Translation of the original chinese text

Hello everyone,
I am Xu Runqiong, a student at the Accademia di Belle Arti di Bologna. While I was studying language in Florence, I happened to see Brandon’s advertisement on the street and decided to get in touch with him.

In his lessons, Brandon doesn’t stick to traditional teaching methods: he doesn’t just explain grammar or vocabulary in a conventional way; instead, he uses films, music, and fables to help me learn Italian. Most of the songs he chooses are closely tied to Italian culture and history. While teaching me how to sing them, he also tells me about their background and the story of the singer. In addition, he recommended many Italian films, which helps me learn the language more naturally. Brandon also pays a lot of attention to pronunciation: in his PDFs, he explains in a clear, simple way how to pronounce words correctly, and during conversation he constantly corrects my mistakes.

When I was studying at a language school, I didn’t have many Italian friends, so I rarely had the opportunity to speak Italian in daily life. But in my lessons with Brandon, we talk non-stop about all sorts of topics, like photography, astrology, Italian cuisine, different types of bread, Sicily, and much more. This has really broadened my understanding of Italy. Compared to what you find in textbooks, what Brandon teaches is much closer to real life, encourages speaking practice, and is more tailored to each individual student.

Furthermore, while I was preparing my portfolio for the admission exam, Brandon gave me tremendous help, making my drafts sound more natural and offering me plenty of different ideas and inspiration.

In everyday life, whenever I have questions about Italy or Italian, I often ask Brandon, and he always responds quickly and patiently. Once, for my portfolio, I was looking for an old TV set, and he called various flea markets to see if they had a working one for sale. He also helped me find a photography shop in Florence to develop film. Just last week, I sent him a recording of a professor at the Academy explaining the contents of an exam, and he swiftly converted it into text, allowing me to immediately understand what was required. Thanks to small gestures like these, Brandon has been an enormous help, saving me a lot of trouble.

Brandon also has more than 60 “treasure” PDFs covering pronunciation, grammar, common expressions, and much more. They are extremely detailed, and for each grammar point, he explains subtle differences, often drawing comparisons to reinforce memory. Every time I go through them, I find tons of useful information.

When I lived in Florence, Brandon and I went out together several times. Walking through the streets, he would show me how to say the objects and sights we encountered in Italian, teaching me common words and phrases I almost never knew. He always listened patiently to whatever I said and corrected my mistakes. After each meeting, I could see a huge improvement in my speaking. He also often brought some small gifts!

In short, if you’re interested in the Italian language or simply want to make friends with someone Italian, I highly recommend getting in touch with Brandon!

Xu Runqiong
January 28, 2025, Bologna

Translation of the original chinese text

I’ve studied with this Italian tutor for almost a year, and I really think he’s outstanding! He takes teaching very seriously, and no matter what questions I ask, he always answers patiently. He can also adjust the lesson content according to my progress, helping me improve steadily, bit by bit.

Even though I didn’t start from zero, speaking and listening have always been my weak points. Every lesson includes a conversation segment that is absolutely essential. Brandon is very outgoing and easy to talk to, making communication with him feel effortless. He shows a great deal of understanding for the challenges language learners face when trying to express themselves. All of this has helped me overcome my difficulties and gradually build confidence in talking with Italians.

Another thing worth mentioning is that his teaching materials are truly impressive! Everything is original, well-structured, and fun, more detailed than many common textbooks. For us Chinese students, it’s really easy to follow and not boring at all. His explanations are very clear—he can simplify even complex grammar or cultural topics, making them easy to understand. He can also help you simulate school interviews or exams, pointing out any issues or areas for improvement in a timely manner.

In short, his patience and professionalism have made me enjoy learning Italian more and more. If you’re a Chinese student looking to improve your Italian, I sincerely recommend him! With his help, you will definitely notice a huge improvement!

Gao Hanteng 

Bologna

January 27, 2025  

Translation of the original chinese text

Hello to everyone studying Italian! I'm very happy to share my study experience with Brandon.

I had been learning Italian for a year, but once I entered university, I realized I still understood very little of what the professors were saying in class, which made me feel insecure. By chance, I saw Brandon's ad in a WeChat group, and without high expectations, I decided to contact him. That evening, we spoke for a long time, and Brandon was incredibly patient: he explained the difficulties that many Chinese students face when learning the language and proposed a very interesting plan. So, I decided to start studying with him.

