GCSE / iGCSE / A levels… want to ensure a better grade?
If your teenager would like to practise for their French oral exams or would like extra support, either 1-2-1 or with some friends, do get in touch: even 3 or 4 sessions to deal with that sense of falling behind, tackle an area of grammar that they feel they’ve never really ‘got’ or have someone to listen to their oral presentation really can make all the difference.
“Hi Kathi. In French I got a high A which I’m really really really pleased with!! Thank you so much for all your help as without it (particularly the speaking) it would have been a lot harder. Off to my first choice Nottingham to study politics; I think I’ll choose to study French in my optional modules!!”
Andrew A2 French Edexcel board
Specific help for teenagers
There are many ways I can help your teenagers with their French. I provide a quiet space for talking about what areas of their work they need support in. During a session with me your teenager can be frank about any of the problems they are having with their French. I don’t have expectations of them that they aren’t meeting and have a gentle nature that inspires confidence and trust.
Your teenager and how I can help with listening to French
We listen together to suitable dialogues and passages in spoken French. Your teenager will practise listening for gist and also to pick out specific information. We go through what exactly what your teenager has and hasn’t understood. We work on extending how long they can concentrate in French. I can demystify what they are hearing and we can listen to a passage over and over again. I offer tips for carrying on listening even when there are sections they don’t pick up.
So as to get the most from their sessions, your teenager will need to lay the groundwork and learn the vocabulary required for their exam board. Together we can work on identifying tense, mood and recognising pronouns before verbs. We can work on dealing swiftly with figures, for instance, so your teenager doesn’t interrupt their flow of understanding. Since we practise listening for the phrases that link ideas, your teenager will also feel happier using them in their spoken French.
Many teenagers find some revision of the sounds of French and the various French accents and how they change – or not – the sound of vowels, will enable them to “see” the right word. For instance, a few minutes’ work writing down dictation-style what the student is hearing when they don’t understand clarifies where words start and end. It will demonstrate how letters which are silent at the end of a word in isolation are sounded during liaison in rapid spoken French, “distorting” the word. Some work on what French sounds look like written down coupled with doing the opposite and reading aloud tunes the ear to French. Once a teenager gets used to jotting down any problem “sounds” and moving on until they can come back to unravel them, the listening task becomes more achievable.
Your teenager and how I can help with speaking French
Improving your teenager’s pronunciation and presentation skills goes hand-in-hand with improving their comprehension. Initially we work on making your teenager’s pronunciation accurate. This will also improve their written French. Next, we improve flow and practise linking words and phrases until they come naturally. Finally, we practise and repeat so that speaking aloud becomes mundane. We improve your teenager’s confidence in their delivery and ability.
Are exams approaching for your teenager?
It may be that your teenager simply doesn’t get on with their teacher as much as they might. Perhaps they want to practise their French away from their peers to prepare for an important exam? I offer help.
Your teenager might benefit from having someone qualified to listen to their French presentation before their exam. I offer an opportunity to rehearse, practise and deal with any last-minute worries.
An experienced French tutor can help your teenager
I have been successfully helping students for nearly 20 years gain confidence and improve grades. I tutor adults young and old and specialise in secondary school students, some of my students were keen to have their say on my testimonials page. Just one example is Ella who I tutored for GCSE and A levels:
“Kathi believed in me and made me realise that my lack of confidence was stopping me learning. I have now gone on to do a degree in Languages and am so pleased I stuck with it!!”
You’ll get better results and gain in confidence
Do ring me if you’d like to talk about how I can help you: 07747 053588 or email me at your convenience: kathi@french-teacher.co.uk
A parent’s point of view – Ella’s Mum talks:
“As a parent there is nothing worse than seeing your child unhappy at school. Ella didn’t believe she could pass her French and it was starting to affect her other subjects. Kathi instilled in Ella the knowledge that she had a natural flair for languages and it was just a lack of confidence holding her back. It was the best money we ever spent. I would recommend Kathi to every parent who sees their child is struggling at school. Sometimes that extra boost is all that is needed. Ella is now studying two more languages at University!”