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Pasos 1: Complete Pack (Pasos)
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Rosa MarÃa MartÃnMartyn Ellis;
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Usually dispatched within 1-2 business days
*Best price found from Amazon Marketplace seller
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*Amazon: £23.79
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 Customer Reviews
Strong language course for beginners, 08 Dec 2007
I was slightly dismayed to see that the only review of this course had been overly negative; after lots of searching for an effective self-teaching course, I thought this was a fantastic find. Yes, the CD's are mislabelled, but that is far outweighed by the textbooks clear layout, supporting and fun exercises, knowlege consolidation pages, and clear grammar and vocab points. Only other complaint is that one might have to replay the listening exercises a few times to understand them in their entirety, but overall, I think this is an excellent course I would reccomend to anyone wanting to learn Spanish.
The CDs have been labelled wrongly and some books have blank pages, 10 Nov 2007
I bought 2 copies of the complete pack of the 3rd edition of Pasos, which is the book I have been using for about 12 years, but the 2 C are wrongly labelled and it is confusing, one of the books has blank and missing pages.
I contacted the publishers and they exchanged the book, but the CD have not been exchanged or sold at a special price, all they can say is that they apologise.
It is quite confusing for the students and for me to use the right CD because the contents of CD 1 are on CD 3and viceversa.
I am not going to buy anything published by Hodder...and I will never advice my students to use the Pasos book again.
I am truly dissapointed and amazed at the poor response from the publishers.
Yolanda
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Customer Reviews
Strong language course for beginners, 08 Dec 2007
I was slightly dismayed to see that the only review of this course had been overly negative; after lots of searching for an effective self-teaching course, I thought this was a fantastic find. Yes, the CD's are mislabelled, but that is far outweighed by the textbooks clear layout, supporting and fun exercises, knowlege consolidation pages, and clear grammar and vocab points. Only other complaint is that one might have to replay the listening exercises a few times to understand them in their entirety, but overall, I think this is an excellent course I would reccomend to anyone wanting to learn Spanish.
The CDs have been labelled wrongly and some books have blank pages, 10 Nov 2007
I bought 2 copies of the complete pack of the 3rd edition of Pasos, which is the book I have been using for about 12 years, but the 2 C are wrongly labelled and it is confusing, one of the books has blank and missing pages.
I contacted the publishers and they exchanged the book, but the CD have not been exchanged or sold at a special price, all they can say is that they apologise.
It is quite confusing for the students and for me to use the right CD because the contents of CD 1 are on CD 3and viceversa.
I am not going to buy anything published by Hodder...and I will never advice my students to use the Pasos book again.
I am truly dissapointed and amazed at the poor response from the publishers.
Yolanda
Highly recommended, 12 Oct 2008
Whether you are school studying for GCSE Spanish, undertaking a Spanish course at night school or maybe planning to live in Spain, this 3CD learning pack is highly recommended. It can be used instead of using a text book, or alongside one. The exercises are interesting and enjoyable.
The course is not convincing or too complicated.
Decent elementary and ungimmicky programme, 12 Sep 2008
Straightforward and ungimmicky, i found the easiest way of using it was to transfer it to my MP3 player so i could use it on my commute.
It is very much a beginners Spanish - it starts slowly from the absolute basics.
Towards the end of the first (of 3) CDs the pace starts to hot up. One might get a little critical of their choice of vocabulary at this point, asking where things are and learning "in front of" "behind" and "opposite" - crummy linguists like me tend to use `point and show' to cope with this element of communication, but one can always quibble about this.
Usefully they give what they call "real conversation" (though it doesn't sound terribly real), where someone lets loose a mouthful of Spanish in reply to one of your questions, then they invite you to look for the words you know to make sense of it. This is a helpful survival strategy.
Recommendable stuff.
A vibrant new way to learn Spanish., 28 Aug 2008
The Collins easy learning is a quick and simple way to pick up the language. Many of these types of language learning programs promise big things and dont deliver.