Unlike many other teachers who focus too much on grammar, Brandon initially put a lot of emphasis on my pronunciation. Even when I kept making mistakes, he would patiently correct me until I could say the words correctly.

He’s very attentive in his work: he has created many PDFs, and if there’s something I don’t understand during the lessons, he’s willing to modify them so everything is clear to me. The PDFs contain annotations in Chinese, and some even have a fully translated version. The pronunciation PDF includes illustrations that I found very helpful in better understanding the principles of Italian pronunciation.

His teaching style is very diverse: he uses funny stories in Italian for practice and Italian songs to help with pronunciation. We even closely observed the mouth movements of the singers together. When I couldn’t understand something during the lesson, Brandon used a translator to explain it to me in Chinese. After each lesson, he would give me practical and stimulating exercises to improve many aspects of the language and would advise me on how to do them to achieve the best results.

Even outside of lessons, Brandon always answers my questions. Every time I send him a message, he rewrites my sentences with the correct grammar and structure, which has helped me immensely in communicating better with my university professors.

4/11/2024

Florence

Zheng Ruixin

Translation of the original chinese text

Hello everyone! My name is Zhao Zixun, and I am a music student.

Today, I would like to take the opportunity to share my wonderful learning experience in Brandon's lessons. I got to know Brandon through a friend's introduction, and his unique teaching method immediately impressed me, making my study of Italian full of fun and a sense of accomplishment.

First of all, I would like to mention that Brandon's teaching takes place in the form of individual online lessons. This arrangement allows him to create tailor-made study plans based on my progress and needs. During this process, he is extremely flexible, innovative, and interactive. Not only does he use traditional grammatical explanations and exercises, but he also integrates many unexpected learning methods into his lessons. What impressed me the most is his way of teaching the language through music and conversations.

As a student, it's inevitable to feel bored or sometimes make slow progress in language study. However, Brandon selects suitable Italian songs and calmly guides me into the linguistic context, which not only stimulated my interest but also unconsciously helped me improve my listening and speaking skills. He often says, "Language has a sound; it's not just text in books." Through singing, we not only memorize words and phrases but also develop a sensitivity to Italian pronunciation and intonation. At the same time, thanks to individual interaction, we can freely discuss in class interesting topics like daily life and cultural customs, further deepening my understanding of the Italian language and culture.

In addition to these innovative teaching methods, Brandon also provides us with very rich learning resources, particularly the PDF files he personally wrote. These documents have a clear structure and detailed content that cover various aspects like grammar, vocabulary, daily conversations, and cultural context. Since I am colorblind, Brandon adapted the text colors in his PDF files considering my specific needs, experimenting with different combinations until he found the one that allowed me to distinguish the contents better, ensuring a clearer and more accessible reading. He sent me these resources after each lesson to help me consolidate what I had learned. This care and attention to detail made me feel particularly valued and supported during my learning. The content of the PDF files is always enriched and associated with the topics discussed during the lesson. In this way, when I review, I can organize my ideas more efficiently. I can say that these PDFs are valuable allies for my learning; they not only allow me to easily review the lesson content but also provide support for long-term learning.

In my opinion, Brandon is not only an excellent language teacher but also a mentor full of care and a sense of responsibility. He always adapts to my learning needs and progress, ensuring that each lesson is targeted. I have never perceived a mechanical teaching style; on the contrary, I feel that each lesson is an interaction full of fun and enrichment. His patience and enthusiasm have also intensified my interest in learning Italian.

Thanks to this unique and diversified teaching method, my Italian level has significantly improved in a short time. In particular, my listening and speaking skills have become more flexible through this individual online interaction and continuous practice. Under his guidance, I have started to use Italian more and more confidently in conversations and am able to fluently understand phrases in daily communications.

Therefore, I am very grateful to have met such an excellent language mentor like him. If you are looking for an Italian teacher who can make learning light and enjoyable while ensuring effective results, I recommend Brandon without hesitation. His professional, meticulous, and creative teaching method will make your learning journey rich and interesting, both in class and through his teaching materials.

