1^st lesson free

Isla

Rate €22
Response 1h

€22/h

1^st lesson free

French
French speaking
French vocabulary
French writing
DELF

Fluent French Tutor 6 Years Experience 190+ Students Taught Alsatian Dialect Parisian Accent Film Studies Literary French Cultural Context All Levels

French
French speaking
French vocabulary
French writing
DELF

Lesson location

- Online

About Isla

I am a French language tutor with 6 years of teaching experience and a Master of Arts in French and Francophone Studies with a specialism in twentieth-century French cinema. I have taught over 190 students ranging from complete beginners taking up French for travel to doctoral candidates who need to read French academic sources fluently. I lived in Lyon for two years during my postgraduate studies and this experience of daily immersion in French life — markets, bureaucracy, friendships, argument — gives my teaching a lived quality that purely academic training cannot replicate. I am particularly effective with students who have studied French formally for years but feel unable to actually use the language in real situations, because my immersive approach addresses exactly this disconnect between textbook competence and communicative confidence.

About the lesson

My French teaching is built around authentic cultural immersion rather than textbook progression, and this means every student's journey through the language is shaped by their own interests, passions, and reasons for learning. I never use a coursebook as a primary text — instead I curate a personalised selection of authentic materials including film clips, radio broadcasts, literature extracts, song lyrics, and journalism chosen specifically for each student. Pronunciation is treated as a priority from the very first lesson because French phonology is genuinely challenging for most native English speakers, and bad pronunciation habits are much harder to correct later than to establish correctly at the start. My teaching of grammar uses the concept of threshold structures — I identify the grammatical forms that unlock the most communicative territory and teach those first, rather than following the sequential approach most syllabi impose. For students preparing for DELF or A-Level examinations I conduct mock examinations at full length under real-time conditions from the mid-point of preparation onwards, so there are no surprises in format or time pressure on the actual day. Cultural literacy is woven into language teaching rather than offered as a supplement — understanding the Fifth Republic, the concept of laïcité, the significance of May 1968, and the francophone world beyond France are all part of becoming genuinely competent in French. Literary French is introduced at B2 level and above through carefully chosen extracts that reward close reading and reward the student's growing grammatical competence. I have a specialism in French cinema from the Nouvelle Vague period and use film extensively as a teaching vehicle because it provides authentic dialogue, cultural context, and an aesthetic experience that motivates continued engagement. Conversation tutoring for advanced students takes the form of genuine discussions where I participate as a conversational partner rather than a teacher-asker. My ambition is for every student to have a relationship with France and the French-speaking world that will last long after their lessons with me end.

Rates

Rate

€22

Pack prices

5h: €110
10h: €220

online

€22/h

free lessons

The first free lesson with Isla will allow you to get to know each other and clearly specify your needs for your next lessons.

Fluent French Tutor 6 Years Experience 190+ Students Taught Alsatian Dialect Parisian Accent Film Studies Literary French Cultural Context All Levels

Lesson location

About Isla

About the lesson

Rates

Rate

Pack prices

online

free lessons

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Fluent French Tutor 6 Years Experience 190+ Students Taught Alsatian Dialect Parisian Accent Film Studies Literary French Cultural Context All Levels

Lesson location

About Isla

About the lesson

Rates

Rate

Pack prices

online

free lessons

Similar French tutors in Southampton

Shane

Stéphanie

Sile

Carine

Ann Marie

Margot

Marie

Paul

Oscar

Camille

Margaret

Mina

Brian

Muhammad

Megan

Taha

Duillean

Alannah

Sarah

Mohamed

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