The learning program is split up into 12 short units which introduces 5 keywords and phrases per unit. To aid the understanding of each unit, there are sections on culture and etiquette. This is most helpful in adopting the spoken language, and this approach is a new idea I've not come across before within these learning packages and I have to say it works really well when trying to adopt the language into a conversation.
It also gives a better understanding of which words to use and why and will improve word selection dramatically. This is by no means an advanced learning package, so don't expect to be speaking fluent Spanish within a few weeks because that's not going to happen. What you can expect is to learn how to use the language properly. It will heighten confidence greatly to take the language to the next level or if your happy to get by at the intermediate level then look no further.
The package is a complete bargain, and contains transcripts of the CD's. I recommend putting the CD's onto an MP3 player. I have done the course twice now and even though I'm no Spanish linguist I can speak Spanish much more confidently now. I certainly wouldn't feel stupid using it abroad any more.
A great product at a great price don't miss out.
my spanish has improved, 21 Aug 2008
i have loaded this onto my ipod and its helping me to improve my Spanish already. the disc's and book make it eaasy to learn the basics (mainly phrases) which you can build on, with more books in the series if you want. This course is not concerned with getting stuck into the verbs and tenses, but more getting you past been able to say more than hello, and a beer please.
Easy help with ordering your fry-up!, 15 Aug 2008
The Collins Easy Learning Spanish does exactly what it says on the tin (well almost!). GCSE students of any grade will not find this package helpful as it really does concentrate on the basics, but if, like the majority of us "Brits Abroad" the depths of our comprehension of any foregin language has gone well beyond the point of embarrassment - this 3cd set will prove most helpful! After a week or so, I'm now confident enough to order my way through dinner, not panic if totally lost and maybe even not get arrested if stopped at the airport by saying the wrong thing!
My only gripe??..........in all honesty this is a "phrase" book set to get you by and the grammar sections are all basic. But for the same pice as a printed phrase book with the added bonus of the correct, legible and clear pronouncement it is easily worth 4 stars and a purchase!
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Customer Reviews
Strong language course for beginners, 08 Dec 2007
I was slightly dismayed to see that the only review of this course had been overly negative; after lots of searching for an effective self-teaching course, I thought this was a fantastic find. Yes, the CD's are mislabelled, but that is far outweighed by the textbooks clear layout, supporting and fun exercises, knowlege consolidation pages, and clear grammar and vocab points. Only other complaint is that one might have to replay the listening exercises a few times to understand them in their entirety, but overall, I think this is an excellent course I would reccomend to anyone wanting to learn Spanish.
The CDs have been labelled wrongly and some books have blank pages, 10 Nov 2007
I bought 2 copies of the complete pack of the 3rd edition of Pasos, which is the book I have been using for about 12 years, but the 2 C are wrongly labelled and it is confusing, one of the books has blank and missing pages.
I contacted the publishers and they exchanged the book, but the CD have not been exchanged or sold at a special price, all they can say is that they apologise.
It is quite confusing for the students and for me to use the right CD because the contents of CD 1 are on CD 3and viceversa.
I am not going to buy anything published by Hodder...and I will never advice my students to use the Pasos book again.
I am truly dissapointed and amazed at the poor response from the publishers.
Yolanda
Highly recommended, 12 Oct 2008
Whether you are school studying for GCSE Spanish, undertaking a Spanish course at night school or maybe planning to live in Spain, this 3CD learning pack is highly recommended. It can be used instead of using a text book, or alongside one. The exercises are interesting and enjoyable.
The course is not convincing or too complicated.
Decent elementary and ungimmicky programme, 12 Sep 2008
Straightforward and ungimmicky, i found the easiest way of using it was to transfer it to my MP3 player so i could use it on my commute.
It is very much a beginners Spanish - it starts slowly from the absolute basics.
