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Bella’s tutoring is what got me through Year 12 French. Not only is she engaging, insightful and co-operative, but her personable nature made our sessions enjoyable and allowed me to greatly improve my French beyond what I could get solely out of the classroom. 

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French had always been one of my iffy subjects coming into year 12, so I’m incredibly grateful to have had Bella’s support over the year - don’t think I would’ve survived without her!! She truly cares about her students, which is key to her success in tutoring over so many years. 

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Thanks so much Bella for your hard work over the year with me - forever grateful!!

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Mackenzie Whiteley (Year 12 Student, Lauriston Girls' School, Armadale)

Glen Iris, December 2021

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I can honestly say, hand on my heart, that my daughter would not have got through Year 12 French without Bella.

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My daughter's time with Bella was productive, informative, hardworking, educational, supportive, energetic and so much fun, and she has found a beautiful friend and mentor in her. And her improvement, confidence and love of French has grown so much.

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Gabby Giannarelli

Kew, December 2021

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I’ve had Bella as my tutor for year 12 and she has really helped me improve over the year and definitely made year 12 french a lot less stressful.

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Phoebe Johnson, (Year 12 Student, Ruyton Girls' School, Kew)

Kew, December 2021

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Bella is an incredible tutor…… her knowledge, professionalism and lovely nature makes her a joy to deal with.

 

Bella always brought enthusiasm and energy to every lesson which made my daughter, Lara, consistently look forward to them each week and left her buzzing afterwards.

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Lara’s confidence and love of French grew so much thanks to Bella, and consequently lead to Lara’s VCE French experience being pleasurable.

 

Marisa Tricarico

Kew, November 2021

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I can’t emphasise enough how wonderful it has been to have Bella tutor my two granddaughters for their VCE French.

 

It made such a huge difference to their performance. Apart from her expert knowledge, she encouraged their own sense of their ability, thus they were much more confident.

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Thank you so much, Bella. Apart from all of the above, they just loved studying with you.

 

Julia Sweet

Kew, November 2021

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Bella was an amazing tutor, always accessible and dedicated to answering all my questions at any time.

 

VCE French can be intimidating, especially with the interruptions over the last two years, but Bella was always happy to customise lessons to my preference.

 

In addition to being extremely knowledgeable about French, she is also encouraging and kind – making you feel comfortable and safe to express yourself in French during the lessons.

 

She has truly helped me grow as a French learner, and the fact that I can speak French near-fluently today is a testament to how useful and enriching her lessons have been!

 

Thank you for all your guidance this year Bella!

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Divyangana Dutta Rao (Year 12, The Mac.Robertson Girls' High School, Melbourne)

Boronia, November 2021

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I wanted to thank you for working with Peggy this year. We entered the year with Peggy wanting to drop French - the very thought of progressing with the subject filled her with anxiety. For her to drop French would have been such a sad outcome, having loved and studied French for years and having spent 5 months there on student exchange. Her confidence with speaking was especially worrying her for Year 12, and she could be reduced to tears at the prospect of speaking French in front of her class.

 

All of that changed when she started working with you. I have watched her French improve week by week on all levels – conversation, grammar, oral and written expression, and pronunciation. She now happily chats away in French to anyone who will listen! Most importantly she has gained such enormous confidence under your teaching - she genuinely and rightly believes that she is bi-lingual.

 

Bella - your dedication and commitment to Peggy's lessons has literally been transformational. You have turned what could have been a very stressful year with French into a wonderful year - Peggy looks forward to her lessons with you so much and you motivate her to get better.

 

I honestly could not be happier Bella - you are amazing and I will be singing your praises far and wide. I know Peggy will miss working with you - best of luck for 2022 Bella.

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Kate Christie

Williamstown, November 2021

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Bella tutored my son in Years 11 and 12 VCE French. She is very professional and her knowledge of the curriculum ensures that students are well prepared for both oral and written assessments.

 

David’s knowledge and passion for French has increased considerably over the last 2 years and I put that down to her support and encouragement.

 

I don’t think that David will have been as well prepared for the VCE exams without Bella’s help.

 

I cannot recommend her highly enough.

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Maria Coperchini

Malvern, November 2021

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The 1 hour French sessions with Bella have been lifesaving throughout VCE. It has been so handy to revise, go over core concepts in class and have consistent oral practice with the language.

 

The lessons really just became a part of the week. Bella is so kind, warm and sympathetic to my continual mistakes and is always happy to go over even the smallest of things.

 

She is very precise in her teaching – I do not remember any moment where she would just brush something off – and she always follows things up.

 

Very enjoyable, productive space!!

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David Nawaratne (Year 12, Scotch College, Hawthorn)

Malvern, November 2021

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Bella has been incredible helping to increase both my knowledge and confidence for IB French. She has helped immensely for both my oral and my written examinations.

 

In the beginning, I could speak for only two minutes in French, but after, I was able to complete my 15 minute oral, no problems.

 

Her knowledge, positive energy, and encouragement has been key in helping me to reach the level I am at now.

 

Without Bella, I would not have passed French, as she has boosted my skill and confidence without a doubt.

 

Thank you so much Bella!!

 

Freya Bryson (Year 12, Tintern Grammar, Ringwood East)

Ringwood, November 2021

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Looking for the right tutor for our daughter as she commenced VCE French was so fraught with difficulties. There are so many people advertising their wares but little information about the person's qualities and their effectiveness in bringing out the best in someone.

 

We were lucky and struck gold with Bella. Bella was such the right choice. Knowledgeable, amiable and warm, with a terrific foundation as a tutor in VCE French. Bella had that lovely mix of support and challenge that worked really well for our daughter, keeping her motivated during a very hard Covid filled year.

 

She helped our daughter feel very prepared and confident for both her oral and written exams. We can't recommend her enough.

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George and Peta Habib

Richmond, December 2020

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I feel so lucky to have had Bella as my tutor during Year 12, and I can honestly say that I can't imagine how I would have got through this year without her!

