With the exam season looming (I'm always staggered at how quickly it comes around each year), we know that there are plenty of you, noses to the grind stone, keen to brush up your French prior to your A level exams. When you have a limited break at Easter, it's not easy to commit to time out for a week to concentrate on just one subject, but it's definitely worth the investment. We've known past students to get a grade better than anticipated on the strength of that one week commitment!
CESA put together a special one week course so that A level students could concentrate, practise and polish their French language skills just before their exams, without disrupting their school work. We've run the programme for over 10 years and have had many happy students, some of whom return each year as A2 students (having attended as AS students the previous year).
Warning - this French A level course is no holiday! With 30 contact language lessons per week plus a cultural programme to ensure you see something of Nice and the local area and a requirement that you stay with local French hosts (so you have to speak French out of school as well) you'll come home feeling thoroughly immersed, mentally challenged and we hope totally inspired by all things French!
The A level course in Nice is our solution to meet your revision needs, and you can see past A level student comments on the CESA blog (all girls of course, the boys always promise feedback, but never seem to quite get round to it!)
French A level Course notes
30 small group lessons plus activity programme and a Saturday excursion
Aimed at Yr 12 & Yr 13 students studying for AS or A2 exams (or IB/Highers).
Max 10 students per class
Price includes French host accommodation, single room (shared room available for friends), breakfast and evening meal.
Minutes per lesson: 45
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Arrival: Sunday PM
Start Date: Mon 18 April 2011
Finish Date: Fri 22 April 2011
Excursion: Sat 23 April 2011
Departure: Sunday AM
Duration: 1 week
Holiday breaks: None
Public holidays: N/A
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See CESA Course Finder for current details:
2011 Course fees
Tuition & Accommodation : EUR 660.00
CESA Admin fee : EUR 45.00
TOTAL : EUR 705.00
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Please note
Course fees include tuition as booked, placement test, course certificate, teaching materials and student book.
Accommodation notes
Students aged 16/18yrs can ONLY stay in private household, 1/2 brd accommodation. All options are offered to students aged 18yrs+. Shared room accommodation only available to two students booking together.
Travel/transfers
Transfers: Free arrival service from Nice airport/station offered by private household, 1/2 board hosts ONLY. Between 08.00/22.00hrs on a Sunday. Transfers are not offered for other accommodation options or at the end of the programme.
Books and materials
Materials inclusive in course fees.
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So if you're having a quiet (or frantic) panic about your French prior to the A level exams, do call us - it is hard work, we expect you to put in the hours but fun is allowed (as are coffees in French cafes, walks along the Promenade des Anglais and ice cream whilst strolling around the old town). Somehow mastering the subjunctive with other A level students is just more fun when the classroom is in Nice and you can enjoy a little Riviera sunshine!
Thursday, 17 February 2011
Wednesday, 9 June 2010
What parental permission to give for a French Summer School course in Hyeres?
Question:
I have a query concerning the Option 2 'Full Evening Permission' for the French Summer School in Hyeres, France which appears to allow freedom until very late in the evening. Our daughter is a sensible girl, but I wonder which is the more common Permission for a fifteen-year-old girl?
Answer:
I quite understand, giving permission only until 8.30pm doesn't seem enough, whilst the second option to 11.00pm or 01.30am at the weekend seems very late indeed, especially to British parents.
However do bear in mind that
1/ The school want to ensure the students are safe and suitably entertained, that is why on these late nights the students are taken to : Port Mirabar, the marina/beachfront area of La Londe-les-Maures
Check out the map reference on google : La Londe-les-Maures
La Londe-les-Maures is a small place where the students can shop until 11.00pm(or later at night- this is the South of France after all) they can also wander round the Marina, go for an evening swim at the beach, eat crepes, have a coffee or a coke. The students also enjoy sitting on the beach into the late evening, enjoying the warmth of the evening and chatting together.
They are taken by coach/shuttle bus by the college. In the week the last one leaves La Londe at 10.30.00pm (it takes around 20/30 minutes) to get back to the residence to be in by curfew for 11.00pm. At the weekend there are two shuttles running, so one will leave around 10.30pm/11.00pm and then again at around 01.00am. So they swim or stay chatting on the beach until late. Exact times are arranged by the Director in charge of the camp, but the students will be told exactly what is happening.
