French in Normandy is reopening after several challenging months of closure during the COVID-19 pandemic. We’ve missed our students and we look forward to welcoming you back to our award-winning school in the heart of Normandy.
Students starting their course between July 13 – September 30 will receive 3 weeks + 1 week FREE when registering for a General Intensive French course (25 hours / week). School fees must be paid minimum 4 weeks before the start of the course.
Get a quote for your course and register online now.
Be sure to read our new health & safety regulations and temporary cancellation policy.
À bientôt à Rouen!
What exactly are the DELF and DALF exams, you ask? DELF and DALF are diplomas awarded by the French Ministry of Education to certify the level of French-language skills of non-French speakers. These diplomas are valid for life and recognised all around the world. To obtain them, you must take the DELF and DALF examinations, which assess your communication skills in real situations using authentic documents.
Students from around the world trust French in Normandy to help them achieve their French language learning goals. French in Normandy is accredited by several top international organizations including the International Association of Language Centres, International House and Qualité FLE ensuring the highest quality courses, teachers and services.
Your success is our success and we are pleased to share with you our 2019 pass rates for the DELF and DALF exams. These numbers are a reflection of the hard work of both our students and teachers as well as the quality of education that French in Normandy provides.
Do you have questions about the DELF and DALF exam preparation programs at French in Normandy? Feel free to contact us or read more about DELF and DALF exam preparation on our website.
What is the difference between DELF and DALF?
DELF Certificate: 8 Effective Preparation Techniques
Top Tips To Prepare For Your French DELF A1 Exam
All about DELF Exam Preparation
All about DALF Exam Preparation
Deciding where to study French in France is difficult – because there is so much choice!
France is a big, beautiful country which can offer almost everything you might want. There are busy Mediterranean resorts with warm seas, or Atlantic Western coasts perfect for body-boarding. There are fields filled with sunflowers in summer, or vegetables and wheat further north. France is dotted with tiny villages and country towns, and every region has at least one city with its own character, local food and culture. And lots of those offer French courses.
The best way to learn French in France is to make the most of this and become part of the community wherever you study. So how will you make the choice?
What kind of person are you? What kind of student are you? Where do you feel happy?
You might be the kind of person who will enjoy any of the top destinations to improve your French. Or you might be the kind of person who is only really happy in certain surroundings.
So start by asking yourself some questions. Be honest with yourself – this is an important decision!
Your answers to all of these questions will help you choose where to study French in France.
So, you’ve got more of an idea about what surroundings you need to study French in France and pass your French examinations! The next thing is to think about the top destinations to improve your French.
Before you do this, remember that Paris is by far the biggest city in France. Depending on how you measure the population, it has approximately 10 million residents. The next biggest is Lyon, with around 1.5 million residents. Here in Rouen, we have about 450,000 residents in the city centre, and we think we’re a perfect size for everything!
Paris Think about France and you think about the Eiffel Tower, Notre Dame and Montmartre. Paris is a city for lovers, for intellectuals, for tourists and for people in a hurry. But it may also be the toughest place in France for you to improve your French, as you’re more likely to find people who speak your own language to you. It’s also not going to be the most cost-effective option.
Everyone should visit Paris and practice their French there. But for most people who want to learn French in France, the best option might be to find a destination to improve your French where you can visit Paris without too much difficulty.
Lyon is France’s third-largest city, south of Paris and not far from the Swiss border. There are plenty of students here because of the university and it’s relaxed and friendly. It is a UNESCO World Heritage site.
Nice is on the Mediterranean coast close to the Italian border and one of the most-visited cities in France, getting around four million tourists through the airport each year.
Marseille is the largest city on the Mediterranean coast and France’s busiest port – it’s also France’s third-largest city in area.
Montpellier is just inland of the Mediterranean in the south of France. Around a third of the population are students from the three universities and other higher education institutions.
Biarritz became famous as a spa destination and then one of Europe’s premier tourist resorts in the 19th and 20th centuries. Biarritz is on the Atlantic coast and became the first surfing resort in Europe, and is close to the border with Spain.
Toulouse is called The Pink City because of the bricks used to build many of its buildings. It is France’s fourth-biggest city, and the university has the country’s fourth-largest university campus. It is the centre of the European aerospace industry and has two UNESCO World Heritage sites.
Rouen is obviously our favourite place to study French in France – because that’s where French in Normandy, our school, is based!
Why do we think Rouen is a good place to study? Here are a few reasons:
It’s a great choice to make – but only you can make it.
There are some great French courses in France and lots of top destinations to improve your French.
Remember, that the best French courses for you might not be the best for everyone. If you want to succeed, and perhaps pass French examinations, you need to think about what kind of place will suit you best.
It’s important to consider what kind of place will be best for you, what your budget is – and what the school is like.
We’re happy to help. We offer French preparation courses for DELF and DALF and TCF/TEF, or can simply help you improve your language skills.
Contact us if you’d like any more information about what we offer and how we can meet your needs, whether you want help to decide on the best place for you to study French in France, more information about your French level, or the most useful French examination for you.
Having the right diplomas help international students access international schools or French universities. DELF certification is great for students who plan to apply to a higher education institute.
