Comments from our Students:

I have been studying French through "French in Boston" for one year. I feel truly lucky to have been referred to the school by several of my colleagues who also took classes there. It was highly recommended by all and now I know why. Attempting to learn a new language or going back to refresh your knowledge, can be an intimidating process. The wrong kind of feedback can make one feel self-conscious and prevent them from continuing on a great journey.

Alain, with whom I have been studying, is fun, patient, never, never let's you feel ill at ease, highly intelligent and is forever optimistic about one's ability to learn a new language. He never will allow you to feel discouraged or defeated even if you feel you're not doing your best; he'll work with you through it all. Simply put, if you want to study French, there is no better place than French in Boston.

Veronica Noah, Wellington Management   

Two years ago I took a course through French in Boston to prepare for a French exam required by my PhD program in history at Brown University. Alain Delanive was my instructor. The exam was both written and oral, and neither of my skills in French was close to adequate. However, Alain both efficiently and engagingly helped me to gain a better grasp of grammar, reading comprehension, speaking, and listening. To my surprise, he was also a remarkably skillful guide through the often murky waters of French historical writing. When I was given the exam, which was excerpted from one of the densest historical works in French, I was able to spot quickly a number of historical idioms and turns of phrase that, had I been guided by any other French teacher, would have remained obscure.

In short, Alain made me realize that there is more to being an excellent foreign language teacher than simply knowing the language. He is as skilled in content as in form, and I enthusiastically recommend the school to anyone wanting to learn any aspect of spoken or written French.

Matthew Kadane, PhD Candidate, Brown University

Three months before visiting France for the first time, I decided to take a French language course. I was apprehensive because it had been a very long time since I had studied a foreign language. A court interpreter I know recommended classes at French in Boston. And it became clear from the first meeting that my misgivings were totally groundless.

As beginners, we started with phonics. This got us participating immediately in a non-threatening way, and acclimated us to the sound of each other's voice. The wisdom of this approach became evident later as we moved on to more complicated material.

As the lead teacher, Alain's teaching method is good humored and low key. His patience is legendary. He does not teach from notes and he never entertains a student's claim of incapability. He is watchful of each student's progress and regularly senses when to repeat a topic and when to introduce something new. His naturalness makes the students feel safe to ask questions and creates an atmosphere where learning is fun.

I could not be more pleased with my progress, and I would encourage anyone planning to travel to a French-speaking country to give French in Boston a try.

Paula Snyder, Massachusetts Appeals Court