October 8, 2024

Zhao Zixun

Translation of the original chinese text

I am a Chinese student studying scenography in Italy. During the process of learning the language, although my grammar grades were quite good, I wasn't very proficient in spoken expression and often found it difficult to communicate with Italians, even though they didn’t seem to mind my ability to converse. For this reason, I wanted to find an Italian friend who could help me improve my language skills. Fortunately, I met Brandon, and that's how my journey in learning to speak Italian began.

Brandon is a very responsible teacher who always manages to make me understand what he wants to convey in various ways. Thanks to him, I was able to start his lessons with ease. At first, I was worried that I wouldn't be able to speak or understand the course, but under his guidance, I gradually became able to converse with him in Italian without any concerns.

Brandon pays special attention to correct pronunciation. Through reading and listening to fairy tales, practicing songs, he trains my listening skills and helps me master Italian pronunciation and intonation. Additionally, he explains grammar and provides appropriate exercises to deepen my understanding. Sometimes, we discuss various topics, which further improves my speaking ability. Brandon always finds interesting and varied topics, and his lessons are truly enjoyable. When I need to prepare for an interview or an exam, he helps me correct my texts and provides effective suggestions. Even when I encounter problems with Italian in my daily life, he is always available to answer patiently, and I benefit greatly from this.

In everyday life, Brandon is not only a good teacher but also a good friend. When I face difficulties studying alone in Italy, I can always confide in him, and he always offers me all the help he can.

Brandon is truly an excellent and thoughtful teacher, and I am very grateful to him for all his help. If you are also studying Italian, especially if you need to improve your speaking skills, I highly recommend Brandon. Not only does he have a flexible teaching method and rich content, but he is also able to customize the course according to your real needs. Whether you are just starting to learn Italian or want to further improve your skills, Brandon will provide you with professional and patient guidance. He is a teacher who is truly dedicated to helping his students progress, and by studying Italian with him, you will certainly achieve excellent results.

Zhengzhou

August 30, 2024

Hu Pinyue

Translation of the original chinese text

My name is Li Shilin, and I am a student at the Academy of Fine Arts in Florence. I met Mr. Brandon through a friend, thanks to whom I found a very important person in my life.

During his lessons, I saw in him not just a teacher doing his job, but also a friend who constantly guides me in the right direction. In class, he doesn't just talk about boring grammar and vocabulary, but uses various enjoyable methods, such as films and music, to help me learn Italian better. He also shared with me a lot of information about Italian culture, allowing me to understand this country more deeply and develop a greater interest in learning the language.

After spending some time together, I realized that in his lessons, I wasn't just learning the Italian language, but also receiving constant encouragement. Before meeting him, I had never spoken up during lessons with other teachers, but with him, I began to open up, first talking about recent events, and then about our personal lives. We stay in touch even outside of lessons, asking each other about our days, and whenever I need help with Italian, Brandon responds promptly. Thanks to Brandon's guidance, I now feel confident using grammatical structures that I wasn't familiar with before, even during conversations with others.

For various reasons, I had to stop taking lessons with Brandon, but this doesn't mean we've lost contact, because more important than his role as a teacher, is his role as a friend. If you have the good fortune to meet this witty and fun teacher, you will understand what I mean.

I'm not very good at expressing myself with words, but in the end, I want to thank Brandon for offering me a truly extraordinary learning experience that has helped me immensely in my life in Italy. 

Li Shilin

ChanSha

08-18-2024

Translation of the original chinese text

Hello everyone,

I am a graduate student at the Academy of Fine Arts in Carrara. Since my major is stage design, strong language skills are particularly important as it involves a lot of technical terms and reading scripts for each design project. Although I attended a language school and graduated successfully when I first came to Italy, I realized that the real challenges began when I started studying at the Academy.

I am not a particularly smart person, or rather, my study methods are quite slow, so learning Italian has been very difficult for me. However, since I met Brandon online, my language skills have improved. In just over a month, I went from being afraid to communicate with my Italian classmates to actively finding topics to talk about with them.

Brandon always starts by correcting pronunciation, because only correct pronunciation allows others to understand the words you are saying. At first, my pronunciation was terrible, and I quickly realized that this not only affected communication with others but also increased the difficulty of learning the language itself. Every time I made a pronunciation mistake, Brandon patiently corrected me. Additionally, whenever I made grammatical errors during our conversations, he promptly corrected my mistakes and explained in detail why I made them and how to avoid them in the future.

