Teacher Profile

Mrs Julie Winch, BA

French

My love of languages began with meeting international bed-and-breakfast guests in my childhood home in Yorkshire. At secondary school I relished the opportunity to study Latin (GCSE) and French and German (A-Level). A gap year in France with a missionary organisation showed me that French was a real language spoken by real people. I could tell the people of Burgundy about Jesus, and they understood!

I studied French and Russian at Durham University (graduating BA with 2.1 honours), which gave me the opportunity to return to Burgundy and teach in two secondary schools. After graduation I taught in primary schools in England until my husband and I had children of our own.

Then came my journey into Christian education which began with homeschooling our four children. This was followed by working for ten years in a private Christian school in Newcastle. Now I provide tuition for a Christian home-schooling family and help to home-school our grandchildren. After more than thirty years of teaching I am convinced that “all truth is God’s truth” and should be taught within a biblical framework to the glory of God. My desire is to equip our young people to serve God in their generation, since, as Augustine taught, “the end of all knowledge is worship.”

Why study a modern language? As God’s image bearers we are to communicate with God and one another. Studying a language enables us to do this more accurately and fully. The logic of grammar and syntax reveals God’s order and beauty and teaches us to think rationally and with precision. In addition, a new language opens up a rich world of culture, history, and literature.

So why French? French is a doorway to the Romance languages which also include Spanish and Italian. French is the most widely spoken language in the European Union, and the fifth in the world. France has produced highly influential writers and thinkers. She is also the nearest overseas neighbour to Great Britain and therefore very easy for many PX Classroom students to visit for practising the language in real life. To teach is to give a gift. It is my hope that the students will take this gift of French beyond the classroom and into life: visiting the country, praying for the church, and even perhaps participating in evangelistic work there.

I offer the following PX Classroom courses:

Key Stage 3 French (Levels 1 & 2)

• A one-year course for beginners (Level 1). No prior knowledge of French required.

• A one-year course for those with some prior knowledge (Level 2).

• One teaching session per week to include reading, writing, speaking, and listening tasks, with approximately 30 minutes’ work to be completed between sessions.

What is the class like? Learning another language can be daunting, so I aim to create a safe, stimulating environment where children feel free to ‘have a go’ and make mistakes. I love to break down grammar into understandable chunks and build students’ confidence step by step. As much as possible we speak French to one another!

What comes after? This course lays the foundation for the PX Classrooms IGCSE French course.

IGCSE French

• Full course content for Pearson Edexcel IGCSE covered in two years
• Assumes KS3-level or equivalent knowledge (please check with the Teacher before enrolling)
• One teaching session per week to include reading, writing, speaking, and listening tasks, with approximately 60 minutes’ work between sessions.

Testimonials