Postby nanny_kitty » Sun Jun 24, 2012 10:12 pm
I would second the recommendation of the Michel Thomas method. You learn an awful lot in next to no time and remember it without trying. As also mentioned above, you can get it on eBay for much, much less than £299. It works out cheaper to buy the whole thing with Vocabulary Builder included (instead of intro, then main body, then advanced).
I would also recommend a native French speaker to let the kids practice what they've learned, and to be shown the more acceptable forms of communication and to develop their accent. This will help them effortlessly sail through any oral tests they may meet throughout school. Nothing can beat chatting with a native!
Good luck.