Sunday, February 28, 2021
8 °c
Geneva
Things to do in Geneva
  • HOME
  • 10 THINGS TO DO
  • ABOUT US
    • ADVERTISE WITH US: REACH THE EXPATS IN GENEVA
  • EVENTS
  • EAT OUT
    • All
    • SWISS RESTAURANTS
    Baos restaurants in Geneva

    NEW RESTAURANT: BAOTI FOR BUN LOVERS

    donut shops in Geneva

    IN SEARCH OF SUGAR: GENEVA’S BEST DONUT SHOPS

    cheese fondue covid

    STORM IN A CHEESE FONDUE POT: TO DIP OR NOT TO DIP

    10 COOL RESTAURANTS OFFERING TAKEAWAYS IN LOCKDOWN IN GENEVA

    10 COOL RESTAURANTS OFFERING TAKEAWAYS IN LOCKDOWN IN GENEVA

  • FEEL GOOD
    New COVID measures in Geneva

    NEW GENEVA COVID-19 MEASURES: THE CITY SLOWLY OPENS UP

    Balima Day Spa Geneva

    URBAN SPA: ESCAPE TO BALI WITH A RELAXING LUXURY MASSAGE

    Crans Montana - Learn to ski in Switzerland

    YOUR 2021 NEW YEARS RESOLUTION: LEARN TO SKI OR SNOWBOARD IN SWITZERLAND

    View from Mont Fort - ski resorts near Geneva

    5 REASONS WHY YOU’LL LOVE SKIING IN THE 4 VALLÉES (EVEN DURING COVID-19)

  • GO OUT
    Geneva Lux festival 2021

    GENEVA LUX FESTIVAL 2021

    Dance in the Waves

    DANCE IN THE WAVES – WITH MANON!

    escalade outdoor escape game in Geneva

    “ESCALADE” EDITION OUTDOOR ESCAPE GAME

    photographic walking tour Geneva

    STROLL TO DISCOVER THE “OTHER” – PHOTO TRAIL

  • LEARN
    online cooking classes in Geneva

    TIRED OF TAKE-AWAYS? TRY AN ONLINE COOKING CLASS IN GENEVA

    Childcare in Geneva

    THE ABC OF QUALITY DAYCARE IN GENEVA

    french online courses Switzerland

    DO YOU FEEL LIKE GIVING UP ON LEARNING FRENCH?

    Weight loss Geneva

    HOW TO FINALLY STOP STRESSING ABOUT FOOD

  • SHOP
    New COVID measures in Geneva

    NEW GENEVA COVID-19 MEASURES: THE CITY SLOWLY OPENS UP

    indoor plants Geneva

    INJECT SOME CALM AND COLOUR INTO YOUR LIFE

    pop-up gallery in Geneva

    POP-UP GALLERY: AFFORDABLE ART AND DECO SALE

    pop-up shop in Geneva

    QWSTION POP-UP SHOP: TRENDY SWISS-MADE BAGS

  • GET AWAY
    Win a Valentine's stay at romantic luxury hotel Beau Rivage

    WIN A ROMANTIC LUXURY HOTEL STAY FOR TWO!

    visit neuchatel

    WHY NEUCHATEL SHOULD BE ON YOUR RADAR

    SWISS STAYCATION: MÜRREN AND THE LAUTERBRUNNE VALLEY

    SWISS STAYCATION: WATERFALLS, 007 THRILLS AND FONDUE, OF COURSE!

    CitizenM hotel Geneva

    TRENDY CONTACTLESS HOTEL OPENS IN GENEVA – WIN A NIGHT FOR 2!

  • CONTACT
  • EDUCATION
No Result
View All Result
Things to do in Geneva
  • HOME
  • 10 THINGS TO DO
  • ABOUT US
    • ADVERTISE WITH US: REACH THE EXPATS IN GENEVA
  • EVENTS
  • EAT OUT
    • All
    • SWISS RESTAURANTS
    Baos restaurants in Geneva

