A secondary school in southern Italy used Beyond Words to help students build the speaking confidence they needed before their Erasmus exchange in Germany.
At Liceo Scientifico Piedimonte Matese in southern Italy, German teacher Matthias Petrosini faced a critical challenge: his students were preparing for Erasmus exchanges in Germany, but most of them could barely hold a conversation in German.
The school's German program covered grammar and reading effectively, but speaking practice was severely limited. With large classes and only a few hours per week, individual speaking time was minimal. Students would arrive in Germany able to conjugate verbs but unable to order a coffee or introduce themselves confidently.
The school integrated Beyond Words into the pre-departure preparation program. Students practiced everyday German scenarios they would actually encounter during their exchange — navigating public transport, interacting with host families, participating in classroom discussions, and handling administrative tasks.
The AI feedback focused on German pronunciation challenges specific to Italian speakers, helping students work on sounds and intonation patterns that are notoriously difficult to master from a textbook alone.
Students who used the platform regularly reported feeling significantly more prepared for their Erasmus experience. The gap between classroom German and real-world communication was substantially narrowed before departure.
The success of the program demonstrated that targeted speaking practice, even in short sessions, can make a meaningful difference in preparing students for international mobility.
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