based on individual student progress. This opportunity is designed for students who are interested in interacting with children and teenagers while simultaneously improving their teaching skills and Italian comprehension.
JOURNALISM & PUBLIC RELATIONS
Writing For The Media and Social Media
Course Structure
Practicum: 4 hours/week teaching; 40 hours total
Seminar: 1:20 lecture
Credits: 3
Course Title: JOUR/CEP 300 – Writing For The Media and Social Media: Journalism and Public Relations
In this practicum students can choose between different areas of specialization in journalism including news writing and editing, journalism on social media, photo and/or video journalism, graphic design, and layout. Depending on the area chosen, students will learn the basic theory of news writing and editing, social media reporting, photo-and-video journalism production, and will have the opportunity to convert theory into practice by working with professionals.