2/ This area is far safer than many locations I can think of. Remember they don't have drunkness on the street issues that UK has to suffer either. It is quite natural in the South of France for adults and children of all ages to be out this late at night.
3/ The French language students are only allowed out ONE evening in the week, and one or two weekend evenings (depending on their course duration). So they won't get too tired for school during the week.
4/ When they do go out they tend to keep together and frankly all (bar maybe one or two) of the 15yr olds will be doing this (and all of the older students).
5/ The school staff will make it very clear where to catch the bus back and at what times they will be running. They've run this for many years - so they know how to handle the situation and the teenagers.
I hope this helps.
Link : French language courses for Teenagers in Hyeres
I have a query concerning the Option 2 'Full Evening Permission' for the French Summer School in Hyeres, France which appears to allow freedom until very late in the evening. Our daughter is a sensible girl, but I wonder which is the more common Permission for a fifteen-year-old girl?
Answer:
I quite understand, giving permission only until 8.30pm doesn't seem enough, whilst the second option to 11.00pm or 01.30am at the weekend seems very late indeed, especially to British parents.
However do bear in mind that
1/ The school want to ensure the students are safe and suitably entertained, that is why on these late nights the students are taken to : Port Mirabar, the marina/beachfront area of La Londe-les-Maures
Check out the map reference on google : La Londe-les-Maures
La Londe-les-Maures is a small place where the students can shop until 11.00pm(or later at night- this is the South of France after all) they can also wander round the Marina, go for an evening swim at the beach, eat crepes, have a coffee or a coke. The students also enjoy sitting on the beach into the late evening, enjoying the warmth of the evening and chatting together.
They are taken by coach/shuttle bus by the college. In the week the last one leaves La Londe at 10.30.00pm (it takes around 20/30 minutes) to get back to the residence to be in by curfew for 11.00pm. At the weekend there are two shuttles running, so one will leave around 10.30pm/11.00pm and then again at around 01.00am. So they swim or stay chatting on the beach until late. Exact times are arranged by the Director in charge of the camp, but the students will be told exactly what is happening.
2/ This area is far safer than many locations I can think of. Remember they don't have drunkness on the street issues that UK has to suffer either. It is quite natural in the South of France for adults and children of all ages to be out this late at night.
3/ The French language students are only allowed out ONE evening in the week, and one or two weekend evenings (depending on their course duration). So they won't get too tired for school during the week.
4/ When they do go out they tend to keep together and frankly all (bar maybe one or two) of the 15yr olds will be doing this (and all of the older students).
5/ The school staff will make it very clear where to catch the bus back and at what times they will be running. They've run this for many years - so they know how to handle the situation and the teenagers.
I hope this helps.
Link : French language courses for Teenagers in Hyeres
Friday, 5 June 2009
Student Feedback: Nerja
I always love hearing student feedback. It's easy to get bogged down in the day to day trivia of running CESA. It's good to be reminded of the pleasure that a great language course in a wonderful location can bring!
Here are the views of a student who attended a two week Spanish course in Nerja, aimed specifically at the Over 50s. This is a growing market - and it's nice to see that you don't have to be 17yrs old to want to work on your language skills! Actually there are Student Reports galore, featuring the views of students who have attended language courses with us (so if Spanish isn't your thing, take a look at the French, German, Japanese reports instead).
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Spanish course in Nerja
"On the first day, the applicants for the Over 50s course met each other in the school garden – the new ones feeling a little awkward, the more experienced ones (who had obviously been through similar experiences before) looking more relaxed.
One by one, we were called in for the level test and finally found each other split up into two groups: one for beginners and one for a slightly more advanced students. I ended up in the latter group, together with a Finnish lady who, delighted, could not stop talking about the many similarities there are between her language and Spanish, and three Germans with a great eagerness to learn.
Our teacher, Francisco, seemed to have identified our strengths and our weaknesses very quickly and was not put out of countenance, although at the same time he treated his ‘flock’ in a very sensitive way. Three hours a day, we had to concentrate – something which was not all that easy at the beginning. But as we now know that the little grey cells regenerate, we do not really mind anymore. For two hours – interrupted by a short coffee/refreshment break in the garden/cafeteria, it was about grammar (the compulsory exercise); in the third hour, it was the turn of the free exercise: we brought newspaper articles to class, which often even led to heated discussions.
