alpha.b Institut Linguistique
2, rue d’Angleterre – 06000 Nice, Nice, France
alpha.b Institut Linguistique
This programme is designed to families, parents and
children, who want to do a language stay.
(8.45 – 10.15 / 10.30 – 12.00)
1 or 2 weeks – All levels
Parents: You participate in our French Continuous
Course.
If you are a beginner, please be careful to choose the right
starting date.
Kids: Our young learners, aged between 9 and 15 years,
are teached in a mini group of 5 children with overlapping
language levels.
To make learning more fun, the programme includes a lot
of games, little excursions and visits.
Listening, Speaking, Reading, Writing, Vocabulary and Activities
alpha.b Institut Linguistique does not hold classes on the holiday dates above. The school does not compensate for these holidays, so make sure to choose your start date accordingly.
Class schedule may change depending on availability and season.
Average | 3 students |
Maximum | 6 students |
Age range | 9 - 15 years old |
Average | 12 years old |
alpha.b is located in the very heart of Nice, capital of the French Riviera. Nice is the 5th city and 2nd airport in France. The unique geographical situation with its famous microclimate makes it a year-round destination to study French.
At alpha.b our leitmotiv is quality and flexibility. We are a family run school with a young and dynamic team under French/German management.
A wide range of different courses allows responding to any requirement and age group.
In addition to classes, we offer you an optional activity program. Social activities as an icebreaker but also visits and excursions to learn about Nice, Monaco, Cannes and all the stunning places we have around.
The nationality and age mix at alpha.b Institut Linguistique varies over different time periods, courses and levels. Throughout the year, the average age is 12. In the summer, the average age is 12.
teaches students from all over the world, including:
does not hold classes on the holiday dates below. The school does not compensate for these holidays, so make sure to choose your start date accordingly.
Situated in the heart of Nice, the capital of the French Riviera, alpha.b has chosen a lovely mansion from the early beginning of the century. Surrounded by its own garden, where you will be able to relax at break times, the modern, well-equipped Centre (Internet access, e-mail, fax, WI-FI connection, amenities for handicapped…) is located in rue d’Angleterre right next to local shops, the beaches, and the old town. During high season, July and August, our second summer center are situated in proximity to the Roman Arenas and the Matisse and Chagall museums. A colorful and charming place with facilities belonging to an art school.
The class size was very good. There were about 8 teachers in total. The instruction was very good. We learned good methods for teaching different grammatical elements (future, past, conditionnel), as well as units including technology, graphic novels, and an excursion to a local museum. Perhaps a bit too much time was given for teachers to introduce themselves, and the comic book session could have involved more participant interaction. Marie Hèlène was very generous with her time and resources, even giving students a USB key with resources.
Overall, I was pleased with the educational program. The one aspect that could have been improved was the social aspect. The week that I was there, they offered the following: a walking tour of Nice, a visit to mini golf and an attraction park (which I didn’t go to, this was more geared towards the younger students) , an excursion to Antibes and a excursion on a boat to see dolphins.
I would have appreciated more afternoon excursions.
I would have also appreciated more evening activities such as wine and food tastings, perhaps a cooking class. I was told that the week prior to my visit had more of that, so it was unfortunately not offered while I was there.
More of an effort could have been made to do icebreakers / activities so that students from all programs could meet each other. I only found out near the end of the week that there was a program of students 30 years and older. It would have been nice to meet them earlier.
My home stay was good. Colette provided very good meals and conversation. I wouldn’t call her the easiest person to live with. She was very particular and at times a little rude, but overall it was fine.
My only other issue was that I found out that because I booked the program through a 3rd party on the internet rather than directly with Alpha B, I ended up paying a considerable amount more than I would have had I booked directly through Alpha B (several hundred euros more).
The teachers were very nice and welcoming. I was able to learn many interesting things from them but also other students. Nice the city itself was beautiful and fun. You can chill on the beach or go party in the pubs or clubs. Côté d’azur was the best! After classes, just a few minutes from the school buildings we could go swimming in a beautiful warm sea. There weren’t many activities organized by the school itself. Housing was also good although I didn’t like that i couldn’t take the shower after 10 PM. Other than that my host was very sweet and nice.
Show details » Read more...They are all very kind. The test for knowing my level was great, so I came in the best class for my level.
Activities were great and I loved that the afternoon was planned for speaking and discussing. Delphine is a great teacher and getting to know also Vincent, was great because we had very interesting discussions.
Fantastic school. I have learned a lot. We were on family course. AS is almost 9 ( so her mum writes review) however she was very happy with the course and with meeting new friends. Teaches were amazing.
Show details » Read more...I booked this course only a few days before the course was due to start and had a very good experience with the administrative team. When I arrived everything had been well organised.
