⭐ Meet & Greet ☺️ ... and Fall 2025 Info Session (A1–B2) ⭐

The French Club (all chapters) : already 275 events completed
(Sept. 1, 2024 — July 15, 2025)

Upcoming events :
https://www.meetup.com/the-french-club-montreal/events/

Testimonials :
https://www.meetup.com/meetup-group-frenchclub/feedback-overview/

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⭐ Meet & Greet + Fall 2025 Info Session (A1–B1) ⭐

Come introduce yourself and meet other French language learners. :)

Then afterwards, some info will be given, related to the upcoming session of classes and courses.

The French Club — Meet & Greet Events September 2025
https://docs.google.com/document/d/15TM0DaqMgWJ8w_5bjR9XtTIV7rbNZaAGkBEsgI8I63M/edit?usp=sharing

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This event is posted in 9 MeetUp groups and I am expecting 30-40 attendees per session. Two Meet & Greet sessions are taking place on Sunday, September 7, 2025 (early morning NY time and early evening NY time).

The French Club groups are based in : Montreal, Toronto, Vancouver, NYC, Chicago, Paris, Amsterdam, Mumbai and Johannesburg. New locations will be added in 2025 and 2026.

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Who is it for?
Newcomers and current students, all levels welcome.

Languages used during the event?
The event is all in English (and only in English) in order to save time.

When?
Sunday, September 7, 2025,
From 4 pm until 5:30 pm in Johannesburg, South Africa

Where?

* Online, on Zoom
* The zoom link is: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/5456313643
* The password is: galaxy
* Please have your camera on, when speaking and introducing yourself. That small gesture is always hugely appreciated.

NOTE related to your personal intro:
To help everyone feel comfortable and safe, we ask all participants to briefly introduce themselves or share a short message in the Zoom chat about why they are attending. If someone prefers to remain completely silent, it can make others feel uneasy. If you want or need to keep a low profile, at least introduce yourself with the camera off. Thank you for understanding.

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Format

First part: Participant introductions in English only (first name, location, current level/goal, did you attend one of my classes or events already, your French journey, etc.) You have 2 minutes but will be asked to end your intro after 2 minutes and a half. Additionnally, two students will share what the A2 or B1 group class was like, giving their honest feedback. Gaffar and Fairy will talk about their learning journey experiences with me, during the AM Meet & Greet session... and Sonia and Chris will share their own experiences in the evening Meet & Greet session.

Second part: Info session: A1/A2/B1/B2 calendars, formats, pricing, placement, how to enroll, Q&A

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How to determine your level in French?

You need to either know your level or take an online test ahead of the 10-week session. I do not provide assessment or placement tests.

You can find online options in case you need to determine your current level

Self-Assessment Tests (free options):

* https://www.esl-languages.com/en/online-language-tests/french-test
* https://www.ila-france.com/french-tests/french-level-test
* https://strommeninc.com/language-tests/french-level-test/
* https://francais.lingolia.com/en/test

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French Proficiency Levels (ranging from A1 to C2):

A0 – Complete beginner
(Take the A1 course)

A1 – Basic user
At this level, you can understand and use simple expressions for everyday situations, introduce yourself and ask basic questions. You can interact in a simple way if your interlocutor speaks slowly and clearly.
(Take A1 or A2)

A2 – Basic user
You understand and use common phrases on familiar topics like shopping, local geography and employment. You can handle simple tasks and describe aspects of your daily life.
(Take A2 or B1)

B1 – Independent user
You understand the main points of discussions on familiar topics and can handle most situations while traveling. You can produce simple texts and describe your experiences, dreams and opinions.
(Take B1 or B2)

B2 – Independent user
You understand the main ideas of complex texts and interact with native speakers with some ease. You can produce detailed texts on a variety of topics and explain points of view.
(Take B2)

C1 – Experienced user
You understand long and complex texts and express yourself fluently and spontaneously. You use language flexibly for social, academic and professional purposes, producing well-structured texts.
(No courses offered)

C2 – Experienced user
You understand everything easily, even complex discussions. You can summarize information from different sources and express yourself spontaneously and precisely, even in complex situations.
(No courses offered)

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Fall 2025 Session : Calendar (10-week sessions)

— A1 —

A1 GROUP 01 : starts on Sunday, September 14, 2025, for 10 weeks.
From 10 am until 12:30 pm NY time
Free and open to everyone

A1 GROUP 02 : starts on Monday, September 15, 2025, for 10 weeks.
From 7 pm until 9:30 pm NY time
Free and open to everyone

A1 GROUP 03 : starts on Thursday, September 18, 2025, for 10 weeks.
From 7 pm until 9:30 pm NY time
Small group format, with 6 students maximum
$280 CAD for the 10-week session

Note: A1 Classes — Free vs. Semi-Private (What to Expect)

Our free A1 group classes are open to everyone and can be quite large (we had 38 attendees this summer in one meeting). Because of the group size, these sessions are lecture-style: we may cover core concepts with limited time for questions, and we don’t run exercises, conversation practice, or pronunciation work. If other seemingly unrelated questions are asked and it seems important to answer, I might go off-topic in order to answer. These group classes are free and open to everyone. Read the document ahead of the class and do the exercises. That will make the biggest difference. Don't expect that I will be covering all the most important topics from the document, so that you feel that you covered the 5 modules because I covered them for you. That is your responsability, ahead of the meeting, not mine. In reality, most people won't read the documents ahead of time or do the homework. Of course, if that is your case, you will be disappointed with the group meetings, related to the A1 free group class.

