Yvonne Thalmann-Anderl
BA (hons) Dip.Ed. B.Litt. MA. (Applied Linguistics)
Teacher/Director
Yvonne, a graduate of the University of Melbourne, has been teaching Italian for over 25 years in secondary high schools and in private language institutes in Australia and overseas. She has lived and studied in Milano and Siena. Her special areas of interest in applied linguistics, are language curriculum development, assessment and evaluation, and adult language learning strategies. She is an International Baccalaureate examiner/moderator for the higher and standard Italian oral exam and collaborates with a number of schools in preparing VCE students for the oral exams. In 2013 she presented an analysis and critique of a CLIL language programme and led a discussion on evaluation criteria for oral exams at the University for Foreigners in Siena. Recently, Yvonne has been interested in implementing Montessori strategies to language learning with adults. This is a special interest she has developed in collaboration with the language school, Lingua Più, Centro Montessori per le Lingue, in Umbria.
Yvonne is immensely passionate about Italian literature, cinema and opera which she enjoys sharing with her students. She enjoys exploring regional Italian culinary traditions but prefers to leave the cooking to her husband.
Massimo Carta
Teacher
Massimo is an Italian teacher and a graduate from the University of Modena and Reggio Emilia, Italy. He holds a master’s degree in Languages for International Communication and a BA in Languages and Cultural Linguistic Mediation from the University of Cagliari. He also has a certificate in English Language Teaching to Adults (CELTA) from Cambridge University.
In Melbourne Massimo has worked as an Italian Teacher and language assistant in secondary schools and is currently employed by the Italian Consulate and the Italian Institute of Culture as well as with us at ILC. His teaching approach is dynamic and communicative, aiming to make language learning engaging, authentic and accessible to students at all levels. Massimo strongly believes that language is a powerful tool for buildings bridges between people and fostering intercultural dialogue.
Beyond the classroom, Massimo has a deep passion for music and theatre. He plays in a Melbourne-based band that promotes traditional Italian tarantellas from various regions of Italy, keeping this lively and expressive musical heritage alive.
Claudia Scotellaro (associate member)
Claudia is involved in organizing various cultural activities which bring together Italians and Australians through shared experiences. She also writes for Segmento, an Italo-Australian cultural magazine which aims to bring Italy’s rich heritage to a wider reading audience. As part of the Vivilocal team, Claudia organizes Italian cultural and study tours to Italy which focus on engaging with Italian locals and their culture.
Eva Perricone (associate member)
Eva is part of the Vivilocal team and the owner of an agriturismo “Marianeddi” which embodies the spirit of sustainability as well as the philosophy of farm to table dining. Nestled in the beauty of the Sicilian countryside and not far from the enchanting baroque town of Noto, Marianeddi, offers a taste of the Sicilian way of Life.