What we’re about
The French Club : already 150 events completed (Sept. 1, 2024 — April 26, 2025)
Where French learners can practice, meet people from around the world, have fun and improve their language skills. There is no judgment and no shame, regardless of your level and ability to speak.
We offer online and in-person meetings, from fun conversations to specific events with a particular focus, all the way to "confidence building" workshops.
About Me
In 2017, I was hired as a French teacher by a university in Spain.
Since March 2020, I’ve had the pleasure of teaching French
to 680 students from many countries, delivering more than
4,600+ French lessons, online and in person (as of April 26, 2025).
For some info about me as a teacher, and testimonials, see:
https://www.italki.com/F_Normandeau
or https://www.italki.com/en/teacher/7237721
I look forward to helping you build your confidence and improve your French speaking skills.
François Normandeau
Upcoming events (4+)
See all- New event: In-person meeting at the Vego restaurant, to help Christy practice !!Resto Végo St-Denis, Montreal, QC
The French Club : already 150 events completed
(Sept. 1, 2024 — April 26, 2025)
***
New event:
In-person meeting at the Vego restaurant, to help Christy practice !!Christy works for the US government and needs to practice, as she has an interview scheduled for the end of May 2025.
The interview will be in French and will consist of a set of questions and answers.
She is coming up from Washington DC for the weekend and it will be her first stay in Montreal.
I told her that I would assist as best I can and that we can use this in-person meeting in order to help her.
The first part of the meeting will be devoted to having participants introduce themselves in French, and the next part will be a practice run as each participant will ask Christy a question related to that upcoming interview, and the final part of the meeting will be an informal conversation in French about life in general, life in Montreal, and anything in between :)
See you there soon!!
François
***
Participants : 10 participants maximum
If you are a native French speaker,
we kindly ask you not to join, as space is limited
and our focus is assisting learners.
***
MeetUp Fee for this event: THE MEETUP FEE IS OPTIONAL.
Pay the fee if you see the value and can afford it.
$8 CAD for this 80-minute group meeting.You can pay via via Paypal directly, or you can send
an interac e-transfer (if you are in Canada).Interac e-transfer: send the payment to f_normandeau@protonmail.com
Paypal: send the payment to @M2TradingUniversity
***
Cancellation Policy :
If you cancel 24 hours before the event, or more,
then your payment will be applied to another event
which has the same time duration.If you cancel less than 24 hours before the event,
then your payment WILL NOT be applied to another event
and refunds won't be issued.
***
How to find the restaurant :
The restaurant is located a few minutes north of the Berri
metro station on Saint-Denis Street. We meet at 11 am (when the restaurant opens). Once inside, head downstairs, and you’ll find us
at one of the large tables, near the back exit.
***
Food and drinks :
You are welcome to enjoy the restaurant's food or drinks before, during, or after the event. While it’s not mandatory to make a purchase, it’s a nice gesture to support the venue. If you’re not hungry, a coffee or something small would be appreciated.
***
Disclosure :
We earn no commision from the restaurant, and we have no financial incentive to use this particular venue. We hold events there because it is near two metro stations (Berri-UQAM and Sherbrooke), it's spacious inside, the food is delicious and healthy, and the atmosphere is great and relaxed.
***
About me:
Since March 2020, I’ve had the pleasure of teaching French
to 575 students from many countries, delivering more than
4,000 French lessons, online (as of December 26, 2024).For some info about me as a teacher, and testimonials, see:
https://www.italki.com/F_Normandeau
or https://www.italki.com/en/teacher/7237721I look forward to seeing you soon, and helping you as best I can.
François Normandeau
- French B1 Course – Intermediate Level (10 Weeks)Link visible for attendeesCA$150.00
*** This 10-week group class started in mid-April and will end in mid-June. It is not possible to join this group class now. Please register for the next session which will start at the end of June 2025. Thanks you. ***
French B1 Course – Intermediate Level (10 Weeks)
Program Details
* Duration: 10 weeks
* Weekly Class Time: 2 hours per week
* Class Format: Online (Zoom)
* Max Participants: 10
* Who Can Join? Those who have an A2 level in French
* Self-Study Requirement: 10 hours per week minimum
* Total Estimated Learning Hours: ~120 hoursThe RSVP period is closed for this group. Thanks.
***
Course Description
This B1-level French course is designed for learners who have completed the A2 level or have a solid foundation in basic French.
It will help students transition from structured conversations to more natural, spontaneous communication, improve grammatical accuracy, and build confidence in work, travel, and social contexts.
This course follows the CEFR B1 level to prepare students for functional communication in social, travel, and work situations.
