Bienvenue

Leigh

Beginners Year 2

Leigh is originally from Adelaide and has lived in Albury for the past 5 years. He has travelled extensively throughout Australia and the world, visiting every continent except Antarctica. After studying French in both highschool and university he lived and studied international relations in Paris, Grenoble and Santiago. His love of languages stems from the desire to have meaningful conversations with people from around the world and to learn from their different cultures. He is currently a language and geography teacher at Albury High.

Heather

Beginners and Intermediate

Heather taught French at Albury HS for 24 years before retiring in 2014. During that time she organised 10 study tours to France for my students. She has lived and worked in France 3 times, including a year on teacher exchange in 1996. She believes that learning a language broadens our view of the world and loves seeing the joy that my students experience when they finally realise that they can express themselves in French, and that others understand what they are trying to say!

Leonie

Advanced

Leonie (B.A. (Hons-French, Italian, German, English Lit.)) has experienced firsthand the benefits of language learning and firmly believes languages 'give you the world'! An experienced French teacher of ~20 years (HSC, VCE, ACT, IB & 'Bac'), she's taught adult classes and tertiary level (Melbourne University) and loves encouraging students to grow their skills. Leonie’s passionate about French teaching and learning and about facilitating the internationally recognised Alliance Française DELF award (accredited examiner). Grateful to have travelled extensively, she's lived & worked in France, USA, UK, Italy, Switzerland. When Leonie isn’t teaching senior French students and inventing ways to progress their French, she enjoys family time, fine films/literature, travel and creative cuisine."

Nelly

Conversation (2022)

Nelly has both French with both Italian and French roots. She studied History at Paris IV La Sorbonne for 2 years then did a Masters degree in Sociology in Metz and Nancy. She also studied and worked in France in the Early Childhood Education and Care services and are continuing this in Albury. She lived in several French cities and in Brussels before arriving in Australia in 2011. Since then she has lived in many towns around the country. She loves the Australian wildlife and nature. She belives speaking French fluently can be encouraged by an easygoing and positive environment where everyone has something to share and is valued and supported by everybody else. Talking freely and being yourself are very important in French culture.

Jean-Gabriel

Conversation

Jean-Gabriel is a graduate of the 'Bonegilla Migrant Academy' where he first landed from his native Britanny in 1969. After humble beginnings behind the scenes at Playschool, he became a broadcaster, reporter then manager at Radio Australia, the ABC's international service. Between stints in New-Caledonia and as an Australian Volunteer in Vanuatu, he has travelled widely through the Asia Pacific region, reporting on local issues and training journalists and broadcasters. Jean-Gabriel is the translator from English to French of a number of academic and professional works. He has studied Asian and Pacific History and is also fluent in Vanuatu's Bichlamar pidgin. He now grows olives and pistachios in hilly Bethanga.