CILS: Exam preparation
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The CILS (Certification of Italian as a Foreign Language) is a certified language test for foreigners to examine their Italian language proficiency. The certificate is issued by the University of Siena.
With this test you can obtain the admission requirements for studying at Italian universities.
There are 3 categories of exams according to the candidates need:
Beginner | Independent learner | Advanced learner | |
---|---|---|---|
Exams |
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See the table below with the 6 respective levels:
CILS exam | Level | |
---|---|---|
1 | CILS A1 | A1 |
2 | CILS A2 | A2 |
3 | CILS One | B1 |
4 | CILS Two | B2 |
5 | CILS Three | C1 |
6 | CILS Four | C2 |
They are all Italian language certificates; The exams vary from level to level and are regulated by the CEFR (Common European Framework of Reference for Languages) so they present a similar structure. The only difference is that they are issued by 4 different bodies, one of which is private. The PLIDA in fact, since is issued by the private "Dante Alighieri Society", does not have the certainty of being recognized abroad.
Take online language lessons with a professional teacher
These certified exams are aimed at those who do not have Italian as their mother tongue. It is useful if you want to enter an Italian university without having to carry out an initial test or to work in Italy.
The CILS certificate is internationally recognised by the majority of institutions and companies.
In Italy the CILS certificate is accepted by universities as admission.
The following table shows the exam price according to the level chosen:
Level | CILS price | |
1 | A1 | 40 € |
2 | A2 | 40 € |
3 | B1 | 90 € |
4 | B2 | 105 € |
5 | C1 | 135 € |
6 | C2 | 160 € |
NOTE: The price may vary depending in which centre and country the exam takes place.
All certificates are regulated by CEFR and follow the same structure; the exam is divided in 4 activities:
Let's focus on the duration of the exams:
CILS exam | Duration | |
---|---|---|
1 | CILS A1 | 2h and 10min |
2 | CILS A2 | 2h and 55min |
3 | CILS One | 3h and 50min |
4 | CILS Two | 3h and 55 |
5 | CILS Three | 4h and 55min |
6 | CILS Four | 5h and 30min |
To obtain the certification it is necessary to pass all the 4 parts.
Evaluation criteria:
Exam | Description | |
---|---|---|
1 | A1 and A2 level tests | The total achievable from the test = 60 Minimum to pass = 35 |
2 | The integration module | The total achievable from the test = 60 Minimum to pass = 34 |
3 | Level A1 of the children module | The total achievable from the test = 48 Minimum to pass = 28 |
4 | Levels One-B1, Two-B2, Three-C1, Four-C2 | The total achievable from the test = 100 Minimum to pass is 55 |
If you reside in Italy:
If you live abroad:
You can register within the deadlines set by the institution.
The exam takes place at the University of Siena and in its offices around Italy.
In case you want to take the test abroad, contact the Italian Cultural Institutes.
The exam sessions take place twice a year: June and December.
To pass the exam with good grade you need to be prepared in advance on the form of the test and practice all the 4 activities. Online you can find samples of previous exams.
In addition, it is important to take familiarity with the language by practicing speaking with a mother tongue.
coLanguage offers 145 lessons and more than 280 exercises, which allow you to learn and understand Italian grammar.
This way you will improve your grammar for free and pass the exam with excellent grades.
The exam is repeatable as many times as desired, there are no limitations.
Also, it is possible to repeat individual sections however, within a year.
See the costs for each repeated exam on the table below:
CILS exam | Price repeated exam | |
---|---|---|
1 | CILS A1 | 12 € |
2 | CILS A2 | 12 € |
3 | CILS One | 22 € |
4 | CILS Two | 23 € |
5 | CILS Three | 30 € |
6 | CILS Four | 35 € |
At coLanguage you'll find professional language teachers who can help you prepare for the CILS exam.
Start practicing online with these exam samples:
Unlike in other platforms, all our teachers are manually verified by our professional team. Trust in the experiences of our students.
Since I learn languages myself, I know the difficulties and hurdles that can arise when learning a foreign language. I take away your fear of using the German language, because the best way to learn a language is to speak it!
You want to take a telc or Goethe exam? I will help you! I teach from level B1 to C2. In the course of my teaching I have specialised in students and adult learners from the age of 19 who want to take one of these exams for professional or private reasons.
If you only want to prepare orally for an exam with me, I offer conversation lessons where I give you strategies and tips on how to pass the exam. You will do a lot of speaking and learn the phrases that are most important for the exam at your level.
I'll also show you how to integrate German into your everyday life, recommend podcasts, books and series to expand your vocabulary.
