People choose to study abroad for all kinds of reasons, and the Dulwich family from Yorkshire are proof of just that! Chris (16) wanted to give his grades a lift, 18 year old Caroline wanted to get some work experience under her belt and their parents, Graham and Jackie, wanted to practise their French before they retire in France. Let’s find out more about their French language course in Paris and what they got out of their French experiences at the ACCORD French Language School.
French language course in Paris
Graham and Jackie: their French course in Paris
“We’ve always wanted to retire in France and although we’re a while away from that, we are planning to buy a holiday home on the continent in the not so distant future. We have a busy social life in the UK, and we want that to continue when we make the move, so we need to be part of the community. That means we need to be able to speak the French language! Graham can manage the basics, so we’d be OK ordering our morning croissants, but we do more than just get by: we want to make friends and stay active. When Caroline mentioned the internship programme at ACCORD Paris and Chris asked to tag along so he could improve his grades at school, we thought it would be a golden opportunity to refresh our skills, book a French language course in Paris, and get us ready for our new life in France.
Graham and I chose the morning intensive French course from 9:00 to 1:00 so that we could explore Paris and make a bit of a holiday of it. We rented an apartment for the three of us which was lovely. Chris and Caroline were in school in the mornings and afternoons, but we all got together once they’d finished to visit a museum and have dinner. The kids are getting older now, so it was great to do something like this together.
The ACCORD French language school itself was fantastic! Graham and I were in the same morning class, but we were paired with other students when it came to role play, that way we didn’t cheat! The mix of different nationalities was amazing and that’s what really helped our French improve – you couldn’t fall back on English.
Plus, being in central Paris is amazing. The ACCORD school is a few minutes’ walk from the Eiffel Tower which is just a magical way to start your day, isn’t it? We spent two weeks at the ACCORD French Language School and the confidence we’ve gained is incredible. We don’t stumble over our words, we understand what people are saying to us when we’re in shops or cafés AND we can answer them properly. It’s made such a difference and we’re so excited to start our property search next time we come back to France. À bientôt!”
Caroline: her French Internship Program at ACCORD
“I’ve always wanted to live in capital city, and I’ve been looking for a way to get into the job market since I finished college. I’m not too sure about what I want to do in the future, but I stumbled upon the French Internship programme at ACCORD Paris and just thought: why not? Work experience in a foreign country will stand out on my CV and could give me the edge over my peers at a job interview. I talked about it with my parents first though. They agreed that although it’s an unpaid internship, I get free French lessons in the afternoon, work experience, independence, self-esteem, life experience… there’s so much to gain from it!
I read a blog on ACCORD’s website about a girl from Glasgow who’d done an Internship Program in Paris and looked into how she found her accommodation. To be honest, the cost of accommodation was the one thing worrying me, so I was pleased to find her recommendations. I was even more pleased when my parents said they’d like to join me at the school and would rent a flat… I got 2 weeks of free accommodation staying with them! Result!
I was nervous on my first day, but everyone was really friendly. I spent the mornings helping in the registrations department with whatever there was to do that day: meeting students, answering the phone, helping students register for class etc. It took a while, but I got into the swing of things, and I’ve found that I really enjoy dealing with people. It was nice to see my parents and brother giving me a wave on their way to and from class too.
The French classes in the afternoon are brilliant and enable me to explore another side to the French language. The oral communication lessons on Monday and Friday are my favourite, and I’ve really enjoyed going to the museums and sites after class to get a feel for what I’ve learnt that day.
My parents and brother are going back to the UK now and I’ve only got a few more weeks left. I’m really excited about moving into my own accommodation and being independent whilst I’m here. I’ve loved having them here but I’m thriving in my internship and can’t wait to take it to the next level. It’s my Caroline in Paris moment.”
Chris: his French language course to prepare his AS-Levels
“I’ve just started college and I’ve chosen to take French for my AS-Levels. I did well in my GCSEs but know I could have done better, so I want to give it my all this time and get the grades I need to get into a good university. Joining a French language course in Paris isn’t something that had ever cropped up before. Nobody mentioned it at school or anything (but I wish they had). One night over dinner, Caroline started telling Mum and Dad about an internship at the ACCORD French Language School in Paris.
Whilst they were discussing it, I googled it and saw ACCORD does classes to prepare the French exams: A & AS levels, DELF, Abitur, TCF… I had a look at the ACCORD website and the reviews and asked if I could go along with Caroline to take one of the A and AS-Level courses. And that’s exactly what happened! My French is pretty good so I knew that I wouldn’t be in a class with my parents (phew!) and there was a nice mix of ages and nationalities in my class. I wasn’t the only teenager, but I was the youngest student in my class, so I feel like I’ve grown in confidence having to chat to older students than me.
I took the Oral Communication lessons and the Grammar and Writing lessons in the afternoon to really focus on the skills I’ll need for the exams. It wasn’t like being at college at all, we weren’t constantly reading our textbooks or doing boring grammar exercises. It all felt very natural. It’s almost like the learning went in without even realising it. I think it’s because you’re talking in French all day, you’re listening to other people talk in French, so your brain starts thinking in French. It just makes difficult aspects of French grammar easier to grasp and sink in. I’d recommend it to anyone taking their exams this year or next!
My level of French was already good, but I’ve seen massive improvements in the space of just two weeks. I struggle in some areas of grammar, but they make sense now I’ve spent time in the country and surrounded by the language – it’s made a real difference to me and my confidence.
I’m planning to come back to ACCORD Paris for another French language course in Paris during the half term before I take my exams, so I know I’ve done everything I possibly can do to get the best grades. Being able to walk over to the Eiffel Tower during breaktime is an added bonus!”
Whatever your reason for studying French in France or wanting to improve your language skills, contact Active Languages for further information or a quote.
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