Walk and talk in French

By Kathi Comment Closed
Fancy a wander around Hythe or Saltwood to improve your French? Unchain yourself from your desk and exercise both mind and body with a saunter around the quieter roads of Hythe, along the canal or seafront while thinking on your feet! Les balades bavardes are a way of slotting some French chat into your day while getting in a few of your 10,000 steps. Suitable for those with at least some conversational level French, a walk and talk is a great way of practising your French in a dynamic way and reacting to sights and sounds along the way in a very natural, unforced way. I can give you feedback on your accent, pronunciation and suggest reformulations if you want to expand the French you are comfortable with. Walk and talk is a bit cheaper than the usual 1-2-1 as I'm not preparing material or writing up your notes and vocab - if you're interested in stretching your feet and your brain...
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Going to France on holiday?

Going to France on holiday?

By Kathi Comment Closed
I'm setting up more small French groups in Hythe so whatever your level of French you can get more out of your visit to France! Learning in a group suits some students perfectly, they enjoy the camaraderie and interaction with other learners - if you're wondering about taking first steps into improving your French for your holiday look no further. Get in touch to express an interest in speaking some French and gaining the confidence to interact with the people in French in their language. I hope to set up a get-together for those interested in November to gauge levels, discuss timings and pricing.Interested or know someone who might be? Give me a ring on 07747 053588 or email me at kathi@french-teacher.co.uk A bientôt !...
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My students’ advice to you

By Kathi Comment Closed
When I asked some of my students what advice and tips they had for others learning French, here's what they came up with: Do a little bit every day (even if you are sitting in your car at the lights why not say aloud the numbers on the car numberplate in front of you and find a French word starting with the letters? Saying numbers aloud will really help speed them up) Read the daily emailed newspaper digests and listen to French radio maybe in the car. (You can subscribe free to all sorts of French posts, I particularly like News in French and if you live near Hythe you can get FranceInfo for example very clearly on 105.6FM) Listen to French radio anytime you are sitting at the computer (there's a fairly comprehensive list on wikipedia, France Bleu Nord - local public radio - is available at francebleu.fr/ or listen on 95.5FM to France Bleu Nord Boulogne, 106.2FM to...
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Back to school

By Kathi Comment Closed
Vive la rentrée ? September is a tough time of year for young students whose confidence in their French often takes a knock after a couple of months' absence from the classroom. Teachers at school simply cannot devote as much attention to individuals as they'd like, are constrained by time and tethered to a syllabus. As the term wears on, I'll be getting calls from parents who notice that their child who once loved and excelled at French now complains of not understanding anything and feels overwhelmed and that they're "falling behind". Some become withdrawn and reticent to talk in class where once they were cheerful, regular contributors. I believe it is a combination of patience and experience along with an open, relaxed attitude that promotes younger students' trust in me and a growing confidence in their own ability: if your youngster is keen to work then I can help re-ignite the curiosity and passion for French which spurred...
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Considering French ab initio at Uni?

By Kathi Comment Closed
Are you off to University later this year and wondering whether taking up a language from scratch there might be a great extra to have on your CV? Many universities are running an ab initio language option which enables students to have a go at learning a foreign language without risk for a year - or if they really like it to go on to get joint honours. My old alma mater Leicester, for instance, has introduced French from scratch – plus many universities offer the possibility to add a language as a minor degree subject. Opting for a language at some stage at Uni can open up all kinds of doors both during and after your degree and will give you the necessary linguistic prowess to revolutionise your French holidays forever (perhaps you too could convince the harbourmaster at St Jean Cap Ferrat to take you out and let you have a go at steering a beautiful speedboat!)...
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March offer!

By Kathi Comment Closed
Interested in joint lessons? This March I'm offering a good deal if you want to learn French as a pair. Maybe it's your partner who made a vague resolution during the New Year to finally get to grips with their rusty French but hasn't acted on it? Perhaps it's a friend, old or new, who enjoys watching French films that could be persuaded to dust off their school French with you? It could be an acquaintance or colleague who had been doing evening classes and may miss the intellectual stimulation... If two of you are interested starting lessons together and are happy to book a six-week course, paid for and started before the end of the month then I'll do a series of six 75-minute lessons for the price of six 60-minute lessons over an 8-week period (as you may have things booked already for Easter). The course will cost £300 between you and will be tailored, as are all...
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Les balades bavardes

Les balades bavardes

By Kathi Comment Closed
Fancy meeting up to go on a local walk while improving your French? une balade = a ramble, stroll or walk; bavard = an adjective meaning talkative, chatty, gossipy How about toning up both your French and your legs? Get up and away from your screen and come along on a walk while brushing up your French! A reason to make the most of Spring in our lovely town and exercise mind and body - at a pace and for a duration to suit your fitness and your French. Suggested meeting spot the wooden bench outside St Leonard's Church in Hythe, Kent - if you are local to Hythe why not get in touch to put a dash (not literally!) of French in your day? Indicative pricing: 45 mins 1-2-1 - £30 one charged hour includes any overrun - £35 two students together £40 between you for up to an hour larger groups please contact me Early evenings also considered after an initial meeting. Allez, on y va...
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A more advanced French group

By Kathi Comment Closed
I'm setting up another French group in Hythe, this time for more advanced students, so if it's time for you to take a step upwards or get out of a rut and challenge your current knowledge do get in touch. Numbers will be very low so you'll have plenty of individual attention and the chance to meet and mingle with other francophiles. Dates, times, price and format to be discussed to best meet the requirements of those interested. Ring or text me on 07747 053588 or email me at kathiarchbold@hotmail.com. A bientôt !...
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Des vacances en France ?

Des vacances en France ?

By Kathi Comment Closed
You’ve booked a couple of weeks off work, reserved the gîte, sorted out the ferry tickets, checked out a few local restaurants and attractions online – maybe even dug out your espadrilles (back in fashion again?) And you have been meaning to dust off your French too, but somehow it seems such an imprecise aim that you’ve never got further than seeing that ‘local’ classes are a good half hour’s drive away, began 3 months ago, are full on the day you want and you’ve always ended up only going to the first three anyway… If this sounds in any way familiar then help is at hand! I understand you want to go on holiday and just be a bit more involved in what’s going on around you, want to be confident enough to say a few simple things to break the ice, maybe get chatting to the nice family next to you on the beach, be greeted with a genuine...
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A Bastille Day bevvy

A Bastille Day bevvy

By Kathi Comment Closed
Some of my local students popped in for an evening of good cheer and to exchange experiences of life and travel in France, the joys of being a French property owner and have a good old moan about their French tutor! My students have many reasons for learning French, for some of those pictured, it is because they are doing up a property they've bought over there and have made good local friends already by being willing to start a sentence in French. The general consensus seems to be that the French are a very friendly bunch once you show yourself willing to have a go at talking French and join in with the local celebrations - and a drop of the local wine seems to improve fluency no end so here we are putting that theory to the test!  ...
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