He also uses very interesting and fun teaching methods to improve language fluency and vocabulary, such as singing, watching cartoons, and movie clips, and then role-playing the characters together. This gives students the opportunity to try using Italian in different contexts, which ultimately helps them develop that natural feel typical of native speakers. To be honest, I am not someone who likes to sing, but during my time with Brandon, I gradually became more positive and willing to express my inner thoughts, and I can even sing easily, despite being tone-deaf 😂. This method is really effective for quickly improving language fluency in Italian.

Finally, I want to tell everyone not to be rigid or nervous in his classes because he is really a great friend. You can talk to him about anything you want (even in Chinese).

I would like to conclude with a phrase that Brandon said to me during our first lesson, which I want to dedicate to all students about to start learning Italian: "Study with courage and serenity." Whatever we do, it's important to stay calm. If we tackle each task step by step, we will eventually become the excellent version of ourselves that we aspire to be.

July 4, 2024

Wang Chunfeng Matteo, Carrara, Italy

Translation of the original chinese text

I got to know Professor Brandon through my wife, and at that time, I was very eager to improve my speaking skills. Professor Brandon's lessons were perfect for me. The activities in the course, such as reading fairy tales, learning to sing in Italian, and more, effectively improved my ability to speak; and conversations with Professor Brandon further strengthened my oral expression skills. After a period of study, I am now able to engage in everyday conversations in Italian. I would also like to highlight the value of the Italian teaching materials that Professor Brandon has created and published, which are very detailed and helpful for non-native students learning Italian. Finally, I must clearly state that Professor Brandon is a passionate teacher who is very responsible and dedicated to his students. 

Lin Tong, 2/02/2024 - Shanghai

Translation of the original chinese text

Hello everyone! My name is Liu Angran, and I completed my undergraduate degree in Italy. To be honest, during my studies, my Italian wasn’t very good, but I managed to graduate because the courses weren’t too demanding. After working in China for three years, I decided to return to Italy to pursue a master’s degree.

After arriving in Italy, I happened to see an advertisement from Brandon. I really wanted to improve my Italian and hoped to find some foreign friends to study with, but I was also very afraid of communicating with others, so I never had the courage to contact Brandon. Until one day, while I was taking care of some formalities, I couldn’t understand anything that was being said to me. This made me feel very frustrated, and I finally found the courage to reach out to Brandon. With a very reassuring tone, he eased my anxiety, and we agreed to have lessons together every week. Since I met Brandon, my journey through the master’s program has slowly changed...

Brandon and I listen to songs together, watch commercials, and read fairy tales; his lessons are lively and interesting. He doesn’t just explain grammar and sentences, but he brings you into the world of Italian. He uses various tools, especially his PDF materials, which make every grammatical concept easily understandable and help me, despite my extreme shyness, to open up little by little. In this learning environment, without realizing it, I’ve been able to say more and more sentences and accumulate a growing number of words. Brandon noticed that I had difficulties with listening comprehension and started collecting and organizing Italian films for me; his attention to detail is something I believe other teachers wouldn’t do. For him, every student is a unique individual, and he tailors his teaching accordingly. He has a huge workload because he takes each person very seriously. Due to my personality, even though I can communicate with Brandon, I’m still afraid to speak with other foreigners because they speak very quickly, and not everyone has the patience to listen to me until the end. At the end of every lesson, Brandon encourages me and helps me, almost like a mentor.

Over time, we’ve become more and more familiar, and he has become more of a friend to me. He not only helps me with my studies but has also been a great help in my daily life, giving me advice and suggestions. Practically every time something happens to me in Italy, I talk to Brandon about it. I still remember when Brandon heard that my boyfriend suddenly had an eye problem; he advised me on what to do, where to go, and in the following days, he checked in on us to see how we were doing. There are many other things for which I’m really grateful to him—he’s someone who has made me feel the warmth of humanity in a foreign country.

Now, due to my university commitments, I’ve had to temporarily pause lessons with Brandon, but we continue to chat like friends, and he still helps me correct my grammar. His lessons don’t just stop at that one hour together; they cover every aspect of my life. Today, I’ve managed to make friends with several Italians, and I no longer feel insecure when talking to professors.

