What people say about us
Christina H
I would like to say how much I enjoyed yesterday. The topics chosen were useful & I particularly enjoyed the role play- not only the speaking but listening & replying. I went home with a big smile on my face ! Mille Mercis!
Roger P
I would also like to say as [B’s] father and the fee-payer how much I appreciate the help that Alliance Francaise has been able to give our son. A, (tutor) has been always eager to help, diligent and good-humoured.... I can tell that [B's] confidence has blossomed. And I would add that, from the perspective of the person paying the fees, the sessions were very good value for money. So we will be booking [B] into the sessions with you in the run-up to his A-level exams next year. Vive Alliance Francaise!
Jan L, age 64 - You are never too old to learn!
As we travelled home across France after a year in Spain, I found I had forgotten all my French. A friend recommended Alliance Française and I joined a group, soon afterwards moving to individual classes as a result of personal circumstances. My teacher and I have an agreed focus - the spoken word, and a mutually convenient timetable. As well as speaking, I also practise to improve my grammar but not as a sterile, isolated exercises; the work is always relevant to my learning. We have also agreed that I write in French as well, to further hone my grammatical skills and to extend my vocabulary and my knowledge of structure. These tasks are both challenging and appropriate and are always marked thoroughly and commented on positively. My very French teacher is very friendly yet very rigorous, and, moreover, has a great sense of humour. Being corrected is a positive rather than painful experience. The atmosphere is relaxed, the learning feels easy and I feel that I have made considerable progress. Alliance Française is not a cheap option, but for me it has proved and excellent investment.
Sara C
Au mois de mars cette année, je me suis s'inscrite à la Advanced Class le mercredi matin pour me donner un coup de pouce avant notre déménagement en France rurale. C'était la meilleure chose que j'aurais pu faire, et maintenant je regrette que je n'avais pas assisté à ces classes beaucoup plus tôt. Le groupe, qui se connaissait déjà tous très bien, était très accueillant, et immédiatement je me suis sentie complètement à l'aise. ...Mais c'était aussi très amusant, et en même temps j'ai appris beaucoup de nouveau vocabulaire, je me suis remis à ma grammaire, et j'ai appris des choses sur la France, l'histoire, la culture et la politique. Chaque semaine, nous avons eu un peu de recherche à faire sur un sujet choisi soit par C soit par l'un de nous, avec parfois quelques devoirs sur un mot ou un point de grammaire...mais surtout intéressant et pas lourd du tout. Ces classes étaient un excellent moyen de développer le français avec la compagnie agréable et détendue, et un excellent moyen de se faire de nouveaux amis. C est une excellente hôtesse et enseignante- chaleureuse, amicale, positive et tellement drôle !
Andrew C (now living in France)
As a relative naif intending to live in France, the prospect of taking pre-launch French lessons was, at the outset, less than appealing; my twelve-year-old self remembered, with luke-warm enthusiasm, failing to find la plume de ma tante, so my adult self expected little improvement. I was to be pleasantly surprised.
Rather than just picking up holiday-conversation patter and gleaning a scant understanding of spoken French, it was the grammar, I knew, that was the route to success. And so it was, after only half a dozen one-to-one lessons with Alliance Francaise, in York, that the veil was lifted on so many things that had been, up to this point, totally mysterious; a few short hours had shown me, amongst other things, the structure of tenses, verbs, sentences - I was even writing in French - and the process had even unlocked stuff that had been long dormant. I felt, even after such a short time, that I now had a secure scaffolding upon which I could build a better understanding of the language. And it made me more interested in doing so. And more adventurous. And more confident.
I would thoroughly recommend it.
Sonia B.
I was delighted to discover French Café, which has renewed my interest in all things French. I enjoy the friendly, informal atmosphere created by our lively young French leader and appreciate the opportunity to hear and speak French without having to commit to a course of study.
Trevor J.
I have now been attending Cafe conversation sessions with Alliance Francaise for many months, and my confidence has grown enormously. Shyness soon disappears with free flowing conversation between friendly people with varying ability. Everyone is able to have their say, with excellent guidance from native French speakers. We all learn French primarily to have spontaneous conversation, and there is no better way to get started, or keep up standards, than to join this group
Sonia B.
I have participated in three [Café Débat] sessions and have found them really enjoyable, interesting and fun. Conversations have been more focussed than at meetings of French Café, with the subject known in advance and help offered online for those who wish to prepare beforehand. Good choices of topics have led to lively, thought-provoking discussions.
Jocelyn
I wanted to say a 'big thank you' to you for the french tuition over the last 3 yrs. You have made it fun and very enjoyable, it was never a chore to turn out on a Tues eve, no matter what the weather was like.
Paul
I would just like to say how much I've enjoyed my conversation lessons with a tutor from Alliance Francaise. She is very easy to get along with, extremely patient and manages to keep the conversation going when I'm lost for words. I think I have improved immensely since starting the lessons nine months ago
Veronica
I thoroughly enjoyed our day together last Saturday and I feel that I learnt a lot from it. Before we began, I did wonder if I could actually concentrate for a prolonged period but it wasn't a problem. The activities were varied and interesting which made the day pass very quickly
Jenny T
I have thoroughly enjoyed my French lessons and thought you were a great tutor. You tailored my lessons to meet my needs precisely. I liked that you had your own ideas on what to teach me that would be useful, as well as asking me what I thought. I now feel much more confident about going to Luxembourg and speaking French when I’m out and about. I was initially a little concerned that 2-3 hour lessons might feel quite intense, so it was great to do a mixture of revision from previous sessions, role-plays, reading, writing and listening exercises. I found the lessons actually went very quickly. Merci beaucoup pour tout!