Towards the end of the first (of 3) CDs the pace starts to hot up. One might get a little critical of their choice of vocabulary at this point, asking where things are and learning "in front of" "behind" and "opposite" - crummy linguists like me tend to use `point and show' to cope with this element of communication, but one can always quibble about this.
Usefully they give what they call "real conversation" (though it doesn't sound terribly real), where someone lets loose a mouthful of Spanish in reply to one of your questions, then they invite you to look for the words you know to make sense of it. This is a helpful survival strategy.
Recommendable stuff.
A vibrant new way to learn Spanish., 28 Aug 2008
The Collins easy learning is a quick and simple way to pick up the language. Many of these types of language learning programs promise big things and dont deliver.
The learning program is split up into 12 short units which introduces 5 keywords and phrases per unit. To aid the understanding of each unit, there are sections on culture and etiquette. This is most helpful in adopting the spoken language, and this approach is a new idea I've not come across before within these learning packages and I have to say it works really well when trying to adopt the language into a conversation.
It also gives a better understanding of which words to use and why and will improve word selection dramatically. This is by no means an advanced learning package, so don't expect to be speaking fluent Spanish within a few weeks because that's not going to happen. What you can expect is to learn how to use the language properly. It will heighten confidence greatly to take the language to the next level or if your happy to get by at the intermediate level then look no further.
The package is a complete bargain, and contains transcripts of the CD's. I recommend putting the CD's onto an MP3 player. I have done the course twice now and even though I'm no Spanish linguist I can speak Spanish much more confidently now. I certainly wouldn't feel stupid using it abroad any more.
A great product at a great price don't miss out.
my spanish has improved, 21 Aug 2008
i have loaded this onto my ipod and its helping me to improve my Spanish already. the disc's and book make it eaasy to learn the basics (mainly phrases) which you can build on, with more books in the series if you want. This course is not concerned with getting stuck into the verbs and tenses, but more getting you past been able to say more than hello, and a beer please.
Easy help with ordering your fry-up!, 15 Aug 2008
The Collins Easy Learning Spanish does exactly what it says on the tin (well almost!). GCSE students of any grade will not find this package helpful as it really does concentrate on the basics, but if, like the majority of us "Brits Abroad" the depths of our comprehension of any foregin language has gone well beyond the point of embarrassment - this 3cd set will prove most helpful! After a week or so, I'm now confident enough to order my way through dinner, not panic if totally lost and maybe even not get arrested if stopped at the airport by saying the wrong thing!
My only gripe??..........in all honesty this is a "phrase" book set to get you by and the grammar sections are all basic. But for the same pice as a printed phrase book with the added bonus of the correct, legible and clear pronouncement it is easily worth 4 stars and a purchase!
Eccellente, 25 May 2008
This is an amazing item, I have tried many diferent techniques to learn Italian and this is by far the best. I really do encourage you to buy this you won't regret it. The voices used are really good as well, they saying everything clearly allowing you to understand quicker. The music is also an added bonus it allows the words to stick in your brain faster, and makes the experience alot more enjoyable. With this product its not a matter of having to use it, but you want to use it. Fantastic.
Not for me., 22 May 2008
The principle of learning a language by listening to music appealed to me but unfortunately I have to say that this doesn't really float my boat. It's not what I would consider music, rather it is just a re-work of the idea of repetition with some tunes in the background and some odd mixing.
Since buying this I haven't even been able to make it all the way through without becoming frustrated, or amused at the music... either of which aren't conducive to my learning some Italian.
I think I'll look for something else.
Excellent and Fun, 30 Apr 2008
Have just bought this for a family trip to Italy in a few weeks.
This CD is great, very attractive to listen to - rather than a chore (my wife enjoyed listening to it compared to other ones shw would ask me to turn off!)
