FAQ

ABOUT THE LESSONS

van with free written on itTrial Lesson

  • A trial lesson lasts about 30 minutes (+ a few minutes to answer your questions).  
  • Whenever I offer a free trial lesson, I make sure I have availability until the day we meet on Skype/ Zoom. If you like the trial lesson and wish to have more lessons with me, please book your lessons within 24 hours after the trial lesson. I cannot hold time slots for more than a day.
  • Due to high teaching workload, trial lessons are only available on request at the moment. To book a trial lesson, please contact me. 

bar chartHow can I work out what my level of French is?

By consulting the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages which sets out what a learner is expected to be able to do at each level in terms of speaking, listening, reading and writing. You can click here to access that framework, but the best way to determine your level is really to book a free trial with me! ; )

two childrenFrench lessons for your child 

  • During the lesson, an adult must stay in the same room to supervise and assist him/her with the technology if needed. The supervision of an adult is compulsory throughout the lesson. 
  • For young learners (4 to 9-year-olds), usually a lesson lasts 30 minutes. If your child is older or if you think your child could have an hour lesson, then please contact me to talk about it.

french lessons on Skype or ZoomWhat can I expect from a lesson?

Please read this article describing step-by-step a typical lesson with me on Skype or Zoom. 

magnifierWhat is the difference between a Conversation Lesson and a General Lesson? 

  • Conversation lessons are for students who have at least an intermediate level and want to expand on their vocabulary by studying a wide range of resources like audio files, videos, conversations/roleplays or articles. The focus is more on speaking and listening than grammar. I will, of course, correct your mistakes and explain them to you. However, there won’t be any particular grammar point explained and I won’t send you grammar exercises to do for homework.
  • General French lessons allow you to study a little bit of everything: you will listen to an audio file and study the vocabulary and grammar that arises from it. We’ll practise the grammar during and after the lesson and, of course, speak as much as possible!

chatIs it possible to do a combination of General and Conversation lessons?

Absolutely! For example, you could book a pay-as-you-go General lesson one week and then a pay-as-you-go Conversation lesson the following week. I also offer a “Combo” lesson package for 8 weeks, with 4 General lessons and 4 Conversation lessons. The lesson package is valid for 10 weeks. 

booksDo I need to get a textbook? 

I can recommend you books, but I usually provide with the online learning material: hand-outs, worksheets and audio-visual material, free of charge. If you are following the DELF/DALF programme, I will tell you which book to order.

envelopHow do I receive the documents for our lessons?

The documents will be sent via DropBox. Dropbox is a global & secured collaboration platform to share & store files. It is free of charge if you create a personal account. It allows me to send you all the documents (PDF/ videos/ audio files etc.) at once while if I send several documents to an email address, my email might be blocked by the security system and ends up in your junk box. Dropbox is available online at dropbox.com and for Windows, Mac, or Linux computers, as well as Android and iOS phones and tablets. Click here to watch a video explaining how it works. 

homeworkDo I need to do homework?  

No, you don’t. But I strongly recommend it if you want to progress faster and get more for your time and money! If you don’t do any homework, you need to accept that your progress will be significantly slower. This is why I always recommend getting used to doing homework after every French lesson. However, something comes up, if from time to time, and you cannot do your homework, no panic. Just drop me an email to let me know, and we will do it together during the lesson. 

Regularity is key. So it is more effective to work on French 15 minutes every day rather than 3 hours on a Saturday. Aim for 15 minutes and not more. Why? Because it is much harder to find an excuse not to do your homework for 15 minutes while it is much easier to find an excuse if you plan to do it for an hour or more at once! As I mentioned above, I prepare flashcards and games based on the vocabulary and grammar studied during the lessons. Use them on your mobile to practise and revise your French, on the bus or while queuing at the supermarket, for example.  

readyCan I do anything to prepare for my lesson?

Yes, you can!

  • Do your homework and send me your written work (PDF/ Word) at least 24 hours in advance for correction. Don’t forget to use the flashcards and games provided. Please don’t take a picture of your homework. If you have a Smartphone but not a scanner, download a free app like Genius or CamScanner and use your phone as a scanner. These applications are simple to use and free of charge! 
  • Research any vocabulary you would like to talk about during the improvised conversation we usually have at the beginning of our lesson. 
  • Note down any questions or difficulties that have arisen from your homework or other self-practice, and ask me when we start our lesson.
  • If you feel more comfortable with hard copies, then print the new material I sent you before our new lesson. 
  • Make sure that your internet/wifi is quick enough, and any IT equipment is working (headphones, computers, tablets, etc.). Ideally have a Plan B if something stops working (for example, download Skype on your Smartphone, so if there is a problem with your webcam, you can use your phone). If your Internet connexion is unstable, I suggest that, if possible, you use a wired connection to your modem with an Ethernet cable, rather than using the Wi-Fi system. With the cable, you should experience excellent stability.
  • Make sure you are in a quiet space where you can concentrate and where you are not going to be easily interrupted. 

certificateDo you offer some certificate or evaluation after a certain number of lessons? 

You can ask me to provide you with a certificate or an evaluation at any time.

diploma

DELF/DALF exams 

I can prepare you to pass the exam, but you will have to take it at one of the registered exam centres – to find the nearest one to you, click here. 

Clock in white and blackHow long will it take before I can speak decent French? 

How long it takes to someone to make certain progress depends on factors like:

  • the individual learning pace in general
  • the previous knowledge of grammar (those with much knowledge tends to progress faster)
  • how much homework the learner is able to do between lessons (faster if more homework)
  • knowledge of other(s) foreign language(s), those who already speak another foreign language, especially a Latin language (Italian, Spanish, Portuguese, Romanian) progress faster.

