About

My name is Sally; at least that’s what they’ve always called me.

I was born in Brooklyn, N.Y., in 1962 from native Italian parents who went to the United States in 1960 searching for a new life, just as many Italians used to do back then. My real name is actually Salvatrice Paola Ganci, too long and too Sicilian for the United States, so it automatically became Sally. I still wonder who thought to call me Sally first, but I’m fine with it; I think it really suits me.

I moved to Milan, Italy, in 1974 with my family. I married in 1986 and continued to live in Milan until 1988, at which point we moved to a town near Reggio Emilia, Italy.

I live in a country home with my husband, mother, a dog and a few cats and we love to garden. I am a partner in an enterprise that carves designs into stone for use as signs, ornaments and functional pieces. As our style is unique and well liked, I have been interviewed on television and I’ve had articles about our work appear in magazines. We have been invited to show our work at many exhibitions in Italy, Germany, and France.

Visit us on Facebook:

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I have a gift for art and love to paint, sculpt and embroider. I specialize in the unique Ars Canusina style, having taken several courses and becoming the Administrator of the Ars Canusina Consortium. This is a unique art style of the Emilia area and only those who are certified may use the Ars Canusina style.    www.consorzioarscanusina.it

My interests have always been varied. I have used my native language knowledge to teach and tutor English for many years, working at company sites, teaching employees at all European standard levels, and also at private schools and on an individual basis. I have also been hired many times to translate documents and manuals, and to provide English subtitles in YouTube videos.

My students’ requests vary. Sometimes they need to learn how to prepare a proper resume (CV) and cover letter in English. At other times, they need my help to get ready for a job interview that will be conducted in English. Many need me to teach them English to a level where they can successfully pass the TOEFL, IELTS, and the Cambridge University tests. Others simply want me to help them relearn the almost forgotten English they had learned in school.

I have used my expertise to help Italian companies correspond and talk to English-speaking individuals worldwide.

In the last six years, I have been teaching online through Skype and through Google Hangouts, a savings of time and money for students.

I have always loved to teach children as well and received my certification to teach Kindergarten subsequent to which I became specialized in the Steiner method.

I still have family, including my brother, and many friends in the United States and we stay in constant contact. This helps me not only stay in touch with family but ensures that I continue to practice English with native speakers.

I received a  TESL TEFL Certificate in March 2012, that involves all aspects of Teaching English as a Second or Foreign Language, including needs analysis, syllabus design, lesson planning, classroom management, strategies in language learning, teaching methods, testing and error correction, and more.

I have many references available to share with you. Let me know how I can help you with your English needs today.