Elysia Cooper

Review of Alliance Française de Paris Il...

I started at AF from nothing so this was a great f...

I started at AF from nothing so this was a great foundation. I took the intensive classes and had a great teacher (Annie) who helped me build confidence in my French. But then she was moved to teach a class of visiting Americans so I was moved without much notice to another teacher. This next teacher was horrible. She just sat in front of the class and droned on, when questions were asked she wouldn't answer. Half of my class went and complained asking to be moved.

I decided to move classes and decrease my hours and was put in a class with a young guy who was super nice but was so obsessed with movies and TV that it was all we really talked about (yes it's a section in the AF book, but this was over the top) so I asked to be moved again. I was then put in Emanuelle's class (who is fantastic) and I was with her for about a month. She is focused and there to help you learn. But then of course her time came up and I was moved again so I ended up leaving the school.

The reason for the 3 is that I was never notified of what was happening or told what I should expect. I thought I would be in a class with a teacher and just learn but there was so much unknown and such a mix of great and not-so-great people it made me feel fairly uncomfortable. I think that for the money it's a bit too much. My teachers (with the exception of Emanuelle) wouldn't answer email, return homework with corrections or be generally available for my questions. I understand why - a lot of people come here on vacation and just want to take a class and leave, but I live here and am trying to learn and integrate.

I have tried one other language school which was worse than AF, but am still on the hunt for a school that is geared towards people learning French and integrating into France.