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Come and hang out before the summer break!

RSVP: https://forms.gle/Frd7CA7QNg6LbTzt8
POSTPONED: Tuesday, 26 August 2025

Due to security protocols at the venue, registration is necessary. Please fill out the
following form.
It is strongly recommended that you bring a sac/ microwavable lunch. The venue is not within convenient walking distance of food service.
Attendance certificates available on request.
THE PROGRAM |
Morning Session
|
Welcome and introduction
Objectives and program
Workshop kit
The TOEIC® Listening test
The TOEIC® Reading test
The learning objectives of the TOEIC test and the classroom
TOEIC score report
Teaching and learning strategies
|
Afternoon session
|
The TOEIC® Speaking test
Scoring practice: the TOEIC Speaking test
The TOEIC® Writing test
Scoring practice: the TOEIC® Writing test
Additional resources and summary |
4 April 2025 (virtual)

TESOL France Bordeaux Goûter Get-Together - Valentin Hanzard on
Friday, 4 April 2025 @ 16:30
Come and join us on Friday for an informal, online get-together where Valentin will answer questions about his work teaching English to those working in the aviation industry, including those in the military.
About Valentin:
I was born in Normandy in 1996 and hold a Bachelor’s degree in English, along with two Master’s degrees. The first is a Master MEEF in Teaching English as a Foreign Language to French learners, and the second is a Postgraduate Certificate in Education (PGCE) from the University of Sussex in Brighton, specializing in Modern Foreign Languages (French and Spanish) for English learners.
During my first Master's program, I gained experience teaching English to students aged 11 to 20 (secondary school and BTS) in France. Subsequently, I moved to the UK and spent four years teaching French and Spanish to British students. Seeking a new challenge, I returned to France to teach English to a different audience—adults. This led me to join the French Air Force, where I have been teaching English for over two years. Currently, I also serve as the interim Head of the English Department at Airbase BA107 in my colleague’s absence due to deployment.
Throughout my career, I have worked with a diverse range of learners, including air traffic controllers, flight nurses, firefighters, pilots, flight attendants, and auditors. Additionally, I train aviators for the TOEIC (Listening & Reading) exam (I am also a certified Test Center Administrator), given that it is a key requirement for obtaining an English language profile within the Air Force. I also assist students preparing for the Diplôme de Compétence en Langue (DCL) in English and the internal entrance competitive exam (EAE-CI) for the École de l’Air to become officers.
28 February 2025 (virtual)
TESOL France Bordeaux Goûter Get-Together - 27 February 2025
Click on the graphic to go the recording of the call on Lydie's spotify channel!

Come and join us on 27 February 2025 at 18:00 for an informal, online get-together where you can ask Lydie Bureau about her background, how she started teaching and her online and face to face book clubs.
About Lydie:
Lydie is an English teacher in France and she is the founder of Lydie's Book Club an online book club to help people learn English through live readings and discussion workshops. She has been teaching languages for over eight years, first as a French teacher in the UK and in the last three years as an English teacher in the area of Bordeaux. Her aim is to show how reading can help improve English speaking skills and develop students' critical and creative thinking.
You can find more information about Lydie's book club at: https://lydiesbookclub.com/
18 December 2024 (in-person)
Come and join us for an informal gathering of Bordeaux English Teachers at the Blarney Stone
144 Cr Victor Hugo, 33000 Bordeaux. Drop by on 18/12 between 6pm-8pm. We'll supply the tapas so stop by for a drink (during the pub's happy hour)! We appreciate RSVPing so we can make an estimate regarding food and reservation. Feel free to email Dianne at (bordeaux@tesol-france.org) if you have any questions. See you soon!
7 June 2024 (virtual)
TESOL France Bordeaux Goûter Get-Together - Katherine Krieger on
7 June 2024 @ 16:00
Are you an English teaching/ training professional and entrepreneur in France? Are you considering making your business Qualiopi- compliant? Are you not sure if this is the right choice for you an your business? What exactly is a Qualiopi audit?
Come and join us on Friday 7 June at 16:00 for an informal, online get-together where we get to mine Katherine's experience and expertise on managing a small language training center in France and all the trials and tribulations that entails. Please come with your questions and share your experience with the group.
About Katherine:
As the current Manager at Grant & Bates, a language institute in Paris, Katherine oversees a team of 10 trainers, ensuring the delivery of high-quality language training to adult professionals in English, Spanish and French as a foreign language. Most recently Katherine secured the French Qualiopi certification for Grant & Bates.
Since joining Grant & Bates in 2003, Katherine has made significant contributions to the institute, including the creation and updates of materials for English language learners and the development of themed workshops in areas such as the language of meetings and presentations.
Before going into the world of adult language training, Katherine was a Montessori trained early childhood educator at a bilingual pre-school in Paris and conducted after-school English workshops for children, approaching language learning through stories, songs, and games.
As a member of TESOL France since 2015, Katherine remains actively involved and interested exchanges in the international educational community.
The meeting link appear after you have signed up on this registration form. Register at:
15 December 2023

