France is all over the news at the moment (not necessarily for the right reasons) so we thought we’d jump on the bandwagon with some breaking news of our own. Active Languages now not only provides study abroad experiences with French language courses in France for French learners, we now host French classes in sunny Rossendale too! Want to find out more? Here are some FAQs to give you an idea of what our French lessons are all about!
French Lessons in Rossendale
What sort of classes are they?
Active Languages provides French conversation classes for people who already speak the language and French for beginners for people who can handle the basics but would struggle to string a sentence together.
What do the conversation classes involve?
Our bilingual teacher sets the tone by immersing you in French language from the outset to help your brain switch to French. For example, if your class is held in a local café, you will be given the menu in French to create an all-encompassing and immersive atmosphere. Don’t expect repetitive grammar exercises or lessons about the ever-tricky subjunctive; this is a place for conversation. The teacher picks subjects to suit the class and draw on recent news items or personal experiences to get the conversation flowing naturally. If you can’t think of the word for something you want to say in French, feel free to ask your fellow learners if they know how to say it before you continue with what you have to say. Although five minutes at the end of the session is devoted to error correction, reviewing any mistakes that may have cropped up over the course of the conversation, the aim here isn’t to achieve complete accuracy in French but to give you the confidence that you can express yourself naturally with native speakers.
How about the French for beginners class?
Everyone knows how to say bonjour, au revoir, comment ça va, je m’appelle etc., so no time will be wasted going over the basics. Most people learn a language because they want to be able to communicate in real-life situations with native speakers, so our bilingual teacher will give you to the tools to express yourself, be understood and understand others. Beginner classes involve role playing experiences you will encounter during your time in France: when to use tu and vous to address someone, how to buy tickets for an attraction, how to read and order from a menu etc. If you’re learning French for a specific reason i.e. to give your child someone to practise with for their schoolwork, to prepare for a move to France or to handle customer relations with French clients, let your teacher know so she can incorporate areas of learning that may benefit the rest of the class. Since this class is for beginners, there is more grammar involved but it’s all taught in a natural way that doesn’t disrupt the flow of the class (or bore everyone to death!). Again, an immersive atmosphere is created with English kept to a minimum to enable learners to switch to French and mirror the accent.
Where are the French classes and how much are they?
We run our French classes from local cafés and community centres in Rossendale. Please contact us to find your nearest venue and ask about tuition fees.
If you’re a local business who would like to fill a quiet hour with chatter and customers, contact us and let’s give your venue that je ne sais quoi!
Do you provide private tuition?
If learning in a group isn’t your thing, Active Languages does provide private tuition. We charge £20 per hour and our teacher tailors your lesson to suit your specific requirements. Before your first lesson, send us a list of what you want to get out of the lessons and why you want to improve your French so our teacher can pinpoint your exact needs and ensure you gain the expertise you need meet your goals. Here are a few examples: accent improvement, exam practice, customer relations etc. Just contact us and let us know what you hope to gain from your French.
Don’t forget, once you’ve boosted your confidence speaking French, you can take it to the next level and experience full-on immersion with a trip to our partner schools in France: ACCORD in Paris, or Azurlingua and CIA on the French Riviera!
Contact us to find your nearest venue and ask about tuition fees.
