La Gabri-Elle's goal is to promote the Italian language as well as Italy's rich culture. Classes are taught in a friendly and relaxed atmosphere, where interaction between the instructor and students is encouraged and emphasized. Although a book is used, it mainly serves as a reference and guideline. Supplemental materials, such as handouts, short videos, and Italian music, offer interesting insights into the Italian culture while expanding students, knowledge of the language.

In addition to classroom instruction, guided tours to Italy are offered to La Gabri-Elle's students and to the general public. These tours provide the students with an opportunity to use their newly learned language skills in actual conversations with local Italians, to read restaurant menus and order in Italian, to barter at local Italian markets, and much more! It is truly an enriching experience.

Over the years La Gabri-Elle has organized and escorted trips beyond Italy. Over the past several years La Gabri-Elle has taken groups to Israel and France. The Chocolate Tour to Southern France & Italy was repeated 3 times in 2019.

And for those who can't travel to Italy, La Gabri-Elle brings Italy to them. La Gabri-Elle Gift Shop which is located inside the Language School offers Italian gourmet food products and Italian themed gifts. The Gift Shop is open seasonally and by appointment all year round. Just email nancy@lagabri-elle.com or contact her by phone at 847 219-3678 and she will be glad to open the shop just for you! (please note that the shop is temporarily closed)

An online store was created in November 2020. www.lagabrielletours.com

Instructor

Nancy Gabriele has been teaching the Italian language for over 17 years. She is a native Italian, born in the northern region of Puglia. When her parents moved to Montreal, Canada, she learned to speak English and French. Although Nancy travels often to Italy to visit family and friends, continuing Italian traditions and language in a foreign country (first in Canada and now the US) reinforces the pride she feels in her Italian heritage.

She holds a BA in Italian Studies from McGill University in Montreal and studied on scholarship at l’Universita’ per gli Stranieri di Perugia in Italy. Nancy worked for Alitalia Airlines in Montreal for 15 years and gave Italian language lessons to children and adults on Saturdays. When her husband was transferred to Chicago, Nancy was employed by the Italian Cultural Center to teach Italian to adults and later started her own language school. In 2005-06, she offered Mangiamo e Parliamo in Italiano (Let’s Eat and Speak in Italian) cooking and language workshops in conjunction with Tina’s Italian Bake Shop in Gurnee, IL.

In 2007, she moved the school to a suite in the Tomei Insurance building located at 223 N. Route 21, in Gurnee, where she teaches several classes each week. Having her own language school has been the realization of a dream. As Nancy says, “Teaching Italian has allowed me to meet so many wonderful people over the years. We have become one big family — una bella grande famiglia!” Like Nancy, continuing students are always excited to welcome newcomers and share their mutual love of Italy.

 Nancy Gabriele