TESOL France Bordeaux Goûter Get-Together - Diane Tisdall on 15 December 2023 @ 16:00
Come and join us on 15 December at 16:00 for an informal, online get-together where you can ask Diane Tisdall, PhD. about her background, how she started teaching in Clermont-Ferrand, her unique relationship working with a cooperative, networking with other entrepreneurs and her experience marketing her business, Tisdallish.
About Diane:
I am a newly minted English teacher living in Clermont-Ferrand. I completed my CertTESOL in 2020 at the ELT Hub in Brittany and have set up my own business with the cooperative Appuy Créateurs. Three threads weave their way through my career – education, music and France. I trained as a violinist, combining a teaching and performing career before an interest in violin pedagogy led me to the Paris Conservatoire archives and a PhD in musicology at King’s College London. When a research post came up in Clermont-Ferrand I jumped at the chance! And when it finished, I wanted to stay in France. As a teacher and performer, my interest lies in authentic, clear and engaging communication. I believe that when we exchange new ideas and unpack them together, not only do we grow as individuals but we empower and enrich each other, building a stronger and more outward-looking community. My roots are Anglo-Welsh; I have worked and studied in Australia, Europe and North America.
https://forms.gle/ZqT6n3KMjtifrn977
Registrants will be sent the link the evening before the get-together (Thursday evening).
29 September 2023
Come and join us for an in-person workshop on Chat GPT: Introduction to the use of Chat GPT as a Teacher
Time: 2-5pm
Place: Enseirb-Matmeca, 1 avenue du Dr Albert Schweitzer, 33402 Talence
Arts et Métiers tram line B
Workshop fee: free for TESOL France members, 8€ for non-members.
Objectives:
1. Understand how Chat GPT works
2. How to write clear prompts
3. Ideas for using Chat GPT in class
Must bring:
1. Computer (make sure it is charged)
2. Phone data to access the internet in your computer (or Eduroam configuration on your computer)
Please understand that due to the limitations of this venue, this workshop is limited to 20 people. Rest assured, we will create a wait list if necessary.
Register here.
28 April 2023

Come and join us on April 28 at 16:30 for an informal, online get-together where you can ask Katie Johnston about her background, her teaching, working in the Southwest, her experience marketing her business and obtaining training for herself.
About Katie:
Katie has worked in adult training and higher education since 2010 in Bordeaux. She started her training organisation, Johnston Training, in 2021 (Qualiopi certified) in order to help professionals bridge the gap between their passive knowledge of English and the interactive language skills required in the international workplace.
She loves practical approaches to teaching, often working on English for Specific Purposes courses and using a task-based learning approach. Working with individuals and organisations who need to feel as professional and efficient when working in English as they do when working in their first language is what she loves.
She has mainly been self-employed throughout her working life and has always been interested in entrepreneurship. Networking, & marketing her work as a Consultant Trainer has been an interesting and challenging journey.
Registrants will be sent the link the evening before the get-together (Thursday evening).
01 March 2023