Are you looking for a job and need help with your application? No problem, I give you application training, revise your CV with you and write applications together with you. I will also prepare you for your job interviews.
Don't be shy and write to me before you book a trial lesson. Together we will work out a syllabus that is tailored to your needs and goals. We will learn what is important for you at this stage and where I see room for improvement. I adapt each lesson individually to you.
Due to my eight-year stay abroad in Ireland, I have a very good knowledge of English and can also explain something to you in English or Spanish, but in my lessons we almost only speak German together.
What can you expect in my lessons?
- Creative and professional preparation for telc or Goethe from B1 level upwards
- Conversation classes
- Language lessons individually adapted to your needs, each lesson is prepared for you individually
- Application training and help with application letters, revision of your CV
- Grammar explanations that YOU just need.
- Quizzes, puzzles, worksheets, books, conversation topics and much more. Learning should be fun!
The most important thing is that you invest a little time and feel like learning with me. In return, you should also do the homework so that we can make good progress. I will be happy to correct it. Let me inspire you!
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Amazing teacher with excellent pedagogical skills! She has helped me very well to improve my german. Absolutely recommended!
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I am from Calabria, but over the years I have felt at home in various places. In each one I have searched for my way and in the end in each one I have found little clues that have allowed me to understand that I want to teach my language to those who do not yet know it.
I have always loved the word, its power and the infinite possibilities it offers; at first I only thought of writing it down but there was still something missing. What use is the word if it is not shared, if it does not become an opportunity for exchange between cultures, or better, between individuals?
So, between one suitcase and another, I graduated in Italian literature and specialised in journalism, then I obtained the Ditals II from the University for Foreigners of Siena and the two-year specialisation school as a teacher of Italian to foreigners at the same university.
I have been teaching Italian for more than ten years: in Italy in state schools, in schools for adult migrants (Cpia in Modena and Rome) and in public schools; abroad at the Dante Alighieri in Valletta and at the University of Cork.
I have a passion for music, cinema, documentaries and photography, different mo(n)es which allow me to learn and tell stories.
Step by step I have become more and more aware of how much I love this job which has given me the opportunity to meet wonderfully unique people, now very often friends.
I look forward to sharing more details of my experience and motivations with you. Thank you for your time consideration.
Sincerely,
Federica Lento
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Just great experience! Thank you. To be continued. What a nice and easy platform. Good and interesting teacher.. Congradulations. Nina
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Rina is a pleasure to work with. Her lessons go by quickly, because they are a lot of fun. She is always on time, sends the material beforehand, is always available for questions and corrects homework right away. She is funny & energetic. She speaks German and Italian. I can only recommend taking lessons with her, because it is fun and you learn quickly and good.
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Hello,
I am a multilingual teacher with experience in teaching French to German, Japanese, English, Bulgarian and Italian-speaking students, etc. (levels A1 to C1).
I have been teaching French for 8 years in Luxemburg and now in Bulgaria for 4 years, to teenagers, housewives, businessmen, employees, doctors, etc. I can also help you with DELF and DALF preparation. I give lessons via Skype, Zoom and Microsoft Teams in several countries.
My teaching method for each class : a grammar point together with listening, a lot of speaking with conversation questions or games. While you speak, I write all the new words you need to express yourself, illustrated by pictures or translated in your language.
I do my best to make you feel comfortable to speak and for you to have a pleasant time. According to me, using humour will help you learn more easily.
Whether you need to learn French for business, integration in a French-speaking country or studying, I will be happy to help you. Do not hesitate to contact me for a free trial lesson.
Looking forward to hearing from you,
Katia
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Katia is a very sweet person, her pronunciation is BEAUTIFUL and she’s very knowledgeable. I loved my lessons with her. I highly recommend her
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Buongiorno gente!
Are you ready to learn italian with me?
My name is Mojra and I'm a qualified mother tongue tutor. Whether you need to prepare yourself for a job interview, you're planning to relocate to Italy or to spend your next holiday there, I look forward to assisting you to achieve your goals!
I am here to help you improve you grammar, sentence structure and to teach you helpful phrases in a fun and relaxed way.
I graduated from university majoring in Linguistic Mediation and in Modern Languages and then I specialized in the teaching of Italian as a second language, attending a one-year post-graduate course devoted to this and receiving excellent grades (FILIS: Formatori Interculturali di Lingua Italiana per Stranieri). I also teach in the Italian public schools.
If you'd like to learn Italian fluently, I'd love to be your teacher, then why not book a trial class with me now? In this lesson, we will design a lesson plan especially for you discussing how you will reach your specific goals.
