My first 100 words
A picture dictionary by theme: the classroom, family, food, animals and colours, with the French word underneath and writing lines.
↓ Download the PDF · 6 pagesClasses
Elementary classes are taught in groups of five students maximum, Monday to Thursday, from 3:45 to 4:45 p.m. Each student attends both weekly sessions for their level. Classes are taught in English, with French used for support where necessary.
Grades 1 to 3
Everyday vocabulary, pronunciation, listening comprehension and first sentences. The work covers the English sounds French does not have, in particular the "th" and the aspirated "h". No written homework.
Five students maximum, four minimum. Registration is by block of 10 classes.
Grades 4 to 6
Short reading passages, written work, grammar and guided conversation. The content complements the school's English as a second language programme rather than repeating it.
Five students maximum, four minimum. Registration is by block of 10 classes.
Secondary 1 to 5
Reading comprehension, writing, grammar and speaking, in preparation for the ministry examinations. Offered one-to-one only.
$50 per hour. Schedule arranged with the teacher.
Catch-up and homework support
For students who have fallen behind, missed part of the programme, or need targeted support. Offered one-to-one only.
$50 per hour. Schedule arranged with the teacher.
How classes run
- Five students maximum per group, four minimum.
- Students attend both weekly sessions for their level.
- At the end of each class, a written summary of the work covered is sent to the student and their parents.
- Students bring their own binder, loose-leaf paper and pencils.
- No prior assessment is required for children.
Adult classes are one-to-one and taught by appointment, in person in Cantley or remotely by Teams. A twenty-minute level assessment, at no charge, precedes the plan of work. Students include federal public servants, executives, diplomats and ambassadors, as well as newcomers preparing an immigration or citizenship language test.
Everyday English
The telephone, medical appointments, shops, children's schooling and customer service. Comparable to the programme Katherine Denley taught for eleven years to adults newly arrived in Canada.
$60 per hour.
Conversation and fluency
Guided discussion, vocabulary development and targeted correction, for those who understand English but lack fluency when speaking.
$60 per hour.
Workplace English
Meetings, emails, presentations and job interviews. Vocabulary specific to the student's field is built into the class.
$60 per hour.
Assessment and test preparation
Katherine Denley is an accredited language assessor and evaluator. She establishes the CLB level and prepares candidates for the language tests required by Immigration Canada and for certain public-service competitions.
The initial twenty-minute level assessment is at no charge.
Terms
- One-to-one classes only, by appointment.
- In person in Cantley: two-hour minimum.
- Remotely by Teams: thirty-minute minimum.
- Up to three adults at the same level may share a single session.
- A written summary of the work covered is sent after each class.
Rates: $15 per hour per student in a group, by block of 10 classes payable on registration; $50 per hour for a one-to-one elementary or secondary class; $60 per hour for an adult. Payment by Interac e-transfer.
Classes missed by the student are not refunded. If the teacher must cancel a class, she offers a make-up session or a refund, at her discretion. A group with fewer than four students may be cancelled.
The classroom
In-person classes are held on the garden level of the house, a complete and self-contained unit set up as a classroom, between École de la Rose-des-Vents and École de l'Orée-des-Bois.
Private entrance
The unit has its own door and its own access. You do not pass through the family home.
Separate washroom
The unit is self-contained: classroom, washroom and entrance.
Parking in the driveway
There is room to drop off and collect a student without manoeuvring on the road.
Between the two schools
The classroom sits between École de la Rose-des-Vents and École de l'Orée-des-Bois. Elementary classes begin at 3:45 p.m., after the school day.
Quiet and daylight
No through traffic or household noise during classes. The room is set up for five students.
Remote classes
Adult classes may be taught by Teams. Elementary classes are in person only.
Illustrations — photographs of the classroom will follow.
The exact address and a map link are sent in the confirmation email. This is a private residence and the address is not published on the site.
The teacher
Twenty-one years teaching English as a second language, to elementary students and to adults in professional settings.
Katherine Denley has taught English as a second language for 21 years, to children and to adults.
She taught for eleven years at the Conseil des écoles catholiques du Centre-Est in Ottawa, working with adults 18 and over: CLB levels 1 through 7, everyday English, and preparation for the government language tests required for immigration.
