Whether you’re a teenager or an adult, we all have our own reasons for wanting to learn French. Maybe you need to get a specific grade to get into university, perhaps you’re planning a move to France and you want to settle in, or maybe you deal with French clients at work and you’d like to deepen the customer relationship.
When it comes to planning your trip, you’ve probably asked yourself this question: “Which course is best for my level and my goals?” If you have (or you’re thinking about it now that we’ve brought it up), read on to find the right course for your level and goals.
The right course for your level
If you’re a complete beginner with little to no knowledge of French, the best thing to do is to start with a General French course. Why?
There’s no point trying to learn corporate lingo without a solid foundation in regular, everyday French. At ACCORD Paris, you can take your pick from a range of General French courses starting at 15 hours per week and going up to a super-intensive 35 hours per week. If your level is above complete beginner, the world is your oyster, and your level of French shouldn’t be a barrier to your learning.
Remember, when you enrol on a course at ACCORD Paris, you will be sent a level test for completion prior to arrival. This is used to help place you in the right class for your level of French, meaning you and your fellow students will all have the same ability, and the teacher will tailor the class to suit your group. When it comes to language levels, the only way is up!
The right course for your goals – School exams
Every university requires a certain grade for you to get in, and if one of your subjects if French, you know you can’t blag your way through the exam. Language study is all about practice, practice, practice, so the more you get, the easier that coveted grade will come.
ACCORD Paris provides French courses specifically designed for AS and A Level exams in the UK and Irish Leaving Certificates to help students gain the confidence they need to thrive. The lessons cover the reading, writing and oral skills you need whilst the immersive French setting enables students to focus solely on their French, rather than switching back into English at break time or after class.
A French exam preparation course is an investment in your future, so if you feel overwhelmed when you’re at school or are disappointed by a lack of progress despite your effort, enrolling on a course in Paris could be just what you need to get your language back on track or have that lightbulb moment you’ve been waiting for.
Find out more about the AS and A Level preparation course
The right course for your goals – Moving to France for pleasure
Who hasn’t dreamt of leaving it all behind for a move to a country where you can start your day with freshly baked croissants from the local boulangerie and end it with a glass of wine from the vineyard down the road? Relocating abroad is a trend that’s showing no signs of abating, with Brits continuing to make the move across the pond despite Brexit restrictions.
If you’re thinking of settling in France to enjoy your retirement or as a second home, a General French course is just the ticket. Your main focus should be on improving your oral skills so you can settle into your local community and make friends easily. As an expat, speaking the language will make the authorities and trades far more amenable when it comes to discussing your “titre de Sejour” or negotiating a price for a new bathroom.
The best course is any of the General French courses which include at least one Oral Communication workshop in the afternoon, be it the 15-hour afternoon course or the 35-hour Course E.
Bear in mind that a move abroad may well require you to take the “Examen Civique”, which you can enrol for and take at ACCORD Paris itself.
The right course for your goals – Moving to France for work
Have you got a job that involves relocating to France? Do you want to swap the office in the UK for the workplace across the Channel? You have a couple of great options when it comes to learning French for work at ACCORD Paris. Some companies will require proof of your level of French before offering you a job, which means you need to take the DELF or DALF exam depending on your ability.
The DELF/DALF Exam Preparation course at ACCORD Paris will get you up to speed and ready to take the exam at an approved centre which the staff at ACCORD can book for you: DELF preparation course.
Alternatively, if you need to hone your language skills in a specific area of the corporate world so you can speak confidently during meetings, presentations, trade events or round tables, you’re going to love ACCORD’s Business French or Legal French lessons in mini-groups.
They provide you with a golden opportunity to improve with other like-minded businesspeople, learn from each other’s experience, network and communicate effectively in a corporate environment.
The right course for your goals – Learning for personal fulfilment
Consider what you want to get out of your time at ACCORD Paris: do you want to have the most intensive French course you can get to improve at lightning speed, or do you want to strike the right balance between soaking up the language and Paris itself?
Remember, you’re booking a break in the French capital, a magical city full of history, heritage, sights to see and specialities to savour. No matter whether it’s your first time in Paris or your thirteenth, there’s always something new to experience here.
And the ACCORD French Language School is in the best location for you to do just that: 5 minutes from the Eiffel Tower (not many schools can boast of that), 3 minutes from the leafy Champ de Mars, 10 minutes from the Seine… your walk to school alone will take you past some of the city’s biggest attractions!
Just think, if you book a course with afternoon workshops and come in winter when the sun sets in the late afternoon, you can step outside school and watch the Eiffel Tower glitter with its iconic light show straight after class.
Every season has its wonders in Paris, and there’s a French course for every goal at ACCORD Paris. À bientôt !
