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Assimil versus US language programs | ||
Tags: Learner type | Platiquemos | Pimsleur | Reading | Language Program | FSI | Assimil | Accent | Book | Grammar | ||
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 Language Learning Forum : Language Programs, Books & Tapes |  | |
| jradetzky Triglot Senior Member United Kingdom geocities.com/jradet Joined 7019 days ago 521 posts - 485 votes  1 sounds Speaks: Spanish*, EnglishC2, GermanB1 | Message 49 of 184 24 June 2005 at 4:25pm | IP Logged | ||
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I've just got a copy of Assimil's "Perfectionnement Anglais" (Using English) and after listening to it for a while I would argue that it is at the level of the Cambridge First Certificate in English (FCE), which is level B2 in the Common European Language Framework.
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| braveb Senior Member United States languageprograms.blo Joined 7009 days ago 264 posts - 263 votes Speaks: English* Studies: German, French | Message 50 of 184 25 June 2005 at 5:27pm | IP Logged | ||
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Most of the reviews of Assimil in this thread were about "With ease" series. It would be interesting to hear more about the second volume.
Jradetzky, after completing the second level, could you read literature and understand film? How long would it take to complete the second level? Wouldn't it be a breeze finishing it? 1 person has voted this message useful | |||
| fanatic Octoglot Senior Member Australia speedmathematics.com Joined 6958 days ago 1152 posts - 1818 votes Speaks: English*, German, French, Afrikaans, Italian, Spanish, Russian, Dutch Studies: Swedish, Norwegian, Polish, Modern Hebrew, Malay, Mandarin, Esperanto | Message 51 of 184 26 June 2005 at 5:04pm | IP Logged | ||
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I learnt German with the first book and recordings, German Without Toil. What I learnt was sufficient to live and work in Germany and understand radio and television. I had trouble, though, understanding German news broadcasts. They used a more formal language for the news. The first Assimil programs are enough to allow you to read most books, magazines and newspapers and for normal speech.
When I arrived in Germany I bought the advanced German Assimil book and used it to perfect my knowledge. Because the book is written in French it helped my French as well. I sat a Goethe Institut exam in German and got near perfect results. It appears to me that Assimil teaches much more than most programs and holds your interest as you are reading and listening to the text. Edited by fanatic on 26 June 2005 at 5:05pm 1 person has voted this message useful | |||
| braveb Senior Member United States languageprograms.blo Joined 7009 days ago 264 posts - 263 votes Speaks: English* Studies: German, French | Message 52 of 184 27 June 2005 at 9:22am | IP Logged | ||
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Fanatic, I remember you saying you memorize the dialogues. How long would it take for you to memorize 1.5 minutes of dialogue?
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| jradetzky Triglot Senior Member United Kingdom geocities.com/jradet Joined 7019 days ago 521 posts - 485 votes 1 sounds Speaks: Spanish*, EnglishC2, GermanB1 | Message 53 of 184 27 June 2005 at 10:32am | IP Logged | ||
Assuming that finishing the second level is the same as achieving level B2 in the Common European Language Framework, I would say your language skills would be as follow (taken from http://www.cambridgeesol.org/exams/cef.htm): Writing: CAN write a non-routine letter where this is restricted to matters of fact. Reading: CAN scan texts for relevant information, and grasp main topic of text. Listening/speaking: CAN ask for advice and understand the answer, provided this is given in everyday language Therefore, you would be able to understand some film and literature, but not all. Finishing the second level should be around 60 days or less. 1 person has voted this message useful | |||
| braveb Senior Member United States languageprograms.blo Joined 7009 days ago 264 posts - 263 votes Speaks: English* Studies: German, French | Message 54 of 184 28 June 2005 at 10:02am | IP Logged | ||
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Well, I just got the Assimil programs: New French With East and Arabic With Ease.
I read the intro and the first two lessons of the Arabic program and I don't see how I'm going to learn the alphabet by repeating the 29 sounds characters. Perhaps a seperate book on the alphabet is needed. As for the French program I'm memorizing the dialogue(using the shadow method) and repeating over and over. I'm hoping these programs will get more proficency than Pimsleur. 5-7 new words for 30 minutes just doesn't seem a lot, considering I'm always short on time. Add to the fact I'm doing Heisig's Kanji at about 25 kewwords a day. 1 person has voted this message useful | |||
| Al-Malik Bilingual Heptaglot Senior Member United Kingdom arabicgenie.com Joined 6946 days ago 221 posts - 294 votes 1 sounds Speaks: English*, German*, Spanish, Arabic (Written), Dutch, French, Arabic (classical) Studies: Mandarin, Persian | Message 55 of 184 28 June 2005 at 10:32am | IP Logged | ||
As I said elsewere, I am not familiar with the first part of the Assimil Arabic course, but I would definately recommend a book for the script only, best with some writing excercises. I think it is important to start writing words right from the start, this way you won't have problems memorizing and recognising the letters. 1 person has voted this message useful | |||
| braveb Senior Member United States languageprograms.blo Joined 7009 days ago 264 posts - 263 votes Speaks: English* Studies: German, French | Message 56 of 184 28 June 2005 at 11:22am | IP Logged | ||
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Hopefully something like "The Arabic Alphabet: How to Read & Write It" by Nicholas Awde would do the trick. Edited by braveb on 28 June 2005 at 11:23am 1 person has voted this message useful |
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