Production is great, background music is very good and really adds to the experience, but the way it gives and then breaks down phrases that you are very likely to use gets you using words and phrases straightaway. I would consider using EarWorm again (e.g. for French)
Brilliant, 02 Apr 2008
This cd is absolutely brilliant, I had been struggling with remembering phrases and words before but now I listen to this on the tube on my way to work and before I know it I'm blurting out words in italian. It really does work, I had been letting the next module play whilst concentrating on the previous one but realised that without knowing it I had picked up words from the next section. Will definately be buying Volume 2.
It Really Works !, 14 Nov 2007
By far the easiest method I have come across so far. I use it mainly in my car driving to and from work - it doesn't require a lot of concentration like others I have tried because it repeats each phrase several times (in a non-boring way) so it does not distract from driving.
I could really do with part 2 now and I hope they make one soon!
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Customer Reviews
Strong language course for beginners, 08 Dec 2007
I was slightly dismayed to see that the only review of this course had been overly negative; after lots of searching for an effective self-teaching course, I thought this was a fantastic find. Yes, the CD's are mislabelled, but that is far outweighed by the textbooks clear layout, supporting and fun exercises, knowlege consolidation pages, and clear grammar and vocab points. Only other complaint is that one might have to replay the listening exercises a few times to understand them in their entirety, but overall, I think this is an excellent course I would reccomend to anyone wanting to learn Spanish. The CDs have been labelled wrongly and some books have blank pages, 10 Nov 2007
I bought 2 copies of the complete pack of the 3rd edition of Pasos, which is the book I have been using for about 12 years, but the 2 C are wrongly labelled and it is confusing, one of the books has blank and missing pages.
I contacted the publishers and they exchanged the book, but the CD have not been exchanged or sold at a special price, all they can say is that they apologise.
It is quite confusing for the students and for me to use the right CD because the contents of CD 1 are on CD 3and viceversa.
I am not going to buy anything published by Hodder...and I will never advice my students to use the Pasos book again.
I am truly dissapointed and amazed at the poor response from the publishers.
Yolanda Highly recommended, 12 Oct 2008
Whether you are school studying for GCSE Spanish, undertaking a Spanish course at night school or maybe planning to live in Spain, this 3CD learning pack is highly recommended. It can be used instead of using a text book, or alongside one. The exercises are interesting and enjoyable.
The course is not convincing or too complicated.
Decent elementary and ungimmicky programme, 12 Sep 2008
Straightforward and ungimmicky, i found the easiest way of using it was to transfer it to my MP3 player so i could use it on my commute.
It is very much a beginners Spanish - it starts slowly from the absolute basics.
Towards the end of the first (of 3) CDs the pace starts to hot up. One might get a little critical of their choice of vocabulary at this point, asking where things are and learning "in front of" "behind" and "opposite" - crummy linguists like me tend to use `point and show' to cope with this element of communication, but one can always quibble about this.
Usefully they give what they call "real conversation" (though it doesn't sound terribly real), where someone lets loose a mouthful of Spanish in reply to one of your questions, then they invite you to look for the words you know to make sense of it. This is a helpful survival strategy.
Recommendable stuff.
A vibrant new way to learn Spanish., 28 Aug 2008
The Collins easy learning is a quick and simple way to pick up the language. Many of these types of language learning programs promise big things and dont deliver.
The learning program is split up into 12 short units which introduces 5 keywords and phrases per unit. To aid the understanding of each unit, there are sections on culture and etiquette. This is most helpful in adopting the spoken language, and this approach is a new idea I've not come across before within these learning packages and I have to say it works really well when trying to adopt the language into a conversation.
It also gives a better understanding of which words to use and why and will improve word selection dramatically. This is by no means an advanced learning package, so don't expect to be speaking fluent Spanish within a few weeks because that's not going to happen. What you can expect is to learn how to use the language properly. It will heighten confidence greatly to take the language to the next level or if your happy to get by at the intermediate level then look no further.
