cinch

Hello to All,
having been a member for some months, we (the family, wife +2 Kids) now are commencing the task of completing the application forms. So as is traditional on these forums 'HELP'.
The first of many questions is this... Anyone taken the french test. My wife who will be the principal applicant has a bent for language however she has not really practised French for many years. She does have A level French and could probably re-skill comfortably., But to what level. If anyone has advice, tips or having taken the exam give any feedback how difficult/easy it is then all this advice would be welcomed.

Thanks in advance to all who may respond

twinmum

Hi

My husband has just applied to take the French test. I think he will have to sit it in London and I think they have about 4 exams per year. It will take 3 hours and costs £120. They emailed us a test exam, application form and a few other things. I'll forward them on to you if you PM me your email address then your wife can have a look.

Souvenir

Does that mean you're moving to Quebec?

cinch

No not at all, just trying to maximise the points on the application, however I woul not mind visiting Quebec just not sure I would want to live there

Souvenir

Why not? The climate is lovely It was a tropical minus 27 this morning and we'll be lucky if we see as much as 10cm of snow tonight.

I'd forgotten about the points thing. I didn't need the language points so it didn't occur to me that other people would.

You do realise, don't you, that Quebec French (spoken especially) has very little in common with what has been heard on the streets of Paris for the last few hundred years? In terms of aesthetic appeal, it's the North American equivalent of Dutch/Scouse/Dudley.

cinch

I certainly am not the sort of person to be narrow minded to the point of excluding an issue before I have experienced it, however at this moment in time we quite like the Calgary area, one reason is we all like the Rockies (not sure there are too many Rocky type mountainsin Quebec). I aslo am a great rodeo fan and Alberta and the BC area's have good rodeos in the summer season and Edmonton hosts the canadian rodeo finals in the winter. Although probably like a lot of people the final destination is yet to be decided. Although I really would like to visit the Quebec areas.

Souvenir

I don't think we have anthing to compare to the Rockies (although we have lots of ski resorts). You're stuffed with regard to rodeo, though.

dbd33

For watching it, yes, but there's plenty of barrel racing if you're game.

R2D2

Hello Cinch
Before the points drop back in 2003, we didn't quite meet the pass mark of 75, so hub embarked on the French to try to gain the elusive 2 points we needed. Just to warn you it is of a high standard and he failed twice. Maybe having A' Level will help her a little more, but good luck.

dbd33

A really good reason to consider living in Quebec just crossed my mind. If you are, or have children of, university age, Quebec has some excellent schools both in English and in French and the tuition fees for residents are next nothing. If we had been resident there when my second daughter started school in Montreal I expect I'd have a Ferrari.

JAJ

However if your children are aged under 16 they will likely have to attend French language schools, which may be an issue unless they are young enough to naturally pick up the language.


Jeremy

dbd33

Well, yes, but if they are to be Canadians they should speak French. Immigrants have an excuse but their children really ought to assimilate.

cinch

Well, Don't threads take on a life that is unexpected. For info if anyone is interested, my wife is quite good at language we were just trying to get a feel for what the test etc actually contains and thanks to twinmum we now have a 'feeling' for the test and my wife has sent email contact to the test centre. In addition, my kids share the same view as dbd33, they do French at school and are quite good (must take after mum), their incentive is knowing French is a language of Canada and they want to be best placed to integrate as fully as possible. So it is only poor old me that although having an open mind to language find myself slightly lagging behind the rest of my family.
But I am grateful for the responses and I have no doubt whatsoever that as the work has started for the application I will be asking lots more question. I also know some of them are going to be real no brainers, but the on line ex pat community will know the answer or a lead.

JAJ

I'm not sure if everyone out in western Canada buys into that idea.

In any case, the problem isn't learning French in itself, it's having to learn all other subjects in French (as an immigrant in the Quebec school system). Not the easiest thing in the world for a teenager who may not have any French at all up to that point.

Some parents decide on private schooling for this reason, especially if there's only a short period remaining until age 16. As far as I know, fully private schools are not subject to the language restriction.



Jeremy

Biiiiink

There are some sample tests here, Cinch - http://www.fda.ccip.fr/default.asp?metaid=62 , maybe these can help your wife determine what level she'd achieve?