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FSI "Programmatic Spanish" vs "Basic" | ||
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 Language Learning Forum : Language Programs, Books & Tapes |  | |
| czech Senior Member United States Joined 7192 days ago 395 posts - 378 votes  Studies: English* | Message 17 of 68 06 July 2005 at 10:30pm | IP Logged |
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Programmatic Spanish 1 contains 417 words, while FSI Basic Spanish contains 775.
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| luke Diglot Senior Member United States Joined 7203 days ago 3133 posts - 4351 votes Speaks: English*, Spanish Studies: Esperanto, French | Message 18 of 68 18 July 2005 at 8:42pm | IP Logged |
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Example structure of a Programmatic Spanish lesson,
using unit 22 as an example. Lines with an asterisk have some recorded material. Pages 1-12 cover grammar points - no recording. * Dialog - recorded somewhat like Basic Spanish. Observations and Practice (discusses reflexive verbs) Practice 1 - translate sentences into English. Practice 2 - translate sentences from P1 into Spanish. Practice 3 - translate sentences into English. Practice 4 - translate sentences from P3 into Spanish Practice 5 - translate sentences into English Practice 6 - translate sentences from P5 into Spanish * Practice 7 - variation exercise. 4 sentences are varied into 29. A little like Basic Spanish, except the English translations are written in Practice 8 and not spoken. This is more of a listen, repeat, and understand what you said exercise than Basic's variation/translation version. Practice 8 - Translation of sentences spoken in P7. * Practice 9 - You are prompted with a noun and are to say "¿El suyo or el mío?" (vary gender and number). Think "Yours or mine?" * Practice 10 - You are prompted with a noun and are to say "¿El suyo or el mío?" (vary gender and number). This is basically same as P9, except you are to think, "Theirs or mine?" * Practice 11 - hear the same nouns as in P9 and P10, but say "A ____ of mine". (Un carro mío.) * Comprehension - 10 short dialog fragments. This is about 36 sentences you should be able to understand. I edit the sound so there is room to repeat the sentence, which isn't always the case. A transcript is in the instructors manual. Applications section - none of this is recorded. No answers are given: 30 sentences to be translated from English to Spanish. 10 sentences in Spanish with a single error for you to find. 10 questions you should be prepared to answer. 5 very short dialogs (4 sentences per dialog). 1 person has voted this message useful | |
| czech Senior Member United States Joined 7192 days ago 395 posts - 378 votes Studies: English* | Message 19 of 68 19 July 2005 at 12:10pm | IP Logged |
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So that lesson is completely translation exercises?
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| luke Diglot Senior Member United States Joined 7203 days ago 3133 posts - 4351 votes Speaks: English*, Spanish Studies: Esperanto, French | Message 20 of 68 19 July 2005 at 6:04pm | IP Logged |
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There's a lot of translations with no recorded audio in
the last few units I've done. As indicated in the previous post, there were some non-translation practices as well as instructions on the language. I've moved my opinion from toss up between whether Basic or Programmatic is better to liking Basic more. But if you're a book learner, Programmatic is designed more for that. One thing I just started doing with Basic is reading the lesson at night. (I listen to the lesson while commuting). This extra review helps me to focus on the phrases that didn't make sense and to clarify grammar points. It's an offshoot of Katia's suggestion to focus on a comprehensive program. I mention it because as a visual learner, looking at the book helps a lot. I'd be curious which course people working for the FSI use. My guess would be, diplomats would use the Basic course, and people going into the Peace Corps would use Programmatic because it's a shorter course and would be cheaper, since there is less teacher involvement. I had a friend who did Russian for the Peace Corp a couple years ago. The language training was only about 3 months. (Peace Corps is a 2 year commitment). I don't know what course he used. 1 person has voted this message useful | |
| czech Senior Member United States Joined 7192 days ago 395 posts - 378 votes Studies: English* | Message 21 of 68 19 July 2005 at 6:23pm | IP Logged |
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I'd be interested too. Also, why don't the last 5 lessons have audio? Was it meant to be like this or was it because the funding wasn't there and the plug got pulled, but they decided to write the next 5 lessons out anyway? I wonder if Platiquemos (Don Casteel) can answer this. Of course he's not there anymore but he said he used both at the FSI.
Edited by czech on 19 July 2005 at 6:25pm 1 person has voted this message useful | |
| chaserella Groupie United States Joined 7129 days ago 40 posts - 40 votes Speaks: English* Studies: Japanese, French | Message 22 of 68 20 July 2005 at 3:51pm | IP Logged |
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I have just bought Barron's Mastering Spanish 1 and will soon get the second set. I have been taking Spanish for three years and am going into my fourth year. I am tired of not being able to understand Spanish, so i am taking the bull by the horns and beining to study on my own. My main concern is that Mastering Spanish 1 and 2 will not be enough to bring me to fluency. I plan on building vocab by reading an article or two in Spanish every day and watching the Spanish channel. The FSI programs at audio forum are very expensive, but they have four levels instead of two like Barron's. My question is does the Barron's Mastering Spanish 1 and 2 cover what audio forum's FSI Spanish Beginner, Intermediate, and Advanced A and B? Edited by Malcolm on 22 July 2005 at 7:33pm 1 person has voted this message useful | |
| czech Senior Member United States Joined 7192 days ago 395 posts - 378 votes Studies: English* | Message 23 of 68 20 July 2005 at 5:20pm | IP Logged |
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No. Barron's does not have any of the material from Audioforum. Barron's carries the Basic Spanish course, which is comparable to Audioforum's first two levels, which are Programmatic Spanish. I too, have Barron's 1 and 2. If I finish these, and Advanced A and B from Audioforum, I'll be fluent. You're going to need the last two, how far are you along in level 1? Edited by czech on 20 July 2005 at 5:20pm 1 person has voted this message useful | |
| chaserella Groupie United States Joined 7129 days ago 40 posts - 40 votes Speaks: English* Studies: Japanese, French | Message 24 of 68 20 July 2005 at 7:44pm | IP Logged |
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It is in the mail! Hopefully it will get here soon. I plan to study hard and with a little luck finish around Christmas at which point i will be taking up Japanese, but only if my Spanish is fluent!
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