Need to learn French? Want to learn French?

These questions may look the same but are in fact very different. 

I need to improve my French fast!

You may need to learn French for a specific purpose, especially with the new rules around residency and citizenship in France. Many people I meet have lived here for years and speak passable French for all their requirements. However when asked to write 160 words of focussed language that is (more or less!) grammatically accurate they require support.

 Parents need to support their children through the education system, help make choices for the Baccalaureat, understand the intricacies of Parcoursupp and university entrance or even navigate the dossiers for pupils with special needs.  Entrepreneurs need their French to do business with French clients to expand their market base and not rely on the Anglophone network. At this level, basic conversational French is simply not enough. 

There are lots more examples of needing good French and I can help you reach the levels you want in an effective way. Lessons for specific requirements; exams (DELF etc), interviews or businesses are tailored to what you need. Realistic deadlines can be met. ( Getting to the famous level A2/B1 in two weeks is unlikely!)  I work with you in a one to one or paired environment where you can gain confidence, build on what you already know and practise exam techniques. Years of experience has proved to me that this is the best and fastest way to make progress. Lessons are intense and come with homework tasks to complete. Targets are set and specific areas of language can be revised and mastered.

I want to learn French in a relaxed and interesting way!

If, like me, you love France then you probably want to learn or consolidate good basic, every day, pertinent French. You shop, socialize, visit the Doctor or dentist, go to parents’ evenings, the list goes on and on.  When I arrived in France almost 30 years ago I learnt by speaking and by making hilarious mistakes. ( No internet, no mobile phones and no apps so speaking was the way to go.) Having experienced this I understand that learning in a text book linear fashion is not always the best way. Perfecting the ‘Bonjour, Je m’apelle Kate et j’habite à Masseube’ will not cut the mustard when you need to complain on the phone that the electricity has been off for two days. Yes, grammar has its place, yes knowing the past from the future is relevant, but the main thing is being understood and having the courage to insist that you are listened to and not brushed away with a shrug. I work with you on  real life scenarios with lots of speaking and listening, graded grammar exercises and week on week homework tasks. Small similar level groups , one to one or pairs work  well for this style of learning. Maximum group size is four, as experience has shown me that above this number lessons turn into coffee mornings or afternoon tea and not learning the language.

Foreign Language Anxiety. Could this be me?

Teachers in France are offered annual training in their subject area. Several years ago I attended workshops on FLA, Foreign Language Anxiety. Until that day I had never had a label for the fear that we all feel when we are confronted by linguistic challenges.  Young children don’t suffer from this as they just chatter away in the playground and pick up their French naturally. They are immersed. Busy adults rarely have this possibility.

Experts say that about one in three of us experience the following feelings when learning a new language:

1. Communication Apprehension – People with communication apprehension have difficulty in expressing their thoughts and ideas in their target language. You know what you want to say but can’t make the words do what you want.

2. Fear Of Negative Social Evaluation – This form of FLA arises when you want to make a positive social impression on others and you fear that you won’t. When you retire from a highly successful career in an Anglophone country and then can’t even make small talk with the French neighbours you can feel disheartened.

3. Test Anxiety – This type of FLA affects you when you know you have to sit an exam, especially now that living permanently in France may well involve a language exam.

It all makes for a ‘cercle viscieux’    where you feel discouraged about language learning,  lose faith in your ability to succeed then   try to avoid participating in any French language activities and finally   give up your efforts to learn the target language entirely , usually because you are ‘too busy’ or you think you are ‘too old’.

I work with you on self-confidence and communication skills.  Even if you are not perfectly bilingual you can be understood and be heard. One of my pupils spent a year trying to buy ‘une baguette’ and for some reason he got two each time but was too polite/kind/embarrassed to insist he wanted ‘UNE baguette’ . His solution was to freeze one and go every other day for bread.  Another person ordered ‘un café’ at her local bar but was always given a milky coffee even though she truly wanted a black coffee. This was not language but communication, the waiter assumed she wanted ‘café au lait’ because she was English!  Sometimes it not what we say it is about getting people to listen.