French by Skype

 "Sometimes an outside person can help the student to make the changes that he or she
needs to make so as to improve their fluency in French:

I am such a person."

Damian Duggan: Director of Language Books Ltd and French Tutor

You Live in France and want to work on your French? Click here

You are a college student of French and want to improve your poronunciation, speaking and listening skills? Click here

You are a business exporting or importing from France and French-speaking Africa and wish to communicate better? Click here

You live in France?
 
You want to learn French?

You want to improve your French?
Or understand the underlying grammar?
Or need to improve your pronunciation?
 
 I can help you
 
 

One of the hardest things about living in a country and not speaking the language is ... not being able to speak and understand the language.
 
You do not need to be anybody special, or specially intelligent to be able to speak French: what most people lack is having the right teacher and the right teaching.  And the confidence to do so.
 
As has been found by hundreds of my students over the years, I believe that you will find me to be right for you: I am even willing to offer a complete session free so as to prove that to you!
 
Ever since the age of 21 when I first went to France to live and study (I am a graduate of Strasbourg University) I have loved French and it has been - and still is - a very large part of my life.
 
Speaking French makes for personal contact, eases problems, and, in a word, makes for good living.
It will change your everyday life and well-being.
 
I do not say that it will be easy. But -
 
You just need to decide that you are going to put everything into learning French: concentration and above all the determination to succeed.

Willing to put aside an hour's teaching each week and daily practice.
The determination to speak and listen in French at every opportunity.
 
It all starts with you.

How I teach

I teach French by ear rather than the eye. For listening and speaking.
 
For language learning by ear (speaking, listening) is so much different from language learning by eye (reading, writing).
 
And for my teaching, I have the advantage of NOT being a native French speaker: I went through the school system, and then perfected my French for 5 years in France – total immersion. University of Strasbourg (degree in Theology), eight years in Burkina Faso in a French missionary environment (where I learnt a local language through French) and since then I have used French in much of my everyday work life either teaching or selling books.
I also set up and ran a very successful Language Centre whilst myself teaching twenty groups of all ages and abilities.
 
Where I have the advantage over the native French speaker, is in that I understand very well the difficulties that someone of English expression finds in expressing and understanding the French language and culture.
I bring to my unique way of teaching French my understanding of how I personally overcame the problems which often beset the language learner: pronunciation, expression, gender, verb formation and forms, and – the elephant in the room – shyness.
 
My areas of expertise: Accent and pronunciation; verb formation and forms; communication skills (speaking, listening, emailing); French Church and Folk song – singing is a wonderful way of ‘fixing’ expression and vocabulary (though I will only use this if the student wishes...); vocabulary and dictionary usage; listening skills. And of course, most importantly, encouragement and enablement.
 
I must also make clear that my special skill is in teaching French fluency: I do not attempt to enter the academic area at all. I will give you the hints necessary for learning and improving your French every day. It is you who will teach yourself French: my job is simply put you on right track and enable your learning.
 

Why by Skype?

A word about Skype learning: Apart from not having to travel, Skype has the advantage of concentration: both teacher and student being in familiar surroundings, with only having the screen and the earphone as input.
There can be an intensity of concentration on Skype that is more conducive to learning than even sitting opposite each other in a room.
I find that one full hour for input per session for most is sufficient, and I include in my teaching package and fee a period before this hour for setting up and comfort banter, and a further period for winding down, fixing work that needs to be done and arranging details for the next session.
 
Though I do teach input, much of the time is spent allowing the student to learn: giving time for the student to think is, I believe, essential for language learning – as is the importance of coming to terms with different ways of saying (and hearing) the same information. As is giving you the opportunity of making mistakes: remember that many mistakes that we make are made by French children as they learn French...
 
For Skype, the student needs reasonable internet access, Skype address and computer/laptop.   A good laptop or PC is normally sufficient. And a good internet connection. It really is important that we can hear and see each other well. And of course email so that I can send you over supplementary inputs.
 
Sessions can be held also on either smartphone or tablet.

Fees:

I offer a free taster session of one hour in total. This allows me to assess the student’s or students' needs - and allows the student to assess how comfortable they are with me.
 
This taster session will allow the student to express his or her specific outcome needs.
 
If after the taster you wish to continue I offer the following:
 

• A block of ten sessions: £300 (discount of 25% off full price) (Single sessions: £40). Second ten sessions: £250. Then further sessions at £240.
   
