Archive for 'Brisbane'

Here at VoulezVouloz HQ we’re pretty excited about our amazing new MEMBERSHIP CARDS!

From now on, signing up for at least 6 French lessons with VoulezVouloz  means you’ll receive an exclusive membership card.

Existing members will be receiving theirs in the first month of 2013.
The card entitles you a range of great discounts and offers from our French partners who at the time of posting include:

• Abbeys Bookshop: 10% discount on all French language books and audio material
• Chez Olivier: complimentary glass of Kir Royale with your meal
• Chilcott’s Butchery: 15% discount on over the counter orders
• Everything Dordogne: complimentary bottle of Moet et Chandon upon arrival (min one week booking)
• Kate Toon Copywriter: 5% discounton your copy project
• Flavours of France: 10% off your next booking
• French Affair: complimentary copy of the ‘How to Learn French Fast’ ebook (valued at $10) with every order
• La Mint: complimentary glass of house red or white wine
• Murder Mystery Fun: $100 off all bookings
• Not Quite Cabaret: 10% discount on tickets
• Paper tree photography: 10% discount on wedding and portrait photography
• Petite Paris: a FREE bottle of French Champagne on arrival at your B&B in Paris (min 3 night booking)
• Photo Tours of Paris: 10% discount on your tour booking
• Sel et Poivre: a complimentary glass of Kir Royale with your meal

We have new partners coming on board every week!! So why not become a VoulezVouloz card member today!!

Contact VoulezVouloz French tutoring
If you’d like to learn more about our Private or small group French lessons for children, then contact us or call us on 0448 271 392. We have expert French tutors available in SYDNEY, MELBOURNE, and BRISBANE!

Are you looking for a gift that’s just a bit special this Christmas? Well why not give your loved one or friend the gift of language with VoulezVouloz?

Our tutors get sent directly to our client’s homes too. Easy as “un, deux, trois”! We have a range of French lesson gift vouchers that make the perfect present.

French lesson gift voucher options

French tutors are available in Sydney, Melbourne, and Brisbane. So why not pop a little “ou la la” in their Christmas stocking this year with a VoulezVouloz gift voucher?
With VoulezVouloz you can choose from:

• Single lesson gift vouchers: $55
• 6 lesson package gift vouchers: $275
• 10 lesson package gift vouchers $495

These gift vouchers cover all teaching materials, all travel costs (we travel to the customer) and include GST.

Choose your own message and we’ll create your own special voucher. We can then send it via email or in the post to either yourself or your loved one.

Contact VoulezVouloz, French tutoring

If you’d like to learn more about our Private or small group French lessons for children, then contact us or call us on 0448 271 392. We have expert French tutors available in SYDNEY, MELBOURNE, and BRISBANE!

Our Top 10 Tips to help your kids learn French

So you’re thinking about some private French lessons for your kids, but are wondering whether it’s worth the investment? Don’t worry, we understand. As parents ourselves we know how hard it is to keep young children’s attention for more than five minutes!

At VoulezVouloz, our French tutors have years of experience teaching French to children of all ages. We work hard to understand what makes them tick and which French teaching methods are actually going to be effective. Over the years we’ve learned a trick or two that we thought we’d share, these tips are especially effective if you child is aged between three and ten.
So here are our Top Ten Tips to help younger kids learn French!

1.     Pictures speak louder than words: With young children (especially those who can’t yet read) it’s all about images. Flash cards, pictures and colouring are all fun, interactive ways to help them learn French without them realizing they are actually learning!

 2.     Making French stick: Post it notes are a great invention and a perfect way to learn French. Try writing out useful words (check our resources section to get your started) on post it notes and sticking them things around the house. You could even use different colour post it notes to help them learn different genders words;  blue notes for ‘Le’ and pink notes for ‘la’ for example.

 3.     A breath of fresh air: Sitting at the kitchen table might seem ideal for your French lesson, but kids like to move around! Our tutors often take children into the garden for their French lesson. Naming things they see, or jumping on a trampoline while they learn. Our tutors are also happy to accompany a parent and child on a trip to a café, or supermarket to make the French experience real!

