WHAT IS THE PURPOSE OF THE SUMMER INTENSIVE COURSE FOR ARMENIAN LANGUAGE & CULTURE?
Learning Armenian at the Padus-Araxes Summer Course in Venice is more than just a language course: it is an opportunity for you to discover a country and a city where Armenian presence and culture have deep roots from over eight centuries. Our Association teams are here to provide you with service and support whenever questions arise. We want your language-learning stay in Venice to be as successful and pleasant as possible. That’s why our course includes individual level placement and ongoing consultation on your learning approach, support with examination preparation, the change to take an exam and to acquire our certificate, exciting cultural and leisure programme.
By attending our Course the participants have the opportunity to be brought into close contact with the Armenian language and Armenian culture, with particular attention to its Western variant. You’ll be learning in international groups, speaking Armenian right from the first lesson. Further, in our everyday activities and leisure hours, you’ll have the opportunity to to put what you have learned into practice.
Since 2010 there has also been added the possibility of attending lessons in Eastern Armenian, basically in phonology, orthography, and grammar.
How is the course structured?
The FIRST LEVEL aims to teach the alphabet and a basic vocabulary (around three hundred words) and to provide you to sustain an elementary conversation on everyday issues (corresponding to A2, according to the CEFR).
The five-hour daily program is based on lessons in Armenian alphabet and grammar, along with an intensive practice in listening, speaking, and reading.
The main teachers are Rosine Tachdjian (France), Tork Dalalyan (France) and Sossi Sousanian (Hungary).
The SECOND LEVEL intends to provide the elementary grammatical structures of Western Armenian, with a particular focus on the ability of understanding frequently used sentences and expressions on everyday and familiar issues.
Lessons focus also on improving reading and writing skills (corresponding to A2). The main teachers are Tork Dalalyan (France) and Raffi Setian (U.S.A.).
The THIRD LEVEL aims to provide more complex grammatical structures of Western Armenian in order to understand and produce dialogues and texts on abstract topics (technical issues included) and interact with native speakers without strain for either party (corresponding to B1-B2). The main teachers are Raffi Setian and Sossi Sousanian.
Students interested in learning Classical Armenian can attend the lessons of Classical Armenian taught at the fourth level.
The FOURTH LEVEL (corresponding to C1-C2) intends to provide a good knowledge of Western Armenian Literature and Language, as well as of Classical Armenian. The daily programme includes lessons in Western Armenian Literature, Armenian Traditional Music, Classical Armenian, Linguistics and History of the Armenian Language, Armenian Theatre and Cinema. Lessons are conducted by Artsvi Bakhchinyan, Benedetta Contin, Tork Dalalyan, Aram Ipekdjian, Raffi Setian, Boghos L. Zekiyan.
A course in Armenian history is taught at the first three levels. Apart from the course of Armenian History, taught in English by Raffi Setian, ALL OTHER LESSONS ARE CONDUCTED IN ARMENIAN. The lessons in East Armenian are conducted by Prof. Artsvi Bakhchinyan.
The daily lessons start at 08:45 a.m. and end at 1:15 p.m. from Monday through Saturday. In the afternoon and on weekends you’ll be free free to organize your own time as you wish or to take part in the cultural activities organized by our team.
Extracurricular Activities
Along with the scheduled program of regular lessons, where attendance is compulsory, there is the possibility of participating in some free optional courses in the afternoon: a course in traditional Armenian dance and a course in duduk (for the latter, you are recommended to have your own musical instrument). The Padus-Araxes team organizes lectures on different topics concerning Armenian culture, literature, and politics, with the participation of experienced lecturers. It also organizes cultural tours for discovering the Armenian heritage in Venice, whose presence is witnessed both in the historic centre of the city (the Armenian church of Santa Croce) and in the Lagoon (the Island of Saint Lazarus).
On Sundays, there is the possibility of participating in the celebration of the Armenian Mass in the Church of the Holy Cross, one of the most ancient Armenian churches in the Diaspora and the oldest in Venice, and on the Feast of the Assumption of our Lady, on the Island of Saint Lazarus.
As extracurricular leisure activity our team organizes evening parties with the purpose of creating a friendly environment and encouraging mutual knowledge and ties between participants.
Lodging
The Padus-Araxes Programme includes single-room or double-room accomodation in comfortable guest houses placed in the historic centre of Venice.
Meals, which can be taken at affordable canteens or restaurants, normally costs 16-20 Euros (to be paid in cash at the restaurant).
For any INFORMATION, e-mail to: info@padus-araxes.com, in cc: benedettacon@gmail.com.
For emergencies please call on Tuesday and Thursday morning from 10.30am to 1.00pm the number +39.3791330687 (Daria). In case of absence, please send a text or WhatsApp message with your name and telephone number reachable by WhatsApp.