IMPORTANT: Please contact me before booking your lesson with me and let me know your Italian level as well as the reasons why you want to learn Italian.
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Moijra is very good teacher, patient and supportive She has the know how to transfer to her beginner students the needed knowledge
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Hi everyone!
My name is Daniela, I am Italian and I come from a small town in Sicily, Southern Italy. I am a qualified Italian language teacher and a CELI examiner! I work in two language schools teaching Italian and I also teach English at school.
I love foreign languages, translating, reading and listening to music. Are you ready to start your language learning path with me? We are going to learn many things and to talk a lot, if you allow me to! Don’t worry if you’ve never studied the language before: everyone can attend my classes – from beginner to advanced students. You just need passion for what you're going to do and... a good Internet connection. Materials are provided by me!
See you online!
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Daniela is a well skilled teacher with patience and a great personality, always joyful and happy. She understands my needs well and the lessons are tailored to give me a good learning experience. The lessons are always a good combination of speaking, reading and grammar. Daniela is always flexible when I need to change the schedule. I can highly recommend choosing Daniela. You'll for sure have a fun learning experience with her.
Daniela V.
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Thanks so much for your words, Wouter! I am very happy that you feel comfortable with the lessons together and I hope to help you grow more and more. You are doing a great job. Keep it up! :-D
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Ciao! My name is Mauro, I am native Italian from Calabria! I am a very passionate teacher, I love to share my language and my knowledge about Italy, and its culture, films, music, literature, arts, food!!! I firmly believe that learning is based on trust between teacher and student, and the first objective of my classes is to individuate student's objectives and preferences. My teaching methodology is integrated: I think that it is important to work on all of linguistic abilities: oral and writing comprehension and production. I also think that lessons must be as much as fun as possible, and I use a lot of authentic material: songs, films, cooking recipes, newspapers, advertising and so on...
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So far, I have studied with Mauro four times a week for a month. As a retired university professor, I find Mauro to be a thoughtful and deliberate teacher of Italian as a second language. He exercises care in preparing lessons and yet remains flexible to take opportunity of teachable moments. I highly recommend Mauro to anyone who is serious about learning Italian. Bravo Mauro! I look forward to continuing my studies with you.
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Hello, everybody ! My name is Elena. I’m a native Italian speaker, I’m 49 years old and live in Turin. I am a certified CEDILS teacher, I graduated in Foreign Languages and Literature in Milan and have been working as a teacher of Italian for more than 10 years. I speak English and German. I attended specialization courses for Italian L2 teachers and I am interviewer for C1 PLIDA exam.
Are you seeking a friendly and dynamic study environment ? I got what you need. I am looking forward to being in touch with new students and organize pleasant, interesting and fruitful courses.
Do you wish to learn or improve your Italian to speak with your parents or friends? Do you need Italian for work or study ? Do you simply love Italian language and culture ? Do you need to improve your writing skills ?
My classes are tailored on your needs and considering your level of knowledge, I create a proper course plan. Classes focus on language and on the possibility for you to improve your ability to speak and understand Italian in your daily life or in work.
I offer 1-to-1 or 2-to-1 tuition, general Italian courses (grammar, conversation, listening, reading and writing), preparation to Italian examinations (all levels, also Italian for residence permit) and Italian and culture courses.
Grammar, vocabulary exercises, reading articles and magazines and talking together are all tools to feel at ease with the Italian language and then be able to practice it.
I have worked with children, adolescents and adults for all levels of Italian, from beginner to advanced. I have experience in preparing students to international certification (CILS, PLIDA). I was an A2/B1 Telc examiner.
Learning Italian can be closely related to culture, literature, music, sport and any other interest of my students.
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Elena was friendly and encouraging and gave me good advice about preparing for my Italian language exam. I am looking forward to more lessons with her :)
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Why should you choose me? Take a look at what people say who have taken online classes with me.
Book lessons with me and
- prepare Dutch exams "Basisinburgering A1" and "Inburgeringsexamen A2". Your full commitment and my energetic, professional approach are the winning combination to help you succeed at once!
- learn Dutch because you live in the Netherlands (or are planning to move there) and still don’t speak the language properly or haven’t started yet. You’ll enjoy your environment more!
- learn Italian for work or because you will move to this beautiful country or simply because you just love it. Let me help you experience the language!
- study Spanish for pleasure, work or because you have to prepare an exam for school and you need to get confident to perform optimally
- get confident in useful daily conversations, meetings at work, exams, and presentations
- overcome the fear of failure; if you have learning problems, feel shy or need a boost of energy you’ll get confident enough to achieve your goals
My lessons are based on conversations. My method is to help you practice the language from the very beginning in spontaneous and direct conversations, using often role plays.