The package is a complete bargain, and contains transcripts of the CD's. I recommend putting the CD's onto an MP3 player. I have done the course twice now and even though I'm no Spanish linguist I can speak Spanish much more confidently now. I certainly wouldn't feel stupid using it abroad any more.
A great product at a great price don't miss out.
my spanish has improved, 21 Aug 2008
i have loaded this onto my ipod and its helping me to improve my Spanish already. the disc's and book make it eaasy to learn the basics (mainly phrases) which you can build on, with more books in the series if you want. This course is not concerned with getting stuck into the verbs and tenses, but more getting you past been able to say more than hello, and a beer please. Easy help with ordering your fry-up!, 15 Aug 2008
The Collins Easy Learning Spanish does exactly what it says on the tin (well almost!). GCSE students of any grade will not find this package helpful as it really does concentrate on the basics, but if, like the majority of us "Brits Abroad" the depths of our comprehension of any foregin language has gone well beyond the point of embarrassment - this 3cd set will prove most helpful! After a week or so, I'm now confident enough to order my way through dinner, not panic if totally lost and maybe even not get arrested if stopped at the airport by saying the wrong thing!
My only gripe??..........in all honesty this is a "phrase" book set to get you by and the grammar sections are all basic. But for the same pice as a printed phrase book with the added bonus of the correct, legible and clear pronouncement it is easily worth 4 stars and a purchase! Eccellente, 25 May 2008
This is an amazing item, I have tried many diferent techniques to learn Italian and this is by far the best. I really do encourage you to buy this you won't regret it. The voices used are really good as well, they saying everything clearly allowing you to understand quicker. The music is also an added bonus it allows the words to stick in your brain faster, and makes the experience alot more enjoyable. With this product its not a matter of having to use it, but you want to use it. Fantastic. Not for me., 22 May 2008
The principle of learning a language by listening to music appealed to me but unfortunately I have to say that this doesn't really float my boat. It's not what I would consider music, rather it is just a re-work of the idea of repetition with some tunes in the background and some odd mixing.
Since buying this I haven't even been able to make it all the way through without becoming frustrated, or amused at the music... either of which aren't conducive to my learning some Italian.
I think I'll look for something else. Excellent and Fun, 30 Apr 2008
Have just bought this for a family trip to Italy in a few weeks.
This CD is great, very attractive to listen to - rather than a chore (my wife enjoyed listening to it compared to other ones shw would ask me to turn off!)
Production is great, background music is very good and really adds to the experience, but the way it gives and then breaks down phrases that you are very likely to use gets you using words and phrases straightaway. I would consider using EarWorm again (e.g. for French) Brilliant, 02 Apr 2008
This cd is absolutely brilliant, I had been struggling with remembering phrases and words before but now I listen to this on the tube on my way to work and before I know it I'm blurting out words in italian. It really does work, I had been letting the next module play whilst concentrating on the previous one but realised that without knowing it I had picked up words from the next section. Will definately be buying Volume 2. It Really Works !, 14 Nov 2007
By far the easiest method I have come across so far. I use it mainly in my car driving to and from work - it doesn't require a lot of concentration like others I have tried because it repeats each phrase several times (in a non-boring way) so it does not distract from driving.
I could really do with part 2 now and I hope they make one soon! Love the crazy associations, 12 May 2008
OK, so some of the associations are a bit dodgy, but I actually found this to be really funny, which ultimately helped me to remember the words.
With only 200 words you're not going to become fluent, however I found the vocab to be really useful when used in conjunction with Michel Thomas' 8 disc foundation course (which concentrates more on sentence structure and verbs). My husband didn't use Instant Recall (and only did 6 of the 8 Michel Thomas discs) and it was surprising how much I had to translate/communicate during our recent trip to Cuba.
It concentrates more on Latin American pronunciation, which was good for our purpose. I did find that the translation of a couple of the words didn't quite match up, but this was never a problem during our stay.
In short this is worth the money if you get it for a good price.