I hope that anyone reading this letter chooses Brandon without hesitation because he is a teacher who brings unparalleled seriousness to his work and life. He will surely be the right choice for you, and by following in his footsteps, you will continue to improve. Forza e coraggio!

Massa-Carrara

11/28/2023

Liu Angran

Translation of the original chinese text

Brandon is a very responsible and professional teacher. He pays great attention to pronunciation, and from the very first lesson, he showed me how to improve my pronunciation using simple rules. In his classes, he uses PDF files he has created himself to explain phonetics and grammar, many of which include Chinese annotations. He believes that language learning should be driven by interest and explained to me that when we can connect with a subject and are genuinely interested, we are close to deep learning.

He has extensive language learning experience and is very patient and friendly. His teaching is not limited to lessons; he is always ready to chat with us, and whenever we make a writing mistake, he corrects our errors and sends us interesting content. Currently, work is taking up all of my time, so I had to pause the lessons. However, we still keep in touch from time to time, and I look forward to resuming our classes. If you're interested in Italian, reach out to Brandon!

10/30/2023, Parma

He Yiwen

Translation of the original chinese text

Hello everyone!

I am a student at the Brera Academy of Fine Arts in Milan. Although I had studied Italian in my home country to prepare for my studies abroad and reached the B2 level, I discovered that many of the phrases I used in daily life were not entirely correct. Even though I had no issues communicating, I still wanted to further improve my Italian.

By chance, I met Brandon on WeChat, and he began to guide me step by step to improve my command of the Italian language. I studied with Brandon for about four months. He is not only a good teacher but also a good friend.

Our lessons were not as rigid as the traditional teaching I was used to back home. During the lessons, he introduced me to Italian songs and movies, which helped me a lot in developing an interest in learning and getting to know Italian culture better.

Brandon has a lot of teaching materials in PDF format. Unlike traditional textbooks, his materials are clearer and easier to understand. Even in everyday life, he always helped me solve my problems. When I was in trouble, he calmly comforted me. During the lessons, he was always very patient. We discussed the most difficult grammatical points together, little by little, without any pressure.

Unfortunately, due to my academic and work commitments, I was unable to continue the lessons with Brandon. However, the time spent with him made me very happy and satisfied. Every time I finished a lesson, I felt my interest in Italian growing, and I was more and more eager to speak with Italians.

Finally, a piece of advice for those learning Italian: learning a language is not easy; it requires a lot of time and dedication. Brandon's lessons are great because, by learning with him, you can find a lot of pleasure in studying, which in turn stimulates curiosity and the desire to learn more deeply. This greatly increases the chances of success.

8/19/23 - Milan

Li Qian

Translation of the original chinese text

Brandon is a very patient teacher who pays great attention to pronunciation accuracy, and I completely agree with him on the importance of this aspect in language learning. He has spent a lot of time correcting my bad pronunciation habits, and whenever we practiced songs and dialogues, he carefully noted the points that required more attention. He is very attentive to the movements of the facial and throat muscles during pronunciation, and together we experimented with different methods to help me understand and produce sounds in the best way. It was truly surprising for me to discover that there are muscles and pronunciation techniques that I don’t often use or consciously control when speaking Chinese. At the same time, I was fascinated to learn how the pronunciation we consider habitual in Chinese was initially difficult for him to distinguish. Understanding these aspects made me appreciate the charm of languages even more.

In addition to pronunciation lessons, we also alternated with grammar sessions. Brandon has well-organized and comprehensive PDFs that were incredibly helpful in learning grammar. These materials, rich in examples and accompanied by his unique explanations, allowed me to clearly understand the use of various verb tenses, as if he were showing me a detailed picture. However, to master a language, it is essential to understand and then actively use what has been learned. Throughout my study journey, Brandon continued to update his materials, introducing new insights and sharing with us the most effective learning methods. His teaching philosophy perfectly reflects his name, "compass." Besides the educational aspect, he is also a very kind person and always willing to help. He is truly a good person! I am very sorry that I cannot continue studying with Brandon due to health issues, but I am extremely grateful for this valuable learning experience!

Carrara, 06/22/2023

WAN JIN JIN