 4.     Today is French day: Pick a day of the week where the entire family tries to speak French, or if this sounds hard, just one mealtime. This can be a fun (and very funny) way of driving French into little heads. When Mummy starts describing her day in French or Daddy names each dish as he’s washing up, they’re sure to get involved.

 5.     Join in: A French lesson is not an alternative to childcare (our French tutors require a parent or legal guardian to be present at all times) so why not sit down with your child during their lesson and join in for a while? Children desperately want their parent’s attention and approval, so if they see you learning and enjoying French, so will they.

 6.     It’s a play date: For younger children, don’t even use the term ‘French lesson’. It will surely put them off. Present them with something like ‘Our French friend Marion is coming to play with you’ – that immediately puts the child at ease. There’s no need to perform or succeed, all they have to do is have fun (while speaking French!)

 7.     French TV addicts: Although we may hate it ourselves, children love TV. You could be really strict and ONLY let your children watch TV in French, or you could buy some of their favourite DVDs in French and say that every second time they watch it they must watch it in French. By hearing the film in both French and English, their little brains will absorb it easily.

 8.     French books: As above, it’s a great idea to buy their favourite books in French. Abbey’s bookshop in Sydney (where you get 10% off language materials when you mention our name) has a range of popular titles in French (think Spot the Dog, and the Mr Men series). Read a little to your child each night then make a list of all the words you don’t understand to run through with your teens at their next lesson.

 9.     Let the lyrics do the work: Your older children probably already have an iPod or iPad so why not borrow it and download some funky French tunes?  Speak to your tutor about the latest cool releases in France and also you can Google the lyrics to help them understand what they’re hearing. If they play them regularly you’ll be surprised how much French they learn without really trying.

 10.  Repetition: If you just have one French lesson a week and don’t reinforce it with any of the other tips above, the French won’t stick. Try to ensure you spend some extra time in the week going through what your child has learned in a relaxed way so that they’re not waiting a week for French top up.

At VoulezVouloz we work hard to match our handpicked French tutors to your child’s individual needs. We ensure they have the right skill set and experience to guarantee a great French learning experience, but also we want to ensure you child genuinely likes their French tutor and enjoys their company (it’s extra hard to learn from a teacher you don’t feel comfortable with!!)

Learn more about our French lessons for kids

These are just some of the reasons why we’re known as Australia’s favourite French home-tuition service!

If you’d like to learn more about our Private or small group French lessons for children, then contact us or call us on 0448 271 392. We have expert French tutors available in SYDNEY, MELBOURNE, BRISBANE and CANBERRA!

or Finding the French lesson style that matches you best

We often get asked what’s the best way to learn French? Is it easier to learn in a group French class or in a private one to one French lesson?  Well to help you make up our mind, we asked our Head Tutor, Hichem to gives us some advice:

There are pros and cons to both methods of learning French, and both are effective.

Learning French in a class – The positives

The advantage of taking a French class (where there might be up to 20 or more students learning with you) are that you get to meet lots of other like-minded individuals. So learning French becomes a social event and a fun part of your week.

You’ll be able to share French tips with others and learn in an open and interactive environment. Learning alone can be a little lonely for some students, so if you prefer to get out and meet people French in a class room situation will probably be best for you.

Learning French in a class – The negatives

The disadvantage of taking a French class is that not everyone will be at the same level. Although the class may advertise itself as a Beginners French class, you might find that some students are more advanced than others and you may get left behind. On the flip side, your advanced French class might be slowed down due to a few students who aren’t at your level, which can be frustrating.

Also in a large class it’s hard to get personal attention when you’re competing with 20 or 30 other students for time with the French teacher or Tutor. For us the biggest hassle of group lessons is that YOU have to travel to THEM. Which is okay on a sunny day when you have time on your hands, but a pain in the bum when it’s raining, the traffic is crazy and you’ve had a bad day at work.

That’s why we recommend SMALL GROUP French lessons, get together a small group of friends and learn French together in the comfort of a your own home. The smaller group means more attention but you can split the cost.

Learn more about our small group French tutoring

Private French lessons – The positives

IN a private French lesson you have 100% of the French Tutors attention, this means the lesson can be tailored to your exact personal needs and you can learn at your own pace. You can stop your tutor at any time and ask questions without the embarrassment of looking ‘stupid’ in front of your classmates. You can ask to go over the same thing again and again!