With books, articles, songs, and other interesting and stimulating material I will encourage conversation, develop grammar in a simpler way, and improve pronunciation.
Learning a foreign language is not a matter of doing much effort, but rather of being consistent, enjoying the lessons and allowing your intuition to work with you. You will book immediate results while having fun!
I've been teaching Dutch, Spanish and Italian for many years, in The Netherlands, for private institutes, for the integration of foreigners into society (Inburgering), and online from Italy, where I currently live.
Contact me for a free trial and let me know how I can help you.
CANCELATION POLICY
If you cancel a reservation please do it at least 24 hours before the session
(otherwise I would have to charge you for the lesson).
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Elena is a great teacher, she is extremely accessible, knowledgeable and will work with you to develop the best approach that works best for you. My husband and I have had multiple lessons now and we enjoy it a lot and look forward every week to the next lesson!
Elena P.
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Thank you for your feedback, Marja. It's a real pleasure to work with you and your husband. I am very satisfied of the results that you both have achieved in such a short time!
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Why should you choose me? Take a look at what people say who have taken online classes with me.
Book lessons with me and
- prepare Dutch exams "Basisinburgering A1" and "Inburgeringsexamen A2". Your full commitment and my energetic, professional approach are the winning combination to help you succeed at once!
- learn Dutch because you live in the Netherlands (or are planning to move there) and still don’t speak the language properly or haven’t started yet. You’ll enjoy your environment more!
- learn Italian for work or because you will move to this beautiful country or simply because you just love it. Let me help you experience the language!
- study Spanish for pleasure, work or because you have to prepare an exam for school and you need to get confident to perform optimally
- get confident in useful daily conversations, meetings at work, exams, and presentations
- overcome the fear of failure; if you have learning problems, feel shy or need a boost of energy you’ll get confident enough to achieve your goals
My lessons are based on conversations. My method is to help you practice the language from the very beginning in spontaneous and direct conversations, using often role plays.
With books, articles, songs, and other interesting and stimulating material I will encourage conversation, develop grammar in a simpler way, and improve pronunciation.
Learning a foreign language is not a matter of doing much effort, but rather of being consistent, enjoying the lessons and allowing your intuition to work with you. You will book immediate results while having fun!
I've been teaching Dutch, Spanish and Italian for many years, in The Netherlands, for private institutes, for the integration of foreigners into society (Inburgering), and online from Italy, where I currently live.
Contact me for a free trial and let me know how I can help you.
CANCELATION POLICY
If you cancel a reservation please do it at least 24 hours before the session
(otherwise I would have to charge you for the lesson).
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Very Nice communication, easy to study and prictice Italiano, I am a Biginner and She has the patient to understand me.
Elena P.
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Thank you so much for the feedback, Pedro! It's a pleasure to work with you and help you achieve your goal.
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Hello everyone! I have been teaching Italian to foreigners in Bologna for 10 years, collaborating with local associations. I graduated in History, but later I specialized in teaching Italian by obtaining the Ditals, and in 2019 a master's degree at the Ca 'Foscari University of Venice in "Advanced planning of teaching Italian language and culture to foreigners". I love my job very much and I do it with dedication and passion. I have experience with students of all levels of Italian, from beginners to advanced, and in preparing for language tests. I adapt my teaching methods to the characteristics and training needs of my students, so as to favor a more effective, engaging and motivating learning. The materials I use are authentic, original texts and videos adapted for educational purposes. I love to use computer technologies for the preparation of interactive exercises, especially for the exercise of grammar. If you want to learn Italian in an engaging and motivating way, contact me! I'm waiting for you for a trial lesson!
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Cristiana is a delightful person and a very effective teacher. As a beginner, my almost nonexistent Italian skills and understanding requires a patient teacher who is willing to take the time to ensure I understand concepts, usage etc. before moving on. I highly recommend her as a tutor.
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Are you doing an Erasmus in Italy or Spain?
Are you came back recently?
Do you want a languages certification?
Here i am! I'm Andrea an Italian/spanish teacher that living in Spain. I got a Teaching Master and I'm working as italian teacher. Also, I have a C1 spanish level ( DELE certification) and I can teach you both languages.
Send me a request and we can find the best solution for you ;)
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It's very useful to go through writing I have done and discuss other ways of expressing the same idea.
