testimonials - online and in person

As somebody who was never very confident with French, BA was such a tremendous help when studying French for my leaving certificate. She helps you with whatever your needs and gives you so much confidence going into both the exam and the oral, I would never have been able to achieve what I did in French without the help of BA and would highly recommend her to anybody who is looking for that extra push with their French studies!
Allanah
 

I would like to say a big thank you to BA for all the help she gave me leading up to my Leaving Cert. I could never have done it without her!
I had been struggling extremely with the French course and had received a fail grade in my mock exam. That's when I decided I would need extra help outside school and found these classes.
BA's extremely exam focused approach to teaching began to benefit my results as they improved over the next few months.
In these classes, I was provided with many immportant tips and techniques that  made the difference to my overall French writing skills.
Workshops were also hosted which gave me a chance to meet other students and converse with them through French. Mock oral exams then took place at these workshops which allowed us to be tested by French teachers and native French speakers.
On the day of my results I was delighted to receive a B2 in my French exam. I truly have BA's French classes to thank!
Tommy
 

I would just like to make a shout out to BA for a great year, the french classes really helped me with improving my grades and the online lessons and oral workshops were a great way of practicing my spoken french and having good fun at the same time, I am very great full for your constant support throughout the year and encourage students who want to improve their French, both written and orally to contact Barbara Ann, and do it now, Thanks again BA for a great year.   

Cathal 

French is a beautiful language that I grew to love through Barbara Ann's classes - something that is hard to do whilst reciting verbs in classroom full of thirty odd people. The one-on-one attention meant that I could learn beyond the basics I needed to know to get by in the exam. I now enjoy (and am capable of) speaking the language in a conversational setting. Barbara Ann is patient and understanding, yet pushes her students to make the most of their time and ability! When it came to the Leaving Cert, she familiarized me with the ins and outs of the correction process, and gave me tips and tricks to handle the paper efficiently and gain the most marks. I can honestly say I would recommend her classes to anybody needing, or wanting, to improve their French in a heartbeat.
Michelle
 

Barbara Ann is one of the most kind and diligent teachers that I know! She goes above and beyond for each one of her students, and allows them to reach their potential. I would recommend her to anyone within a heartbeat to anyone who is struggling with French and needs that helping hand!
Genevieve
 

A fantastic teacher, I went to Barbara Ann for sixth year. She tailors her lessons to suit each student and is so patient and dedicated. I would recommend to anyone looking to do well in exams or simply learn French!
Jayne
 

I had always struggled with French. I always told myself that languages just weren't "my thing". One day I decided to look online, found BA's website and decided to give her a call. The was one of the best decisions I ever made. I was a fifth year student struggling with my French and my overall confidence in the language. The first time I rang the doorbell I was terrified but I was welcomed with comforting open arms. BA made me feel at ease straight away. 

She never judged me or ever got annoyed with me. She simply picked one thing I needed to work on first and we went from there. She wasn't just a teacher but a friend. I was so scared about speaking French in front of anyone. I thought I would never be able to grasp the accent. BA started from the basics and worked her way up. She always went at my pace. It didn't matter if we had to go over something twice or a million times. She was always so patient with me. She taught me things I was always confused about. We looked at grammar and tenses learnt in first year. My confidence slowly started to grow. She covered every aspect of French; listening, composition and oral. No aspect was left untouched.
 

Her teaching methods were so diverse there was something new and different every week; from composing essays, reading comprehensions, oral workshops, grammar and tense workshops, listening to French news. She went above and beyond to help me with my French.
 

BA wasn't just a teacher. I had always struggled with my anxiety and nerves and by the time sixth year had come around. I was barely holding it together. BA always knew what to say. Even if it meant sticking on the kettle for five minutes before our lessons and chatting. She was always there to listen and give advice. I went from failing French in first year Christmas to a confident young linguistic.......
She went above and beyond with all of her students and I can never thank her enough. She is a friend and a brilliant teacher to whom I owe so much. I would highly recommend her to anyone who is in need of help in French. No matter how small or big the problem. She is a wonderful and fantastic teacher.
Rebecca
 

BA's classes were top class. I was really struggling at French when I started them but I improved greatly in all aspects as a result. Also communication via Skype and email was very practical and easy.
Colm
 

From the moment I stepped into BA's classroom, I knew I had made the right decision! BA's infectious love for the French language pushed me to work and to achieve right throughout Sixth year and gave me a real love for the language. From detesting anything in French, I began to read online newspapers, books and articles, all with BA's advice, as well as watching French News and listening to French music which without doubt improved my vocabulary for both the reading comprehension and the listening, as well as tuning my ear to the sound of French. From butchering the French accent with my deplorable pronunciation and leaving my poor listeners wondering was it actually French I was speaking, with BA's unending help, I managed to learn all the quirks and rules of French pronunciation, which to no end, helped me in my Oral preparation. 

