RogerK Triglot Groupie Austria Joined 5029 days ago 92 posts - 181 votes Speaks: English*, German, Italian Studies: Portuguese
| Message 185 of 376 22 January 2011 at 5:26pm | IP Logged |
I like Assimil, I learnt all of my initial German using it. I have Assimil's 'Italian With Ease' and 'Italienisch in der Praxis' (Using Italian - it's in German because it doesn't exist in English) and I have just commenced with 'New French With Ease). At the moment I'm combining FSI's basic French course with Assimil to have two perspectives. Assimil for the vocabulary and variety, and FSI for the speaking practice. So far the FSI is little bit of hard work but it seems to be working because I remember the vocabulary quite easily or rather due to the repetition.
Like everyone else here I've read and tried many different books etc., one I own is Berlitz's 'Think and Talk German - Advanced'. I completed the course over 10 years ago and thought it was excellent. My belongings are currently in storage on the other side of world and when I have I this course in my hands again I will go through it. I'd like to improve my writing and I think it will help. It is comprehensive and goes through the advanced grammar structures, has many drills, both verbal and written.
I own Michel Thomas' 'Advanced Italian' and both 'French Basic and Advanced'. When I know I'll be speaking some Italian I'll go through the review cd a couple of times and it is a good refresher. I have completed nearly of the French courses, I'm up to cd 4 of the advanced course. Having (basically) completed everything I know I couldn't converse in French. My vocabulary is too limited. I found MT good for an overview but I need to dig a little deeper with Assimil and FSI.
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Cammela Tetraglot Newbie Senegal Joined 5007 days ago 28 posts - 31 votes Speaks: French*, ItalianC2, Spanish, GermanB2
| Message 186 of 376 24 January 2011 at 11:18am | IP Logged |
I like Strokes a lot. It's a software that uses the same method as Assimil.
But my absolute favorite is De agostini. Pure power.
Edited by Cammela on 24 January 2011 at 12:15pm
1 person has voted this message useful
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anima Newbie Australia Joined 5538 days ago 2 posts - 3 votes Speaks: English*
| Message 187 of 376 05 February 2011 at 11:55am | IP Logged |
The Hugo in 3 Months series would be my favorite program. I have used the Dutch & French editions & really liked them. I also really like the FSI basic courses.
1 person has voted this message useful
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Artek Triglot Newbie Poland Joined 4984 days ago 6 posts - 13 votes Speaks: Polish*, English, Spanish Studies: French
| Message 188 of 376 22 February 2011 at 1:47am | IP Logged |
My most recent, jaw-dropping discovery is aimed for advanced Spanish students. (Advanced- meaning 'European advanced' enabling to take the Superior exam by Instituto Cervantes, so those who just finished Pimsluer Comprehensive or Michel Thomas-Advanced have to go through some serious stuff for a change, before delving into this one ;-)). Surprisingly, of all places it was published in Russia. Believe me when I say this: I have never heard as natural-sounding conversations as the ones included on the accompaning CD and transcribed in the book itself. All the official Spanish courses publishers in Spain tend to pretend that certain words and expressions don't exist in their noble, academy-guarded language. Then you go to Spain and you are in for guite a surprise. Just like in Poland even their grannies swear like tinkers on all the right occasions and just speak in a most laidback manner without clinging to the Academy guidelines. You land ther and find you don't understand half of what they're saying, especially among themselves. This book, from what I've seen is one of the very few existing answers to woes of this nature (other than just moving to live in Spain for at least a year, I mean). Ok, here goes, ladies and gentlemen. The book's title is "Espańa en vivo". It has some small portions of translation exercises form Russian into Spanish, nonetheless it should be a must for any serious student of Spanish. Try tracking it down. Highly recommended!!! Am I too verbose or what?
Edited by Artek on 22 February 2011 at 1:52am
3 persons have voted this message useful
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LaMar44 Diglot Newbie United States Joined 5699 days ago 1 posts - 2 votes Speaks: English*, Spanish
| Message 189 of 376 02 March 2011 at 9:43pm | IP Logged |
1) Pimsleur
2) Michel Thomas
3) Synergy Spanish Systems
2 persons have voted this message useful
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stelingo Hexaglot Senior Member United Kingdom Joined 5786 days ago 722 posts - 1076 votes Speaks: English*, Spanish, Portuguese, French, German, Italian Studies: Russian, Czech, Polish, Greek, Mandarin
| Message 190 of 376 12 March 2011 at 12:20pm | IP Logged |
Artek wrote:
My most recent, jaw-dropping discovery is aimed for advanced Spanish students. (Advanced- meaning 'European advanced' enabling to take the Superior exam by Instituto Cervantes, so those who just finished Pimsluer Comprehensive or Michel Thomas-Advanced have to go through some serious stuff for a change, before delving into this one ;-)). Surprisingly, of all places it was published in Russia. Believe me when I say this: I have never heard as natural-sounding conversations as the ones included on the accompaning CD and transcribed in the book itself. All the official Spanish courses publishers in Spain tend to pretend that certain words and expressions don't exist in their noble, academy-guarded language. Then you go to Spain and you are in for guite a surprise. Just like in Poland even their grannies swear like tinkers on all the right occasions and just speak in a most laidback manner without clinging to the Academy guidelines. You land ther and find you don't understand half of what they're saying, especially among themselves. This book, from what I've seen is one of the very few existing answers to woes of this nature (other than just moving to live in Spain for at least a year, I mean). Ok, here goes, ladies and gentlemen. The book's title is "Espańa en vivo". It has some small portions of translation exercises form Russian into Spanish, nonetheless it should be a must for any serious student of Spanish. Try tracking it down. Highly recommended!!! Am I too verbose or what? |
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It wouldn't be this book, by any chance?
Yale education
4 persons have voted this message useful
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langcurious Newbie United States youtube.com/user/lan Joined 4942 days ago 2 posts - 3 votes Speaks: English* Studies: Spanish, Swedish, Mandarin
| Message 191 of 376 30 March 2011 at 4:33am | IP Logged |
My favorites are:
Linkword
Teach Yourself
Pimsleur
Edited by langcurious on 30 March 2011 at 4:36am
2 persons have voted this message useful
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IBLearninNow Newbie United States Joined 4941 days ago 1 posts - 1 votes Studies: French, English* Studies: German, Spanish, Norwegian, Japanese Studies: Russian
| Message 192 of 376 31 March 2011 at 7:53pm | IP Logged |
My favorites are:
MUZZY® Language Courses
Books like Learn Japanese the fast and fun way
tv
internet/websites example http://www.bbc.co.uk/ and/or google
Music
Edited by IBLearninNow on 31 March 2011 at 8:43pm
1 person has voted this message useful
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