    NEW RESTAURANT: BAOTI FOR BUN LOVERS

    donut shops in Geneva

    IN SEARCH OF SUGAR: GENEVA’S BEST DONUT SHOPS

    cheese fondue covid

    STORM IN A CHEESE FONDUE POT: TO DIP OR NOT TO DIP

    10 COOL RESTAURANTS OFFERING TAKEAWAYS IN LOCKDOWN IN GENEVA

    10 COOL RESTAURANTS OFFERING TAKEAWAYS IN LOCKDOWN IN GENEVA

  • FEEL GOOD
    New COVID measures in Geneva

    NEW GENEVA COVID-19 MEASURES: THE CITY SLOWLY OPENS UP

    Balima Day Spa Geneva

    URBAN SPA: ESCAPE TO BALI WITH A RELAXING LUXURY MASSAGE

    Crans Montana - Learn to ski in Switzerland

    YOUR 2021 NEW YEARS RESOLUTION: LEARN TO SKI OR SNOWBOARD IN SWITZERLAND

    View from Mont Fort - ski resorts near Geneva

    5 REASONS WHY YOU’LL LOVE SKIING IN THE 4 VALLÉES (EVEN DURING COVID-19)

  • GO OUT
    Geneva Lux festival 2021

    GENEVA LUX FESTIVAL 2021

    Dance in the Waves

    DANCE IN THE WAVES – WITH MANON!

    escalade outdoor escape game in Geneva

    “ESCALADE” EDITION OUTDOOR ESCAPE GAME

    photographic walking tour Geneva

    STROLL TO DISCOVER THE “OTHER” – PHOTO TRAIL

  • LEARN
    online cooking classes in Geneva

    TIRED OF TAKE-AWAYS? TRY AN ONLINE COOKING CLASS IN GENEVA

    Childcare in Geneva

    THE ABC OF QUALITY DAYCARE IN GENEVA

    french online courses Switzerland

    DO YOU FEEL LIKE GIVING UP ON LEARNING FRENCH?

    Weight loss Geneva

    HOW TO FINALLY STOP STRESSING ABOUT FOOD

  • SHOP
    New COVID measures in Geneva

    NEW GENEVA COVID-19 MEASURES: THE CITY SLOWLY OPENS UP

    indoor plants Geneva

    INJECT SOME CALM AND COLOUR INTO YOUR LIFE

    pop-up gallery in Geneva

    POP-UP GALLERY: AFFORDABLE ART AND DECO SALE

    pop-up shop in Geneva

    QWSTION POP-UP SHOP: TRENDY SWISS-MADE BAGS

  • GET AWAY
    Win a Valentine's stay at romantic luxury hotel Beau Rivage

    WIN A ROMANTIC LUXURY HOTEL STAY FOR TWO!

    visit neuchatel

    WHY NEUCHATEL SHOULD BE ON YOUR RADAR

    SWISS STAYCATION: MÜRREN AND THE LAUTERBRUNNE VALLEY

    SWISS STAYCATION: WATERFALLS, 007 THRILLS AND FONDUE, OF COURSE!

    CitizenM hotel Geneva

    TRENDY CONTACTLESS HOTEL OPENS IN GENEVA – WIN A NIGHT FOR 2!

  • CONTACT
  • EDUCATION
No Result
View All Result
Things to do in Geneva
No Result
View All Result
Home LEARN

WOULD YOU LIKE TO FINALLY BE ABLE TO SPEAK FRENCH?

by Things to do in Geneva
May 15, 2020
in LEARN
0
learning french online geneva
53
SHARES
1.2k
VIEWS
Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
Signup for Things to do in Geneva Newsletter Signup for Things to do in Geneva Newsletter Signup for Things to do in Geneva Newsletter

ONLINE FRENCH CLASSES FOR BUSY PARENTS AND BUSINESS PEOPLE

by Chené Koscielny

 

After trying to learn French for over 10 years, I still feel like a three-year-old in most conversations and when I need a cutting comeback to a rude waiter or a sharp rebuke to an indifferent shop assistant, my vocabulary still fails me every time.

I could have paid off a holiday home in Provence with the fortune I’d forked out on ineffective French courses to date, ranging from torturous one-on-one sessions with megalomaniacs to frustrating group classes where only the teacher’s pet gets to speak.

LEARNING FRENCH ONLINE

The one thing I hadn’t tried yet is learning French online. Surely speaking to a teacher on a screen could only be less effective than my efforts to date?

As it turns out, I was very pleasantly surprised after being convinced by Isabelle Nicolas-Johnson, owner of local online language school Prêt à Parler in Geneva, to test the school by taking 3 one-on-one online lessons.

I was so impressed, in fact, that I have decided to have another go at finally being able to speak French by enrolling in one of their online language programmes.

learning french online geneva
learning french online in geneva

WHAT IS PRÊT À PARLER?

An online language school specialised in teaching French to native and non-native English-speaking expats living or working in a French-speaking environment. Their clients are busy professionals and parents with limited time to spend on improving their French.