Instant Recall Spanish Vocab, 23 Dec 2007
This is a great CD set to learn around 200 Spanish words using word and imagery association. The product review on this page explain the methods quite well. I found the explanations very clear and I was able to picture the images very well, therefore storing the vocab in my memory. Like other reviewers here I suggest you listen to this with your eyes closed to really picture the images in your mind. Some of the links are a touch tenuous, and these are the words I fail to remember, I've found (and recommend) that using my own imagery works better for these words and I'm slowly starting to grasp the remaining few words that previously escaped me. Not only is this course good for learning basic vocab, but it is also good for your brain overall, encouraging memory techniques that can be transferred outside of this course. The speakers on the discs are clear and are pleasant to listen to. Some courses i've done previously have put me off straight away with cheesy music and terrible speakers; this course has none of that. Overall this is a great place to start if you want to learn Spanish to get by on holidays and if you want to get a good grounding before starting night classes. I'd also recommend Michael Grunbergs Spanish association book that compliments this course perfectly and which I picked up on amazon for 2.99. This course is well worth a try. Does exactly what it says on the.. eh... tin, 20 Jul 2007
If, like me, you spend a lot of time in the car and don't mind folk thinking you are barking mad because you're talking to yourself, this is a great way to learn some spanish vocab. The only reason why I only give it 4 stars not 5 is because I wish there was more of it.
I already had a fair knowledge of spanish thru the excellent Michel Thomas series (very grammar based), but needed to improve my vocab. This is much more fun and really, really works. You don't bneed to keep pausing the cd either, you just rattle thru it. MORE PLEASE! Excellent beginners tool, 23 Jul 2003
I was a complete beginner and this gave me the confidence to continue. It's quick, it's easy and I wish there was more of it. I can't recommend this enough if it's your very first tool for learning Spanish. A Quick Jab at Vocab!, 12 Mar 2003
... Instant Recall's definitely worth ... the price. While its offering of 200 words is a less than ideal, one can go through the course in about 4 hours realistically (including breaks, checking out the blooklet which includes spellings and pronounciations, and about 2 1/2 hours of listening, imagining and testing time). I found that closing my eyes while listening to the CD, helped in imagining the associations between the Eglish and corresponding Spanish words. While there're no verbs (which is where I think most people would need help) a quick shot of 200 words is bound to help any beginner's confidence. I picked up the words fast, it's not hard considering they're spilt in categories and fed one at a time, in sets of ten. A word is announced in English (by Alex) and then it's Spanish counterpart (by Isabella), after which Alex asks you to picture an association. Alex: The word for soup in spanish is...
Isabella: Sopa!
Alex: Imagine a soup that tastes like soap. You're given some time... enough to work your imagination, and then Alex & Isabella move on to the next word. After a set of ten in a particular category you're tested. I think the technique works pretty well, but then again that might depend on the individual. I recommend using this along with the Michel Thomas Spanish Audio CDs. Neither audio set substitute good one-on-one teaching, but they're definitely good supplements (and should be good for those short of time). Had it dealt with verbs it would definitely get five stars!
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Customer Reviews
Strong language course for beginners, 08 Dec 2007
I was slightly dismayed to see that the only review of this course had been overly negative; after lots of searching for an effective self-teaching course, I thought this was a fantastic find. Yes, the CD's are mislabelled, but that is far outweighed by the textbooks clear layout, supporting and fun exercises, knowlege consolidation pages, and clear grammar and vocab points. Only other complaint is that one might have to replay the listening exercises a few times to understand them in their entirety, but overall, I think this is an excellent course I would reccomend to anyone wanting to learn Spanish. The CDs have been labelled wrongly and some books have blank pages, 10 Nov 2007
I bought 2 copies of the complete pack of the 3rd edition of Pasos, which is the book I have been using for about 12 years, but the 2 C are wrongly labelled and it is confusing, one of the books has blank and missing pages.