• Supplement per lesson per extra student: £5 per session
   
• Books and other materials : between £20 and £30 per student.  I supply these at cost price. (But if you wish to purchase them in France for yourselves - I will give you the details - in this case there will be nothing to pay to me for materials)
   
• If along the way you opt for a block of 45 hours tuition (about one year), I will be happy to adjust fees already paid into an invoice for £1000, which will cover 45 hours tuition and all costs of books and materials. This block of teaching will significantly improve your French and will prove in the future to be an investment well worth making.

Other details:

                       
A student will need ten sessions minimum to feel real progress and settle into this system of learning. The scheduling of sessions will be agreed at the beginning. For sessions with two students, it is essential that both are present on Skype. And that each student has his or her own separate computer terminal or laptop. I would suggest that two students at similar levels should be the maximum, but am willing to try more.
 
The work in between sessions is vital: I arrange, in consultation with the student and according to his or her needs, tasks to be completed or learned in between lessons.
I encourage each student to have his or her personal project (which I will manage and oversee).
I ask each student to put aside time in between each session to work on matters raised in the session completed. A little and often is best: as the French say: Petit à petit l'oiseau fait son nid!
 
And above all, I work at your speed, not mine!
 
I will exercise reasonable flexibility towards changing appointment times previously agreed, but will unfortunately have to charge for sessions missed without prior or sufficient notification.
 
For my input and framework for my teaching I use elements appropriate to the student from the FLE programme of the University of Grenoble, as well as my own material.
 
Teaching and input, as far as possible, depending on the student’s ability, is done in French.
Less in French for those who are beginners, and more for those who already have some skills and knowledge in French.
 
I am happy to work with students of any level of French. If there is to be more than one student for the sessions, they both need to at a fairly similar level of French. (They do not need to live in the same house or even town or department: remember the magic of Skype!)
 
I do not form part of a ‘consortium’ of tutors. If you engage to be taught by me – you will be taught by me. 
 
Since my time for teaching is finite, please do book your place while I have capacity. 
 

  Final word
 

Probably the hardest part of it all will be to decide to take me up on the free taster. I can assure you that if you do this, that you will be starting on the most fascinating journey of your life.
 
I await your email or your call!
 
Damian Duggan   January 2024

FRENCH BY SKYPE FOR SCHOOL AND COLLEGE STUDENTS
 
 
Increasing French Fluency for School and College Students
 
 
"Sometimes an outside person can help the student make the changes he or she needs to increase their fluency in French. I am such a person."

 
Many of you will know me for my foreign language book provision through LBOL and now Language Books.
I work directly with the publishers and distributors in France either by email or by phone. I have always conducted all communications in French with them all and continue to do so every day. 
 
 A few years ago I returned to a special area of personal expertise: French tutoring.
French, in which I am fluent, is for me a second language, and this gives me the advantage over the native French speaker: I understand very well the difficulties that someone of English expression finds in expressing and understanding the French language and culture.
I bring to my unique way of teaching French how to overcome the problems which often beset the language learner: pronunciation, expression, gender, verb formation and forms, and – the elephant in the room – shyness.
I am very effective in enabling the hesitant French learner to manage oral and aural French: I teach from the ear rather than the eye.
 
And Skype is a terrific medium for doing this.
 
Apart from not having to travel, Skype has the advantage of concentration: both teacher and student being in familiar surroundings, with only having the screen and the earphone as input, there can be an intensity of concentration on Skype that is more conducive to learning than even sitting opposite each other in a room.
 
I find that one full hour for input per session for most is sufficient, as this medium for learning is intense. 
 
I include in my teaching package and fee a period before this hour for setting up and comfort banter, and a further period for winding down, fixing work that needs to be done and arranging details for the next session.
 
As a tutor, I do teach (input), but much of the time is spent allowing the student to learn: giving time for the student to think is, I believe, essential for language learning – as is the importance of coming to terms with different ways of saying (and hearing) the same information. As is allowing the opportunity to make mistakes: many mistakes that we make are made by French children as they learn French.
 
My areas of expertise: Accent and pronunciation; verb formation and forms; communication skills (speaking, listening, emailing); French Church and Folk song – singing is a wonderful way of ‘fixing’ expression and vocabulary (though I will only use this is the student wishes!); vocabulary and dictionary usage; listening skills.
 
(I must mention also my areas of non-expertise: French literature, support in essay writing (though some of my emails could be said to fall under this category!). Though perfectly capable of these, I prefer to use my skills of oral and aural communication: as I say, I teach rather by the ear, than the eye.
 
 
Fees:
 
I offer a free taster session of one hour in total (which allows me to assess the student’s needs and allows the student to assess how comfortable they are with me!).
This taster session will allow the student to express his or her specific outcome needs.
 
If the student is from an educational establishment and the contract is being taken out by the school, payment will be on invoice raised against a school purchase order (21 days).
 
