Gemuse Senior Member Germany Joined 4081 days ago 818 posts - 1189 votes Speaks: English Studies: German
| Message 1 of 8 21 September 2013 at 10:10pm | IP Logged |
I have been taking a beginner intensive German course at a Goethe Institute in Germany
for 3 weeks.
The book we have been following has been disappointing (its more like a workbook for
kids, not much text). The teacher has to explain a lot of stuff on the whiteboard, and
also explain by talking, and I am not a good notetaker.
I would have preferred more example sentences in the text.
The book we have been following is:
http://www.amazon.com/Studio-Kurs--Arbeitsbuch-German-Editio n/dp/3464207072
Can anyone recommend a better textbook which has more explanations, and more text?
If the book has English explanations, it would be a plus.
I will be at the Institute for another 5 weeks, and I am afraid they will continue
using this book, so I need to find a replacement.
I was browsing the bookstore today, and the following text seemed better:
http://www.amazon.de/gp/product/3929526867
Any recommendations on whether it would be useful to buy this (and also for A2) text?
Another option is to ignore these fully German texts, do the best I can in class, and
supplement with Assimil (I really like the book and method), and other English-German
self study resources. But I thought since I would be at the institute anyway for 5 more
weeks, it might pay off with such a German text.
On a related note any opinions on the following books:
http://www.amazon.de/gp/product/358901928X
http://www.amazon.de/Lextra-Fremdsprache-Übungsbuch-Europä ischer-
Referenzrahmen/dp/3589015985/
http://www.amazon.de/gp/product/3125615968
Dictionaries (which one would be the best?):
http://www.amazon.de/gp/product/3468131321
http://www.amazon.de/PONS-Schülerwörterbuch-Englisch-Engli sch-Deutsch-Deutsch-
Englisch/dp/3125174945
PS: I will continue my study of German in Germany after the Goethe intensive course
ends.
Edited by Gemuse on 21 September 2013 at 10:11pm
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Cavesa Triglot Senior Member Czech Republic Joined 5008 days ago 3277 posts - 6779 votes Speaks: Czech*, FrenchC2, EnglishC1 Studies: Spanish, German, Italian
| Message 2 of 8 22 September 2013 at 12:54am | IP Logged |
I am using Themen Aktuell and it is awesome. A series from A1 to B1, used in language schools as well but quite comfortable for a self-teaching learner. A lot of explanations, most of them really good. And the workbook with explanations, exercises and word lists does come in several language variants. It only makes sense there would be an English one too.
Basic German: grammar and workbook
is also good for grammar explanations and some excercises. But there isn't much text.
You might like some of the material at the Deutsche Welle website or perhaps some graded readers to get more text (and often with audio).
If I were you, I wouldn't get a dictionary now, unless you need it in the course. The online ones are quite sufficient in the beginnings, in my opinion. But if you need one for the courses, Langenscheidt does have great reputation.
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Laurae Diglot Groupie Germany Joined 5037 days ago 51 posts - 67 votes Speaks: English*, German Studies: French, Dutch
| Message 3 of 8 22 September 2013 at 5:00pm | IP Logged |
I agree with Cavesa. I used the Themen Aktuell books (1-3) from A1 to B1 level also, and I found them fantastic, especially the workbooks. Very useful exercises and vocabulary lists.
I recommend the Hueber Deutsch als Fremdsprache graded grammar exercise books too. They have a nice catalogue on the Hueber website which is worth browsing. I used to love their 'Leichte Literatur' series of graded readers with CDs too (Just search Amazon with 'Leichte Literatur' with 'Hueber').
When you go beyond the B1 level, Studio D B2.1 and 2.2 are useful textbooks. The Goethe in my city also uses Tangram Aktuell for the lower classes, but to be honest, I never liked this as much as the Themen Aktuell series.
Edited by Laurae on 22 September 2013 at 5:01pm
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Gemuse Senior Member Germany Joined 4081 days ago 818 posts - 1189 votes Speaks: English Studies: German
| Message 4 of 8 22 September 2013 at 7:23pm | IP Logged |
Thanks, will check out the Themen Aktuell books. Does the B1 book have a workbook in
english? On amazon.de I found the first two workbooks in English, but not for the third
one,
Have any of you had any experience with the Schubert book I mentioned?
http://www.amazon.de/gp/product/3929526867
Edited by Gemuse on 22 September 2013 at 7:24pm
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Laurae Diglot Groupie Germany Joined 5037 days ago 51 posts - 67 votes Speaks: English*, German Studies: French, Dutch
| Message 5 of 8 22 September 2013 at 7:53pm | IP Logged |
The B1 English workbook is certainly available on Amazon.co.uk.
I haven't actually seen the Schubert book before unfortunately.
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Gemuse Senior Member Germany Joined 4081 days ago 818 posts - 1189 votes Speaks: English Studies: German
| Message 6 of 8 22 September 2013 at 7:58pm | IP Logged |
Laurae, could you post the link on amazon.co.uk for the B1 English workbook?
I cant seem to find it.
Edited by Gemuse on 22 September 2013 at 9:41pm
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g-bod Diglot Senior Member United KingdomRegistered users can see my Skype Name Joined 5981 days ago 1485 posts - 2002 votes Speaks: English*, Japanese Studies: French, German
| Message 7 of 8 22 September 2013 at 8:09pm | IP Logged |
I have the Schubert book and I really like it for the exercises and drills and have found it a nice combination to use with Assimil. However, since you are looking for more explanations and example sentences, I don't think it will provide what you need.
Having said that, having just looked at the "look inside" for the English Themen Aktuell workbooks, I'm starting to feel a little textbook envy.
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Laurae Diglot Groupie Germany Joined 5037 days ago 51 posts - 67 votes Speaks: English*, German Studies: French, Dutch
| Message 8 of 8 22 September 2013 at 10:27pm | IP Logged |
I'm sorry, I just had a look at the B1 workbook - at the B1 level there's no English glossary (in my book anyway), unlike the A1 and A2 workbooks.
Here is the full selection:
https://shop.hueber.de/de/catalogsearch/result/?q=themen
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