It was started in 2015 by Isabelle, who was born and raised in Quebec, Canada, by a Belgian mother and a French father. She is a professional opera singer living in Geneva with her husband and one toddler and is expecting her second child.

Her opera singer qualifications brings a special emphasis on pronunciation.

WHY LEARN FRENCH ONLINE?

 

THE FLEXIBILITY

The first obvious advantage of online learning is the flexibility – I did my 3 x 60 minute courses during the holidays at 8am in my PJs before anyone else in the house was awake. I did brush my hair, though, as you are live on camera!

No time wasted getting dressed, driving or parking. You simply switch on your computer and dial into the Zoom conference call.

If the dog barks or there is someone at the door, the lesson is paused for a few minutes and resumes after – perfect!

My previous French group course in town lasted only one hour, but with the logistics, parking and transport involved, took a good 2,5-hour chunk out of my day.

You schedule your lesson online using a 24-hour online scheduling system, integrated with Google calendar and Zoom.

FOCUSED AND EFFICIENT

Did you know that a 60-minute lesson done online can achieve the same results as a 120-minute face-to-face lesson, minus the disruption to your day?

I was skeptical about this claim at first, but my lessons with super prof Yohann were very intense and focused and I spoke more French than I’d done in a long time. I also felt that I’d taken in a lot more and that we focused exactly on the things I wanted to work on. No disturbance from other students. The class was really well structured and Yohann was very well prepared.

 

100% PERSONALISED APPROACH

Yohann took time to understand what I wanted out of my lessons before we started and he tailored the course to my needs. He quickly assessed my level of French, but also understood that my focus was to learn to speak fluently – I want to feel more confident in social situations. We focused on specific phrases that I’d been wanting to use more confidently, as well as the dreaded imparfait and passé composé, which I still mix up. The lessons were interactive, practical, dynamic, interactive and fun.

THE TECHNOLOGY

This part impressed me most. Zoom is seamless and easy to use with a better connection than Skype and fab interactive tools. Yohann could share his screen to show me the materials and type suggestions and vocabulary notes in the chat bar while I was speaking! It was awesome. I didn’t have to take a single note. It also means any online material such as newspaper articles or videos online can be used as course material.

The best part is that the entire lesson is recorded and you get not only a PDF with all the notes taken during the lesson – via screen shots, but also the full video recording. It was the first time I heard myself speak French and could observe my own body language and pronunciation.

Very interesting and useful.

THE TEACHERS

French lessons are personal and you reveal a lot about your life and feelings, so it’s important to feel safe and trust the teacher. I’ve had some horror experiences in the past, including a teacher who tried to copy my business idea after milking me for information for months.

Yohann is based in Lyon and has never been to Geneva, yet he has lived around the world and could relate to my experience as an expat – there was no judgement and I could express my feelings and frustrations in a safe environment. He was encouraging and positive and I felt confident to speak.

He is also 100% bilingual English/French, as are all the Prêt a Parler teachers, so no time is wasted in lost in translation moments. This makes a big difference!

PRACTICAL

I love the fact that there are no heavy folders to carry around, no photocopies flying everywhere or lost homework sheets. All the homework is done online.

All you need is your computer, a good internet connection and a reasonably quiet spot. This is also very environmentally friendly – even the contracts you sign are paperless.

 

OTHER ADVANTAGES

Prêt a Parler offers an online learning platform with 200 hours of French lessons designed for English-speaking expats, a forum where you can get feedback from the teachers and premium webinars as part of their online programmes for additional support.

learning french online geneva
learning french online geneva

PREPARING FOR PERMIS C – FIDE EXAM AS OF JANUARY 2020?

According to Isabelle, in January 2019, in the French-speaking cantons of Switzerland, if you are a non-Swiss resident whose mother tongue isn’t French, you will most probably be asked by the OCPM (Office cantonal de la Population et des Migrations) to pass the A2/B1 oral and A1/A2 written exams in order to obtain your Permis C (régulier/anticipé) or Swiss Naturalisation

Right now, the DELF certificates are still accepted, but rumor has it that as of January 2020 the FIDE Passeport des langues will become the go-to exam for every Permis C and Swiss naturalisation applicant in the above situation.

THE FIDE exam focuses on the practical use of French for your everyday life.

Prêt à Parler has helped dozens of expats to successfully prepare for their oral and written exams in order to obtain their Permis C and Swiss naturalisation. Their success rate is 100% since 2015!

