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IB French B · ab initio · Individual Oral
Private IB French Tutoring for French B, ab initio, and the Individual Oral
One-to-one preparation for IB French at Standard and Higher Level, Paper 1, Paper 2, and the individual oral, for students in New York, Washington D.C., and online.
A decade in New York
IB French Is Not A Single Exam
It is four assessed components, three marked externally and one conducted by the teacher and moderated by the IB. Knowing which of them is costing your child marks is most of the work, and it is where tutoring earns its place.
Elite French Tutoring works to the level your son or daughter is actually sitting: French B at Higher Level with its two literary works, French B at Standard Level, or ab initio from a standing start. Some families come to us at the start of the diploma. Many arrive with one term left, or with the oral a few weeks away. Both are workable, and the plan is built around the time you have.
How IB French Is Assessed
The weightings hold across French B at both levels. What rises with the level is the demand.
Paper 2 is the heaviest single component at half the grade, split between listening and reading, and it is the one students most often under-prepare. The individual oral carries 25%, and although the teacher conducts it, the IB moderates it externally, so the marking is not a local matter.
Ab initio follows the same shape with lower linguistic demands. The notable difference is Paper 1, where ab initio students write two short texts of roughly 75 to 150 words each rather than one longer piece.
One task from three, 250 to 400 words.
One task from three, 450 to 600 words.
Three audio passages, three written texts.
Same structure, greater difficulty.
Visual stimulus, around 15 minutes preparation.
Literary extract, around 20 minutes preparation.
Not studied.
Two works studied.
Paper 2 is the heaviest single component at half the grade, split between listening and reading, and it is the one students most often under-prepare. The individual oral carries 25%, and although the teacher conducts it, the IB moderates it externally, so the marking is not a local matter.
Ab initio follows the same shape with lower linguistic demands. The notable difference is Paper 1, where ab initio students write two short texts of roughly 75 to 150 words each rather than one longer piece.
The IB French Individual Oral
This is the component students dread, and the one where preparation pays the highest return. It runs 12 to 15 minutes in three parts: a presentation, follow-up questions on it, then a wider conversation across the course themes.
The Individual Oral At Standard Level
The Individual Oral At Higher Level
We rehearse the oral repeatedly with unfamiliar stimuli, and record it where the student is willing. Hearing your own hesitations is the fastest way to remove them.
Find out where your child is losing marks, and build their path to a 7.
THE FIVE THEMES
The Five Themes Of IB French
Identities, experiences, human ingenuity, social organization and sharing the planet run through every component. Most students are fluent on two of them, usually the two their teacher spent longest on, and thin on the rest. Nobody chooses which theme comes up in the general discussion, and a candidate with nothing to say about social organization loses marks that a fortnight of vocabulary work would have saved.
01
Identities
02
Experiences
03
Human Ingenuity
04
Social Organization
05
Sharing the Planet
WHAT TUTORING COVERS
Why Work With An IB French Tutor?
Diploma students carry six subjects, the extended essay, theory of knowledge and CAS at the same time. French is rarely the subject that gets the evening. One to one work is where the oral actually gets rehearsed and where somebody marks a Paper 1 against the criteria rather than as homework.
Preparation matched to the level being sat, SL, HL or ab initio
Feedback written against the published assessment criteria
Repeated rehearsal of the individual oral with unfamiliar stimuli
Text type conventions for Paper 1, where marks are routinely given away
Listening practice on unfamiliar francophone audio rather than classroom recordings
Support on the two literary works for Higher Level students
WHAT TUTORING COVERS
Why Work With An IB French Tutor?
Diploma students carry six subjects, the extended essay, theory of knowledge and CAS at the same time. French is rarely the subject that gets the evening. One to one work is where the oral actually gets rehearsed and where somebody marks a Paper 1 against the criteria rather than as homework.
Preparation matched to the level being sat, SL, HL or ab initio
Feedback written against the published assessment criteria
Repeated rehearsal of the individual oral with unfamiliar stimuli
Text type conventions for Paper 1, where marks are routinely given away
Listening practice on unfamiliar francophone audio rather than classroom recordings
Support on the two literary works for Higher Level students
Where marks go
Where Students Give Away Marks In IB French
Four patterns account for most of the marks lost by students who otherwise know their French.