Throughout a series of workshops, and through mock orals, mistakes I would have made in my oral and cost me dearly in marks were identified, fixed and overcame, all the while improving my oral standard. The online lessons really came into their own in the stressful lead up to the mocks. Having BA on the other end of the line, despite being so far away, felt no different to being in her classroom, and allowed even more practice. It's true that, as the French proverb says, 'c'est en forgeant qu'on devient forgeron', practice really does make perfect. I was able to write out paragraphs and scan them through to BA who always corrected and returned without delay, all the time improving and improving what I was going to say in them fateful few minutes of the oral exam. The importance of the oral for a good result must never be overlooked. Through extra tenses, sophisticated sentence structures and higher standard vocabulary, BA's classes made sure I was more than prepared for what faced me on the written paper in June. 

Topics we had brainstormed in a workshop just days earlier made an appearance, assuaging any fears I had, and I really enjoyed that exam! I can never speak highly enough of the warm, caring, supportive and encouraging environment that BA created in her classes, and I will never lose my love for the French language. A recent trip to Paris last month showed me how much I had improved, from just Merci on my previous trips, I was now able to converse and interact in French. Even being able to order a meal in a restaurant was a great feeling. I would highly recommend BA to any Sixth Year, whom, like I did, feels totally at sea when it comes to French. You won't regret it, I certainly did not. For BA, all I can say is un grand merci, a big thank you, but I feel it will never be enough to do justice to her amazing work! My result was due to her persistent and hard working attitude!
Mark
 

I found BA's classes very helpful and worthwhile. I only started in March of my leaving year with a mountain of work to cover but BA really helped me master my tenses, grammar, comprehending and perfect my oral work. I found her online classes particularly useful as I was able to cover a lot of work despite BA being so far away from where I live. I was able to constantly email work I had completed and received a swift reply with all of my corrections. Overall it was a great experience as BA helped me develop a love for the language and encouraged me every step of the way. I would recommend her classes to anyone especially sixth years who feel unprepared for French.
Clíona
 

Barbara Ann helped me get a better grasp of French grammar, reading and writing! I found the oral workshops and individual classes great and they definitely made an impact on my oral result. Apart from the learning, I became more confident and actually started to enjoy French as a subject through BA's classes! I would recommend anyone looking for a boost in french to talk to Barbara Ann. Merci beaucoup BA.
Aoife
 

Dear Barbara-Ann, I really want to say thank you very much for all the help, assistance and support you gave me to get through my Leaving Certificate. With your guidance I went from a C grade in Junior Cert to an A1 in Leaving Cert Honours. I know for sure this would not have been possible without your support, as going the extra mile seems to be standard for you.
Clara
 

I started French grinds with BA just after I did my mock leaving cert exams. Before doing my mock exams, I felt french was my weakest subject at school. In my mock french exam I got a D3 but after having just 3-4 months of grinds with BA, I got a B3 in my leaving cert french exam.
 

After completing grinds with BA, I felt comfortable to have a conversation with anyone in french. I felt I had a greater knowledge of verbs, vocabulary and the language overall, both spoken and written. I would highly recommend BA to anyone who wants to improve their french in any way at all.

Niamh
 

I started my French Grinds with Barbara-Ann in September of my Leaving Cert. I was struggling with my French and I knew that I needed to do honours french to help me get the points I needed for college. I got in contact with Barbara-Ann and knew from day one that she would be excellent. She was a fantastic teacher and gave me tremendous help and encouragement. She was very supportive and helpful in preparing me for my Leaving Cert.
 

She helped me prepare my document for the oral and she also did group oral sessions which gave me great confidence going into my exam. I achieved my honour in French and that was all down to Barbara-Ann's excellent tuition. For me, I travelled an hour every week to go to Barbara-Ann's and I would most definitely highly recommend her.

Aisling

I started going to Barbara-Ann for French grinds in 6th year when I realised that my oral was not up to scratch. I had no confidence when speaking French and stuttered my way through sentences with a noticeable Irish accent.
 

Barbara-Ann completely transformed my French. After just a few lessons I felt much more at ease. She’s very easy to work with, will accept you at whatever level you’re at and will do her best to improve that level. By the time of the oral exam I was full of confidence with my newly formed authentic French accent and phrases.
 

She encouraged me to prepare a document for the oral and this not only caught the interest of the examiner in my LC oral, but it also added to my own interest and enjoyment of the French language and culture.
 

Furthermore, I felt that BA gave me an edge going into the written exam as she taught me extra tenses and beautiful phrases.
 

It’s thanks to BA that I got an A in honours French in the LC. I would highly recommend her.

Rebecca
 

I started my French grinds with Barbara-Ann in September of my leaving cert. I always found French to be difficult. In school, I never really saw eye to eye with my teachers and this didn’t help. However, I knew I would need French to help me get the sufficient number of points for my leaving cert to allow me to enter my first choice course. My parents and I looked around at different grinds available. Barbara-Ann stood apart from the field, she had a great reputation that later she would live up to, a very professional manner and the best traits as a teacher was her understanding, positive and supportive approach. Before I attended Barbara-Ann’s grinds, I was failing ordinary French or barely just passing it. In my Leaving cert, I achieved a B. This was achieved through Barbara-Ann's excellent grinds. I’m currently finishing my second year in Health and Leisure in Tralee IT and truly enjoying every minute. I wouldn't have got here if I hadn't got the points and Barbara-Ann aided that process.
Many Thanks. 

