PGCE
Postgraduate Certificate in Education
In French and German — the UK teaching qualification, so lessons are structured by someone trained to teach, not only to speak.
Bonjour, I'm Roland
Native French speaker, world-travelled teacher, and the person who will be on the other end of your Zoom call every week.
RolandFounder · On French Terms
My story
Twenty years, several countries, one language
I grew up and studied in France, where a childhood fascination with languages turned into a degree, then a career. I've taught French all over the world, and I've now settled in London.
That travelling matters more than it sounds. Living in English-speaking countries taught me exactly where English speakers stumble in French — the sounds, the false friends, the tenses that feel arbitrary until someone explains why they exist. I teach from that side of the bridge as well as my own.
Today I tailor lessons for anyone who wants to learn French, curating each session around your goals and objectives rather than a fixed syllabus. Some students want a holiday to go smoothly. Others need to chair a meeting in Paris, pass an A-Level, or feel at home after moving abroad. The plan changes; the care doesn't.
— Roland
Qualifications
Properly trained, properly experienced
Master's
French as a Foreign Language
A Master's degree in FLE — the specialism dedicated to teaching French to non-native speakers, from A0 upwards.
BA
English, Linguistics, Literature & French
A first degree spanning both languages — which is why grammar explanations here tend to click rather than confuse.
How I teach
Four things I insist on
You speak from the first lesson
Not after three months of theory. Even at A0 you leave the first session having said something real out loud — that's what keeps people coming back.
Everything is personalised
Your plan, your materials, your corrections. I use multimedia and authentic documents, chosen because they suit you rather than because they were next in the book.
Culture comes with the language
Idioms, humour, habits, the unwritten rules of politeness. It's the difference between correct French and French that sounds like you belong.
Honesty about the work
I'll accelerate your progress considerably — but results also depend on your effort and consistency between lessons. I'd rather say that up front.
Kind words
What students say
Roland's teaching style is more interactive and very inspiring.
Encouraging, enthusiastic, motivating, patient and committed. You explain things well and use a real variety of aids.
Personable and patient with his students.
À mon avis, tu es un enseignant formidable. J'ai vraiment apprécié tes leçons de français.
On y va ?
Let's find out if we're a good fit
The discovery call is genuinely free and genuinely useful — twenty minutes, on Zoom, no obligation afterwards.
No pressure, no sales pitch — just a conversation about where you want to get to.