 

Bella's patience, encouragement and positive energy helped me gain so much confidence in my French skills, and turned one of my most difficult subjects into one of the subjects I became strongest in.

 

Her experience with tutoring - particularly for VCE French, made her approach to SACs and exams so straightforward, and much less daunting than it had been previously.

 

I would recommend Bella to anyone at any level or stage of their learning of French, she is truly an incredible tutor!

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Mia Wood (Year 12, Ruyton Girls' School, Kew)

Hawthorn, December 2020

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Having Bella as a tutor was a priceless aspect of my VCE French journey. Her tangible passion for both French language and culture made my last year of French immensely enjoyable and motivated me to continue improving my French ability to a level I would not have expected without her expertise.

 

Bella’s amicable and impassioned teaching style allowed our sessions to become one of my favourite parts of the week. Bella tailored each and every lesson to what was best for my learning and used my prior exchange experience to create engaging ways to work on French grammar and writing skills which had previously felt like a chore.

 

It is rare that a teacher can create both a warm and jovial environment and foster challenge and growth in students and Bella achieved just that this year even when tutoring was moved onto Skype for the majority of the year. 

 

The dexterity of her tutoring and marked improvement of my French ability throughout our time working together illustrates that Bella was an integral aspect of my growth in both knowledge and enjoyment of French due to her tutoring.

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Audrey Habib (Year 12, Melbourne Girls' College, Richmond)

Richmond, December 2020

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Bella started tutoring me at the start of my final year of VCE French, and made a massive impact on my learning this year! As I worked with Bella, I noticed the clear improvements in my work. Bella went above and beyond to help me this year, and showed her genuine passion for tutoring and helping her students.

 

Her knowledge, expertise and experience of the French language and the structure of VCE French was always evident, and Bella made me feel prepared and at ease going into the final exam.

 

Not only did my French skills improve throughout the year with Bella, but so did my enthusiasm for the language. Bella is motivating, kind, helpful and made my final year of French so enjoyable.

 

Thank you so much Bella!

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Emily Johnson (Year 11, Ruyton Girls' School, Kew)

Kew, December 2020

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This year, I had the privilege of being tutored by Bella Brown in VCE unit 3/4 French.

 

Throughout the entirety of the year she was so incredibly helpful and encouraging, and really boosted my desire to work hard in learning the language because of her contagious passion for it.

 

Despite COVID-19 and the difficulties that arose due to online learning, Bella remained just as helpful as ever, and our weekly calls helped me to maintain a steady routine during this otherwise stressful year.

 

Each lesson she allowed me to decide what we would focus on, as well as provide input on areas of weakness and what I could do to improve these.

 

I found working with her thoroughly enjoyable and I can’t recommend her enough!

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Estella Black (Year 12, Fintona Girls' School, Balwyn)

Camberwell, December 2020

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Bella’s tutoring was inspirational and motivating.

 

She offered clarity and reassurance throughout this critical, challenging year.

 

Her positive, intelligent direction and deep knowledge of the French study design and assessment requirements was invaluable. 

 

Heartfelt thanks.

 

Eve Hamilton and Kirsten Hutchison (Year 12, Ruyton Girls' School, Kew)

Clifton Hill, December 2020

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I have been working with Bella since I was in year 8, and I really feel that our weekly sessions helped me to improve my French significantly.

 

Every session with Bella was extremely valuable as she is always very happy to help with any school work, and can always answer questions with great clarity.

 

I also found that Bella could insightfully explain grammar points that I may have found difficult to grasp in the classroom which effectively increased my confidence in my French while also deepening my understanding of the language.

 

Bella was especially helpful in helping me through the IB High Level French course - her encouragement and assistance ensured that I was very well prepared for my final exams.

 

I fully recommend working with Bella as not only is she knowledgeable and excellent at what she does, but she is also thoughtful, kind and easy going which makes her very pleasant to work with.

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Katherine Hayes Chen (Year 12, Lauriston, Armadale)

Hawthorn, November 2020

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Bella has been my tutor for the almost the entirety of the IB French Course. She has been a great help throughout and has vastly improved my knowledge of the French language and the IB course.

 

Bella’s open and friendly personality/teaching style has allowed quick and easy learning as well as solid communication between the two of us.

 

Overall, I am very grateful that I was able to have Bella tutor me in French and I cannot wait to continue learning about the language after school.

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Nick Quinn (Year 12, Wesley College, Glen Waverley)

Malvern, November 2020 

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Bella has tutored my son in Year 11 & 12 IB French over the past 2 years. Her enthusiasm and knowledge of the language and the curriculum have been extensive. I have noticed a great improvement in both written and oral work. Nick has looked forward to every session with Bella, who was always able to accommodate when extra lessons were required.

 

Bella's encouraging manner has made the learning of the french language a pure joy.

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THANK YOU BELLA

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Sarah Quinn

Malvern, November 2020

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Throughout this year, Bella tutored me via Skype, and she has been so helpful with my French studies. She is an amazing teacher who motivated and helped me learn in numerous ways, so I could achieve the best scores possible.

 

Bella provided many resources and we worked through many exercises in listening, reading and writing which increased my confidence. She took the time to understand my learning style and we always worked productively but our lessons were also very engaging.

 

Bella has a positive attitude, is incredibly supportive and very passionate about her teaching. I am very grateful to have a teacher like Bella and without her I would not have developed the liking I have now for French and improve my understanding. I would really recommend Bella to anyone who studies French for school or leisure!

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Eshini Siriwardhena (Year 9, Haileybury Girls' College, Keysborough)

Berwick, October 2020

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Bella Brown is everything any student would hope for in a tutor and SO MUCH MORE! 

 

I was lucky enough to have Bella as a tutor throughout the two year VCE French course. I hadn’t had a one-on-one tutor experience before and I was admittedly very apprehensive and nervous about the idea of it. However, Bella immediately put me at ease!  