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My name is Mara, I took a Master's in Foreign Languages and Translation (English and German) and then I started working as a Teacher to kids and adults. Since my students are aged between 1 and 69 years old, I developed 3 different methods:
1. Fluency - for intermediate/upper intermediate students, mainly based on listening and speaking; specific topics.
2. TPR - total physical response, all levels, mainly based on activities, role plays and board games.
3. Traditional - all levels, grammar, listening, speaking and writing/reading with a traditional approach
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Mara is an experienced teach who is passionate about teaching English to people of all ages. I recommend her to anyone
This review was written by a coLanguage team member during a manual screening of this teacher profile.
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**Other time slots can be made available upon request. Don't hesitate to get in touch**
Native speaker from Paris with about 15 years of teaching experience. I’m well-travelled, and I’ve lived and worked in different parts of the world (Europe, Latin America, North America, Africa, Australia and a little bit in Asia).
I have a postgraduate degree (France) in Languages, Literature and Cultural Studies and I’m currently a freelance translator. I’ve previously worked at universities in France and abroad (South Africa/Australia) and have a solid experience in teaching (French Language, Literature, Philosophy, Cultural Studies, Creative Writing, etc.), designing courses, evaluating and guiding students, preparing students for exams/job interviews/professional presentations, managing a Language and Literature department at the university, presenting papers at academic conferences worldwide, publishing, translating and journalism. Over the years, I’ve had the opportunity to teach people with different profiles and from various backgrounds: international professionals, university students, beginner translators and teachers, high school students, retirees, travellers, francophiles, children (help with homework), etc.
Being an open-minded, flexible and patient teacher, I enjoy helping others to discover their potential and to explore it. Adapting myself to my students' needs, pace and objectives is essential for me, and designing the best way to work with each student is very stimulating and rewarding.
After the initial introductory lesson, I will design customised lesson plans that will evolve as you progress. We can also, at any time during the programme, change our working method if you wish to do so. I remain very flexible in that regard.
The learning materials will be varied, and we will choose together the themes and aspects of French language to be covered, in line with your objectives. In any case, I am very attentive in general, so please don't hesitate to make any suggestions.
Regardless of your level and objectives, I'm sure that we can find the best way possible to share and enjoy this French language adventure together.
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I've studied with Priscilla for a month already. For me, every lesson is a great experience! Priscilla is very considerate, supportive, and attentive to the needs of her students. Priscilla uses wide variety of materials and always finds something special for you, so you can both upgrade your knowledge and enjoy the process of learning :) After every lesson I feel more confident in my French :)
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Hi!
My name is Mariateresa, I'm Italian and I teach English, Italian and Spanish to foreign students.
Having lived in Spain during my last year at University, I moved to the UK, where I lived for the next five years. My English at that time was quite poor and I made a living by doing various jobs.
One day, inspired by my amazing English teacher Mandy, I had an idea: why not teach my native language and Spanish to English people and other nationalities? You wouldn’t believe how fascinated people are by these languages!
It was in 2017 when I fell in love with this job. So much so that one year later I successfully attained a TESOL Certificate, to teach English as a foreign language.
Teaching allows me to fully express myself and my personal qualities, such as patience and an ability to give my full attention to other people. By giving students a space in which to express themselves without fear, I create a safe, non-judgemental environment.
When a new student contacts me I always offer them a free trial lesson, so that we can introduce ourselves and I can get to know their level, interests and needs. It's from there that I create the ensuing lessons.
I provide students with a solid grammar base, but also help them to understand the application and use of the language in everyday life. At the same time, I tailor the lesson to suit the students' main interests – such as grammar, speaking, pronunciation, writing or exam preparation. I teach students of different levels, from beginners to advanced.
Although I love teaching in-person, I have adapted myself to teaching online as well. I have also completed a Teaching English Online course offered by Cambridge University. I have to admit that it's a really effective method, plus you meet people from all over the world!
Having lived abroad for several years I know that learning a foreign language requires time, but it's also fun. By speaking in it we can express hidden parts of ourselves – it's a bit like acting!
You can also assimilate the culture from which the language evolves. It's interesting to see how we can change and develop!
My aim is to transmit to students the idea that nothing is impossible. Learning a language is challenging, but entirely achievable if you keep in mind that it's a journey made of small steps.
What is important is to establish those small objectives every day, and reach them with calm determination.
Like a tracker counts the steps that you walk, put on your “count-words tracker” and you'll be surprised at how much you have learned by the end of the day!
For more information visit:
https://campsite.bio/mariateresa.medici
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Maria, was very helpful. I was a bit of a challenging case and so she had to modify her teaching program on the fly and did so with competence.
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