In 2020-2021 she taught English to nearly 400 students in Grades 1 through 6 at École de l'Orée-des-Bois in Cantley, for the Centre de services scolaire des Draveurs.
Since 2022 she has taught at École de langues La Cité in Ottawa, where her students include federal public servants, executives, diplomats and ambassadors.
She is also an accredited language assessor and evaluator: she establishes CLB levels and administers certification testing.
Education: Bachelor of Arts in English Language and Literature (Law, Linguistics), Carleton University.
Background
- 2022 →Teacher, École de langues La Cité, Ottawa
- 2020–2021ESL teacher, École de l'Orée-des-Bois (CSS des Draveurs), Cantley — nearly 400 students, Grades 1–6
- 2009–2020ESL instructor, CECCE, Ottawa — adults 18 and over, CLB 1 to 7
- B.A. English Language and Literature, Carleton University
Free material
Printable material written for French speakers learning English. No registration is required to download it.
The sounds French does not make
The "th", the aspirated "h", the distinction between ship and sheep, and the -ed endings. Minimal pairs, pronunciation diagrams and a paired exercise.
↓ Download the PDF · 4 pages20 everyday questions
Twenty common questions with their model answers, and a speaking exercise grid to work through in pairs.
↓ Download the PDF · 4 pagesMy reading log
A log to complete after each reading: title, comprehension and three new words, with a progress chart.
↓ Download the PDF · 4 pagesThe 12 French-speaker traps
The twelve most frequent errors among French speakers — false friends and structures carried over from French — with the explanation and a corresponding exercise.
↓ Download the PDF · 5 pagesPronunciation: th, h and -ed
Minimal pairs, phonetic transcription and a five-day self-recording protocol.
↓ Download the PDF · 4 pagesMeetings and emails
A phrase bank for speaking in meetings and a register ladder for correspondence, with four complete templates.
↓ Download the PDF · 6 pagesEveryday life and the interview
Medical appointments, telephone calls and returning a purchase, then the STAR method and fifteen interview questions with model answers.
↓ Download the PDF · 6 pagesSchedule and registration
Select a class on the calendar to request a place. Katherine Denley will be in touch within 24 hours to confirm the level and the registration. The place is held in your name until then.
Elementary registration is by block of 10 classes — five weeks at two sessions per week. The block is payable on registration.
Adult classes are one-to-one and arranged by appointment. Book the twenty-minute level assessment at no charge, or submit an appointment request.
Term : Fall 2026 term
Loading the schedule…
Select a class on the calendar to continue.
You may also write or telephone: katherine (arobase) anglaiscantley.ca · 613-261-4515
Your request has been recorded.
The place is held in your name. Katherine Denley will be in touch within 24 hours to confirm the level and the registration. Your reference:
Appointment request
For a one-to-one class, indicate your availability and the format you prefer. Katherine Denley will propose a time within 24 hours.
Your request has been recorded.
Katherine Denley will be in touch within 24 hours to arrange a time. Your reference:
Frequently asked
My child does not speak English. Can they register?
Yes. The Grades 1 to 3 groups are intended for beginners. No prior assessment is required for children.
Are classes taught in English?
Yes. French is used for support when an instruction needs clarifying.
How many students per group?
Five maximum and four minimum. A group with fewer than four students may be cancelled.
What happens if a class is missed?
Classes missed by the student are not refunded. If the teacher must cancel a class, she offers a make-up session or a refund, at her discretion.
Can classes be taught remotely?
Adult classes may be taught by Teams, with a thirty-minute minimum. Elementary classes are in person only.
How is payment handled?
By Interac e-transfer. Elementary registration is by block of 10 classes, payable on registration. One-to-one classes are payable per session.
What should the student bring?
Their own binder, loose-leaf paper and pencils. There is no textbook to buy.
Do you offer one-to-one classes?
Yes. Adult classes are one-to-one only. At the elementary and secondary levels, one-to-one is offered for catch-up, homework support and Secondary 1 to 5.
Where are the classes held?
In the Parc Central area of Cantley, between École de la Rose-des-Vents and École de l'Orée-des-Bois. The exact address is sent in the confirmation email.