Here is an article I wrote on this subject. Click here to have a better idea of what you can expect, depending on the factors described below.

But of course, you can learn some basic conversational phrases to get by in only a few hours! Are you going on holiday to a French-speaking country? Then I could teach you enough French to get by in 5 hours thanks to my holiday crash course lesson package! 

Black and white Question Mark IconThis looks interesting, but I feel uncomfortable about learning French via Skype or Zoom… and by the way, I don’t know how to use any of them! 

It is common for those not used to online communication to feel this way. I recommend first reading the article I have written called Skype & Zoom explained. If you still have questions or doubts after reading this article, feel free to contact me.

COST AND PAYMENT

How much does a lesson cost?

Please click here to see the full price list. For bespoke offers, contact me.

bankcardHow can I pay?

When you buy a pay-as-you-go lesson or a lesson package, my booking system will automatically redirect you to PayPal. PayPal is a secured worldwide online payments system. This way, we don’t need to share our bank details. Every transaction is protected by fraud protection, 24-hour monitoring and advanced encryption. If necessary, PayPal will also take care of the currency conversion. 

What does the price include?

For each tailor-made 60-minute one-to-one lesson, at no extra cost, I will:

  • Provide you with free online learning material (presentations, hand-outs, and audio-visual material)
  • If you wish, give you homework and correct it for you before the following lesson (Most language teachers do not offer this additional work, but it is crucial to make real & quick progress!)

gift boxA little something… which makes a big difference

In addition to the lessons and the homework, I will create online flashcards and games based on the vocabulary studied during the lesson. They are great for practising and revising French on a daily basis. You can use them with different devices like your mobile, tablet, computer etc. at no extra cost.

receipt euroCan I get an invoice or a receipt? 

Of course! When you purchase a lesson or lesson package, PayPal will automatically send you an invoice by email. If you wish, I can also send you a monthly/ yearly traditional invoice and/or a receipt in pdf.

 

BOOKING A LESSON

calendarWhat is your teaching schedule? 

  • At the moment, I teach Monday to Thursday from 10.45 am until 9 pm and on Sunday, 4-9 pm, local time in France. I’m off on Friday and Saturday.
  • To view my availability for the coming 3 months, you’ll first need to register as a new student. It’s free and without commitment. If you register as a new student, please also send me an email (stephanie@frenchlessonsonskype.com) explaining your needs and objectives.
  • If you prefer, I can create an account for you. Just contact me. If you want me to do this, please let me have your first and last name, email address and phone number (just in case of emergency, if I have trouble reaching you online). Once you’re all set up, you’ll be able to view my teaching schedule and book a free trial or lesson via the online booking system.

Minimum commitment: for your lessons to be effective, the minimum commitment is to have at least one lesson per week, either by purchasing a pay-as-you-go lesson or by using a credit from your lesson package. Of course, there is no problem if for example, you do not wish to have a lesson during your holiday or if you cannot have a lesson under unavoidable circumstances. 

2 pagesCan I book two lessons in a row? 

Yes, you can do it on weekdays except on Sunday. The booking system will automatically assign a 15-minute break between the two lessons but if you don’t want a break, just let me know, and I’ll modify the booking.

earaserHow can I change or cancel a lesson? 

  • You can change or cancel a lesson up to 48 hours before the lesson is due to start via the online booking system; you don’t need to contact me directly.
  • The booking system won’t allow any cancellation/change less than 48 hours in advance. After this time, I would really appreciate if you could send me an email to let me know if you cannot make it. Unfortunately, unless you give 48 hours’ notice, the lesson will need to be charged as it would be too late by then for me to offer the time slot to another student.
  • It is possible to reschedule/postpone a lesson from time to time, but it is not possible to reschedule/postpone all your lessons at once.
  • To learn more about my terms and conditions, please click here. 

counterclockCan I book my lessons in advance?

Whenever you purchase a lesson package, in order to secure your favourite time slot(s) for each week, please book all your lessons in advance. If something comes up, please feel free to amend your booking up to 48 hours before the lesson is due to start via your student account. There is no need to contact me directly unless you need my help.

Calendar in black and whiteCan I purchase a lesson package and use my lessons later on?

  • If you wish to purchase a lesson package, please contact me beforehand, just to make sure we can find a time for your lessons that works for both of us over a few weeks.
  • Yes If you buy a lesson package and wish to start your lessons later on, please send me an email: (stephanie@frenchlessonsonskype.com) and let me know when you wish to have the first lesson. As soon as my booking system informs me of your purchase, I‘ll change your package’s expiring date. 

sand timerValidity of a lesson package

When you book a lesson package, I give you some extra time to have your lessons so if something comes up, if you go on holiday or feel unwell, you have enough time to have your lessons. So if you book an 8-week package, you’ll have 10 weeks to have your lessons. If you need more flexibility, then I recommend you to book pay-as-you-go lessons, one lesson at a time. Please note, lesson packages are non-refundable. 

Can’t find a suitable timeslot for your lesson? 

Sometimes I can get busy, so if you cannot see a suitable timeslot to book a lesson or if you don’t see any available timeslots at all, it doesn’t necessarily mean you can’t have a lesson that week. Please don’t wait and just send me a message with the title BOOKING  (so I can quickly spot your email) with a list of all your availability and I’ll do my best to find a suitable timeslot for you. As usual, please give me 48 hours’ notice.

coupleCan I share a Skype or Zoom lesson with someone, my partner or friend, for example? 

Yes, you can! If you and your partner/friend wanted to do Skype lessons together as long as you have the same level. You will get a third off the price per person.