Entrepreneurs and language learners have a lot in common. They are aware of the need to work consistently to get results, and they know that they have chosen a path where those results may not come immediately. And yet what about someone who fits into both camps? Meet linguist and entrepreneur, Sharon Ramzi, founder of Ciao a Tutti, an Italian language school based in Bedlington, Northumberland.
Set up in September 2019, Ciao a Tutti provides language tuition to adults with a maximum of eight students in a class. While some learners are seeking to learn Italian for the first time, others have experience of having lived in Italy and are aiming to pick the language up again. To meet these various students’ needs, Sharon provides a range of classes from absolute beginners to advanced reading and conversation classes, as well as GCSE for those who would like a qualification. From the posters of Italian popular culture that adorn the walls, to the Italian learning resources and Italian biscuits, Sharon has created a learning space that is both fun and professional.
A combination of circumstances and heeding her true calling was Sharon’s motivation for starting up her own Italian language school. Having taught French and English in mainstream schools for many years, she felt that a new challenge was on the horizon, and, having done her research, she realised that there was a gap in the market for Italian. Nobody was teaching it where she lived, and yet there was a sizeable demand. In fact, she has students travelling from all over Northumberland to attend her lessons, and her passion for all things Italian is clear.
Paving the way
So, where did this passion for Italian start? As part of her Modern Languages studies in Leeds, Sharon spent 22 weeks at the University of Sienna where she actively chose to spend the duration living with an Italian family so she could immerse herself fully in the language and culture. As English was so ubiquitous among the student population, it meant that she had to remove herself from that environment as much as possible to gain mastery of the language and have the cultural and linguistic experience she wanted. It was a decision that would one day pay off as it would eventually pave the way for her to open Ciao a Tutti and therefore become her own boss.
Of course, being a sole trader, especially of something you are passionate about, does not come without its challenges. Let us rewind to the start of the pandemic in 2020. At the time, Ciao a Tutti was in its infancy as a startup. While there was every possibility that the pandemic could have stopped Sharon’s new business in its tracks, when the going gets tough, the tough get going. She knew she had to act swiftly. This meant changing her teaching methodology by putting classes online. Although certain teaching techniques such as using flashcards and props work well in a physical setting, they do not tend to lend themselves to an online platform, so Sharon had to think on her feet and upskill by becoming more resourceful and creative. The fact that Ciao a Tutti is now thriving is testament to her resilience and drive to make it work, despite the previous circumstances.
As for current challenges, as a teacher, there will always be classes to prepare and work that needs to be done outside of the classroom. However, Sharon sees these as incentives to keep up with what is happening in Italy, and it is her way of maintaining her own motivation for a language and country that she loves. In that sense, she has been galvanised into action, simply by following her passion for what she is good at. There is a lesson for all of us there, or, as the Italians would say: Forza! Provaci! Go on! Give it a go!