The A1 semi-private group class is a smaller, focused session. The first half is a concise review of the key theory with clear, targeted explanations (1 hour max). The second half is devoted to hands-on practice we can’t fit into the free sessions, such as guided exercises, conversation practice, pronunciation coaching, and individualized feedback.

To get the most out of any group class, please read the weekly document before class and do the homework.

This half-theory/half-practice format (in semi-private A1 group classes) also applies to all the semi-private A2, B1 and B2 classes offered in the format of 10-week programs.

— A2 —

A2 GROUP 01 : starts on Sunday, September 14, 2025, for 10 weeks
From 1 pm until 3:30 pm NY time
Small group format, with 6 students maximum
$280 CAD for the 10-week session

A2 GROUP 02 : starts on Tuesday, September 16, 2025, for 10 weeks
From 12 pm until 2:30 pm NY time
Small group format, with 6 students maximum
$280 CAD for the 10-week session

A2 GROUP 03 : starts on Tuesday, September 16, 2025, for 10 weeks
From 7 pm until 9:30 pm NY time
Small group format, with 6 students maximum
$280 CAD for the 10-week session

— B1 —

B1 GROUP 01 : starts on Sunday, September 14, 2025, for 10 weeks
From 4 pm until 6:30 pm NY time
Small group format, with 6 students maximum
$280 CAD for the 10-week session

B1 GROUP 02 : starts on Wednesday, September 17, 2025, for 10 weeks
From 7 pm until 9:30 pm NY time
Small group format, with 6 students maximum
$280 CAD for the 10-week session

B1 GROUP 03 : starts on Thursday, September 18, 2025, for 10 weeks
From 12 pm until 2:30 pm NY time
Small group format, with 6 students maximum
$280 CAD for the 10-week session

— B2 —

B2 GROUP 01 : starts on Saturday, September 20, 2025, for 10 weeks
From 1 pm until 3:30 pm NY time
Small group format, with 6 students maximum
$280 CAD for the 10-week session
### SOLD OUT ###

B2 GROUP 02 : starts on Saturday, September 20, 2025, for 10 weeks
From 4 pm until 6:30 pm NY time
Small group format, with 6 students maximum
$280 CAD for the 10-week session

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The Competitive Edge

(for the A1, A2, B1 and B2 semi-private course options)

For the upcoming session, the total class time (per meeting) has been extended from 120 to 150 minutes. (2 hours and a half)

The additional time is dedicated to more student practice, following requests from the majority of students.

The total course fee ($280 CAD) remains unchanged in 2025 (now for 1,500 minutes of total class time, as opposed to 1,200 minutes in the spring and summer 2025 sessions).

Comparable 10-week courses cost $600 CAD or more, in Toronto and NYC, with the Alliance Française or other schools. This course I offer is less than half price, compared to competitors.

Additionally, not all schools can guarantee that you would be in a small group setting (with a total of 6 students).

However if you see better value elsewhere, I am unable to negotiate and lower the fees of the semi-private group classes. Thanks for your understanding.

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2026 Fees and Program Updates

I’m expanding each A1–B2 group course with new annexes at the end of every document (verb lists, weekly recaps, extra exercises for private and group practice, etc.). This will increase the size of each document to about 150 pages when considering the additional exercises added, which can be done during the 11-week courses (in 2026) or afterwards.

Also, starting in January 2026, each course will also include an 11th group meeting: a 90-minute final exam for the whole level followed by a 30-minute feedback session. In order to prepare for that exam, then, doing the homework week after week during the course, for every module, is of course highly recommended.

To reflect these additions, the fee for all semi-private group classes
(A1–B2) will be $380 CAD as of January 2026 (previously $280 CAD
in 2025).

A total of 27.5 hours of group tuition (2.5 hours x 11 weeks) will be provided in 2026, which comes to $13.82 CAD per hour of tuition
per attendee (semi-private classes). ($380 / 27.5 = 13.82)

If we compare with 2025, 20 hours of tuition are offered, for $280 CAD, which comes to $14 CAD per hour of tuition per person. ($280 / 20 = 14)

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2025 Attendance details (for all semi-private paid options):

* Duration: 10 weeks
* Weekly Class Time: 2.5 hours per class
* Group Size: Maximum 6 students

* Course format: Live on Zoom
* Zoom link and passcode: galaxy

* The same link and passcode are used for each group class & meeting.

* Zoom access closes 15 minutes after class starts to maintain class flow.

