Cosa dovrebbe insegnare davvero la scuola?

Cosa dovrebbe insegnare davvero la scuola?

By Giulia Corlazzoli on September 9, 2026

La scuola dovrebbe insegnare economia, tasse e partita IVA? O il suo compito è un altro? Una riflessione sul vero ruolo della scuola tra mercato del lavoro, cultura e cittadinanza.
The job interview that made me go freelance

The job interview that made me go freelance

By Giulia Corlazzoli on September 1, 2026

One job interview exposed everything I didn’t want in my career: misleading sales practices, rigid teaching methods, unqualified expectations, and delayed payment. Discover how I realized I’d rather build my own standards than work within a system that compromised them.
Interpreters and polyglots: quality vs. quantity in foreign language acquisition

Interpreters and polyglots: quality vs. quantity in foreign language acquisition

By Giulia Corlazzoli on August 23, 2026

Surprisingly, most language professionals (like interpreters and translators) don't speak many languages at all. They master a few to perfection, which sparks the question: "Is it possible to learn many languages very well?"
How long does it take to learn a language?

How long does it take to learn a language?

By Giulia Corlazzoli on August 19, 2026

How long does it take to learn [insert language]? It is one of the first questions many language learners ask - and understandably so. The problem is that there is no simple answer.
On kindness and false encouragement. What to do when you know your student won't make it

On kindness and false encouragement. What to do when you know your student won't make it

By Giulia Corlazzoli on August 18, 2026

What should a teacher do when they realize a student is unlikely to achieve their goal - not because they lack potential, but because they are not addressing the real problems holding them back?
Questions I ask my students during (almost) every trial lesson

Questions I ask my students during (almost) every trial lesson

By Giulia Corlazzoli on July 31, 2026

Two days ago, I talked about how important it is for students to feel heard during their trial (and all throughout their learning journey). Here are a few questions I keep up my sleeve for first-time students, divided by category. Feel free to take inspiration. First things first: understanding and managing expectations.
How to consistently rank #1 on Preply: what counts and what doesn't

How to consistently rank #1 on Preply: what counts and what doesn't

By Giulia Corlazzoli on July 29, 2026

Just like you rarely go to page two when searching on Google, potential students tend to choose their tutor from among the first ten profiles they see. Here are a few insights to help you please the God of the Algorithm from someone who has consistently held the #1 position in their category for the last ten months.
How to keep students happy long term

How to keep students happy long term

By Giulia Corlazzoli on July 20, 2026

Throughout my teaching career, I've never had a student stop taking lessons from me solely because they were dissatisfied with my teaching. Preply gets monthly student satisfaction metrics from anonymous post-lesson surveys. You can see for yourself how mine look. So, how do I keep students happy long term?
How do I keep a 100% retention rate after my trial lessons on Preply? Spoiler: it's not by underselling

How do I keep a 100% retention rate after my trial lessons on Preply? Spoiler: it's not by underselling

By Giulia Corlazzoli on July 16, 2026

I've been teaching privately on Preply for about 11 months now. I have raised my rate four times, from $29 to $60. Throughout this time, my average post-trial retention rate has stayed above 80%. Last month, that figure reached 100%, meaning every trial student became a paying client. Here's how I did it.
How to learn vocabulary FAST

How to learn vocabulary FAST

By Giulia Corlazzoli on July 15, 2026

Have you ever wondered how some people memorize a full deck of cards in under five minutes, while you forget a word five minutes after hearing it? Any memory champion will tell you this has nothing to do with innate ability or some “superior brain capacity” bullcrap.
Why children learn any language faster than you

Why children learn any language faster than you

By Giulia Corlazzoli on May 26, 2026

In my private practice as an ESL + FLE teacher, I am routinely confronted with stereotypes and myths about foreign language acquisition. One of the most widespread and persistent goes something like this: (A) Children learn languages fast and well
Handling low-commitment students

Handling low-commitment students

By Giulia Corlazzoli on May 25, 2026

When I first started working as a private tutor, I vibed really well with high-commitment students. We set realistic goals; I gave feedback, they took it; I gave homework, they did it. We worked as a team, crafting our own way forward.
Five myths that still need debunking

Five myths that still need debunking

By Giulia Corlazzoli on May 22, 2026

Dear Santa, My name is Giulia. I am 24 years old. I think I haven’t been too naughty this year. For Christmas, I would like all people - not just linguists! - to stop believing the following five myths about language learning.
On translation and foreign language acquisition

On translation and foreign language acquisition

By Giulia Corlazzoli on May 9, 2026

I think we can all agree that mastering a foreign language as an adult is a long and challenging process. For many of us, at least part of this journey takes place in a controlled environment.