 

Not only is her seemingly limitless knowledge about the French culture and the language itself outstanding, but I always had the best time at our sessions and Bella created an environment where I felt comfortable, safe and confident which I personally think is vital to a subject like French that can be quite daunting otherwise.

 

I can honestly say that if it weren’t for Bella I wouldn’t have achieved the result I did, let alone enjoyed or appreciated the beautiful language of French as much as I do now! 

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Georgie Long (Year 12, Ruyton Girls' School, Kew)

Camberwell, April 2020

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Bella was a lifesaver this year!

 

She is so knowledgeable in all areas of French which really aided me in all areas of the subject this year.

 

She also knows the study design extremely well and was always there to answer my questions in detail.

 

Not only did she have extensive knowledge on the French language and grammar, but also a genuine passion for the subject.

 

I wouldn't have survived year 12 without her! 

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Angelique Barkas (Year 12, Methodist Ladies College, Kew)

Kew, January 2020

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My daughter was tutored by Bella Brown for over 2 years and has been an integral part of her love of the French language.

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Bella was always incredibly supportive and her assistance was invaluable and very much appreciated particularly in preparation for her final exams. 

 

I would have no hesitation recommending Bella to students at all levels.  Her professionalism and student investment, was exceptional.

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Effie Barkas

Kew, January 2020

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Bella is the best French tutor you could ever imagine!

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My daughter took part in weekly lessons over Skype for VCE French 3/4. The ease of using Skype rather than travelling for one hour for face-to-face lessons was a big bonus. 

 

Bella's excellent communication allows for easy planning & scheduling of lessons. Bella’s knowledge & commitment to Georgia’s lesson plans provided her with so much confidence. 

 

She greatly improved Georgia’s pronunciation and they spoke only French for a full hour during their Skype sessions.

 

Together, Bella & Georgia worked hard on ensuring that she was very well prepared for the end of year oral & written examinations. 

 

VCE is a very stressful time and I am truly grateful that we found Bella and thank her for her hard work & dedication to Georgia’s French lessons. 

 

She goes above & beyond and truly cares for her students. I highly recommend Bella to any parent who is hoping to find a French tutor who will make a difference.

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Andrea Coulsell

Morning Peninsula, December 2019

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Bella has been incredibly helpful over the past seven years with all aspects of my French studies, and I am so grateful to have had her unwavering support along every step of the way. Having worked with her from Year 6 to Year 12, Bella has thoroughly helped foster my love of the French language. 

 

During Year 12, my lessons with Bella were immensely helpful in preparing me for all of my assessments. She was always more than happy to help me with any aspect of my IB French course. Whether it was practicing for an upcoming oral, or revising grammar for a written assessment, Bella was instrumental in consolidating my knowledge as well as boosting my confidence. I really cannot imagine undertaking French over the past several years without her! 

 

Bella was an integral aspect of my Year 12 experience and has been an amazing form of support throughout all my time as a French student. Her unwavering positivity made me look forward to each lesson and I have absolutely loved working with her. I could not recommend her highly enough! 

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Shelby Clarke (Year 12, Methodist Ladies College, Kew)

Hawthorn East, December 2019

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Bella’s seemingly endless knowledge of French language and culture, coupled with her ability to impart this knowledge to all of her students in an enjoyable and fascinating manner, serves as the reason for which she is an amazing tutor. 

 

I have been afforded the opportunity to work with Bella for the vast majority of high-school French. Throughout this period, Bella has been absolutely essential in allowing me to achieve results that were far beyond what I originally thought I was capable of, in standard French, accelerated French and VCE French classes. Her ability to promote rapid yet lasting improvements in areas including, but not limited to French grammar, exam technique and spoken French, proved invaluable to me. In addition, Bella’s grand array of written and online resources were both advantageous and fun to utilise.

 

I wouldn’t hesitate to recommend Bella’s services to anyone. I was able to achieve and exceed my goals and expectations, as well as foster a love and appreciation for the French language and culture. None of this would have been possible without the help and encouragement of Bella, whose assistance, understanding and positivity has been a true highlight of both French and school in its entirety. 

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Emma Gordon (Year 12, Methodist Ladies College, Kew)

Hawthorn, December 2019

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Bella has been an integral part of our daughter's French Language journey from Year 6 through Year 12.

 

Bella has the unique ability to make learning and consolidating a new language fun and positive in the early years, whilst also being extremely competent and supportive in working with Year 12 IB and VCE French students who are preparing for their final exams.

 

Her professionalism, consistency of purpose and student investment, desire to understand each student’s learning style and accommodating that, endless positivity and convivial infectious nature make her a much sought after French Teacher adored by her Clients, Students and Parents alike.

 

Our daughter has developed a love for the French language and has consistently achieved excellent grades as a result and we would highly recommend Bella to anyone considering a brilliant French tutor.

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Vicki Clarke

Hawthorn East, December 2019

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Bella was an amazing and wonderful teacher who used both creative and innovative teaching methods to ensure I was fully prepared for my SACE exam in 2019.

 

As I live in Alice Springs lessons were conducted via SKYPE and FACETIME. Our conversation was always fun and engaging, and I always felt inspired to learn.

 

Bella researched and covered the work necessary for SACE examinations and always ensured I felt comfortable and supported.

 

Bella truly has a passion for teaching and really cares about the progress of her students.

 

Thanks Bella for making this an unforgettable experience: you are truly wonderful and I hope to see you in Melbourne in 2021!

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Ella Bamber (Year 12, St. Philip's College, Alice Springs, Northern Territory)

Alice Springs, December 2019

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My girls were tutored by Bella Brown for 6 years and I have no doubt that she is largely responsible for their love of the French language.

 

Bella was always incredibly encouraging and supportive of the girls and where each of them was at.  Her assistance has been invaluable to them and very much appreciated.

 

I think the sign of a great tutor is the child’s eagerness to participate in those lessons and not once did my girls not want to attend a lesson with Bella. In fact they always jumped at opportunities for extra lessons.

