Please note: the availability of each position will be confirmed at the beginning of every semester. This is one of the options we have offered in the past.

If you are interested in beginning a conversation about our Internship Program before your arrival in Rome, feel free to contact us: 

Elena Fossà - elena.fossa@trincoll.edu  

Flavia Alfano - flavia.alfano@trincoll.edu

Please note: Prof. Fossà will assign the school position depending on the compatibility of the Interns’ own class schedule with that of the Institution considered.

• SCUOLE ELEMENTARI - ELEMENTARY SCHOOLS (6-10 years of age)

• SCUOLE MEDIE - MIDDLE SCHOOLS (11-13 years of age)

• LICEI - HIGH SCHOOLS (14 - 18 years of age)

Interns will serve as “experts in English language” at these public elementary and middle schools near Trinity College Rome Campus. They will make a substantial contribution to the teacher’s program by participating in regular classes and by organizing conversation groups that they will lead independently. Class preparation is considered part of the time commitment of this internship. Candidates should be responsible, engaging, proactive and creative.

Requirements:

• Proactive and positive attitude;

• Basic computer skills;

• Good social skills;

• Teamwork skills;

• Creativity

“Teaching while learning”

It is said that every internship is an opportunity to learn, I always assumed that to be true, however, when you are the one supposed to be doing the teaching I did not think I would learn as much as I would. This past semester I interned at ‘Scuola Elementare Baldini’, I was assigned 4th and 5th grade classes. My role was to assist the English Teacher and smooth her teaching process, in assuming this task I helped with pronunciation, grammar, and vocabulary. But I have to say that most of it was a learning experience for me. Seeing how the teacher interacted with the students and vice versa, and how the students interacted with one another. I learnt so much Italian just by sitting there and paying attention. I can recall a very specific interaction with one of my students, Marco in the 4th grade. We were working on a new topic, Animals, and we were translating a paragraph from English to Italian. Marco asked me what ‘long legs’ meant and without thinking I answered “Gambi lunghi”, he looked at me and told me that legs were feminine so it was gambe lunghe, then he said “It’s okay Teacher, you teach me English and I teach you Italian”. I wished words could describe how sweet he was when he said this. That moment will stay with me forever, it showed me that I was learning as much as they were and that we were doing it together. It also showed me the compassion kids have and how it is that which characterizes them.

(L.B., Spring 2026)

I worked at a local public elementary school, Scuola Badini, as an English assistant. Out of the 3 classes I worked with, only one was actually an English class, and in my role I helped model proper English pronunciation, helped the kids with their worksheets, and talked with students so they could practice conversational skills. In the non-English classes, I mostly observed during lessons but had opportunities to interact with the students in between lessons and during recess. Communication with my tutors was sometimes difficult because not many of the teachers were fluent in English, but one of my tutors, Paula, worked very hard to make me feel comfortable and included in the science classes she taught, frequently pausing to try to explain what they were learning and practiced her own English with me. I had a fun time working in the English class and enjoyed getting to know many of the kids during recess. I feel like I gained a lot from the experience and enjoyed the opportunity to compare the US and Italian education systems and school culture.  

(K.O., Spring 2026)

"This semester I worked as an intern helping to assist the English teachers at Scuola Badini, a primary school on the Aventino. I worked with third graders (terza), fourth graders (quarta) and fifth graders (quinta) every week. 

There was not much of a set “to-do” list for me, but rather I came in each day expecting to assist with things like pronunciation, vocabulary, and the like. I did teach a few individual lessons, though, but it was I who asked the teachers to do this (though they were very enthusiastic that I asked!) so I think that speaking up and offering my assistance and capabilities was something that was very helpful for everyone involved. 

One of the things that was very frightening was that I was placed into this internship without significant knowledge of prior Italian (I took Italian 101 this semester). This is because I joined the internship program later, though. I found some difficulties communicating with my tutors whilst in class because the internship was entirely in Italian (even the English teachers spoke limited English), but I found that with my prior knowledge of languages like Spanish and French, I was able to get by pretty well. I also found that this helped to expand my knowledge and vocabulary of Italian very well, to the point where I think that working here made me excel in my Italian class. It also made me very passionate about learning the language, since I really wanted to be able to properly communicate with my tutors and students.

The tutors, students, and welcoming environment made this internship so rewarding. I definitely think that this is an important internship to offer at Trinity because it allows one to engage with Italian culture and learn about educational differences in a way that one can’t just get from reading or watching about it."   

(E. W., Spring 2025) 

"Do you want to improve your Italian, communication skills, and your overall experience in Rome? Take part in the teaching internship! Scuola Media Mazzini is a middle school directly next to the colosseum; One short metro stop from Trinity’s campus in Rome. [...]

During my time at Scuola Media Mazzini, I taught classes of around 20 students about English and American culture. They learned how to use language do describe their emotions, their daily routines, and how to talk about possessions. 

On top of that, they also learned about the American life, American schools, sports in America, food and drink habits, etc. Each week, when I taught the classes, the students didn’t only learn from me, but I also learned from them. They taught me so much about Italian culture and tried their best to give me advice, so I didn’t seem like a tourist. I learned more Italian vocabulary and I also observed mannerisms that Italian’s use that I don’t think I otherwise would have learned. 

I would communicate with my advisor via WhatsApp every weekend before classes to plan what I would be teaching that week. She was extremely helpful and there for me as much as she could be. 

One piece of advice I would give is that you should really be ready to go with the flow! While this internship is very structured, it is still a class of kids. Sometimes, unexpected things happen, and you will have to improvise! It can be a little stressful at times but don’t be afraid to ask questions!"

(K. B., Spring 2023) 

"For my internship in Rome I chose to work at an elementary school to assist in teaching English to Italian children. The school itself was large in size but had very few classes and students in comparison. Each classroom had a main teacher and usually 1-3 more teacher aids there as well. I worked with kids ranging in ages from 7 to 11 years old. The average class size at the elementary school was 15 to 20 students per class. [...]

On Tuesdays I worked with Maestra Angela who was an English teacher that visited 5 classes in one day. [...] Maestra Angela would encourage her students to ask me questions about English and life in the United States. On Tuesdays I worked in one classroom with Maestra Maria, who was the main teacher for that classroom. This class was very proficient in English, so it was easy for me to communicate and have fun with them. [...]

To optimize my experience I spent most of my time listening to what was going on around me. I believe this helped me learn Italian better because I was immersed in the language.

Also, the students liked talking to me, so listening to them helped me build a better bond with them. [...]

My advice for future interns is to establish early on what you have to do for the classes because the teachers are often vague. Also, during your free time during the internship it helps to walk around and talk to the students to show that you care and are interested in them."

(L. C-D., Spring 2023)