 
•   I offer a block of ten sessions for £300 (discount of 25% off full price)
•   I offer a block of five sessions for £175 (discount of 12.5% off full price)
•   Single sessions: £40
•   If any student or their mentor is dissatisfied with progress, I will refund in entirety the
     remaining full session/s fees.
•   I will exercise reasonable flexibility towards changing appointment times previously
    agreed, but will unfortunately have to charge for sessions missed without prior notification.
 
Books (required for 6 sessions or more): £40 (refunded when 20 sessions have been purchased)
 
A student will need ten to twenty sessions to feel real progress.
 
I propose one session per week (minimum) or two sessions per week for a more concentrated input.
Much depends on the needs and the learning ability of the student.
It is possible to have more sessions than this per week, but for better absorption and progress, and because of the necessary in-between course work (I will ask each student to put aside at least twenty minutes per day to work on matters raised in the session completed). I would not suggest more than two sessions per week, and one is perfectly sufficient for most.
 
The work in between sessions is vital, and I arrange, in consultation with the student and according to his or her needs, tasks to be completed or learnt in between lessons. 
And I encourage each student to have his or her personal project (which I will manage and oversee).
 
As the sessions use the medium of Skype, the student will need good internet access, Skype address and computer/laptop, and – for better clarity – a headphone with microphone. (Though given the quality of modern equipment this is not absolutely necessary.)
 
Sessions can be held on either smartphone or tablet if the student prefers and this works for him or her.
 
What matters is that we can hear and see each other well. And that each is disengaged from daily distractions and alone: TVs, smartphones switched off … 
 
Sessions can be held in a school or a home environment.
 
 
Who am I? I went through the school system, and then perfected my French for 2 years total immersion in France in a college where only French was spoken. Then University of Strasbourg (degree in Theology), eight years in Burkina Faso in a French missionary environment (where I learnt the local language through French) and since then I have used French in much of my everyday work life either teaching or selling books.
I also set up and ran a very successful Language Centre whilst myself teaching twenty groups of all ages and abilities.

I have, of course, DBS clearance (renewed March 2022)
 
For my input and framework for my teaching I use elements appropriate to the student from the FLE programme of the University of Grenoble, plus my own materials.
 
Teaching and input, as far as possible, depending on the student’s ability, is done in French. Less for those at level A1, and more for those at level A2-B2.
 
I am happy to work with students who are of an actual oral and aural ability of between A1 and B2 of the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages (CEFR) as published by Cambridge (9780521005319) in association with the Council of Europe.
For students already at levels C1 and C2 I would always suggest a native speaker.
 
One final point: if there are two school students who wish to learn together and are at the same level of French, the fee remains the same. For six or more sessions, each would have to purchase their own books (£40) (I regret no refunds). Both must have their own Skype computer and thus be in communication both with me and each other. However, so as to retain concentration, both students would have to be in separate locations (could be same house, different rooms). This enables me to concentrate on each of them individually.
 
I do not form part of a ‘consortium’ of tutors. If you engage to be taught by me – you will be taught by me. Since my time for teaching is finite, please do book your place while I have capacity.
I will not be teaching between Friday 29th March and Monday 1st April 2024 (inclusive). All other days and times available.
 
Why not book in for an Easter or a pre-Easter Booster'?
 
 
Damian Duggan        January 2024

____________________________________________________________________________ 

BUSINESS

FRENCH BY SKYPE FOR BUSINESS
Increasing French Fluency for Business
 

"Sometimes intensive teaching by a professional tutor can help make
the changes that he or she needs to increase their fluency in French. 
Skype offers the medium, and I am such a person"
 

For the past 12 years as Director of Language Books Ltd I have imported French material direct from France for our business. Over this time, I have worked directly with the publishers and distributors in France either by email or by phone. I conduct all communications in French with them all and continue to do so every day.
 
Working through French makes for personal contact, eases problems, and, in a word, makes for good business. 
I trade with France as comfortably as I trade with UK publishers.
 
How much would your own international business with France improve with a member of your staff confident and capable of conversing with their counterpart in France in French? 
By telephone, face to face, or on Skype?
 
With Google translate, it is easy today to be able to dissect a text in French (or any other language for that matter). However being able to translate a text does not make for personal relationships, the root of all good business practice. In this, meeting, greeting and speaking is king!  And Google translate is only a support, and as good as AI can be.
 
But language learning by ear (speaking, listening) is so much different from language learning by eye (reading, writing).
 
I teach French for the ear rather than the eye.
 