 

I would have no hesitation recommending Bella to students at all levels.

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Kerri O'Toole

Hawthorn, December 2019

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Bella was recommended for SACE tutoring by friends of ours. My daughter was taking year 12 French in year 11 this year and helped Ella develop the independence and confidence needed to organise her studies effectively for Year 12. 

 

The geographics of living in Alice Springs was not an issue as Bella conducted her lessons via SKYPE and FACETIME.  The lessons were tailored to Ella's needs and Bella would regularly provide feedback about her progress and preparation for the SACE exam.  Ella mastered the tools necessary to answer her language analysis questions confidently. 

 

Bella was truly delightful, resourceful, patient and encouraging.  I would highly recommend Bella's services. 

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Janet Taylor

Alice Springs, December 2019

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Without Bella’s help this year, I know that my ability, skills and confidence in French would not be what they are today.

 

Despite living in south-east Melbourne, Bella was more than happy to reduce my travel time by having our lessons through FaceTime each week. We had no difficulty in practicing for the oral or written component of the exam as Bella was easily able to adapt our lessons.

 

Despite never having a lesson with a Bella in person, she was able to work with me weekly on French grammar, writing, reading and speaking. Additionally, as the exam drew closer, Bella was more than happy to work with me multiple times a week.

 

After doubting my ability in French for many years and nearly dropping the subject, Bella increased my confidence and provided me with assistance that no other French teacher could give me.

 

Bella is truly a lovely, kind and intelligent tutor who is willing to support her students at anytime of the day. She is highly knowledgeable on the VCE and IB programs and the difficulties which students face when learning a new language.

 

I cannot thank Bella enough for her help this year, nor do I know what I would have done without her. It has been an absolute pleasure working with Bella and I cannot recommend her highly enough. 

 

Georgia Godfrey (Year 12, Haileybury Girls' College, Keysborough)

Morning Peninsula, November 2019

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After being tutored by Bella for the years 11 and 12, I can wholeheartedly say that I would not have been able to achieve the study score nor enjoyed the subject as much as I did without her unwavering support. Bella’s tutoring stands out to me because she is able to blend the complexity of learning French and the pressure of VCE orals, sacs and exams into a form that is accessible and achievable for even students with low self belief (like myself) prior to commencing our lessons.   

 

Bella and I progressed from just reading through articles whilst receiving feedback on pronunciation to being able to sit hour long sessions having casual conversations in French. This is all due to her inspirational patience and dedication to getting the best out of her students. Despite oral being the main focus of our lessons, Bella’s scrupulous understanding of the language enabled me to further develop my grammar, writing and reading skills in a way large school classes had failed to address. 

 

Thank you so much Bella for not only your invaluable technical feedback to every essay and question I had but more importantly your genuine belief and interest in my development and enjoyment of the subject.

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Kate Martin (Year 12, Melbourne Girls' Grammar, South Yarra)

Hawthorn East, February 2019

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Firstly, Bella's communication to us, the parent is fantastic, be it about suggestions of support, availability or billing.

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Secondly, and the reason for having Bella in your team, we wanted Bella for orals! But she is so much more. Over our journey she was able to give my daughter so much more: oral✅ grammar ✅ French thinking!

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Jenny Christian

Hawthorn East, February 2019

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Commencing Year 12, I lacked much confidence in my abilities across all areas of VCE French. Particularly, after severely struggling with the subject the majority of the year prior, and almost dropping it. With Bella that all changed, and I finished the year averaging above 90% for Unit 3/4.

 

Bella’s detailed knowledge of the VCE study design and coursework is outstanding! She has countless documents, knowledge and experience to share which ensured I was able to do my best. Bella’s unfailing support, feedback and friendly nature guaranteed I had the confidence I needed to tackle each SAC and ultimately the exams.

 

Thanks to Bella, I was able to improve immensely across reading, writing, listening and in particular oral, of which I had previously lacked the most confidence. Bella spent countless hours with me, writing, perfecting and speaking both my extensive general conversation and detailed study. I found myself not only greatly improving in speaking but listening, writing and by extension grammar too. 

 

Bella’s passion for the French language and culture and her genuine commitment to each of her students is admirable and inspiring. She is intelligent, kind and I looked forward to each lesson I had. It was this genuine interest and commitment to both the language and myself, as a student that French became my absolute favourite subject of VCE. Quite the change from almost dropping the subject at the end of last year. 

 

I cannot recommend Bella enough! There is no way I would’ve finished this year with the same confidence in my abilities if Bella hadn’t been there to guide me every step of the way. 

 

Thanks for everything!

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Chelsea Lucarelli (Year 12, Sacré Coeur, Glen Iris)

Glen Iris, December 2018

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I started lessons with Bella to help guide me through the French VCE. I was really lacking confidence in most areas of French, especially surrounding oral outcomes / SACs. Thanks to Bella, I was not only able to deeply enhance my French reading, listening, writing and grammar skills, but she also really helped me to build up my confidence and I could definitely see the improvement throughout my time with her. Each week my lesson was different, working on a variety of skills from going over grammar, practicing speaking, pronunciation and conversation, to developing reading and writing skills.

 

Bella has a profound understanding of the VCE coursework and was able to provide the best feedback and tips on how to do my best. Furthermore, something I was really grateful for was working with Bella and her mum Ruth on the detailed study section for the year 12 oral. Both are so knowledgeable and were able to provide me with amazing information about different aspects of French culture which helped me to feel so much more confident during the oral!

 

Bella is such an understanding, intelligent, friendly and generous tutor. She is always extremely supportive and willing to help in any way possible. Her passion for French really inspired me and helped to immerse me in French culture outside of the classroom. I thoroughly enjoyed every lesson we had, and I would absolutely recommend Bella’s services to anyone without a doubt!