Honestly, the two weeks just flew by – also because the afternoon activities were, without exception, extremely interesting: whether a flamenco seminar, a visit to Nerja’s impressive stalactite caves, wine-tasting (by Paco, who turned out to be a real expert in the matter), a seminar about bull-fighting, a visit to one of Andalusia's most beautiful white-washed villages, Frigiliana, or the cooking class, in which Daniel, the teacher of the 50+ beginner course, gave the job of professional paella cook a try for the first time in his life ... and, according to the public’s unanimous opinion, performed this job quite charmingly and almost to perfection. Speaking of Daniel, he and teacher Laura were also the ‘tour guides’ in charge of the trip on Saturday, which this time was to Seville (other Saturday's they take you to Malaga or Granada).
Conclusion: Nerja is worth more than one trip.
The unanimous opinion of us ‘advanced’, as well as that of the ‘beginners’, was excellent – with special mention to the teachers, who were both professional and very relaxed. Next time, maybe we will plan another two-week Over 50 course and combine it with a ‘cultural holiday’ for further language study, because this whole region is so worth seeing, hearing and tasting, that one should definitely devote more time to Andalusia."
Here are the views of a student who attended a two week Spanish course in Nerja, aimed specifically at the Over 50s. This is a growing market - and it's nice to see that you don't have to be 17yrs old to want to work on your language skills! Actually there are Student Reports galore, featuring the views of students who have attended language courses with us (so if Spanish isn't your thing, take a look at the French, German, Japanese reports instead).
------------------------------------------------------------------
Spanish course in Nerja
"On the first day, the applicants for the Over 50s course met each other in the school garden – the new ones feeling a little awkward, the more experienced ones (who had obviously been through similar experiences before) looking more relaxed.
One by one, we were called in for the level test and finally found each other split up into two groups: one for beginners and one for a slightly more advanced students. I ended up in the latter group, together with a Finnish lady who, delighted, could not stop talking about the many similarities there are between her language and Spanish, and three Germans with a great eagerness to learn.
Our teacher, Francisco, seemed to have identified our strengths and our weaknesses very quickly and was not put out of countenance, although at the same time he treated his ‘flock’ in a very sensitive way. Three hours a day, we had to concentrate – something which was not all that easy at the beginning. But as we now know that the little grey cells regenerate, we do not really mind anymore. For two hours – interrupted by a short coffee/refreshment break in the garden/cafeteria, it was about grammar (the compulsory exercise); in the third hour, it was the turn of the free exercise: we brought newspaper articles to class, which often even led to heated discussions.
Honestly, the two weeks just flew by – also because the afternoon activities were, without exception, extremely interesting: whether a flamenco seminar, a visit to Nerja’s impressive stalactite caves, wine-tasting (by Paco, who turned out to be a real expert in the matter), a seminar about bull-fighting, a visit to one of Andalusia's most beautiful white-washed villages, Frigiliana, or the cooking class, in which Daniel, the teacher of the 50+ beginner course, gave the job of professional paella cook a try for the first time in his life ... and, according to the public’s unanimous opinion, performed this job quite charmingly and almost to perfection. Speaking of Daniel, he and teacher Laura were also the ‘tour guides’ in charge of the trip on Saturday, which this time was to Seville (other Saturday's they take you to Malaga or Granada).
Conclusion: Nerja is worth more than one trip.
The unanimous opinion of us ‘advanced’, as well as that of the ‘beginners’, was excellent – with special mention to the teachers, who were both professional and very relaxed. Next time, maybe we will plan another two-week Over 50 course and combine it with a ‘cultural holiday’ for further language study, because this whole region is so worth seeing, hearing and tasting, that one should definitely devote more time to Andalusia."
Wednesday, 27 May 2009
Learn French Verbs
Whenever we're asked what preparation a student with only basic or rusty French knowledge should concentrate on before they go on a CESA course, one of our first comments is always - learn your verbs! Of course it helps if you refresh your vocab generally (and your grammar and your pronuciation etc etc) - but to get you going, to give yourself a real kick start, the verb is king! The work you do beforehand will really pay off once you're abroad, ensuring you get the most out of your time on a French language course in France with CESA.
We all know the key to speaking French well is developing the confidence to use it - but to gain that confidence, you need knowledge. To build that knowledge you need a solid foundation and that's why knowing plenty of useful everyday verbs is so important.
