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Frequently Asked Questions

Atelier: our teachers and our philosophy

  • Are teachers qualified? 

Yes. Please take a look at our profiles here to see who we are. Dean is an accomplished registered secondary teacher with over 20 years' experience, while Aya has completed the required 420 hours to teach Japanese as a foreign language. Both are native speakers. 

 

  • Why study with Atelier? 

Because of the quality of our language tutoring courses. We believe that offering on-demand courses and having the skills to tailor lessons based on the needs and objectives of the students is what they need to reach their goals. We also strongly believe in the strengths of learning online: it is practical, time-saving and there is a total focus on the learning.  

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  • Are other languages taught at Atelier? 

No. We only offer French and Japanese at this point. 

Learning French at Atelier

  • What kind of resources do you use? 

We have a list of recommended books/websites you can find here. Nevertheless, we are happy to make arrangements depending on the student's requests and choose a resource that the student might use in class, for example.   

 

  • How much French is spoken during a lesson?  

At the VCE level, French is the main language used during the lesson. Students are invited and encouraged to speak French from the beginning to the end of the lesson. As much as possible, written communication with the teacher between lessons should be in French. We want to develop the student's fluency and confidence.  

 

  • Is learning grammar and conjugation essential?  

Yes, it is essential but it is important to keep in mind that grammar and conjugation are always used in contexts. During our lessons, our approach is to look at texts, discussions and authentic resources first to see how grammar and conjugations are used. Since revisions are essential during the learning process, we also give students quizzes.  

 

  • Will I learn about French culture?   

Yes, of course. This will vary depending on the student's wishes, but intercultural understanding is essential when learning a language. With VCE students, we will include cultural elements based on the topics and subtopics studied with their French class.  

 

  • Will I get homework?  

Yes, we want to make sure that our students always maximise their learning, not just during lessons. Homework can include essay writing, grammar drills, recording of orals, or reading and responding in French or English.   

Learning Japanese at Atelier 

  • What kind of resources do you use? 

Like French, we are very flexible and can work with the resources that you use in your Japanese class. In addition, we have a set of books and websites that we can recommend. We also create our own resources based around language points, text types, or topics.  

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  • How much Japanese is spoken in class?  

We want Japanese to be the primary spoken language during the lesson, as students need to develop their fluency and confidence. However, if a difficult language point needs clarification, we can provide explanations in English. The same goes with specific advice regarding SAC completion. 

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  • Will I be expected to complete homework?​

 Yes, completing regular homework tasks is crucial, in particular with building vocabulary and kanji, written or oral production, or comprehension.

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  • Do I need to know kanji? 

During your VCE studies, you will need to learn the kanji required for the VCE Japanese study design. We will help you with the acquisition and we will introduce other kanji as well to develop your reading fluency. 

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  • Can I type Japanese on my device? 

Yes, you can download Microsoft IME on Windows devices in the Languages setting or change the keyboard settings into Japanese on an Apple device. ​

Our lessons

  • Do you offer face-to-face lessons? 

No. We only conduct online lessons. We firmly believe in the power and efficiency of learning online and having tailored, focused and interactive lessons with the teacher. The current online tools and technology allow for an optimised language learning experience. 

 

  • Do you offer group lessons? 

No, our approach is that every student is unique, therefore, each student needs to get as much attention and support as possible. We believe that one-on-one lessons where each individual student will maximize their use of the language is the best format.  

 

  • Do I need specific equipment and programs? 

As online lessons run via Google Meet, you will need to have a Gmail/Google account. You will also need a device with a camera and a microphone. We recommend using a laptop or a computer (not a phone or a tablet). Having a good internet connection is also essential. Overall, the better the online tools, the better the learning experience.  

 

  • Can I select my own resources? 

Absolutely. We want to offer the most suitable course to allow you to have the best possible learning experience.  

We can work with any resource you are most comfortable or confident with. We can also support your learning based on the resources used at your school. 

 

  • Do you offer intensive courses? 

Yes. We can offer intensive courses depending on the student's personal goals. We are very flexible. 

 

  • How do lessons run? 

The teacher calls you. Lessons vary depending on your language objectives, but all of our lessons have the same features: 

- In order to maximise the amount of target language (French or Japanese), we emphasise on communicating and interacting with the teacher

- Quick revision of previously learned language 

- Interaction about the student's life, current issues or student's self-experience with learning French or Japanese 

- Core of lesson around a specific aspect of the language (a text type, a grammar point or a situation) or a specific assessment

- Recap of points learned during lesson and small quiz

- In addition, all notes are recorded during the lessons and shared with the student. This enables more interaction and involvement in the activities - no time lost for note-taking. 

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