NEW COURSE FORMAT

French for Ski Instructors

An online course for ski instructors who want to pass the second language exam and teach French speaking clients.

There are a million-and-one language learning apps and books out there.

And all you want is to get the second language exam done and dusted?

You’ve ticked off the Tech, Teach and Mountain Safety exams and the only thing keeping you from the elusive Level 3 tick and ISIA stamp is the Second Language Exam.

SO YOU END UP DOING ONE OF FOUR THINGS:

  1. Spending hours on Duolingo but still don’t feel ready to take the exam.

  2. Putting off taking the exam because you don’t feel confident enough.

  3. Putting off the whole idea of learning a language because it seems too difficult.

  4. Or, you’ve succeeded in passing the exam but never teach in your second language because you’d like more practice first.

You need to learn the vocabulary specific to your goal.

‘The monkey drinks milk’ and ‘I have a two pencils, an eraser and a pair of scissors in my pencil case’ are all very well, but they aren’t the kind of phrases you’ll need to teach French speaking clients how to ski.

By targeting the vocabulary you will actually need, learning a second language doesn’t have to be so difficult.

Using your second language doesn’t have to be scary.

Practising topics that will come up in the exam will give you the best chance of passing the Second Language Test first time.

Feel more confident speaking and ski instructing in French by practising real-life scenarios.

⛷ CUE ME SLIDING IN TO HELP … ⛷

Hello 👋🏻 If we haven’t met, I’m Victoria.

ISIA Ski Instructor & Language Teacher

As a full time ski instructor in the Swiss Alps, I speak multiple languages on a daily basis and understand the benefits of being able to teach skiing in a second language.

As an experienced ski instructor I am excited to share my knowledge with you!

INTRODUCING…

🎿 French for Ski Instructors 🎿

An online course designed to help you learn and practise the vocabulary needed to teach clients to ski in French.

What’s included?

Everything you need to prepare for the Second Language Exam and to teach real-life French speaking clients how to ski!

✔️ 10 Online classes

One online lesson per week for ten weeks.

✔️ Small group sizes

Only 2-4 students per group allow for maximum participation and learning in a group setting.

✔️ Study materials

Important phrases & ‘cheat sheet’ pdfs based on relevant vocabulary, lifetime access to the private quizzes on Quizlet and example role plays.

✔️ Conversational skills improvement

During the course we will develop and improve your pronunciation, as well as your speaking and listening skills.

✔️ Role play practice

Learn from a teacher who has taken the BASI French language exam and who regularly ski instructs French speakers. Role play practice is therefore based on real life scenarios that you will face in either your exam or whilst actually teaching.

NEXT COURSE LATE SUMMER / EARLY AUTUMN 2024.

Don’t want to wait til then? If you have two or more people interested in the course, contact me via info@alpinelanguagecentre.com to arrange dates and times to suit you.

French for Ski Instructors is designed to help you learn and practise the vocabulary needed to teach clients to ski in French.

During the course I will cover, meeting your French speaking clients, asking about their previous skiing experience and level, helping them put on their equipment, the anatomy of the body, ski equipment, teaching the basics of skiing up to parallel turning and what to do in case of an accident.

Each week will have a theme.

Before your first lesson you will be emailed a pdf booklet containing all the materials you will need for the course. Each week you will be sent a to do list including important French phrases, a vocabulary quiz and a little homework before your online group call.

There will be one online group lesson per week. The lessons will be focused on role play scenarios and conversation skills including practising your French pronunciation and clarifying any questions you have. Everyone will have a chance to practise speaking and listening in French.

For 2024, the course has a new format.

Previously, the course was split into two levels of two six-week courses. The course is now combined into one ten-week long course. This course is designed for those who have not studied French before or would like to start from scratch.

Once you have completed the course, you will be ready to take the second language exam.

More information below on what is covered in the course.

Ten week course - next start date late summer / early autumn 2024.

Day & time TBC.

  • Introducing yourself and meeting your clients. Includes asking questions about your clients, for example, where are they staying or what’s their profession? You’ll also learn how to reply to the same questions yourself.

  • What will you talk about when you’re on the magic carpet? This week we’ll cover hobbies and numbers. From piste numbers to phone numbers, to kids ages, making sure you can say numbers in French in pretty vital to our profession.

  • This week we’ll cover past tense questions like ‘When did you last ski?’, as well as the answers.

  • Where will we finish the lesson? Where will you meet for lunch? This week will be focused on questions and answers in the future tense.

  • I’ll cover ski clothing and anatomy this week.

  • Let’s assume that your clients have never skied before. You’ll need to know all the vocabulary associated with helping them put on their boots and skis for the first time. Then we’ll start with the Central Theme.

  • You’ve got your clients to glide and stop in a straight line. Now we’ll cover turning from snowplough to parallel. I’ll also cover giving directions and commands.

  • Of course we’d all much rather go through the season without any incidents, for us, our clients and others on the mountain, but knowing what to say in French to the piste patrol is vital to everyone’s safety.

    Accident reporting is a key part of the Second Language Exam, so this week we will cover I will cover injuries and collisions.

  • The last week of the course will be focused on longer teaching scenarios, putting everything you have learnt over the previous weeks to the test.

  • Extra on snow sessions can be arranged after the course to help reinforce your language learning. During these sessions you will practise real life scenarios teaching clients in French. After this session I will give you a report on your strengths and weaknesses and what I recommend you work on in the future.

  • After the course you will be ready to take the Second Language test with your association! If you are taking another exam this season you may be able to take the test in person with your examiner or another assessor in resort.

What’s included?

Everything you need to prepare for the Second Language Exam and to teach real-life French speaking clients how to ski!

Ready to speak French, level up and get that ISIA tick?

One payment of 347 CHF for the ten week course.

How much is that in my local currency?

Exchange rates obviously go up and down, but at the time of writing, 347 CHF was approximately £315 GBP or €368 Euros.

(FYI that’s less than you’d pay for one week’s worth of technical ski coaching!)

Course Testimonial: Really well structured French lessons.
Course Testimonial: Victoria was very patient.
Course testimonial: Emphasis on speaking.

FAQs

  • French for Ski Instructors is for qualified (or those aspiring to be) ski instructors.

    This course is designed to help prepare you for the Second Language Exam required by many ski instructor governing bodies, for example BASI.

    Accident scenarios will be covered and the on snow sessions will include practice teaching sessions.

    More about the Second Language Exam can be found on my blog.

    You will be expected to study the materials provided between sessions.

    Please note that this course is taught in English.

  • The course is designed for those who have not studied French before, have very little knowledge of French, or who would like to start from scratch. More information on what is covered each week is detailed above. If you would like to discuss your level, please get in touch.

  • Please get in touch and we can discuss your options.

  • Yes. You can take the course as a series of private lessons rather than group sessions if you would prefer. Please get in touch to discuss available dates, times and prices.

  • Yes! The course will be running again later in the year. Please sign up to my newsletter to be notified when the dates are released.

    Alternatively, if you have a group of two or more people, I can arrange the course on dates to suit you.

  • Yes and no.

    Most of of the vocabulary is transferable between ski and snowboard instructors. Please note that Weeks 6 & 7 include ski teaching scenarios.

    If you are a snowboard instructor, please get in touch and we can discuss your options for those two weeks.