That's why I'm so keen on this French Verbs website - if you're trying to learn French this is a must for you. Here you'll find a great list of verbs (in a compact format) that gives you a word for most situations (and if you think something has been missed, the author would love to know so he can add it to his list).
So get memorising and there'll be no stopping you!
PS If we find something along the same lines for other languages I'll let you know (if you know of something out there already - please share it with CESA)!
Friday, 22 May 2009
A new look for Italy!
We've had a brilliant time in the office working on the new Italian Gap Year pages for the website. It's been something of a learning curve; keywords, links and SEO generally not being my forte, but I was determined to learn!
However we wanted to show case the Gap Year in Italy and didn't feel we were doing so as well as we might - then Stef (one of our CESA Gappers who has recently returned from Italy) kindly said we could use some of her photos to show other potential Gappers what a course abroad is all about. The photos were fantastic and we were enthused!
So much so we've added new details on the Italian language courses for the Over 50s as well!
Then of course the whole thing snowballed. We're really pleased with the results.
We'll see what the students think over the next few months!
However we wanted to show case the Gap Year in Italy and didn't feel we were doing so as well as we might - then Stef (one of our CESA Gappers who has recently returned from Italy) kindly said we could use some of her photos to show other potential Gappers what a course abroad is all about. The photos were fantastic and we were enthused!
So much so we've added new details on the Italian language courses for the Over 50s as well!
Then of course the whole thing snowballed. We're really pleased with the results.
We'll see what the students think over the next few months!
Monday, 27 April 2009
Summer Courses for Teenagers
Every season of the year has it's own special signs; leaves falling and Christmas shopping panic setting in, proves it's the Autumn, New Year's Resolutions (broken or otherwise) can only mean January, the desire to buy hot cross buns weeks before Easter actually arrives, signals the on set of Spring (or maybe that's just me). By these signs we know where we are in the year. The same is true for CESA the rhythm of the year can be marked by the language courses that students are enquiring and booking, each season means we have either more GAP, exam orientated or adult enrolments etc or as is the case now that Easter is once more behind us - the summer teenager season has been declared officially open.
Dealing with parents whose child is already working towards AS or A2 A'level exams, or is still learning the basics of a language is very different to talking to an adult student - the needs, concerns and questions asked are very specific and when dealing with teenagers, whatever their language ability may be, centre on questions of safety, welfare and support. Quite rightly so. It is a big step to let a child go abroad alone, in many cases for the first time. Whether it is for a week, a fortnight or longer the parent/s want to be assured that all will be well and their child will return to the UK (or wherever home may be) not only linguistically more confident, but happy with the whole experience. After all, travelling without the family, living and studying with strangers and coping with the time away from home, is yet another step towards adulthood and requires serious consideration.
Thankfully the CESA team have built up relationships with a number of excellent language schools and can help parent/s ascertain which programme offers the right environment, degree of linguistic challenge and personal freedom appropriate to each individual child. Whilst I personally advocate staying with a host family as the best accommodation choice - full immersion in this way can really reap rewards linguistically - it isn't always right for everyone. Frankly some students simply won't go abroad if that is the only choice - so CESA ensures there are always a range of residential options on offer. Colleges may offer different degrees of freedom, allowing them to go out in the evenings only twice a week or perhaps not at all, or to go out each night but only until a set time or may provide total freedom from any curfew. Linguistically the colleges also differ, some provide courses that are all about fun and gaining in confidence, concentrating on the pleasure in learning a language, others will provide students with a far more demanding, academic course content. There is no one course that will be right for every student and CESA aims to offer as wide a range of course options for the teenagers as we do for our adult language learners.
The good news is there are some really terrific courses available and at present there are places available on most of them throughout the summer! So whether you like the idea of a two week course combining language lessons with lots of sports and beach activities in Tarifa to improve your Spanish or want a more academic A'level (IB/Matura etc) friendly course in Biarritz or Nice to enhance your French there is a solution available for you (and your parents).
Dealing with parents whose child is already working towards AS or A2 A'level exams, or is still learning the basics of a language is very different to talking to an adult student - the needs, concerns and questions asked are very specific and when dealing with teenagers, whatever their language ability may be, centre on questions of safety, welfare and support. Quite rightly so. It is a big step to let a child go abroad alone, in many cases for the first time. Whether it is for a week, a fortnight or longer the parent/s want to be assured that all will be well and their child will return to the UK (or wherever home may be) not only linguistically more confident, but happy with the whole experience. After all, travelling without the family, living and studying with strangers and coping with the time away from home, is yet another step towards adulthood and requires serious consideration.