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Millie Collis (Year 12, Methodist Ladies' College, Kew)

Kew, November 2018

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After finding out in early high school that I was going to be missing a lot of my French classes due to my half-day pre-professional ballet training, my parents and I decided that I would need a tutor to keep up with schoolwork. Soon I was on my way to my first lesson with Bella, and from that first meeting, she went out of her way to create a welcoming, supportive and educational environment.

 

Her lively personality and expansive knowledge of French language and culture have helped me to achieve and maintain great marks across all reading, writing, listening and oral assessments, averaging over 90% despite missing many of my French classes at school. Best of all, Bella has encouraged and supported me in building my confidence, both in my French speaking and in daily life.

 

Now in year 12, I’m truly sad to think that my weekly lesson with Bella will soon no longer be a part of my schedule. Her genuine dedication to my learning and her interest in my own life has made me look forward to each session we have together, and has sparked a passion for French in me that I am so grateful for.

 

I could not recommend Bella enough to anyone looking for a French tutor, as her attention to detail, commitment to making her students feel comfortable, and youthful, caring nature make for the best French education I could ask for. ​

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Anderson Birchall (Year 12, Camberwell High School, Camberwell)

Box Hill, August 2018.

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I started lessons with Bella at the beginning of Year 11, and her expertise and enthusiasm as a tutor were a tremendous help during VCE French.

 

Her lessons were always enjoyable and tailored to my specific needs, allowing me to improve my French skills markedly throughout my time with her.

 

Bella’s support and tailored feedback proved to be invaluable in preparing for SACs and the final exam, helping me to achieve a raw score of 42, which far exceeded my goals.

Bella’s lessons served as an excellent complement to French at school, and she really pushed me to extend my French skills outside the classroom.

 

Beyond improving my results, her bubbly nature made every lesson a pleasure. She took a genuine interest in my life outside of the classroom, which made for an inviting and productive learning atmosphere.

 

Her support and encouragement helped me to make the most of VCE French, and foster an appreciation of the language which will stay with me for life.

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Kwesi Mfodwo (Year 12, Melbourne High School, South Yarra)

Glen Waverley, December 2017.

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At the end of 2016 we were advised by our son’s school that he would be the only student continuing French in year 12 and therefore, it was not economically viable to run a year 12 French class for him alone.

 

The options that were given to us were to do the year 12 French as an external student via the Victorian School of Languages, or receive a year 12 class at school every 2 weeks and the rest of the time sit in with the year 11 class. Understandably, none of these options looked very attractive and caused us quite some concern.

 

Therefore, when Bella offered to tutor Sebastian twice per week, we took the opportunity and I am very happy to say that the outcome was very positive indeed.

 

Bella was able to keep Sebastian completely focussed and interested in the French language and culture to a degree that he now wants to continue his French studies at University.

 

Even though the tutoring classes meant quite a bit of extra travel time after school and on weekends, he was always keen to go and he really enjoyed every lesson with Bella.

 

Looking back now, I think he learned a lot more with Bella than he would have in a class room setting!

 

Marion Hackenbroich 

Glen Iris, December 2017

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Bella tutored me for 4 years and I thoroughly enjoyed all of it.

 

She not only helped enhance my French skills in all aspects (my grammar, writing, oral skills and listening) but also helped me achieve marks on my tests and assignments in the high 90’s.

 

She really helped me fall in love with French by pushing me past the boundaries of my classwork to help me get ahead of class and therefore have more time to focus on working more complex skills.

 

As well as this, she has a range of really great and helpful resources and really knows her content for VCE French which is the key to excelling in VCE.

 

She’s a great tutor and of course a lovely person!

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Thank you!

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Navya Bandla (Year 12, Kilvington Grammar School, Ormond)

Bentleigh, February 2018

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Bella has been absolutely fantastic for my daughter (year 7).

 

Her teaching style has given my daughter a real understanding and enjoyment for the French language.

 

I personally like the way Bella has a kind, gentle, and friendly approach.

 

She’s made a good connection with my daughter and made learning fun, which resulted in a positive outcome this year.

 

It is an absolute pleasure to recommend Bella without question.  

 

Kerry Panagopoulos 

Kew, December 2017

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Bella is a wonderful teacher and an absolutely gorgeous person. She is enthusiastic, patient, and generous with her time and knowledge.

 

She formed an instant rapport with our daughter Eloise, and her French has come along in leaps and bounds since she commenced with Bella. Eloise always looks forward to her French lessons and the work she does with Bella has improved her French enormously. Best of all though, is her increased confidence. Bella's kind and encouraging manner really brings out the best in her students, and we are delighted with the results.

 

We feel so fortunate to have found Bella and know that Eloise will continue to flourish under her guidance. Bella's teaching has really given Eloise a love of the French language and culture. We are so grateful to her and we cannot recommend her highly enough. 

 

Melinda and Michael Gray 

Camberwell, November 2017

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After starting the year with reasonable skills and low levels of confidence, Bella's support has turned VCE French into a strength and passion for my daughter.

 

Bella has an exceptional understanding of the study design and all the instincts required to bring out the absolute best in her students.

 

Time well spent indeed! 

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Sue Perillo

Beaumaris, November 2017

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Bella is an outstanding French tutor and a magnificent role model for our daughter Aly. Their time together is a high point of Aly’s school week.

 

Bella has tutored Aly for over a year now and she always enjoys their sessions and it clearly benefits her understanding of the course content and has helped to improve her ability.

 

Bella’s enthusiasm, passion and attention to detail is top class. She really takes a personal interest in Aly’s development and is very keen that Aly gets the maximum benefit out of their time together and that she is thoroughly prepared for all the various assessments.

 

From our standpoint it is clear that Bella cares a lot about Aly’s progress and it’s very evident that she is committed to ensuring she enjoys French and is continuously learning, developing and building her confidence in the language.  

 

Aly cannot imagine not having Bella as her French tutor to help navigate VCE French successfully.

 

We are very fortunate to have Bella’s positive influence in Aly’s education and would have no hesitation whatsoever in highly recommending her to other families.

