Varsity Tutors can help you find a French tutor who can help address the learning needs of you or your student. French tutoring can provide a unique educational experience, placing students in a focused, one on one environment with an expert in the subject. If you have found yourself endlessly searching for "French tutors near me," then you likely know the value that French tutors can bring. Instead of continuing to search for "French tutoring near me," get started by contacting us today.
The French language is one of the most commonly spoken European languages in the world today. It boasts roughly 75 million native speakers and a further 235 million speakers who are fluent enough to use the language every day. The study of the French language still has many practical uses and remains one of the most widely-taught languages in many schools across the United States. French language learning can occur at many levels of education. Whether it's for a student in high school, college, or an individual who is not in school but has an interest in learning the language, working with a skilled French tutor can be incredibly beneficial.
University-Level French
Studying French at the college level can be intensive. You can expect to go through content at a higher rate than at the high school level. Your memory of keywords and phrases, as well as the ability to hold a basic conversation, are likely to be some of your challenges. If you have found yourself in need of assistance, chances are that you've already searched for a "French tutor near me." The beauty of working with a French tutor is that they can provide an in-depth learning experience in which they can share their unique expertise.
Furthermore, a French tutor can help create an immersive environment in which you can practice speaking or reading without fear of being judged. French tutoring sessions can be a place where you are able to take chances and ask questions. No matter how basic or complex the question, your tutor's main concern is making sure that you understand the content. Your French tutor can explain complex issues or help with difficult pronunciations, allowing you to focus on what's most important: learning the language.
Many university programs offer a degree in the French language. This often requires a lot of rigorous classwork and a series of increasingly more challenging courses. Below are some of the courses that many degree programs might require:
Sample Courses for a Degree in French
- French Language (several semesters)
- Intermediate Language and Culture
- Practical French Conversation
- Oral and Written Expression
- Professional French Communication and Culture
- Applied French Language Studies
- Francophone Modernity Studies
- French/Francophone Cultural Studies Across the Centuries
- French Literature
- French Interdisciplinary Studies
Topics in the Study of French
Regardless of the level of study, certain fundamentals remain standard. The language is built on certain principles that your student must learn in order to make real progress. Even if your student is a beginner in an introductory level French class, things like pronunciations and basic verb usage will still come into play. French tutoring sessions can help your student with these basics so that they have a sturdy foundation on which to build.
Some of the French language topics that are likely to be covered include:
Topics in French Language Learning (non-comprehensive)
- Nouns
- Verbs
- Etre and Avoir
- Adjective agreement in gender and number
- Articles
- Prepositions
- Tenses
- Past perfect
- Agreement of the past participle with avoir
- Past conditional
- Collective nouns agreement
- Nominalisation
- Subjunctive: present, imperfect and past perfect
- Past participle vs gerund
- Si + tenses
- Adjectives
One of the many great things about working with a French tutor is that you or your student can get focused instruction on the exact topics needed. For instance, if you or your student is struggling with conjugation of verbs, a skilled French tutor can spend the time necessary going over the fundamentals so that you or your student can gain a deeper understanding of them. With French tutoring, you and your tutor set the goals and topics for each lesson.
What's more, French tutoring allows you or your student to progress at the pace that feels right. What oftentimes happens in typical classroom settings is that the class moves at a certain speed regardless of whether or not all the students are ready. If you need to spend more time on a subject, your French tutor can slow things down and allow you to get a better understanding. Likewise, if you already have a strong understanding of a topic, you and your tutor can move on to an area that needs more work. With French tutoring, you are no longer beholden to the speed of the classroom.
French Testing
Your French tutor can help you prepare for different types of exams, including classroom quizzes and standardized tests. By performing a thorough assessment, your tutor can determine what areas of the language you need to shore up and help you do the review by scheduling your study time appropriately.
In addition, your private French instructor can help you by teaching you about the test you're going to take. You can find out details about the test structure, the sections that it may be broken into, what will be covered in each section, the time limits, and other important information.
It doesn't help that much to know all the material if you can't finish your test within the time limits set, so your tutor can work on you with time management. You can also take advantage of their explanation of how the test is scored to find out things like what to do if you don't know the answer to a question. Sometimes you can help your score if you answer with your best-educated guess, and sometimes it is better for your score if you leave the answer blank.
Do you experience test anxiety? Many people do. Your tutor can help you with that in a couple of ways. First, by going over everything on the test and the process of the day of the test, the fear of the unknown is removed. If that doesn't help enough, they can demonstrate relaxation techniques to help center and ground you during the exam.
A few of the standardized exams you might take during your French education include:
- AP French Language and Culture – AP exams give high school students a chance to take a college-level course in the academic safety of their high school environment, but still earn college credit if they do well enough. Topics tested include the influence of the French language and culture on French identity and the French language itself.
- French with Listening SAT Subject Test – SAT Subject Tests are not required, but are standardized exams high school students can take to demonstrate their dedication to and skill in subjects to colleges they plan to apply to. The listening section includes short dialogues, long dialogues, vocabulary, structure, and French reading comprehension.
- French Language Levels 1 and 2 CLEP – CLEP exams allow students to test out of introductory college courses, saving money and time on earning their degree. Some topics covered include listening and choosing rejoinders, participating in dialogues, reading, and other French language topics.
The Continuing Importance of the French Language
With the world getting smaller and smaller through advancements in communications and travel, it is more important than ever to know another language. There are many benefits that speaking French can bring, including a variety of cultural and business opportunities that may not otherwise be available. Large companies are always eager to recruit candidates who are polyglots (those who know multiple languages). These careers can be highly rewarding not only monetarily, but for the cultural experiences that they can provide. Some of the career opportunities that could arise through the study of French include:
French Language Learner Careers
- Translator
- Interpreter
- International sales
- Human resources for an international business
- Teacher
- Journalist
- Writer/Editor
- Airline customer service
- Government program agent
- Linguist
- Travel agent
- Bilingual client care
Why Choose French Tutoring?
When you sign up for "French tutoring near me," you or your student can expect to work with a tutor who puts learning front and center. In this distraction-free environment, expect a customized approach to learning that takes into account the personal learning style of you or your student. This level of individualization ensures that student's get the content that they need delivered in a way that actually makes sense. If holding conversations in French is what would help you most, you and your tutor can work to do that.
French tutors can work with you or your student to set learning targets and put a plan in place to actually work towards them. A detailed study plan can allow you to target key areas of weakness and begin to make corrections. This helps you or your student to work more efficiently and effectively. Furthermore, tutors can help you find supplementary materials that can help to solidify skills in between lessons. These materials can include more traditional things like study guides and visual aids, but could also include French language materials such as films, newspaper, and podcasts that further immerse students into the language.
One of the reasons that you might have found yourself searching for "French tutors near me" is that you or your student simply don't have the time to properly dedicate to studying. With French tutoring, flexibility is key. You and your French tutor can work together to decide on a schedule that works best for everyone. Tutoring doesn't trap you into rigid timelines the way that classes and college courses can. It allows you to have more say in the not only the way you learn but in the time that you learn as well.
Tying it All Together
It's a big world out there. Learning a new language can open you up to whole new areas of it. By learning French, you can be exposed to the culture of a few hundred million people that you may not have otherwise had access to. Getting a French tutor can help you or your student sharpen language skills and build the knowledge that is needed. Stop searching for a "French tutor near me" and contact Varsity Tutors today. We have trusted academic advisors standing by who are ready to answer your questions about whether tutoring is the option for you. Let Varsity Tutors set you up with a talented tutor who can help you in your academic and career pursuits.
