Reinventing
Language Learning
Our school was founded in 2012, initially in partnership with the University of Cambridge, whose ‘blended learning’ resources we distributed throughout France. Cambridge remains our partner for English certifications to this day. Up to the Covid pandemic, we had 25 language schools around the country, and trained some 20,000 learners using ‘traditional’ approaches.
It was upon observing the vastly superior results achieved through the "self directed learning with natural resources (Netflix, YouTube, the BBC, etc.)” that we shifted our focus entirely to English coaching and enabling learners to study independently using the resources they enjoy.
Today, we provide language coaching (English, French, other languages) and language certification in France and abroad. Our team is based in Occitanie (Montpellier).
Henry Roux de Bézieux
I’m a nuclear engineer by training, with a Master’s degree in adult education. When I was a kid, I did everything I could to get myself excluded from English lessons. The surest way was to criticise the teacher’s accent – it worked every time! As a native English speaker, I was thoroughly bored in those lessons. As a result, I speak fluently, but I don’t know the grammar. What use would it have been to me to learn it? In fact, it’s been ages since I’ve forgotten French grammar too. When I taught myself German at the age of 18, it was a revelation! You don’t need a teacher to learn a language. I watched TV every evening with a dictionary on my lap (this was before the internet). After a year, I was speaking fluently.
Eve
My mission? To be and remain a mystery. Because, ultimately, it is I who oversee the issuance of your English certificates (TOEIC, Linguaskill Remote, LILATE). So, you’ll only see my face if I’m personally coaching you in English through immersion – my true passion. Especially as that’s how I learnt English myself as a teenager, sitting on the living room sofa with my cousin, doing improvised role-plays based on Netflix series.
In a previous life, I was a teacher in the French state education system. What a long way we’ve come since then – here at VICTORIA’S English, we’re a world away from the school desks!
Marie
People call me ‘the motivator’. The motivator because I’m good at giving learners those little nudges (or perhaps well-placed kicks?) they sometimes need, which can set them on new paths they hadn’t anticipated. As such, don’t try to pull the wool over my eyes – I’ve got a wide-spectrum, high-speed radar that unfailingly detects those little lies through which we betray ourselves and destroy our own potential.
The rest of the time, my true nature is to be the Queen of Hearts who brings out the best in the people I coach. And to instil that touch of whimsy, the unexpected and the surprise that makes human relationships magical.
Evan
Originally from South Africa, I worked in a variety of jobs before focusing on English. Because, long before I started bringing energy and optimism to your English coaching sessions, I spent many years exploring what we call the bush – the vast savannah of southern Africa – becoming an expert at organising impromptu braais (traditional barbecues) by a waterhole or on the banks of the mighty Limpopo River. Don’t ask me about those days unless you’re prepared to take the risk, as it’s likely to make your legs itch and leave you with a fierce urge to travel.
Self directed learning, an ecosystem
In France and Africa, language schools, universities, grandes écoles, training centres… We are at the heart of a rich ecosystem centred on language certifications and self-learning using natural resources.
• Providing access to English language certifications, notably Linguaskill and the English Skills Test.
• Setting up public or private Linguaskill centres to accommodate candidates at your institution for face-to-face testing.
• Training your teaching staff in coaching techniques and immersive English learning using natural resources.
We are available to discuss your requirements and, if necessary, arrange a video conference.
FAQ
Who can administer the Linguaskill test?
Any educational institution (universities, sixth-form colleges, grandes écoles, apprentice training centres, in-house corporate training centres, independent training centres, language schools) provided that they have signed an agreement with a Linguaskill Agent, that their supervisors have been trained, and that they have the necessary rooms and equipment.
How many candidates are needed to become a Linguaskill Centre?
We recommend having at least fifty candidates per year. Why? To ensure you don’t lose your touch and don’t have to go through the procedure from scratch every time.
Who are the Linguaskill Agents ?
There are around ten agents in France, including VICTORIA’S English, and countless others in other countries. Their remit is national, and in some cases even international. Cambridge has delegated the task of promoting Linguaskill to each on a specific territory.
Who can organise Linguaskill Remote (distance) sessions?
Linguaskill agents are the only ones authorised to conduct Linguaskill assessments remotely (Remote).
Can English teachers learn how to become self directed learning coaches?
In theory, yes. In practice, it’s quite a difficult transition to make, because you have to…
- Unlearn the habits and reflexes of the teacher or trainer – the person who stands at the centre of the group, prepares the programme, leads the class, and so on.
- Learn how to coach, which involves a whole set of skills relating to listening, asking questions, and encouraging learners to take responsibility, and so on.
- Be willing to let go of the very pillars of traditional teaching: grammar rules and vocabulary lists.
- Restructure each course around immersion using natural resources, and skills in which teachers are not usually trained, such as English pronunciation, supporting learners with their emotional states, and non-directive group facilitation, etc.
How can one train to become a Natural Learning Coach?
VICTORIA’S English has developed a 15-day training course, accompanied by a certification programme to become a Natural Learning Coach, which is undertaken alongside one’s main job over a period of six months.
Is self directed learning compatible with national education systems?
Yes and no. In France, the ATILF / CNRS research centre has carried out a great deal of research in this field. So we cannot say that it does not exist. For our part, at VICTORIA’S English, we have so far only taken part in initiatives outside France.
Which countries are leading the way in self-directed language learning?
By the end of 2026, these will be Japan, Hong Kong and Ireland.
- Japan, and in particular Kanda University, which has been investing in this model since the 1980s.
- Hong Kong, and in particular the ASLLC at the Education University of Hong Kong and the SAC at the Hong Kong University of Science and Technology.
- Ireland, with Trinity College offering modules dedicated to self-directed learning.