Thankfully the CESA team have built up relationships with a number of excellent language schools and can help parent/s ascertain which programme offers the right environment, degree of linguistic challenge and personal freedom appropriate to each individual child. Whilst I personally advocate staying with a host family as the best accommodation choice - full immersion in this way can really reap rewards linguistically - it isn't always right for everyone. Frankly some students simply won't go abroad if that is the only choice - so CESA ensures there are always a range of residential options on offer. Colleges may offer different degrees of freedom, allowing them to go out in the evenings only twice a week or perhaps not at all, or to go out each night but only until a set time or may provide total freedom from any curfew. Linguistically the colleges also differ, some provide courses that are all about fun and gaining in confidence, concentrating on the pleasure in learning a language, others will provide students with a far more demanding, academic course content. There is no one course that will be right for every student and CESA aims to offer as wide a range of course options for the teenagers as we do for our adult language learners.
The good news is there are some really terrific courses available and at present there are places available on most of them throughout the summer! So whether you like the idea of a two week course combining language lessons with lots of sports and beach activities in Tarifa to improve your Spanish or want a more academic A'level (IB/Matura etc) friendly course in Biarritz or Nice to enhance your French there is a solution available for you (and your parents).
Tuesday, 21 April 2009
Private Tuition or Group Study?
This is a constant query CESA is asked to provide a definitive answer on by language students (or their parents) whatever their current ability.
As with most questions black and white answers don't always help and generally the people you are asking have a vested interest in giving you one particular answer. So how do you decide the best approach for you?
For some students it's simply a question of budget. If you're young, funding the course yourself and keen to get the most linguistically for your money - group tuition is far and away the best solution. Far better to stay abroad for longer (giving you more time to soak up the culture, immerse yourself in the sounds, social etiquette and mannerisms of a language) than paying the steep bill that one to one tuition entails.
However some younger students, by this I mean the exam sitting teenager section of society, relish a little private tuition to boost self confidence, address any personal queries or weaknesses and give them a healthy push in the right direction prior to the latest academic hurdle in their life.
Private tuition is a god send to our adult students who either need the intensity and pace of learning to meet a very specific deadline, a presentation, new job abroad etc (which really needs a posting all of it's own to do the subject justice) or at the other end of the intensity scale our older students who plan on moving abroad when they retire, are learning a language as a hobby and simply wish to cover general conversational skills, without too much grammar at their own pace. Our older students love to take 10 or at the most 15 private lessons spread over a week, which leaves them free for plenty of indulgent lunches, sight seeing, exploring and relaxing.
Overall we'd say that the best plan is to spend time abroad - and lots of it - so you can practise your new language skills consistently. Trying to cram 40 private lessons into a week to maximise your language learning is rarely a good solution in the long run, unless your goal is clear and your stamina strong!
As with most questions black and white answers don't always help and generally the people you are asking have a vested interest in giving you one particular answer. So how do you decide the best approach for you?
For some students it's simply a question of budget. If you're young, funding the course yourself and keen to get the most linguistically for your money - group tuition is far and away the best solution. Far better to stay abroad for longer (giving you more time to soak up the culture, immerse yourself in the sounds, social etiquette and mannerisms of a language) than paying the steep bill that one to one tuition entails.
However some younger students, by this I mean the exam sitting teenager section of society, relish a little private tuition to boost self confidence, address any personal queries or weaknesses and give them a healthy push in the right direction prior to the latest academic hurdle in their life.
Private tuition is a god send to our adult students who either need the intensity and pace of learning to meet a very specific deadline, a presentation, new job abroad etc (which really needs a posting all of it's own to do the subject justice) or at the other end of the intensity scale our older students who plan on moving abroad when they retire, are learning a language as a hobby and simply wish to cover general conversational skills, without too much grammar at their own pace. Our older students love to take 10 or at the most 15 private lessons spread over a week, which leaves them free for plenty of indulgent lunches, sight seeing, exploring and relaxing.
Overall we'd say that the best plan is to spend time abroad - and lots of it - so you can practise your new language skills consistently. Trying to cram 40 private lessons into a week to maximise your language learning is rarely a good solution in the long run, unless your goal is clear and your stamina strong!
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