And for my teaching, I have the advantage of NOT being a native French speaker: I went through the school system, and then perfected my French for 5 years in France – total immersion. University of Strasbourg (degree in Theology).  Then eight years in Burkina Faso in a French missionary environment (where I learnt a local language through French) and since then I have used French in much of my everyday work life either teaching or selling books.
I also set up and ran a very successful Language Centre whilst myself teaching twenty groups of all ages and abilities.
 
Where I have the advantage over the native French speaker, is in that I understand very well the difficulties that someone of English expression finds in expressing and understanding the French language and culture.
I bring to my unique way of teaching French my understanding of how I personally overcame the problems which often beset the language learner: pronunciation, expression, gender, verb formation and forms, and – the elephant in the room – shyness.
 

A word about Skype learning: Apart from not having to travel, Skype has the advantage of concentration: both teacher and student being in familiar surroundings, with only having the screen and the earphone/microphone as input. 
There can be an intensity of concentration on Skype that is more conducive to learning than even sitting opposite each other in a room.
I find that one full hour for input per session for most is sufficient, and I include in my teaching package and fee a period before this hour for setting up and comfort banter, and a further period for winding down, fixing work that needs to be done and arranging details for the next session.
 
Though I do teach input, much of the time is spent allowing the student to learn: giving time for the student to think is, I believe, essential for language learning – as is the importance of coming to terms with different ways of saying (and hearing) the same information. As is allowing the opportunity to make mistakes: remember that many mistakes that we make are made by French children as they learn French...
 
My areas of expertise: Accent and pronunciation; verb formation and forms; communication skills (speaking, listening, emailing); French Church and Folk song – singing is a wonderful way of ‘fixing’ expression and vocabulary (though I will only use this if the student wishes...); vocabulary and dictionary usage; listening skills. And of course, most importantly, encouragement and enablement.
 
I must also make clear that my special skill is in teaching French fluency: I do not attempt to enter the huge area of business studies. However for this, Collins-Roberts has the most up-to-date and comprehensive English-French Business Dictionary.
 
Fees:
 
I offer a free taster session of one hour in total. This allows me to assess the student’s or students'needs - and allows the student to assess how comfortable they are with me.
 
This taster session will allow the student to express his or her specific outcome needs.
 
If after the taster you wish to continue I offer the following:
 
•   A block of ten sessions for £300 (discount of 25% off full price)
•   Single sessions: £40.
•   Supplement per lesson per extra student: (Skype or face to face): £5 per session.  I would not suggest more than three students at a time, each with their own terminal and quiet space.•   
If teaching in person at your work-place (small group, maximum 8), reasonable travel expenses for my displacement and time of travel will be negotiated (I am based in Gainsborough, Lincolnshire)

All prices (except books) are exclusive of VAT.

A student will need ten sessions minimum to feel real progress and settle into this system of learning. The scheduling of sessions will be negotiated at the time of the original contract. For classes or sessions with multiple students, it is essential that all members are present, in so far as is possible at every session.

The work in between sessions is vital, as I arrange, in consultation with the student and according to his or her needs, tasks to be completed or learnt in between lessons. 
I encourage each student to have his or her personal project (which I will manage and oversee).
I ask each student to put aside twenty minutes per day to work on matters raised in the session completed.
 
I will exercise reasonable flexibility towards changing appointment times previously agreed, but will unfortunately have to charge for sessions missed without prior or sufficient notification.
 

Since the sessions use the medium of Skype, the student needs good internet access, Skype address and computer/laptop.  For extra clarity – a headphone and microphone are ueseful, but net essential. What matters is that we can hear and see each other well.

Sessions can be held on either smartphone or tablet.

If sessions are held in the workplace, it is most important that the student/s be alone, with no distractions: no conversations going on around them, smartphones and emails switched off, all telephone calls withheld… the effectiveness of the session relies on this.
 
 
For my input and framework for my teaching I use elements appropriate to the student from the FLE programme of the University of Grenoble.
 
Teaching and input, as far as possible, depending on the student’s ability, is done in French.
Less for those at level A1, and more for those at levels A2 to B2.
 
I am happy to work with students who are of an actual oral and aural ability of between A1 and B2 of the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages (CEFR) as published by Cambridge (9780521005319) in association with the Council of Europe.
For C1 and C2 I would always suggest a native speaker.
For more on what these levels mean, please contact me for details. 
As a rule of thumb, A1 is beginner and C2 is virtual native speaker.
 
I do not form part of a ‘consortium’ of tutors. If you engage to be taught by me – you will be taught by me. I will not be teaching between Fri 29th March and Monday 1st April 2024 (inclusive). All other days and times are available.
 
Since my time for teaching is finite, please do book your place while I have capacity.
 
Damian Duggan        January 2024