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Nick Deligiannis

Camberwell, October 2017

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Leading up to year 12 French, I felt that I would need to find teaching outside of the classroom to help me achieve my best.

 

I first met Bella in the weeks following the end of year 11. She understood the hectic schedule of the approaching year and we did a mountain of grammar work - moving well past the basics of the different tenses – in the pre-Christmas period. This put me in good stead for the following year.

 

During year 12, I saw Bella weekly on the way home from school. We got along very well and I always got a lot out of each lesson. She worked incredibly hard and we covered every part of the course in detail.  While my writing had always been strong, Bella encouraged me to speak French often and she lifted the standard of my speaking greatly.

 

We did so much work together over the 12 months and I am very proud of my improvement in that time. I am confident in the knowledge that Bella drove me to give every effort and I was able to reach a higher level in the subject. I had set out a goal of a raw score of 40 in French, knowing that it would take lots of hard work and dedication, and I am proud to say that I received a 43, which scaled to above 50.

 

I am so grateful for everything that Bella has done for me and I would highly recommend working with her.

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Alex Connell (Yr 12, St Kevin's College, Toorak)

Williamstown, February 2017

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To whom it may concern,

 

My son was lucky enough to have Bella as a tutor this year for his VCE French studies.

 

He always seemed to enjoy his lessons with Bella and even in the holidays, if we were away, he always wanted to get back for his "lesson with Bella". My son told me that he felt Bella was a huge help to his French and he has consistently done very well during the year.

 

Bella was always willing to give extra help and seemed to be able to work with Angus' strengths and weaknesses. I'm sure Angus will look back on his VCE year being a little brighter for having Ms. Bella Brown as his delightful French tutor.

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Clare White

East Hawthorn, December 2016

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I have been working with Bella for six years since taking up French in Year 7. Bella made me excited about learning French so much so that I continued it right through to year 12 and plan on continuing it throughout university.

 

Each Saturday class was approached and structured to fit my specific needs. Bella has been such a kind, encouraging and generous tutor. Not only is Bella there for students during class however, she also ensures that outside of scheduled sessions, students are able to contact her via text or e-mail. This was immensely helpful during year 12 where I always knew that I could have any last-minute questions answered even just before a SAC.

 

Without Bella, I would not have been able to attain the high level of proficiency in French that I have accomplished.

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Katie Polus (Year 12, Methodist Ladies' College, Kew)

East Hawthorn, November 2016

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Bella tutored my son and daughter on a weekly basis from grade 6 through to VCE. Both children benefited enormously from their sessions with her and achieved excellent results for VCE French. 

 

Bella has a deep appreciation of and passion for French culture and a thorough knowledge of the VCE French curriculum. 

 

Bella was always unfailingly polite and enthusiastic in her approach to tutoring and made a point of sending me regular updates on both children’s progress. 

 

I have absolutely no hesitation in recommending Bella. 

 

Simone Dolista

East Hawthorn, November 2016

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I’ve been tutored by various Browns for half my life and I can say with confidence that Bella is the most relentless source of bubbly enthusiasm I’ve yet encountered in my eighteen years. This passion for her subject coupled with her deep and broad understanding of it provided me with an invaluable resource in the stressful and tumultuous period of VCE and allowed me to enter my final French exam with a confidence that I otherwise would have been severely lacking, built up by results far beyond my expectations that Bella allowed me to achieve throughout high-school.

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Beyond the academic realm, Bella and her family have among them a rare and immense knowledge of France and their passion for its culture and eccentricities left me with not only an understanding of French as a language, but a passion for France as the fascinating and diverse country it is, that will no doubt leave me in good stead for my future, in which I hope France will play an important role!

 

I am incredibly grateful of Bella’s dedication, flexibility and enthusiasm over the years and hope many other anxious French students will enjoy her tutelage! 

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Cyrus Van Smeerdijk Potter (Year 12, St. Michael's Grammar School, St Kilda)

Hawthorn, November 2016

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An enormous thank you to Bella for helping our son significantly improve on his French marks during VCE through her wonderful teaching style. 

 

Her warm enthusiasm creates a positive learning environment that has enabled our son to move from 'hating French' to being inspired to travel and work in France to improve his speaking skills.

 

What a transformation! Thank you for your inspiration Bella!

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Jo Luck

Mont Albert, November 2016

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Bella has tutored our daughter Alex in French for over a year now. 

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Since she started with Bella, Alex’s grades have improved immensely – but perhaps more importantly her love for the French language and its culture has skyrocketed! 

 

Alex thoroughly enjoys her time with Bella and has clearly learnt a great deal from her.  I particularly love the way Bella has engaged with Alex – not just to teach her French but to immerse her in all things French – including watching French movies, listening to French music and poetry, lending Alex French DVDs to watch at home.  These things not only add considerably to Alex’s enjoyment, but they really do help her learn, and importantly, help develop her confidence with the French language. 

 

We are very grateful to have found Bella and have no hesitation in recommending her to other families.

 

Glenda and Brad Smith

Hawthorn, June 2016

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I am a year 11 student who loves linguistic studies. I didn’t enrol French as a VCE subject, but thoroughly enjoyed it as an extra field of study on top of my school work.

 

Bella is one of the most friendly tutors I’ve ever encountered. During my time with her I find myself learning not only the language, but also the culture and all sorts of interesting things through the sharing of her own experiences and knowledge. 

 

I would definitely recommend Bella to VCE French learners, but also to those who would like to study French for leisure.

 

Sherry Li (Year 11, Ruyton Girls' School)

Kew, December 2015

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My daughter Tiffany was enjoying French and took it on as a year 11 subject but was finding the language challenging. We decided that an out of school french tutor would be helpful and then we came across Bella Brown, Private French Tutor. Bella has been a saviour and french lessons have become the highlight of my daughter's academic week.

 

Bella's enthusiastic attitude and passion for the French Language and Culture has resulted in motivating and engaging Tiffany in an all encompassing way. Her oral, writing and reading skills have improved markedly, as has her confidence when contributing in class discussions in French. 

