DID YOU KNOW?
Few students in America - about 20% - study a foreign language at the K-12 level, due to the fact that there are no National requirements for the study of foreign languages. This is usually a state or local decison.
The number of college students in American studying a foreign language has fallen to only 7.5%. Many colleges have dropped a foreign language requirement or students may not see the career benefits of studying a foreign language.
Foreign language teachers agree, and independent research bears out, that motivation is essential to learning another language. Understanding where that motivation comes from and how to build on it are essential to teaching and learning is no exception.
Why Study Italian?
Italy is one of the G8, and many employers are seeking people who speak both Italian and English. An estimated 7,500 American companies do business with Italy and more than 1,000 U.S. firms have offices in Italy including IBM, Citibank, Motorola, General Electric, Exxon, Fiat and Chrysler, PricewaterhouseCoopers, etc. Many Italian firms have offices in the U.S.
Knowing Italian is greatly beneficial in several career fields. If you are interested in a career in the culinary arts, music, opera, interior design, fashion, graphic design, furniture design, robotics and small manufacturing, shipbuilding, and many other fields, Italian is the language for you.
Italian is spoken by nearly 1,000,000 people and is the fifth most studied language in the U.S. It is also spoken in Switzerland, parts of Africa, Malta, and throughout all of Europe, Canada, Australia, Argentina and Brazil.
Italy has one of the richest cultural heritages of Western civilization and has been a world leader in literature, architecture, painting, sculpture and music. The first University in Europe was founded in Bologna in 1088 and its school of law was the first in history. Knowledge of the Italian language opens up a new understanding of an astoundingly rich cultural tradition.
Italy is justifiably a top travel destination. Knowledge of the Italian language can turn a week long visit or a semester abroad into a rewarding and unforgettable experience.
Many agree that Italian is the most pleasurable and satisfying foreign language to learn. Its sound-spelling correspondence is easy to master, its structures tend to be logical and fairly regular, and its pronunciation is great fun.
Italian American Population
4th largest ancestry - German, Irish, English
Highschool % Italian NYC 3.1 Million
Support Us
The Cultural Italian American Organization (CIAO) is dedicated to restoring and expanding Italian language education in high schools and colleges through a comprehensive four-year program. Our mission is rooted in preserving heritage, strengthening cultural identity, and opening academic and career pathways for future generations.
Today, many schools no longer offer Italian programs due to funding limitations—not lack of interest. With your support, we can change that.
Italian is more than a language—it is a gateway to history, art, music, science, and global opportunity.