Testimonials
I was preparing for the recruitment process for the European Union and part of the assessment centre activities were computer based testing and a structured interview all in French. While I had a solid French background, it had been over ten years since I had any practice with the language and I needed to elevate my skill level.
I searched for tailored French lessons from an establishment that was familiar with HR processes, government testing, business language and knowledge of European Union practices, which is when I came across the À La Carte website and its services. After discussing my needs and disclosing what my goals were, I decided to sign on for training with À La Carte because they had experience preparing candidates for employment testing, both national government and with foreign institutions, and I felt confident that with their help, I would succeed at achieving my goals.
I received very personalized and tailored- to- my-needs training from a qualified, capable and proactive teacher. À La Carte was available for any questions I had, extra attention I may have needed and a boost of confidence when it was called for. After three months of intense instruction, my testing date arrived and I felt very confident in my language skills and my capacity to communicate my thoughts in the French language effectively. À La Carte prepared me for the task at hand and the instruction and attention I received went above and beyond my expectations.
In the end, I was selected as a successful candidate for the European Union and I feel confident in my French-speaking language abilities. I would highly recommend À La Carte to anyone looking for instruction of the French language; one with a proven success rate. I reached my goal and made my dreams come true, without the help of À La CARTE, this would not have been possible. Thank you!
Karen P.,
Successful European Union candidate
Ansuya did an assignment at Health Canada for a year, where she was fully responsible of setting up French language training for HC employees at various levels. She devised a targeted work-specific curriculum for employees to give them the linguistic tools necessary to become more functional in their respective positions. Each component of the project was carefully thought through – from initial assessment to completion, as well as quality assurance tools to track progress. Ansuya is a versatile, dedicated and result-driven leader.
Anthony S.,
Experienced Health Care Executive
I needed to prepare for the Canadian federal government’s Second Language Evaluation exams at the C level and was looking for help. I have a base in the French language, but I don’t have the opportunity to practice often in my day to day life. I was hoping to score well on the exams needed for my position as well as improve on my abilities in French. The service I received from À la Carte exceeded all of my expectations.
The instructor I worked with was an expert in the exams I was to take, and was able to provide a variety of strategies to assist with my preparation. I met with the instructor who developed a customized lesson plan designed to address all of my areas of need and based on my learning style. The lesson plan that was created fit perfectly with my needs and was flexible enough to adapt to my busy schedule.
After the initial meeting, I was expecting an instructor that was knowledgeable and able to cover the necessary areas for my exam preparation. What was not expected was how much fun she was able to bring to the lessons! I really found myself looking forward to my lessons each week. Not only was I able to pass my exams and improve my French abilities and confidence to speak, I was able to have fun while doing it. Preparing for the SLE tests doesn’t have to be painful! I would highly recommend À la Carte to anyone looking for a personalized French learning program.
Rob D.,
HR
Immigration and Refugee Board of Canada
When I joined the Canadian Olympic Foundation, I was quick to realize that I had to improve my French language skills in order to be fully competent at my job. Although I had a “working knowledge” of French, it had been many years since I used it regularly. Also, working in sport, it was important to learn the nuances and expressions of the industry.
My fully bilingual instructor is engaging, motivating and professional and has helped build my confidence in French communications.
The demands of my job are many and the flexibility of the highly tailored, online program, through À la Carte, has enabled me to stay dedicated to improvement.
À la Carte has provided ongoing coaching to not only elevate my French speaking skills but has helped me with meeting preparation, speeches and sport specific industry language in French.
A la Carte est parfait pour moi!
Leanne N.,
Executive Director
Canadian Olympic Foundation
Loved the very small class and the personalized training of À la Carte!
I would love to continue training as I already feel the increased confidence and results from the 16 weeks we did this year.
This training benefits me in my management position in every way! I feel like I can pick up more on French conversations happening around me, which is fantastic, and have gained enough confidence to try speaking little bits with people I’m comfortable with. I hope to continue practicing, reading, speaking, listening, and building this further. The À la Carte method works! I highly recommend it!
Yana V.,
Canadian Olympic Committee
I was preparing for a French oral test for the government of Canada and I hadn’t practiced speaking French in years. A la Carte was able to fit me in a short notice and worked with me to improve my oral communication while teaching me the SLE strategies. The instructor was so knowledgeable, patient and funny. She made the lessons fun and easy to follow and targeted my weaknesses and improved my language skills in a short period of time. She was professional, efficient, well prepared and made the concepts so easy to grasp! I recommend A la Carte to anyone who wants to learn French, improve it or prepare for an SLE test. I achieved my C thanks to A la Carte!
Sabah S.
,
Service Canada
I recently needed to prepare for the Federal Government’s second language evaluation in order to obtain a C-level in oral proficiency. Although I had a fairly solid base in French, I really lacked the confidence and fluidity to communicate as effectively as I could in my second language. The lesson plan proposed by A La Carte really addressed my needs and specifically targeted the abilities required for the language exam. For about two months, I worked closely with two instructors who coached me and jointly assessed my progress and evolving needs over that time. My lessons were held in-person and virtually, which permitted the flexibility I needed to ensure a regular use of the language. Our sessions together were always a delight and it was evident both instructors were dedicated in seeing me succeed. Thanks to them both, I successfully obtained the level required. A La Carte came highly recommended to me by colleagues and now I can offer an equally brilliant recommendation to anyone looking to improve their French. Allez-y!
Michael.T
,
Immigration and Refugee Board
The level of professionalism and personal care that I received from À la Carte language services was exceptional. The ability to tailor the training to my very specific individual needs was instrumental in my ability to succeed on my French oral exam. Furthermore, the focus during training on phonetics by a professional phonetician, understanding of the cultural linguistic nuances, and a thorough knowledge of the SLE tests strategies were elements that helped me demonstrate my language proficiency at a new level. I highly recommend À la Carte language services to anyone interested in a personal approach with attention to what works best for you as an individual. Thank you very much for helping me achieve a very important goal in regards to my French language proficiency.
Jim. D
,
Health Canada
Ansuya Ramdenee
Director
Language Strategist