I contacted the publishers and they exchanged the book, but the CD have not been exchanged or sold at a special price, all they can say is that they apologise.
It is quite confusing for the students and for me to use the right CD because the contents of CD 1 are on CD 3and viceversa.
I am not going to buy anything published by Hodder...and I will never advice my students to use the Pasos book again.
I am truly dissapointed and amazed at the poor response from the publishers.
Yolanda Highly recommended, 12 Oct 2008
Whether you are school studying for GCSE Spanish, undertaking a Spanish course at night school or maybe planning to live in Spain, this 3CD learning pack is highly recommended. It can be used instead of using a text book, or alongside one. The exercises are interesting and enjoyable.
The course is not convincing or too complicated.
Decent elementary and ungimmicky programme, 12 Sep 2008
Straightforward and ungimmicky, i found the easiest way of using it was to transfer it to my MP3 player so i could use it on my commute.
It is very much a beginners Spanish - it starts slowly from the absolute basics.
Towards the end of the first (of 3) CDs the pace starts to hot up. One might get a little critical of their choice of vocabulary at this point, asking where things are and learning "in front of" "behind" and "opposite" - crummy linguists like me tend to use `point and show' to cope with this element of communication, but one can always quibble about this.
Usefully they give what they call "real conversation" (though it doesn't sound terribly real), where someone lets loose a mouthful of Spanish in reply to one of your questions, then they invite you to look for the words you know to make sense of it. This is a helpful survival strategy.
Recommendable stuff.
A vibrant new way to learn Spanish., 28 Aug 2008
The Collins easy learning is a quick and simple way to pick up the language. Many of these types of language learning programs promise big things and dont deliver.
The learning program is split up into 12 short units which introduces 5 keywords and phrases per unit. To aid the understanding of each unit, there are sections on culture and etiquette. This is most helpful in adopting the spoken language, and this approach is a new idea I've not come across before within these learning packages and I have to say it works really well when trying to adopt the language into a conversation.
It also gives a better understanding of which words to use and why and will improve word selection dramatically. This is by no means an advanced learning package, so don't expect to be speaking fluent Spanish within a few weeks because that's not going to happen. What you can expect is to learn how to use the language properly. It will heighten confidence greatly to take the language to the next level or if your happy to get by at the intermediate level then look no further.
The package is a complete bargain, and contains transcripts of the CD's. I recommend putting the CD's onto an MP3 player. I have done the course twice now and even though I'm no Spanish linguist I can speak Spanish much more confidently now. I certainly wouldn't feel stupid using it abroad any more.
A great product at a great price don't miss out.
my spanish has improved, 21 Aug 2008
i have loaded this onto my ipod and its helping me to improve my Spanish already. the disc's and book make it eaasy to learn the basics (mainly phrases) which you can build on, with more books in the series if you want. This course is not concerned with getting stuck into the verbs and tenses, but more getting you past been able to say more than hello, and a beer please. Easy help with ordering your fry-up!, 15 Aug 2008
The Collins Easy Learning Spanish does exactly what it says on the tin (well almost!). GCSE students of any grade will not find this package helpful as it really does concentrate on the basics, but if, like the majority of us "Brits Abroad" the depths of our comprehension of any foregin language has gone well beyond the point of embarrassment - this 3cd set will prove most helpful! After a week or so, I'm now confident enough to order my way through dinner, not panic if totally lost and maybe even not get arrested if stopped at the airport by saying the wrong thing!