***
Learning Outcomes – B1 Level French Course
By the end of this course, you will be able to:
✅ Express and justify opinions in everyday conversations
✅ Engage in spontaneous discussions on personal and social topics
✅ Narrate past experiences and discuss future plans with accuracy
✅ Understand and summarize news articles, interviews, and reports
✅ Write structured emails, reviews, and professional messages
✅ Confidently handle work, travel, and real-world interactionsThis B1-level course will enhance your fluency, comprehension, and accuracy, preparing you for independent communication in French! 🚀
***
Cost & Payment
📌 Fee: $150 CAD (taxes included) for the full 10-week program
📌 The meetup fee is mandatory.
📌 No discounts for partial attendance.
📌 Payment Deadline: Send the full payment at least one week before April 6, 2025.Payment Methods
✔ PayPal: @M2TradingUniversity (Worldwide payments)
✔ Interac E-Transfer (Canada only): f_normandeau@protonmail.com***
How to Join Each Online Class
✔ Only confirmed participants (who have paid in full before the start date) will be admitted.
✔ Punctuality: Access closes 10 minutes after the session starts to avoid repeating instructions.Zoom Access
- Zoom Link: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/5456313643
- Password: galaxy
- Camera: Please turn it on for an engaging experience.
***
Course Outline – 10 Weeks of Learning
Week 1: Speaking with Confidence – Strengthening Fluency
Vocabulary: Expanding everyday expressions, improving sentence structure
Grammar: Review of A2-level grammar, sentence connectors (donc, alors, cependant)
Speaking & Listening: Introducing yourself, your work, and your goals in greater depth
Reading & Writing: Writing a structured self-introduction📌 Key Topics:
- Sentence connectors (donc, alors, cependant, tandis que)
- Using pronouns for fluency (y, en, lui, leur)
- Making conversations flow more naturally
***
Week 2: Expressing Opinions & Debating
Vocabulary: Agreeing/disagreeing, presenting an argument
Grammar: Subjunctive (Il faut que…, Je veux que…)
Speaking & Listening: Discussing current topics, expressing personal opinions
Reading & Writing: Writing an opinion piece or social media post📌 Key Topics:
- Structuring opinions: Je pense que…, À mon avis…
- Introduction to subjunctive (Il faut que je parte…)
- Expressing hypothetical ideas (Si j’avais plus de temps…)
***
Week 3: Storytelling & Describing Past Events
Vocabulary: Talking about memories and past experiences
Grammar: Passé composé vs. imparfait (advanced usage)
Speaking & Listening: Telling stories, sharing personal experiences
Reading & Writing: Writing a narrative about a past trip or event📌 Key Topics:
- Mastering passé composé vs. imparfait
- Using time markers (autrefois, jadis, tout à coup)
- Structuring engaging stories
***
Week 4: Future Plans & Professional Situations
Vocabulary: Work, career, and life goals
Grammar: Futur simple vs. futur proche
Speaking & Listening: Talking about career goals, planning a project
Reading & Writing: Writing a professional email or project plan📌 Key Topics:
- Writing emails and professional communication
- Talking about long-term vs. short-term plans
- Using conditional to be polite (Je voudrais, Vous pourriez)
***
Week 5: Travel & Problem-Solving in French
Vocabulary: Hotel reservations, asking for help, handling complaints
Grammar: Using conditional and formal expressions
Speaking & Listening: Role-playing real-world travel situations
Reading & Writing: Writing a review or formal complaint📌 Key Topics:
- Making polite requests (Pourriez-vous… ?)
- Handling problems in a restaurant, hotel, or store
- Using relative pronouns (dont, lequel, ce que)
***
Week 6: Conversations at Work & Interviews
Vocabulary: Job interviews, networking, workplace conversations
Grammar: Relative pronouns & indirect speech
Speaking & Listening: Practicing interviews, discussing work projects
Reading & Writing: Writing a job application or resume📌 Key Topics:
- Talking about work responsibilities
- Using indirect speech (Il a dit que… Il m’a demandé de…)
- Writing a concise and clear resume
***
Week 7: Advanced Storytelling & Hypotheticals
Vocabulary: Emphasizing emotions, storytelling techniques
Grammar: Plus-que-parfait & hypothetical phrases
Speaking & Listening: Telling “what could have happened” stories
Reading & Writing: Writing a fictional or personal story📌 Key Topics:
- Using past perfect (J’avais déjà fini…)
- Expressing regrets and what-ifs (Si j’avais su…)
- Using transition words for fluency
***
Week 8-10: Mastery & Final Assessment
Review: Revisiting major grammar & vocabulary points
Final Speaking Practice: Role-playing real-life interactions
Final Writing Task: Writing a formal report or personal essay📌 Key Topics:
- Advanced sentence structuring
- Mastering spontaneous conversations
***
Notes & Resources
🔹 Weekly vocabulary lists
🔹 Listening comprehension exercises
🔹 Pronunciation practice
🔹 Online quizzes & worksheets***
About Me
Since March 2020, I’ve taught French to 640 students from multiple countries, delivering 4,300+ online lessons (as of February 20, 2025).
Read student reviews & more about my teaching:
https://www.italki.com/F_Normandeau
https://www.italki.com/en/teacher/7237721***
