Language

Your French is good. Here’s how to make it sophisticated: 7 practical upgrades to take your French essays from good to great, with examples.

Speaking French can feel much harder than writing it — and there’s a reason for that. Your brain has to find vocabulary, apply grammar, pronounce unfamiliar sounds and organise your ideas all at once. In this guide, I’ll explain why speaking feels so difficult and share practical strategies to improve your French pronunciation, fluency and confidence before your speaking exam.

Why Listening Feels So Hard When I was 14 years old, my mum sent me to a two-week English program in Cambridge for the holidays to improve my English. My best friend and I stayed with a host family, had English classes in the morning, and our afternoons free. Back then, I was one of the best students in my English class. In my mind, I was basically fluent. I arrived to Cambridge and introduced myself to the host family… The dad asked if I wanted “a glass of water”… And I coul

As a language assistant, I spend most of my time helping students with two skills they often fear a lot: listening and speaking . And although ultimately the only thing that you can do to improve these two skills is to actually practice them, I have realized that sharing with my students the reasons behind why listening can feel so hard can ease a lot of frustration and help learners notice key patterns much earlier. Students often feel confident with written words quite q

My Story When I was studying Spanish (more than 10 years ago!), I remember accidentally finding the podcast Radio Ambulante. Each episode told an extraordinary true story that had taken place somewhere in Latin America. And I got completely hooked. I listened to all the episodes within 2-3 weeks. Some of them twice, to catch all the details. This podcast was a turning point in my Spanish learning journey. Of course, my listening and speaking skills improved but most importa

A Teacher's Review of AI Apps For French VCE Speaking Practice For many language students, speaking is the most intimidating skill. It’s also, ironically, the one they practise the least. It requires courage, spontaneity, and often another human being on the other side. The reality is that most students simply don’t get enough low-pressure speaking time. Not because they don’t care — but because it’s logistically harder, sometimes expensive, and often uncomfortable. This is w

If you’re starting to think about your VCE electives, French might be on your radar. But the question remains: is French VCE really for you? Learning any language is challenging, but also incredibly rewarding. French is no exception. In this post, I’ll break down what makes French VCE difficult, what makes it easier for English speakers, and what you can realistically expect. My (Very) Biased Opinion on Languages Before I dive into VCE French itself, I want to encourage you —