Come and join us for an informal get-together where you can ask Christine about her background, her teaching, starting her own company (Naturally English) and her recently acquired ICPF Qualiopi certification.
Bio
Christine spent her childhood surrounded by French and British culture, resulting in bilingual fluency in both languages and cultures. She holds a Masters 2 in History - ERASMUS (University of Bristol), a CERTIBET (Certificate in Business English Training) IHL - University of Cambridge and a Qualiopi certification – ICPF. She has taught and coached in several different capacities (TOEIC preparation, job interview preparation, customer service, English for leisure and business English) working with different clients (Ariane Group, CUB de Bordeaux, University of Bordeaux).
To find out more about her company, you can go to her website (https://www.naturallyenglish.fr/).
Registrants will be sent the link the evening before the get-together (the Tuesday evening before).
24 June 2022
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TESOL France Bordeaux Goûter Get-Together - 24 June 2022 @4pm
Come and join us for an informal get-together where you can ask Caitriona and Ben about their work, their company (http://www.cours-anglais-bordeaux-ecb.fr/) and the trials and tribulations of being entrepreneurs and business owners.
The vast majority of Caitriona's teaching work is with one company and because she is working for a Training company, she doesn't need to have the Qualiopi certificate to offer CPFs. Additionally, she works at engineering school Ensegid.
Ben, on the other hand, only does professional training and engages in contracts directly with the learners. The vast majority are CPF. Ben did training, was audited and was awarded the qualiopi certificate in December. However, the language test he used to certify the training (Linguaskill -previously known as Bulats) was not approved and he found himself in a position of not being able to sell training.
Join us to learn more about Caitriona and Ben's recent experiences with their company ECB and the quagmire that is the French administrative system.
For more complete Bio info, you can go to their website (http://www.cours-anglais-bordeaux-ecb.fr/).
Registrants will be sent the link the morning of get-together (Friday).
13 May 2022
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Bordeaux Regions Goûter Get-Together for May
13 May at 4:00pm on Zoom
Paula Pernell will be our featured guest teacher (from Bordeaux). Come and join us for an informal get-together where you can ask Paula about her background before she started teaching online, why she decided to take up stakes and move to Bordeaux and how she has developed teaching career on various online platforms like SuperProf. Register and you will be sent the link the day of the meet-up: https://forms.gle/f48ucep9c4XZx7yp8
Paula Pernell grew up in the States where she received an MBA from the Thunderbird School of Global Management in December 1988. Prior to moving to France in September 2019, she lived in Denver, Colorado for 30 years, with her two children, where she ran her own accounting business. She received her TEFL certification from TEFL Toulouse in early November 2019 and since then, she has been teaching exclusively via webcam. She currently uses the Superprof platform as a means of acquiring new students and the Learncube platform to teach.
While the majority of her students are learning Business English, she does have some younger high school students, whom she also enjoys teaching. The things she loves most about teaching are that she gets to meet people who work in many different professions with diverse personalities and interests and the flexibility that remote teaching provides. She believes that, professionally, nothing is more satisfying than having a student get excited about their progress in English! However, personally, an espresso, dark chocolate, and a good book will do the trick.
8 April 2022
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Bordeaux Regions Goûter Get-Together for April
8 April at 4:00pm on Zoom
Julie Kalopsidiotis will be our featured guest teacher (from Toulouse). Come and join us for an informal get-together where you can ask Julie about working as an entrepreneur with young learners, business and general English students, exam courses and teacher training. Register to receive the zoom link at: https://forms.gle/cVcc26HK6xhs7K6x5
Julie qualified with a TEFLA (now CELTA) in 1990 and has been teaching in Europe ever since. She settled in France in 2000 and is currently self-employed. She teaches young learners, business and general English, Exam courses and is a teacher trainer. She is also a Speaking Examiner for Cambridge and is part way through her DELTA. She has been the Regional Coordinator for TESOL France Toulouse since 2019 and is a former member of Ex-Com.
11 March 2022

Vicki Plant will be our featured guest teacher (from the region). Come and join us for an informal get-together where you can ask Vicki about her background in business, how she pivoted to English teaching, how she is working as an entrepreneur in the Pau area as a teacher and coach.
Register: https://forms.gle/p3Q5YuoQjiVK4kuGA
Goûter get-togethers fall on the second Friday of every month in spring. The theme for Spring 2022 is entrepreneurship