French Language Courses

French is well-known for its fluid sounds and air of romance. It is not only popular in France, but also widely spoken throughout West Africa. At Bend Language Institute you can learn the basics of French to prepare for upcoming travel, or master your language skills by studying French literature and art. We currently offer private tutoring sessions for students of all levels. Stay tuned for upcoming interactive (and tasty) workshops this fall as well as future course offerings.

Introductory French I

Introductory French I is designed for people who are new to the French language. In this course we will learn the basics of the French language. We will cover fundamentals of sentence structure, vocabulary of food, hobbies, weather, as well as simple conversations for daily situations. You will also be introduced to basic French grammar and verb conjugations. Whether you are planning a trip or would like to learn something new for the fun of it, join us in this casual atmosphere.

Sessions – Summer 2024

Introductory French I will be offered again in Summer 2024. Please email bendlanguageinstitute@gmail.com or give us a call at 541-728-3022 if you have any questions. We will be happy to give you a free language level assessment to help find the course that best fits your needs.

French II

French II is designed for students already familiar with basic French vocabulary and grammar conjugation in the present tense, as we will continue to improve our conversation skills in the past and future tenses. We will acquire vocabulary in specific subject areas (like leisure, travel, work/study, culture, or even your class suggestions) and use it in lots of conversations. This will be a fun time to practice speaking French with others!

Sessions – Fall 2024

French II will be available again this fall 2024. This class can be attended in-person at our institute. This class is limited to 9 people so please sign up in advance.

Please email bendlanguageinstitute@gmail.com or give us a call at 541-728-3022 if you have any questions. We will be happy to give you a free language level assessment to help find the course that best fits your needs.

French III Conversation

In French III Conversation, we will strengthen students’ knowledge of French while increasing oral/aural and writing /reading proficiency through texts, songs, videos and other various authentic sources. By the end of the class you should feel confident to speak and write about a variety of topics in more details, such as future travel plans, the weather and related activities, personal relations and emotions, using new grammatical tools such as the imparfait, direct and indirect object pronouns, among many others.

Sessions – Summer 2024

French III Conversation will meet again in Summer 2024. Please email bendlanguageinstitute@gmail.com or give us a call at 541-728-3022 if you have any questions. We will be happy to give you a free language level assessment to help find the course that best fits your needs.

French IV and Up

This class is designed for advanced French learners. Each week will include a grammar review, as well as conversation practice on various topics and activities. Students in the class should be familiar with French sentence structure and verb conjugations in present, past and future tenses. In this class we will also practice reading aloud and expanding our French vocabulary.

Sessions – Summer 2024

French IV and Up will be offered again in Summer 2024. Please be sure to register in advance. Send us an email at bendlanguageinstitute@gmail.com or call us at 541-728-3022 if you would like more details or have any questions.

Advanced French

In this course, we draw on a variety of literature to improve our French vocabulary and conversation skills. Each class we will practice reading out loud, review grammatical structures, analyze meaning and discuss subjects, opinions and ideas. Specific literature and themes will be selected closer to the start of the term based on course enrollment and student interest. This class is designed for people conversant in French who are familiar with verb conjugations in the past, present and future tenses. Come join us for this lively group of French learners at the end of the workday!

Sessions – Spring 2024

Advanced French will meet Tuesdays from 5:00-6:30pm from April 9 – May 28. We will meet at our institute and this class is limited to 10 people, so please sign up in advance. If you have any questions, please contact us at bendlanguageinstitute@gmail.com.

French Travel Essentials

In this workshop you will learn the essentials for conversational French to prepare for an upcoming trip. We will learn to make restaurant reservations and order food, purchase tickets and items, navigate train schedules, and more. This course is designed for beginners to the French language who are looking for ease when traveling.

Sessions – Summer 2024

French Travel Essentials will be offered again in Summer 2024. Please check back for updates! Send us an email at bendlanguageinstitute@gmail.com or call us at 541-728-3022 if you would like more details or have any questions.

Individual Tutoring

Private tutoring with an experienced teacher can help you improve your language skills while working around your schedule. We offer both in-person and remote one-on-one lessons to help you meet your language learning needs. Our language tutoring rate is $50 dollars per hour, and when you purchase your time in advance you can reduce that rate down to $46 per hour.

We also offer semi-private tutoring small groups youth and/or adults at an affordable price, so you can have fun learning with your friends. If this is something that would interest you, contact us and we will be happy to arrange this. You can see more about small group tutoring here: https://bendlanguageinstitute.com/product/small-group-private-lessons/

If you are new to Bend Language Institute, just send us an email at bendlanguageinstitute@gmail.com or give us a call at 541-728-3022 and we will be happy to put you in touch with a local teacher to discuss your language level and interests.

Translation & Proofreading Services

Bend Language Institute is currently offering translation services in Spanish, Italian, French, and Mandarin. With written translation services we can assist individuals and organizations with professional emails exchanges, translation of documents and articles, and full-length books. Our translation price ranges from $0.12-$0.18 per word in the original language depending on language, document type, and length of document.  Proofreading services are also available, and pricing varies according to document type and length. We charge a minimum of $50 per service.

If you are interested in our translation service, please contact us at 541-728-3022 or bendlanguageinstitute@gmail.com. We would be happy to provide you with a quote and connect you with a local translator.

Current French Language Courses, Tutoring, and Events

MEET YOUR INSTRUCTOR

Diane Brown
Diane BrownInstructor —French and Spanish
Bonjour and Hola! I grew up in Bend and have made language learning my life’s work. I just recently retired from Bend High after more than 30 wonderful years teaching young people to communicate in French and Spanish. I have lived in France, Spain and China and hope to inspire and empower others to discover new places and people. I love sharing the fun of language learning with others of all ages and backgrounds, using stories, songs, movement and games. I look forward to meeting you! À bientôt!
Catherine Leavitt
Catherine Leavitt Instructor —French
As a teacher, I love being part of my young students’ lives to instill confidence and find ways to help them engage in their own learning. I also have enjoyed teaching adults because we often share the same motivation to be lifelong learners.
In my free time, I love spending time with my family, and listening to my adult/teen children share their various world changing ideas; they say it is their French heritage that makes them good at arguing! Some of my other pursuits are piano, fitness/nutrition coaching and rock climbing. I am very much looking forward to meeting new students and have fun learning.
Laura Bouvet Feryn
Laura Bouvet FerynInstructor —French
Bonjour! After being a neuropsychologist for a few years, I decided to switch careers and become a French teacher. I got inspired by the English teachers I had after moving to the US, who taught with kindness and passion. It’s now my turn to empower students of all ages and levels to discover French and the Francophone culture. In addition to lessons with adults, I’ve been teaching French for kids in afterschool programs and high school students for the International Baccalaureate. My background as a neuropsychologist gave me a better understanding of language development and its components. When I’m not chasing my kids around Bend parks, I love hiking, practicing yoga and handmade embroidering. I’m looking forward to meeting new students and sharing more about the French way of living. A bientôt.

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