Post: #1

I've made it through two lessons and I'm liking it. It's easy, although I think it might be too easy. I got it for free, by the way, so money is not a problem here.

I will say one thing though: I remember everything they show me, despite how basic it all is. It's hard to figure out the grammar, however, given just pictures and audio. I wish there was a little more behind it all.

I have read that RS is superior to Pimsleur by a few people, and vice versa. What do you guys think?

If neither online program is worth a shit, what would you guys recommend?

Post: #2

RS isn't bad for getting basic vocabulary; I did French through about level 5. I then went to a local "french language meetup" and was completely unable to converse at all.

My point is--it's a good tool, and if it's free, I'd use it. But don't expect it to make you fluent in any way whatsoever. What you get very good at is doing Rosetta Stone. You will need more to feel comfortable.

Post: #3

Thanks. I think I'll finish the program as an intro and then look for venues to practice conversations like you said.

Post: #4

In my opinion, the best self-study program is the Michel Thomas Method.

http://www.michelthomas.com/

You can find it for free online pretty easily. After completing the audio-course, my Italian was better than it was after 3 years of classes in college (b student).

I've also done:

Pimsleur - also very good, but kinda slow and repetitive.
Rosetta stone - good for acquiring basic vocab, but not very useful for actually becoming fluent

Another huge study tool I've been using lately is Anki, which is a smart flash card program for acquiring vocab. My vocabulary has been growing leaps and bounds using that thing on my android for 10 min a day.

Once you've completed Michel Thomas, I'd recommend getting some one on one language sessions. I'm doing 1 hour long session per week, and it's been great forcing myself to stumble through an hour of speaking on a regular basis. Fluency has gone way up.

Finally, I try and do a lot of reading and watching short clips on the internet. Check out the easy reader series. They publish them in a bunch of different languages at different vocabulary levels (i.e. A is 600 word vocab, b = 1000, etc).

Post: #5

Go to http://www.fluentin3months.com
Benny who runs the site has lots of experience.He basically advises people to take every opportunity to speak with natives,not worrying to much about grammar and reading .
Just buy a phrasebook to cobble some conversations together ,then start working on vocab and grammar as you go along,but prioritising speaking and interacting,even if you need to use body language .You will progress much faster than sitting in a room by yourself.

Michel Thomas,a refugee from World War 2, has some pretty amazing methods as well.Watch this documentary teaching some academic dropouts,pretty impressive:











You need to discipline yourself though,forcing yourself to put the time in!

Post: #6

(11-01-2011 05:50 AM)Laser Wrote:  In my opinion, the best self-study program is the Michel Thomas Method.

http://www.michelthomas.com/

You can find it for free online pretty easily. After completing the audio-course, my Italian was better than it was after 3 years of classes in college (b student).

I've also done:

Pimsleur - also very good, but kinda slow and repetitive.
Rosetta stone - good for acquiring basic vocab, but not very useful for actually becoming fluent

Another huge study tool I've been using lately is Anki, which is a smart flash card program for acquiring vocab. My vocabulary has been growing leaps and bounds using that thing on my android for 10 min a day.

Once you've completed Michel Thomas, I'd recommend getting some one on one language sessions. I'm doing 1 hour long session per week, and it's been great forcing myself to stumble through an hour of speaking on a regular basis. Fluency has gone way up.

Finally, I try and do a lot of reading and watching short clips on the internet. Check out the easy reader series. They publish them in a bunch of different languages at different vocabulary levels (i.e. A is 600 word vocab, b = 1000, etc).

1++ Michel Thomas. I stumbled upon him during my thirst to learn French (did 5 years in l'ecole secondaire) and I like his style of teaching. He dissects the language in a great fashion.

I tried Pimsleur and disliked it immensely. It was very slow and very repetitive. Why tell me how to say my name in Spanish 1000 times before moving on?? If I don't remember, I can merely rewind the session!

I have Rosetta (for free too) but I didn't like the fact that it's just pictures coming up with basic phrases. Yea if I am walking with a French lizard based on that, I can say, the dogs run or the boys jump but I'll just sound like a noob.

With Michel Thomas, I just load his lessons onto my iphone and then just let it soak in while I ride the transit system. Shyt began to kick in remarkably when I was in DR.

The best thing is as said is to lock down your basic grammar with Michel and then go to a meetup group and talk talk talk.
I learn so much by talking. The learning method is accelerated when you use your language skills instead of just sitting there listening.

Get your grammar and basic phrases down and go out and talk and write down words you are unfamiliar with. Learn them use them when they come back.
Before you know it, you will be flowing.
I helped my wing to hook a Belgian lizard downtown (she spoke ZERO English) just off of French. Bear in mind I'm not a Francophone.
How did I do it? Just thank Michel and French meetup groups.

Hola!

Post: #7

I'd also recommend Michel Thomas over Rosetta Stone or Pimsleur. I learned Spanish and Portuguese remarkably quickly with his CDs. You won't be fluent after an 8CD course but if you stick at it and listen to it a few times you'll become conversational incredibly quickly. I've never seen such an efficient method of language teaching. Without going into too much detail, the method he uses is roughly equivalent to the way that children learn their native language; Rosetta Stone is great for vocabulary, but Michel Thomas teaches you how the language works, which sticks with you much better.

In fact, I have had no formal Romanian lessons since moving to Bucharest, but I am already able to understand a lot of Romanian and construct basic sentences just by making links to Spanish and Portuguese, which are closely-related languages with some common patterns in grammar and vocabulary. This is all due to MT's teaching methods.

Post: #8

Does Michel Thomas have a Brazilian Portuguese course?

Post: #9

I compare Michel Thomas and Pimsleur here:

http://www.returnofkings.com/1275/which-...r-pimsleur

Post: #10

(12-17-2012 02:20 PM)Roosh Wrote:  I compare Michel Thomas and Pimsleur here:

http://www.returnofkings.com/1275/which-...r-pimsleur

Anyone have Anki for Russian?

Post: #11

Michel Thomas - good for Mandarin as well?

Edit: I know they have it - just want to know if it anyone here's used it for Mandarin.

Beyond All Seas

"The individual has always had to struggle to keep from being overwhelmed by the tribe.
To be your own man is a hard business. If you try it, you'll be lonely often, and sometimes
frightened. But no price is too high to pay for the privilege of owning yourself." - Kipling

Post: #12

Yes.

(11-05-2011 12:43 PM)RioNomad Wrote:  Does Michel Thomas have a Brazilian Portuguese course?

Post: #13

People I've known including myself have wasted years of time (and some $$$) on various Pimsleur courses (Spanish, French, Swedish, Japanese, etc) and I've never seen any solid results come out of it. One time I had a really long ass layover so I powered through a whole CD worth (30 x 30 min tracks) and by the next day I could only remember how to count to ten or order a beer. I need to get on this Michel Thomas ASAP!

Post: #14

People looking to learn French need to check out French in Action-it's a series made by A Yale Professor named Pierre Capretz using The Capretz method. You can watch the whole series, which is entirely in French (don't worry, it starts out very simple and will help you progress-you will pick it up and figure out what the characters are saying). It keeps learning interesting, fun and not as regimented. You can see this entire series for free on learner.org for all who are interested. Utilize this in tandem with Michel Tomas' course.