Davide Valenti is an excellent instructor.  His manner is friendly and responsive, his knowledge of Italian culture and language, including grammar, is thorough, and his explanations are clear and concise.   In the course I had with him—Italian 102—we worked carefully with the exercises in Ciao, writing out assignments at home and then going over them in detail in class.  The course included occasional frills, such as movies and access through Yabla to television series in Italian.  The other students were also highly motivated, a tribute to his teaching skills as well.  I felt I learned a great deal in 10 weeks, and I am eager to enroll in another of his classes.