The course started well because of the clear introduction from Anna and Jean-Phillipe. The initial assessment was carried out quickly and efficiently. As a result of the streaming of classes I felt comfortable with the class I was allocated to. The other students were generally very good and created a good learning environment although, as is often the case, the very young students did not participate as much as I would have liked.
Both Delphine (2weeks) and Olane (frist week only) were excellent teachers who made the classes very engaging and interactive. They were well organised and created a good learning environment supporeted by good materials. Jennifer (week 2 pm) was sound but less effective as I found her lessons less active and more "old-fashioned" in style. I was very pleased with the extra session from Jean-Phillipe at the end of the first week.
The school is well located in the city but the classrooms in the main building were often noisy because of the road traffic outside. Also, the rooms in the Forum were disappointing - they were dark and sometimes damp although they quieter than in the main building. The technology in the rooms was basic and could be improved to support teaching e.g. bigger screens, better audio and video and the ability to search on-line during the lesson.
The social programme was quite limited although I did enjoy the Cafe des Langues event in Nice old team. The introductory walking tour was well worthwhile. By comparison, I have studied with IS in Aix-en-Provence and they have a much more extensive programme of outside activities .
Overall it was a very good experience and I would recommend alpha.b to others.
I did the course for over 50s and had a nice small group of women to spend two weeks with. There was a good mix of nationalities and levels of proficiency. The teacher was incredibly good at adapting and responding to the different needs and interests in the group. She was highly skilled and very engaging, maintaining enthusiasm and energy throughout. It was very motivating and I learned a lot.
The program of activities was nicely balanced and led by a knowledgeable and friendly tour guide. Level B2 people would understand all/most of what she says. Level B1 or lower would struggle a bit. However the classes in the morning were tailored to both levels, so we had a mixture or consolidating what we might have already learned and acquiring new vocabulary/I improving our understanding.
Being in a small group enabled us to practice talking a fair bit (though I would have liked there to be more conversation practice). Overall the course was great, as evidenced by the fact that several if my classmates had done the same course before and had come back for more. It was particularly good for practicing/improving comprehension and for learning more about Nice, nearby villages and French culture.
Support from the administrators was also very good. I’d strongly recommend this program.
Positive teachers.Few pupils in class.
Négatif no leisure room. No cafétéria.
The class i was in was very good and my class mates were helpful and encouraging, the teacher was very helpful helping me with words i didn’t understand and the ones i didn’t know. The location was very good as it was a 3 minute walk from the tram station which was only a 15 minute ride. The facility was food with lots of class rooms and there was divided into 2 section and the classes were big and was very comfy
Show details » Read more...I enjoyed my experience at Alpha.b language school. My housing was so convenient to the school, and my hostess, Nelly Dunaud was terrific. I thought the class was not personally challenging, but Delphine, the instructor tried to teach to a variety of levels within the class very successfully. I liked the mix of personalities in my class which enhanced my experience. Our activities for the most part were interesting, but moving 30 people around for activities was challenging. It would be more enjoyable to break the group in half(which did happen on a few occasions). This was my first trip to Nice which was wonderful.. I can't think of a better location to improve my French.
Show details » Read more...Nice, friendly but average.
Show details » Read more...I normally don't like everything for example instructions to be in French but this added an extra dimension and forced me to 'think in French". I only wish you were able to do a full-time or long-term instead of just one week. A few things that didn't make sense for years such as conjugation started to sink in.
Show details » Read more...Overall, I liked everything.
The school is located in a very nice neighborhood and in a typical French building. The classrooms were well-lit and comfortable .
The teacher teaching style was excellent, with experience and knowledge of different languages, facilitated more communication, apart from that the teacher was very willing to modify the program to our particular interests .
I did not avail of the accommodation through the school, so I can not comment on that subject.
:)
Show details » Read more...Homestays are carefully selected and offer students the opportunity to learn more about the local culture in a comfortable setting while studying French in Nice. These homes are often between 5 - 30 minutes away from the school by public transport. Families usually offer affordable meal plans that allow you to sample the local cuisine. If you have special requests or diet restrictions (because of religion or health reasons), please let us know in advance. Your housing starts on the Sunday before your first day of class and ends on the Saturday after your last day of class, unless otherwise noted. Learn more about homestay housing
We cannot apply for visas on behalf of students. However, the school can supply you with all the documentation you need to support your visa application.
Your letter of acceptance will be sent to your home address by regular mail at no charge to you. If you wish to receive your paperwork by express mail, you will be charged 150 € when you register.
Please note that we do not book flights for our students. If you are researching airfare costs, we recommend using Kayak.com, a search engine that lets you compare flight options from your home country to Nice based on your budget, schedule and preferences.
Study abroad worry-free with Language International's health and personal effects insurance coverage. When you book a course with us, you can opt to purchase an international insurance plan that covers not only your health care cost but also loss of your personal belongings. You must book your insurance in advance when you register.
Have questions? Get answers from alpha.b Institut Linguistique staff, Language International student advisors, and past students.
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