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Teach Yourself - Completion Times

  Tags: Teach Yourself
 Language Learning Forum : Language Programs, Books & Tapes Post Reply
DaraghM
Diglot
Senior Member
Ireland
Joined 6150 days ago

1947 posts - 2923 votes 
Speaks: English*, Spanish
Studies: French, Russian, Hungarian

 
 Message 1 of 2
02 October 2013 at 3:52pm | IP Logged 
I came across this on the Teach Yourself website. It’s a description of their courses, and includes how long each course takes.

http://www.teachyourself.co.uk/Documents/Languages/Amazon-La nguage-Guide

We all know the courses don’t take you as far as claimed, but I was shocked by how quick you’re meant to achieve that level.

Level 4 – Complete Course – B2 – 80 hours -2,000 words
Level 5 – Perfect Your Course -C1 - 70 hours – 1,000 words

I must be doing something wrong if I can’t reach C1, in 150 hours study, using just 3,000 words.


Edited by DaraghM on 02 October 2013 at 3:52pm

5 persons have voted this message useful



Ogrim
Heptaglot
Senior Member
France
Joined 4638 days ago

991 posts - 1896 votes 
Speaks: Norwegian*, English, Spanish, French, Romansh, German, Italian
Studies: Russian, Catalan, Latin, Greek, Romanian

 
 Message 2 of 2
02 October 2013 at 4:34pm | IP Logged 
This is just another example of misleading advertising that you see so much of, not just for language courses by the way, but in advertising generally (what about those deodorant commercials - I've never had hoards of beautiful ladies running after me because of how my armpits smell....)

How can learning 2.000 words get you to the following CEFR definition of a B2, which Teach Yourself has put on their website?:

"Can understand the main ideas of complex text on both concrete and
abstract topics, including technical discussions in his/her field of
specialisation. Can interact with a degree of fluency and spontaneity that
makes regular interaction with native speakers quite possible without strain
for either party. Can produce clear, detailed text on a wide range of
subjects and explain a viewpoint on a topical issue giving the advantages
and disadvantages of various options."

In any case, even if someone is capable of learning 2000 words in 80 hours, they will need many many hours more of repetition and practice in order to make the words stick, let alone to be able to use those words freely in a fluent conversation with few grammatical erros.

What I find bad about this is that people with no experience of learning languages will buy the course in the illusion that after a few weeks of study they will be able to speak with "a degree of fluency and spontaneity", only to become frustrated because they will see it is not true, and maybe end up believing that "they are no good at languages".
3 persons have voted this message useful



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