* Zoom call etiquette: You need to ensure that you have a stable and fast internet connection, and you need to be in a quiet environment (no loud noises on your side, such as children playing around you or loud music or any distractions, out of respect for the other students).

* Self-Study and Homework: Minimum 10 hours/week (times 10 weeks).
* Total Learning Time: ~125 hours.

* Only participants who have completed payment in advance will be admitted in the semi-private group classes.

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Class Structure (for all semi-private paid options)

Each weekly 150-minute session is divided into two main parts:

Each weekly 2.5-hour session is divided into two parts:
1. Review and clarification of core concepts (70 min. or less)
2. Practice through exercises and live conversation (70 min. or more)

Each group meeting will include a 10-min break about halfway.

The course (over 10 weeks) is given in a semi-private setting (6 students maximum) where interactions will be encouraged via exercises done each week during the classes, along with assisting students with their pronunciation. The personalized attention and small group setting explain the fee for the course.

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Curriculum & Study Materials

Each week, you receive a comprehensive PDF (~80–120 pages) divided into 5 modules.

Each module includes structured lessons, vocabulary, grammar, examples, and exercises.

Optional but highly recommended: 2 hours of daily self-study and homework (10 hours/week).

Weekly study guides and homework sections included in each weekly document.

If you have questions during the week, you can ask in the WhatsApp group.

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Communication & Support

All materials and announcements are shared in a dedicated WhatsApp group

Students can ask questions and exchange messages throughout the course

Course documents and reminders are sent via WhatsApp before each class

Due to the number of students, I only use WhatsApp in order to send info and documents and answer questions. No documents are sent via email or alternate means of communication.

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Extra Practice & Community Support

To further enhance learning, students are encouraged to organize their own informal study groups during the week. This can easily be arranged via the WhatsApp group you will belong to, for either A1 or A2 or B1 or B2.

While I will not be present for these peer-led sessions, they are highly recommended as a way to collaborate, share insights, and stay motivated throughout the 10-week journey.

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Cost & Payment Options (for all semi-private paid options)

* Full Course Fee: $280 CAD for the complete 10-week program.

* Weekly Option: $28 CAD per class (paid in advance, one class at a time).

The preferred option is full payment at least one week before the course begins to secure your spot.

If your budget is tight, you may choose a weekly plan: $28 CAD per week, due at least 24 hours before each class (including the first session). If payment isn’t received on time, you won't be allowed in the goup class.

Please select the weekly plan only if you intend to complete the full course. If you choose the weekly option and skip two group classes (consecutively or not), your enrollment will be ended (to prevent people from jumping in and out whenever it suits them).

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Accepted Payment Methods

1. Stripe (International Debit or Credit Card Payments available in more than 125 countries) :
* Pay per week ($28 CAD) link: https://buy.stripe.com/eVqfZi3gNdo3ePA8Zcgbm00
* Full 10-week course ($280 CAD) link: https://buy.stripe.com/5kQ14o9Fb1Fl8rcb7kgbm01

2. PayPal (International payments) : @M2TradingUniversity

3. Interac E-Transfer (Canada only) : f_normandeau@protonmail.com

No new methods of payment are planned at the moment.

Please note that Stripe will be adding a small payment processing fee, but not Interac e-transfers from Canada.

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Refund Policy

If you choose the full payment option and decide to withdraw from the course, you will be refunded the unused portion of your payment, minus a $50 CAD administrative fee.

In this case, you will no longer have access to the WhatsApp group or receive the course materials for the remaining sessions.

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Registration open until when?

Registration for the 10-week session is on a first come first served basis.

If a group is full, then, registration closes for that group and that can happen at any moment.

Paying for the course early on, guarantees your spot. Waiting at the last moment does not guarantee anything even if you tell me that you want to attend.

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2025-2026 Group Classes Academic Start and Stop

End of the 2025 academic calendar:
The U.S. Thanksgiving ---- Thu, Nov 27, 2025 ---- marks the close of the 2025 academic calendar. Classes restart in early January 2026.

End of the 2026 academic calendar:
The U.S. Thanksgiving ---- Thu, Nov 26, 2026 ---- marks the close of the 2026 academic calendar. Classes will restart in early January 2027.

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Calendar 2026

Winter 2026:
Sun, Jan 4, 2026 — Sun, Mar 15, 2026 (= 11 weeks)

Spring 2026 :
Sun, Mar 29, 2026 — Sun, June 7, 2026 (= 11 weeks)

Summer 2026 :
Sun, Jun 21, 2026 — Sun, Aug 30, 2026 (= 11 weeks)

Fall 2026 :
Sun, Sep 13, 2026 — Sun, Nov 22, 2026 (= 11 weeks)

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About Me

From May 2020 to mid-July 2025, I’ve given over 5,000 online lessons
to 725+ students from about 50 countries.

I have also organized and hosted over 300 group meetings since September 1, 2025, on MeetUp.

You can see the group meeting reviews here:
https://www.meetup.com/meetup-group-frenchclub/feedback-overview/

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 assisting you soon.

François Normandeau