Frequently Asked Questions

nzLanguages - Language services
Private language tuition • Language lessons
One-to-one tuition • Group tuition • Online tuition
Proofreading/Copy-editing • Typing/Transcription • Translation

Can you give me a quote on proofreading my document?
Yes, if you e-mail me the document and your deadline I will send you a Contract offer.

What do you teach?
I provide French and German tuition. I teach French at all levels whether it is for leisure, exam preparation, or business and German from beginners to intermediary/GCSE level. I do not teach business German. For more details please see my tuition page.

Do you teach children?
Yes, I teach all age groups and offer 30-minute and 45-minute lessons for children at KS1 & KS2. I have an Enhanced Disclosure from the Criminal Records Bureau which I am happy to show you before you book a lesson for your child.

Do you teach groups as well as one-to-one?
Yes, I teach groups of 4 students maximum. This can be an economical way of having regular lessons to supplement your schoolwork.

Where do you teach?
I teach at my home in Southampton Shirley (Imperial Avenue). Imperial Avenue is a 2 minutes from Shirley High Street and 5 minutes from the motorways M271/M27. There are also several buses stopping nearby: First buses no. 10/10A, 17/17A, 4, 8, 21 and Bluestars buses no. 4. Because I offer other language services based at home, I cannot come to your home.

I cannot come to your house, do you offer online tuition?
Yes, I teach online too. For more details please contact me.

Do I have to book weekly lessons?
No, you are not expected to book weekly lessons. You can have fortnightly lessons or have a one-off lesson if you need to practise for an interview, for example.

I do irregular working hours, can I book lessons?
I will do my best to accommodate your working hours. However I get booked up very quickly, so the sooner you book your lesson, the more likely I am to be able to teach you.

Do you teach any other days than Wednesdays and Thursdays?
Wednesdays and Thursdays are my current regular teaching days. However, I am happy to negotiate another morning or afternoon (weekends excluded) on an ad hoc basis provided that the lesson is for at least 2 hours. If you wish more regular lessons outside Wednesdays and Thursdays, you will need to commit for at least 2 hours for 12 weeks. Please contact me if you wish to have lessons on days other than Wednesdays and Thursdays.

How long do lessons last?
Lessons for adults, KS3 children, GCSE and A-level students are at least an hour long. Most students find that an hour is about right. Sometimes students ask for 90 minutes or even two hours, especially when preparing for exams. If you are a beginner I might suggest you stick to an hour first as the first few lessons may be overwhelming. For KS1 and KS2 children I do 30 and 45-minute lessons.

How often should I have lessons?
Most students see me once a week and they usually have a regular time slot. I offer a discount for block bookings.

I have an exam to prepare, when should I have lessons?
Most students see me throughout the year, so that they are regularly building on their schoolwork and preparing for their exams. Some students just see me near exam time, but I get booked up very quickly from about March onwards and I may have no available slots after this time. It's always worth asking, but the sooner you get in touch the better: I will be more likely able to teach you and you will feel less stressed about your exams.

Do I need to prepare for the lessons?
You don’t need to prepare anything for the first lesson: I will assess your level and discuss a programme of study with you. I set some homework at the end of each lesson. I do recommend that you do your homework fairly soon after the lesson so that you consolidate what we’ve done. During lessons I am also very happy to go through written work that you’ve done or help with an oral presentation you have to give.

How long will take me to be fluent?
Learning a foreign language is a long process. You cannot expect to be fluent after 12 hours of tuition. The speed at which you will achieve fluency requires commitment and depends on factors such as your initial level, your motivation, the time spent on practising outside lessons, the knowledge of another foreign language, your contact with the language, etc. In other words, the more you practise the sooner you will get fluent.

Are there extra-costs?
Travel expenses: Travel expenses may apply. Please contact me for details.
Room: in some cases, it may be necessary to book a meeting room. Booking fees will be charged accordingly to the numbers of students.
Course books: you may be requested to buy a course book.

Is there a certificate given at the end of the course?
No, nzLanguages is not a tuition agency and cannot offer language certificate/qualification. However, I will help you prepare examinations leading to external language qualification you may wish to take. I am also happy to provide a reference if needed.

When should I pay you?
Because of an increase in non-payments and no-shows, I now take full payment in advance. Any booked lesson has to be paid within 5 days of the booking date. I can only confirm your booking if your payment arrives on time. If I don't confirm your booking, it is because I have not received your payment. In that case I will not teach you. I invest a lot of time in preparing lessons and private tuition is my employment. I am not someone who tutors for a bit of extra cash without any real commitment. For full Terms and Conditions, please click here.

How can I pay?
I accept the following methods of payment:
• Cheques: available for tuition only (pound sterlings only). Please make your cheque payable to N. Zine. Thank you.
Important: for lessons paid by cheque, I can only confirm the lessons when the cheque has been cleared by the bank. Cheque clearance may take up to 10 days, so if your lesson is in the next few days, it is advisable to pay by other methods.
I no longer accept cheques for proofreading/copy-editing, transcription/copy typing and translation services as the cheque clearance time delays the start and release of the work.
• Cash: available for tuition only. I do not accept euros or any other currencies than pounds sterling (GBP). Please do not send cash in the post. If you wish to pay by cash, please can you do it during a lesson as I cannot always be available at other times: I may be teaching another student, working on some other projects or simply not be at home. Thank you for your understanding.
• Bank transfer: the details will be available on the invoice. Please allow 3 working days for the payment to get through.
• PayPal: PayPal allows you to pay by debit/credit card. It is the quickest and most secured online payment method. If you do not have a PayPal account, you can set up one at www.paypal.com. You will receive a payment request from PayPal by email. Follow the link on the email to make your payment. Once the payment is received you will receive another email from PayPal confirming that your payment has been successful. I will also confirm receipt of your payment and confirm the lesson(s)/inform you that I can start to work on your document or release the completed document.
Please note that for tuition only, there is a processing fee of 4.5% for payments under £100 made through PayPal.

Can I contact you outside lesson time?
Of course! If you have a quick question that is bothering you, you don't have to wait until the next lesson. You can e-mail or call me.