Eoin
 

I first met Barbara-Ann when I was in 6th year. It was my Mam who told me about her. She was doing an Intensive French Christmas Course. I dreaded the thoughts of having full days of French during my Christmas holidays, but knew deep down that I really needed the help!
 

As soon as I met Barbara-Ann, I knew instantly that she would be excellent. She has such a professional way about her and it was exactly what I needed. She was fabulous, so lovely and made the language seem so easy. I had always felt nervous of my French but by the way she taught it, she helped me feel confident. After the course, I continued taking grinds with her. She always gave me lots to do and I loved doing the work because in just a short time I could feel my French improving. I always learned everything so well because I hated the idea of not knowing something and disappointing her !!
 

She really is a fantastic teacher in every way. She was always pleasant and kind and has a wonderful unique way of teaching the French language that makes it fun and easy.
 

Before I met her, I never really liked French in school. I was never given the confidence boost that I needed and got from Barbara-Ann. And now, because of all her tremendous help, I am in 3rd year of college doing French as my language, which I would never have been able to do, if it wasn't for her.
Sinead
 

French lessons with Barbara-Ann have been invaluable to the success of my Leaving Cert. and thereafter; the one-on-one tuition was individually tailored to suit my requirements. This combined with group sessions has given me much confidence in oral, aural and written French. Immediately I noticed a marked improvement in my understanding of the language in terms of grammar, spelling and pronunciation.
The benefits of these lessons for me far exceeded the Leaving Cert., allowing me to holiday in France with ease and comfort.
 

Your tips and advice have been extremely helpful. Thank you for everything Barbara-Ann.
Claire
 

I received grinds from Barbara-Ann in honours French for the leaving cert. Having struggled with the language in class the grinds gave me some much-needed structure. The oral work was the most helpful by far. Conversations were structured to my situation and although it meant extra work, I felt confident going into the oral - something I never thought possible.
Kate.
 

Barbara Ann,
We are so grateful for all your help and guidance with Sean. He really would not have achieved the honour grade in French without your ongoing professional assistance. Your ability to connect, help him stay focused and work consistently to achieve the necessary standard resulted in increased confidence and ultimately a great result all round. Thanks sincerely for all your hard work - it truly paid off.
 

Mother, Grainne and son, Sean
 

I am a Leaving Certificate Student and have been attending one to one French Lessons with Barbara-Ann for two years. During that time, my French has improved dramatically, especially my oral French. I found Barbara-Ann to be a friendly, patient and encouraging tutor and I highly recommend her for Leaving Certificate Students.
Kerrie
 

I got a very low result in my Xmas test I'm French in 2009. I had heard about Barbara-Ann from my Mum and I started a ten week course x one hour sessions. Since I started the grinds, I am getting B+ in my school tests. Barbara-Ann is very helpful and gives a small amount of homework bearing in mind I have other homework to do. I would highly recommend her for any refresher or French grinds you might need.
Eoin

I’ve been doing grinds with Barbara-Ann since 5th year. When I started doing the grinds, I was unsure of which level French to take. No French at Higher Level is one of my stronger subjects. I feel my oral French has greatly improved since I started. Barbara-Ann puts a lot of effort into her classes and takes a keen interest in how I do in all my exams at school. The class has a relaxed friendly atmosphere.
Ian
 

I have always struggled with French and then for my Leaving Certificate decided to do something about it. I started lessons with Barbara-Ann a few months into 5th year and have already seen a huge improvement in my French in all areas including the oral, aural, written and reading comprehensions. But most of all, I have seen that everything is starting to come together now and make sense, which is of huge benefit to me and has given me that boost to continue in working on a language which I once found impossible !
Thanks Barbara-Ann, for everything.
Regards,
Grace
 

Barbara-Ann has helped me greatly with my French, especially my oral examination. She has helped me feel more confident in my exams and in French class. I know so much more than I did before and I thank her for that.
Aoife
 

I have found Barbara-Ann supportive and helpful in preparing me for my Leaving Cert French. She makes sure I understand and have a full grasp of the basics in French, particularly grammar, construction of sentences and knowing the verbs. She is very friendly but firm in her approach to my learning and I would recommend her to any of my friends.
Rebecca
 

Working with Barbara-Ann, who actually speaks and enjoys the language on a daily basis made a difference to how I viewed and approached it. The weekly practise made me more competent and I became more confident when speaking the language.
Paul
 

Barbara-Ann is my French tutor. She has helped me greatly with my French. She teaches French differently to each student taking it at whatever pace they need. I find French much easier to understand now and would recommend her to anyone that is struggling with French.
Saoirse
 

Very helpful and clear, correct information given. Barbara Ann is very nice and a very good teacher. It's also very enjoyable and interesting - never a boring moment in the lessons. Very helpful in the pronunciation of words. Definitely recommended for anybody if they wish to learn French.
Genevieve