We have been asked by a number of parents if we are able to offer a user pays foreign language class after school hours.

La Petite Académie have approached us to offer French lessons to Y2-6 children at Westmere School. They have run programmes in various schools for the past ten years. 

The curriculum has been designed by Megan Marsh, a NZ qualified primary school teacher, with many years experience as a specialist French teacher both in NZ and overseas. 

 The teaching staff at La Petite Académie are experienced, enthusiastic language teachers, with a passion for French. Their emphasis is on correctly spoken Parisian French.

Megan writes in her promotional material: 

We offer- 

• A fun ‘French for Children’ introductory ‘taster’ course

• Conveniently based at school, after hours
• $15 per lesson (incl GST). This includes termly MP3s of the spoken course material, homework sheets and all resources needed for each lesson.

Why French?

• French is the 2nd easiest language for English speakers to learn (after Afrikaans) so proficiency is gained much faster.
• French is the largest donor of foreign words to English (around 30%) so learning French will greatly increase the number of English words known and vice versa.
• It provides a good foundation for children to gain knowledge of the process of second language acquisition that they can build on later in learning other more complex languages.

• French is the official working language in many international groups and organisations in the world, including the International Olympic Committee, United Nations, World Health Organisation, World Trade Organisation UNESCO, NATO, and the International Red Cross…to name a few.

About the course (from their publicity material)

The approach is fun and informal, yet structured enough to introduce a range of vocabulary, develop good pronunciation, as well as taking a look at French culture. The major emphasis is on understanding the spoken language and communicating orally through the interactive use of games, songs, ‘real-life’ role-plays and pair/group activities.

AN EXPRESSION OF INTEREST ONLY:If you are interested in this opportunity please email ASAP rmccolgan@westmere.school.nz stating that you would be interested in sending your child to French lessons if they were offered either before or after school. Once we have a gauge on interest we can take it further.

Thanks