01
Ignoring The Conventions Of The Text Type
Paper 1 asks for a blog, a letter, a speech, a report. Each carries conventions, and the conventions carry marks. Elegant French in the wrong register gives away points that were free.
02
Describing The Stimulus Instead Of Using It
In the oral, the image or extract is a starting point, not the subject. Examiners listen for the connection to a theme and a global issue.
03
Preparing Only The Comfortable Themes
The most common avoidable failure in the general discussion, and the easiest to fix with a plan.
04
Reading French Without Listening To It
Listening is half of Paper 2, and Paper 2 is half the grade. Vocabulary lists do not prepare a student for three unfamiliar audio passages.
Find out where your child is losing points
How IB French Tutoring Works
We begin with a short diagnostic conversation, free of charge, to establish the level, confirm which assessments are coming and when, and agree a plan.
Triage And Targeted Fixes
Papers & Oral Together
Full Language Build
Sessions run online, or in person across New York City, including Manhattan and Brooklyn, and in Washington, D.C. Most students take one or two hours a week.
TRACK RECORD
Why Families Choose Elite French Tutoring
The IB grade sits on the transcript, feeds the diploma total, and universities read it. A capable student can underperform simply because nobody explained what the criteria reward.
Our teachers are certified and hold degrees from leading French universities, and they know the criteria rather than only the language.
We also teach students who already speak French at home. Fluency alone does not produce a 7. Text type conventions, written accuracy and the structure of a strong oral are learned skills, and they are what the criteria reward.
Results that speak for themselves
KIDS
Cyril works with my fourteen year old weekly. He is an excellent language teacher, and she really enjoys her lessons with him. Her knowledge of grammar and her ability to converse in French has really accelerated since she started working with him. He is very knowledgable about teaching and learning languages, as he is fluent in three very different languages. He is also very engaging, which is necessary when teaching teens or children. I most highly recommend him as a French teacher. His lessons are a very valuable investment in my child’s education. Bonus: He is also just a very nice genuine person.
KIDS
Andrei was responsive from the very beginning and paired us with a wonderful tutor, Aude, who tailored her approach to our daughter's needs. Although our daughter has been studying French her entire life and is now 15, it was during these past six months with Elite French Tutoring that she made her biggest breakthrough in conversational French. The improvement in her confidence, fluency, and ability to express herself has been impressive.
KIDS
Pierre tutors my two sons weekly. Being a French native myself one may wonder why a tutor may be needed, but learning a language is more than speaking at home, it is also about spelling, grammar, vocabulary, which are usually learned in school. Pierre provides that level of structure to our sons, but does so in a one-on-one approach that creates much better results than the class-based after school programs we tried before. Pierre is patient, firm but kind, and tailors his approach to each child's level and learning style. He also responds well to topics that interest my sons so as to make learning more engaging.
KIDS
I really enjoy my classes. My teacher, Lydie, is incredibly knowledgable and tailors my classes to my needs for my current certification (DFP B2) which has been invaluable in my progress. She is patient and very conversational and has helped me immensely mainly with my speaking and vocabulary for the certification. Working with her and Andrei over the past few months has been a pleasure, and Elite French Tutoring has advanced me immensely in my French capabilities.
Frequently Asked Questions
The first year of the diploma, if the option is there. The assessments are spread across two years, and steady work is more effective and far less stressful than an intensive final term. But starting later is normal and worth doing.
That is the ideal arrangement. We supplement what happens in class and concentrate on where the student is weakest.
Yes. AP French Language and Culture, which the College Board rebuilt for this school year, is covered on our AP French tutoring page.
Book Your Free IB French Assessment
A short conversation to establish your child’s level, confirm which assessments are coming, and agree a plan.
Private lessons
$125 / hr
- A plan built around your child’s assessment calendar
- Programs from a few weeks to a full academic year
Start With a Conversation
Every program begins with a brief call of 10 to 20 minutes to discuss your level, your goals, and the path between them. No fee, no obligation.
Call 212-470-2128