 

Bella is personable and professional at the same time and her friendly and flexible nature make her a great teacher and role model.

 

Bella comes highly recommended by both Tiffany and myself.

 

Mary Perisanidis

Kew, October 2015 

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I have really enjoyed my lessons with Bella. I was struggling in school and was in desperate need of extra tuition and she has been huge help. I have improved my French significantly, and she has proved that taking French as a VCE subject is both interesting and rewarding.

 

With a predominant focus on grammar, I have been able to improve both my writing and speaking skills. Bella is able to explain concepts in a manner that makes them memorable and valuable.

 

She is an easy going tutor, and lessons are always fun and beneficial. In the past few terms that Bella has been tutoring me, I have become inspired to continue my French in the future, and potentially use my knowledge in the real world.

 

Lauren Campbell (Year 10, Balwyn High School)

Balwyn, October 2015

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I contacted Bella in a despair as my daughter who is a senior school student was finding it hard to understand the language. The situation was made worse as only two weeks were left for her exams. Bella not only took Pram under her wings but also undertook the unbelievable mammoth task of preparing her for the exams (one year's syllabus was covered in two weeks!!). Language complexities were explained in a simple to understand way. She helped instil a sense of confidence in Pram such that Pram scored a very good grade.

 

Bella is a thorough professional in her dealings. She develops her lesson plans according to her students' strengths and opportunities for learning. Without hesitation I would recommend her to anyone who is looking for a French teacher who knows her content well, will not hesitate to go an extra mile to help her students, keep parents informed about her students' progress and  possesses a genuine love for the language. You will always find Bella with a smile on her face and she is equally comfortable dealing with young and mature students.

 

I wish her all the best for future.

 

Archna Ranganathan

Mont Albert, October 2015

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Our daughter (Year 9) was loving her French classes at school, but a change

of timetable and her out of school commitments meant a huge reduction in

the time she spent in the classroom.  Another parent recommended Bella and

from the very first lesson, we have witnessed our daughter's passion and

understanding of French language increase beyond what we could have

imagined.  Bella's deep knowledge of the French language and culture,

coupled with the warm and welcoming environment she fosters, provides a

very rich learning experience for the students she tutors.  

 

I would have no hesitation in recommending her to other students, no matter

what their year level or current standard. 

 

Deborah Birchall

Box Hill, October 2015

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My daughter (year 8) has been having weekly French lessons with Bella for two years. Bella is such a dedicated tutor that takes the time to go through what my daughter needs to help her understand and complete her very demanding French assignments for the French immersion curriculum at her school.

 

Bella has kept our daughter engaged and helped her to achieve top marks at school!! She is a very professional, warm, enthusiastic and highly qualified French teacher.

 

I couldn't recommend Bella strongly enough. 

 

Victoria Greensmith

Kew, October 2015

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Bella's style of teaching and her ability to connect with my daughter makes learning French so easy and fun and Louisa is always engaged. My daughter's confidence in speaking and her French vocabulary has grown immensely since we started with Bella.

 

Bella's love and interest in the French language and French culture makes my daughter's sessions with her extremely engaging and challenging, never boring.

 

Thank you Bella for your ongoing tuition.

 

Diane Tymms

Kew, October 2015 

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Bella has assisted my daughter with her French this year. My daughter has absolutely loved working with Bella who has been most patient, warm, kind and encouraging.

 

Bella has explained difficult grammatical points with clarity and precision. Bella thinks about the individual needs of students and always takes the time to consider what it in their best interests. She is most professional.

 

Bella is a wonderful tutor and I think has made my daughter’s French journey so much more enjoyable. Bien joué!!

 

Mother of a year 11 French student from Methodist Ladies College

October 2015

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My son has attended Bella's classes for about one and a half years and she has helped him improve his French tremendously. She has provided him with plenty of great vocabulary and grammar resources to extend his French.

 

She is a very approachable and dedicated tutor and has provided  necessary guidance in his work. 

 

My son also finds Bella's lessons fun as well.

 

Mother of a year 10 French student from Kilvington Grammar School

Camberwell, October 2015

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I am an adult student of French and have been attending weekly lessons

with Bella for several years. Learning a language late in life is challenging but has been made more rewarding due to the expert tuition I have received.

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Bella provides a warm and welcoming atmosphere and has always been patient and generous with her time and knowledge.

 

Thank you Bella and I wish you continued success in your tutoring.

Alison Barry
Kew, August 2015

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I am a Year 12 student who has recently completed his VCE. During this difficult period, I was tutored by Bella Brown whom I have the great pleasure of highly recommending. A friendly and welcoming atmosphere continually facilitated our lessons. Bella’s careful guidance and sage advice always ensured that I was well prepared for school assessment and, eventually, the end of year exam.

 

I very much enjoyed my time with her and am certain that my French language skills improved no end. Her schedule is flexible and we alternated between various aspects of the course throughout the year.

 

I am very grateful to Bella for all she has taught me and have no hesitation in recommending her to any other learners of the French language.

David Ellinghaus (Year 12, Wesley College)
Hawthorn, January 2014
 

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Having just completed VCE French, I fervently believe that Bella’s support and immense preparation throughout the year helped me achieve a fantastic score.

 

Together, Bella and I covered all areas vital to learning French well, from tricky grammar to general discussions. Even when we were not focusing on school-work or class assessments, I still exercised and developed my fluency in French by discussing quotidian events that opened up new vocabulary and phrases.

 

I particularly appreciated Bella’s French library and resources, as the extra reading material enhanced my Detailed Study for the VCE French oral. 

 

 

Overall, I loved my lessons with Bella not only because I had a dedicated hour to practise French-speaking but also because she created a warm and welcoming environment for learning.

 

Thank you Bella so much for this year, I truly loved all my lessons!