The DELF certificate from the French Ministry of Education is an internationally-recognised qualification verifying the level of French you have achieved, which never expires.
Mastering French can be tough, but it’s so worthwhile. At French in Normandy, we’ve got lots of experience in supporting students to get their DELF certificates: read on for our eight effective preparation techniques. Remember, it’s important to take the DELF certificate at the right level.
Le Diplôme d’Etudes en Langue Française (DELF) certifies French skills in foreign applicants from non-French speaking nations.
DELF is made up of 4 diplomas that are independent of each other. This means you can take level B1 without taking either level A1 or A2. Level A1/A2 certify basic French skills while B1/B2 certify intermediate French skills. Each of the DELF French levels evaluates four language skills.
DELF A1: At this first and most basic of the DELF French levels, a student should be able to engage in simple interactions. For instance, introducing themselves and asking and answering personal questions.
DELF A2: At this level, the student should be able to do everything in A1 and also carry out simple everyday tasks.
DELF B1: At this intermediate level, the student is an independent user able to manage familiar situations including at work, in school and for leisure. You are expected to understand all situations as you travel in a French-speaking nation. Your skills allow you to describe events, experiences, dreams, ambitions and hopes and briefly give explanations.
DELF B2: When a person from a non-French speaking nation attains this level of mastery, he or she has a high level of independence. At this level, you can understand the ideas in a complex text on abstract concrete topics, such as a technical discussion in different fields of specialization. This level of French fluency enables you to talk with native speakers better and freely, explaining your opinion on current issues. A level B2 DELF certificate is great if you want to study at a French university.
There are also DALF exams for students who need certification in French at a more advanced level, and we can also prepare you for these at French in Normandy.
At French in Normandy, we recommend you follow an exam preparation course instead of attempting to study for exams on your own, regardless of your French level or the exam you want to take. We can help you identify which of the DELF French levels you should take, too.
Want to get DELF certification? Here are our top DELF certificate preparation techniques.
The DELF certificate is one of the two most important French qualifications for an international student who plans to attend a French university (find out about the other one here).
To fully prepare for the DELF certificate, you need to join a French course in a French language school. This will improve your skills and knowledge greatly as you prepare for the test. The teacher will assist you as you learn new important points of grammar.
Exam practice is the best way to prepare for the DELF certification test – but the type of practice needs to be right. Revising old exam questions constantly is not enough. Online tests can help you practice your French skills.
It’s important that after taking each practice exam, you take time to analyse your wrong answers and think of how you can eliminate errors in a future exam.
This technique is exciting and beneficial as you prepare for your DELF certificate exam. The technique includes 5 easy steps.
This technique allows you to remember the phrases and words more effectively for future writing and speaking tasks. Also, it allows you to determine your choice of words.
Train your ears to recognise fast speech to properly prepare yourself for the advanced French tests you’ll need for your DELF certification. Students often can’t understand French words, especially when a person speaks fast. So, you should train your ears to identify phrases and words in fast speech. This technique requires you to listen to a speech or radio excerpt and then write what you hear. Next, compare your text against the transcript. The technique is useful for training your ears for quick French audio, video, questions and speech.
Having the right pronunciation is important when you are trying to pass your DELF certificate. The right pronunciation helps your examiner understand you easily and can influence the opinion of your examiner on your level of French verbal skills. So, practice pronunciation of tricky phrases and words using an online audio dictionary. First, listen and then try to pronounce the same way. For accurate pronunciation, you will need to pronounce the words multiple times.
It is helpful if you can come up with a list of words that are difficult for you and practice them regularly to improve your pronunciation. Record yourself saying the same words and phrases over and over and listen back to analyse your own pronunciation.
Like any other language, the best way to remember French grammar is to use it. Taking our course exposes you to concepts that help you grasp French grammar in a variety of situations. If you are studying alone and having trouble identifying your grammar mistakes, you have the option of requesting help from an online tutor. It’s also good to join a French grammar course or language exchange group with native French speakers. Look out for French grammar exercises online – there are lots of them.
This is one of the most important techniques. Repetition is proven to be a successful way of learning a language and studying a subject and is essential for your DELF certification. At French in Normandy we ensure you get the right amount of repetition to improve your French and help you learn more quickly.
This is important if you are to significantly improve your French skills: it will take you longer to become proficient if you are studying French in a non-French speaking country.
Studying in a French-speaking country, however, means you will chat with friends and your host family, read the news and watch movies in French. All this makes it easier to attain B1 French level proficiency, faster.
If you are not in a French-speaking country, you could look for the nearest community college or public library to sign up for events that expose you to the French language and immerse you in the local French-speaking community.
In summary
Practise, practise, practise!
To master the French skills you need for your DELF certification, you need to use effective preparation techniques alongside a DELF exam preparation course. These study techniques will help you learn French through practise, which is the best way to master French.
At French in Normandy, we really want to help you succeed and our DELF preparation course will help you improve your French oral, grammar and writing skills. With us, the time you invest in improving your French skills will pay off and we can help you reach your goals, no matter which French exam or level you want to achieve.
We are looking forward to welcoming you to study at French in Normandy, and help you succeed in getting the DELF certification you need to follow your dreams, whether of further study or work in France, or just getting to a higher level in the language.