As of 1 September, Prêt à Parler will offer a free webinar and fiche pratique (review sheet) on La préparation à l’examen FIDE, to watch directly in the e-learning section of our website. People can sign up here.

 

THE COST

The cost depends on which programme you choose, but you’re looking at around CHF90 per one-on-one class, with access to the online learning platform and webinars.

This is not cheap, by any means, but from what I’ve seen so far, I believe I’ll make much faster progress in this focused way of learning than some of the ineffective cheaper classes I’d wasted my money on before.

FREE TRIAL

Prêt a Parler offers a FREE trial for anyone interested in learning more.

You can also learn more about them and start improving your French by checking out their social media channels:

Youtube Channel

Facebook Page,  

Instagram Page

Weekly newsletter

OFFER RENTRÉE

They also have a special Rentrée 2019 Promotion which offers an extra 10% discount if you book your language program of 20 lessons or more before 15 September 2019.

MORE INFO

https://pretaparler.ch/

/

Tags: cfrench courses onlinelearn french onlineonline french lessons genevaonlinge language school genevapretaparler geneva
ADVERTISEMENT
Previous Post

LYON – FOODIE AND SHOPPING HEAVEN

Next Post

CULTURE (IN ENGLISH) IN GENEVA

Related Posts

online cooking classes in Geneva
LEARN

TIRED OF TAKE-AWAYS? TRY AN ONLINE COOKING CLASS IN GENEVA

by Things to do in Geneva
January 15, 2021
Childcare in Geneva
LEARN

THE ABC OF QUALITY DAYCARE IN GENEVA

by Things to do in Geneva
December 3, 2020
french online courses Switzerland
LEARN

DO YOU FEEL LIKE GIVING UP ON LEARNING FRENCH?

by Things to do in Geneva
November 20, 2020
Weight loss Geneva
LEARN

HOW TO FINALLY STOP STRESSING ABOUT FOOD

by Things to do in Geneva
October 22, 2020
expat of the month October 2020
LEARN

CELEBRATING LATIN AMERICAN TIES AND BELGIAN FRIES

by Things to do in Geneva
January 20, 2021
Next Post
Arts and culture in Geneva in English

CULTURE (IN ENGLISH) IN GENEVA

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

I agree to the Terms & Conditions and Privacy Policy.

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

Follow Us

No Result
View All Result
ADVERTISEMENT

Post Categories

  • CHRISTMAS GUIDE 2020
  • EAT OUT
    • SWISS RESTAURANTS
  • EDUCATION
  • EVENTS
  • EVERYTHING ELSE
  • FEEL GOOD
  • GET AWAY
  • GO OUT
  • LEARN
  • SHOP
  • SUMMER GUIDE
  • TOP TEN THINGS

Post Archives

Weather Forecast in Geneva

Geneva, Switzerland
Sunday, February 28, 2021
Sunny
8 ° c
60%
3.11mh
-%
12 c -1 c
Sun
14 c 0 c
Mon
15 c 2 c
Tue
15 c 3 c
Wed

Signup for our Newsletter

Newsletter Signup
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT

Signup for our Newsletter

Newsletter Signup

Like Us On Facebook

Latest Posts

New COVID measures in Geneva

NEW GENEVA COVID-19 MEASURES: THE CITY SLOWLY OPENS UP

February 18, 2021
Balima Day Spa Geneva

URBAN SPA: ESCAPE TO BALI WITH A RELAXING LUXURY MASSAGE

February 9, 2021
Win a Valentine's stay at romantic luxury hotel Beau Rivage

WIN A ROMANTIC LUXURY HOTEL STAY FOR TWO!

February 9, 2021
indoor plants Geneva

INJECT SOME CALM AND COLOUR INTO YOUR LIFE

February 3, 2021
  • HOME
  • ABOUT US
  • CONTACT
  • PRIVACY POLICY
  • SITEMAP

© 2019 Things to do in Geneva

No Result
View All Result
  • HOME
  • 10 THINGS TO DO
  • ABOUT US
    • ADVERTISE WITH US: REACH THE EXPATS IN GENEVA
  • EVENTS
  • EAT OUT
  • FEEL GOOD
  • GO OUT
  • LEARN
  • SHOP
  • GET AWAY
  • CONTACT
  • EDUCATION

© 2019 Things to do in Geneva

This website uses cookies. By continuing to use this website you are giving consent to cookies being used. Visit our Privacy and Cookie Policy.