Correspondence A'level language courses

[Gem13]

Feel like a challenge and am thinking about taking up a language.

Have substandard O'level French (Grade E) but feel I am wiser and more determined now. Certainly am more hard working (not difficult!)

So I was wondering whether I should tackle A'level French or start Spanish or Italian from scratch (is this possible in a year?)

I can't get out to the local college as I am breastfeeding 7 month old DD. Anyone know of a good course?

BTW - needs to be A'level (i.e. not conversational standard) as I need the incentive.

You might need to do AS first of all (because of the modular system of exams now). The best known of the correspondance schools is the NEC (national extension college).

Could you maybe get a tutor to come to the house? I did this with French and loved it. For a language, you really need to practise speaking it

Thanks for your replies. Jimjams - your Japanese got me thinking.

Tinker - a tutor is a good idea. Did you arrange this privately or did you go through the NEC?

Not sure what the NEC is Gem. I just looked in Yellow Pages. It was when my nursery costs reduced due to the free plcaes and thought I'd use that money rather than get used to having it - was about £17 pw. But - tip - my tutor was through an agency. Since x pounds of teh fee were due to teh agancy, we just agreed to split the differnce and not go through teh agancy. Bit naughty but...

Good idea - thanks for the tip.

Can I ask the level of French you had before and how difficult you found the A'level?

BTW - Did you see Grand Designs last night? I was very impressed with with Kevin McCloud's French. Apparently he went to Cambridge to read languages so not surprising really.

Hi Gem - I had done French A level - loooong time ago - and failed it. However, lessons weren't an A level course - although no reason why you couldn't follow the syllabus. Eventually I'd 'improved' enough to do an OU French course - only a Level 1 one but prob equivalent to A level standard and passed! Would have carried on but they changed the course. But I retained my tutor whilst doing it - only once a fortnight by then but it has made a huge difference. Haven't had any lessons for a year now but do feel (when not surrounded by English who speak French extremely well!) a lot more confident speaking it now in France. In teh New Year I'm going to look for some other kind of course to try and up my level a bit.

Also, know it's difficult for you but if you did eventually do an OU course do go to the Saturday tutorials - 3.5 hourse of speaking solid French. Used to come away feeling very exhausted but very enthused to do more.

International Correspondence Schools (ICS)do courses in A'levels and a range of other things. You can find them on the website.