Early background
I was born and brought up on the Bassin d'Arcachon on the Atlantic Coast near Bordeaux. I did a literary Baccalauréat and then a degree in French Literature at Bordeaux University.
Foreign experience
I have worked as a French language assistant at a Teacher training College in the South of Spain and at a Comprehensive School in London. In England, I married the Head of the Modern Languages Department and spent five years perfecting my English, working as a trilingual administrative assistant and starting a family.
Return to France
Since 1986, we have been in the Pyrénées Orientales, first in an agricultural village and now in Perpignan. We are a double nationality bilingual family. Our two children now live in England. We have always been fully integrated in local life and activities, while at the same time maintaining contact with the anglo-saxon world.
Throughout this period, my husband and I have been involved in language teaching, either as a private business or on a salaried basis for government and semi-government organisations (Secondary schools, Perpignan University, Perpignan Chamber of Commerce etc).
Qualifications
I completed my language teaching qualifications with a degree in FLE (teaching of French as a foreign language), University of Perpignan 1987 and with the CAPES (French National Competitive exam for secondary school teachers) in English 1999.
My experience of language teaching is wide : from individual tuition to groups of 35, from infant school to senior citizens, from general conversation to specific exam preparation. I have taught French to English, Americans, Finns, Germans, Argentinians, Chinese and Vietnamese amongst other nationalities as well as French as a mother language (language and literature) and English as a foreign language to French students.
In September 2007 I registered as a freelance business (Siret: 49960624200018). One of my main customers is the local rugby union club, USAP, where I teach English to French players and commercial staff and French to some international members of the team.
At Expolangues Paris 2008
Mick
Personal background
Born and raised in the North West of England.
Dual French-British nationality.
Living in and around Perpignan since 1986.
Two grown-up bilingual children.
Supporter of USAP - the local rugby union club.
Retired French Civil Servant
Professional experience
Teaching (English and French):
- VSO in India at University of Saugar
- secondary schools in London (head of Modern Languages), Barbados and Perpignan
- University of Perpignan (teaching English and translation into English at MA level)
- Chamber of Commerce Business School and Language School in Perpignan
- Private Language schools in UK
- freelance teaching to all ages and all levels
Other
- Administration of British Volunteer Programme, London
- Running a private language services business (training, translation, etc)
- Freelance translation and interpreting
Qualifications
- B.A. in English, University of London
- Diploma in Hindi, University of Saugar, India
- M.A. in South Asian Studies, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia
- M.A. in English, University of Perpignan
- Intermediate Diploma in French, Institute of Linguists, London
- Diploma in Translation (French to English, with special subjects Business and Science), Institute of Linguists, London
- CAPES in English (French national competitive exam for entry to Civil Service as a secondary school teacher)
- Agrégation in English (competitive exam for higher level secondary and university teaching)