Artemis Sfendourakis (Year 12, Loretto Mandeville Hall)
Armadale, January 2014

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My daughter Artemis was studying Year 12 French in 2013.  It was a subject she loved from the beginning, and wanted to perform as well as she could.  She had worked diligently throughout her schooling, but we realised the importance and necessity of having a tutor in French for Year 12.  

Artemis had already completed Modern Greek Units 3&4 in 2012 and understood the importance of oral communication.  Modern Greek is a language she speaks at home and with family, and therefore is exposed to it.  However, how does one 'look' for a tutor?  Some say it is important that the tutor be a native speaker, others say it is important that she be a current Year 12 teacher.  

Having this information, of course, I 'Googled' VCE French tutor and Bella Brown's website appeared.  I was engaged by it immediately and read through various testaments.  I had a positive feeling from all this.  I did continue to search the web, became confused and went back to the positive 'vibe' I had from Bella's website.  I phoned, and from that moment, I knew I was speaking with an individual who loved the language, was very helpful and patient and willing to answer ALL my questions.  

From the initial trial tutorial, Artemis felt a rapport with Bella and that she was improving.  Bella's weekly lessons helped our daughter to fine-tune her knowledge and improve her skills.  It also gave her necessary oral communication skills.  

Bella created activities and worksheets which she felt would help Artemis.  Bella was always available to Artemis via email and telephone.  Bella did not 'watch the clock' when working with Artemis, but rather, completed tasks as were needed.  Our daughter's enthusiasm and hard work was matched by Bella's and the bar was always raised at every lesson.  

We thank Bella and wish her well in her future endeavours.

Ourania Sfendourakis
Armadale, January 2014

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Our daughter's grades in French improved markedly in 2nd Semester Yr 10 after she began classes with Bella (from C to A). She maintained a high standard throughout Yr 11 and approached her Yr 12 studies with confidence thanks to Bella's input. 

Bella has a great knowledge and understanding of the VCE curriculum and exactly what the examiners are looking for. 

I cannot recommend Bella too highly - she has made a huge difference to our daughter's love and understanding of all things French!

 

Jane Bradlow 

Kew, December, 2012

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I have really enjoyed and benefited from my year of French with Bella as my tutor. I found that my French improved significantly, both written and oral, due to the way that Bella was able to simplify and explain some of the difficult concepts of French grammar and vocabulary. 

Her easy going style of teaching meant that I was not intimidated or pressured and I felt enthusiastic to go home and do further study. I feel inspired to keep up my French in the future and hope one day to travel with it!

 

Liv Dalbosco (Year 10, Loretto Mandeville Hall)
Camberwell, December, 2012

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Thank you Bella for a rewarding year of tutoring in 2012.

Your energetic and enthusiastic approach to teaching combined with your great knowledge of French enabled Bethany to achieve outstanding results this year whilst studying her VCE units 1 & 2.

After spending two months in France over Christmas, Bethany's language skills improved immensely and we were very impressed that you were able to take this on board and  advance her tutoring  to units 3 & 4 - thus alleviating any boredom in class.  Bethany looked forward to your lessons knowing that she would come away with a renewed passion and knowledge of the French language.

My younger daughter Emma will be studying year 10 French in 2013 and I know she will benefit also from your tutoring - not with the thought of advancing her but more to bring her up to an acceptable standard so that she is able to continue on and study French in her VCE.

 

Nanette Hosking
Canterbury, December 2012

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My girls have a love for learning French thanks to Bella Brown. They are so excited to see her every week and their standard of French is fantastic. The enjoyment they get out of each and every French lesson with Bella is lovely to see.

Kerri O'Toole

Hawthorn, December 2012

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I have been studying for my VCE French in year 12 in Melbourne and had weekly tutorials with Bella during the year as preparation for my oral and written exams.
 
I found Bella to be encouraging and supportive and I began to gain enthusiasm after starting with her.  Bella has an in-depth knowledge of the curriculum which helped me focus on the areas I needed to.
 
She has a well-rounded approach that covers grammar and speech, and I definitely improved in all areas of French as a result of my time with her.
 
Lessons with Bella gave me a great deal of additional confidence.
 
Hugh McRae (Year 12, Camberwell High School)
Camberwell, December 2012

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Having returned from living in the United Kingdom 18 months ago I was keen for my three children to continue at the advanced level of French they had reached whilst at school in England.  We found Bella and could not be happier with how she has worked with them in both their written and spoken French.  The eldest of my three children is now studying Units 3/4 French.

Bella has an excellent knowledge of the 3/4 Curriculum (vital when choosing a Year 12 tutor), my daughter works on her written French once per week and at a separate time works on her aural and oral French.  She is achieving excellent results.

My middle child has some learning difficulties (now Year 10) but Bella has worked closely with her and has continued to achieve results that put her in the top third of her class, a standard comfortably within what would be considered appropriate for Units 1-4 VCE French.  More importantly she loves French and looks forward to her weekly lessons with Bella.

My son (Year 9)  continues to read once per week with Bella. His French is at a standard that puts him 12+ months ahead of his peers so he is taking a break from written French and just working on his pronunciation and reading.

Bella's bright and friendly personality and her excellent communication skills make her a born teacher.  We feel very lucky to have found Bella and could not recommend her more highly.

Jane Callander
Hawthorn, February 2011

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Bella Brown has tutored my sons in French for the past 12 months. I have one son currently in Year 12 and another in Year 7. 

Bella is an excellent teacher who has a comprehensive knowledge of the school curriculum. She manages to engage both children by varying the topics covered, for example sometimes reading French novels, sometimes cooking in French (translating the French recipe and then speaking French whilst cooking) and at other times going through a French text book or assisting with French homework.

Both my children enjoy their lessons with Bella and have attained a high level of proficiency in the subject.  Their French teachers comment on their wonderful accent and aptitude for the subject. 

She is a lovely person. I have great confidence in her abilities and really appreciate her enthusiasm and passion for French.  

I would be happy to provide a more detailed verbal reference on request.

Warm regards, Caecilia

Caecilia Potter
Hawthorn, February 2011