Another advantage is that your tutor gets to know you well, they understand how you learn best and errors can be detected and corrected quickly.  Of course the biggest advantage is that your French tutor can come to you at a time that suits you best. So whether you choose to learn in your lunch hour in your local café (or a spare meeting room) or after work in the comfort of your own lounge room, it ‘s up to you.
Learn more about our Private French tutoring

Private French lessons – The negatives

The only real disadvantage of private French lessons is that you mind find it lonely studying alone. But there’s a simple solution, why not ask a friend to join you for a small group French lesson. Not only will you split the cost but also you’ll have someone to do your French homework with!
Another idea is to invite your French tutor over before or after dinner and get the whole family involved!

At VoulezVouloz we work hard to match our handpicked French tutors to your individual needs. Ensuring they have the right skill set and experience to guarantee a great French learning experience. That’s why we’re known as Australia’s favourite French school!

Reading to start learning French with VoulezVouloz?

If you’d like to learn more about our Private or small group French lessons, then contact us or call us on 0448 271 392. We have expert French tutors available in SYDNEY, MELBOURNE, BRISBANE and CANBERRA!

or 10 great reasons to learn French

These days everyone speaks English, right? So is there any point in learning French?

MAIS BIEN SUR!  There are a huge pile of reasons why learning French is awesome. We’ve created a list of our top ten:

1)    Make new friends

Sounds obvious right? But with over 115 million people in the world speaking French, just think how many conversations you’re missing out on by just talking in boring old English.

2)    Better service

Again, common sense, but if you travel to a foreign country and make the effort to speak the local language, the natives will generally be delighted. Even if you’re crap (unlikely if you learn with VoulezVouloz), they’ll usually be pleased you made the effort – and might even put an extra bread roll in the basket.

 3)    Sounding sexier

Have you ever had someone whisper ‘qu’est ce que tu sens bon!’ in your ear? Sexy right? Speaking French is hugely attractive to the opposite sex. You could just read some people a shopping list in French and they’d get a bit giggly. So if you want to impress, wrap your vocal chords around a little Français.

4)    Get out more

If you’re a bit apprehensive when it comes to going overseas, learning French will boost your confidence. French is the official language in 29 countries and a second language in heaps of others, fancy a trip to Vanuatu, Vietnam, Tonga, New Caledonia, Tunisia, or the Seychelles? With improved French speaking you’ll be packing your passport in no time.

5)    Don’t lose your marbles

Scientists have proven that people who learn a second language in their latter years are less likely to suffer from dementia or other mental illnesses. Think of learning French as a boot camp for your brain. So forget about playing Bridge and going to seniors’ dances, book a lovely French teacher to come to you and revive those tired brain cells

6)    A little more to say

Are you sick of meeting friends and having the same boring conversations? Learning a language can give you a whole new lease of life. You’ll learn things you never knew and become a veritable mine of information about all things French for your friends, so, Learning French can improve your social life.

7)    Clever kids

It’s a proven fact that children who learn a language at a young age (and grow up bi- or tri-lingual) have a distinct academic advantage in later life. Start them young and make it fun. VoulezVouloz has heaps of French tutors, all with years of experience teaching children of all ages, and if you learn with them, it can become an activity for the whole family to enjoy.

8)    Friday night at the movies

Imagine if you could watch that French movie without having to give yourself a headache squinting at the subtitles? Learn French and you can enjoy the movie and let your ears do the work.

9)    The world will become your lobster

The French are known for their food, and learning the French language will give you a new appreciation of all things culinary. No longer will you be intimidated by menus in fancy French restaurants. Instead, you can translate for your friends and knock their socks off.

10) Music to you ears

There is some simply splendid French music out there. From the classics like Serge Gainsborough, Gilbert Bécaud, Sacha Distel and Tino Rossi, to more modern musicians like Camille, Malajube and Mathieu Chedid . Improving your French will mean you can enjoy not just the melody but the ‘mots’ as well

So if you want to be sexier, cleverer, less demented and more popular, isn’t it time you learned French?

Tell us, what are you reasons for learning French?

Ready to start learning French?

If you’re ready to start your French lessons with VoulezVouloz in Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane, Canberra or the NSW Central Coast then call us on +61 (0) 448 271 392, or contact us.