My only gripe??..........in all honesty this is a "phrase" book set to get you by and the grammar sections are all basic. But for the same pice as a printed phrase book with the added bonus of the correct, legible and clear pronouncement it is easily worth 4 stars and a purchase! Eccellente, 25 May 2008
This is an amazing item, I have tried many diferent techniques to learn Italian and this is by far the best. I really do encourage you to buy this you won't regret it. The voices used are really good as well, they saying everything clearly allowing you to understand quicker. The music is also an added bonus it allows the words to stick in your brain faster, and makes the experience alot more enjoyable. With this product its not a matter of having to use it, but you want to use it. Fantastic. Not for me., 22 May 2008
The principle of learning a language by listening to music appealed to me but unfortunately I have to say that this doesn't really float my boat. It's not what I would consider music, rather it is just a re-work of the idea of repetition with some tunes in the background and some odd mixing.
Since buying this I haven't even been able to make it all the way through without becoming frustrated, or amused at the music... either of which aren't conducive to my learning some Italian.
I think I'll look for something else. Excellent and Fun, 30 Apr 2008
Have just bought this for a family trip to Italy in a few weeks.
This CD is great, very attractive to listen to - rather than a chore (my wife enjoyed listening to it compared to other ones shw would ask me to turn off!)
Production is great, background music is very good and really adds to the experience, but the way it gives and then breaks down phrases that you are very likely to use gets you using words and phrases straightaway. I would consider using EarWorm again (e.g. for French) Brilliant, 02 Apr 2008
This cd is absolutely brilliant, I had been struggling with remembering phrases and words before but now I listen to this on the tube on my way to work and before I know it I'm blurting out words in italian. It really does work, I had been letting the next module play whilst concentrating on the previous one but realised that without knowing it I had picked up words from the next section. Will definately be buying Volume 2. It Really Works !, 14 Nov 2007
By far the easiest method I have come across so far. I use it mainly in my car driving to and from work - it doesn't require a lot of concentration like others I have tried because it repeats each phrase several times (in a non-boring way) so it does not distract from driving.
I could really do with part 2 now and I hope they make one soon! Love the crazy associations, 12 May 2008
OK, so some of the associations are a bit dodgy, but I actually found this to be really funny, which ultimately helped me to remember the words.
With only 200 words you're not going to become fluent, however I found the vocab to be really useful when used in conjunction with Michel Thomas' 8 disc foundation course (which concentrates more on sentence structure and verbs). My husband didn't use Instant Recall (and only did 6 of the 8 Michel Thomas discs) and it was surprising how much I had to translate/communicate during our recent trip to Cuba.
It concentrates more on Latin American pronunciation, which was good for our purpose. I did find that the translation of a couple of the words didn't quite match up, but this was never a problem during our stay.
In short this is worth the money if you get it for a good price.
Instant Recall Spanish Vocab, 23 Dec 2007
This is a great CD set to learn around 200 Spanish words using word and imagery association. The product review on this page explain the methods quite well. I found the explanations very clear and I was able to picture the images very well, therefore storing the vocab in my memory. Like other reviewers here I suggest you listen to this with your eyes closed to really picture the images in your mind. Some of the links are a touch tenuous, and these are the words I fail to remember, I've found (and recommend) that using my own imagery works better for these words and I'm slowly starting to grasp the remaining few words that previously escaped me. Not only is this course good for learning basic vocab, but it is also good for your brain overall, encouraging memory techniques that can be transferred outside of this course. The speakers on the discs are clear and are pleasant to listen to. Some courses i've done previously have put me off straight away with cheesy music and terrible speakers; this course has none of that. Overall this is a great place to start if you want to learn Spanish to get by on holidays and if you want to get a good grounding before starting night classes. I'd also recommend Michael Grunbergs Spanish association book that compliments this course perfectly and which I picked up on amazon for 2.99. This course is well worth a try. Does exactly what it says on the.. eh... tin, 20 Jul 2007
If, like me, you spend a lot of time in the car and don't mind folk thinking you are barking mad because you're talking to yourself, this is a great way to learn some spanish vocab. The only reason why I only give it 4 stars not 5 is because I wish there was more of it.
I already had a fair knowledge of spanish thru the excellent Michel Thomas series (very grammar based), but needed to improve my vocab. This is much more fun and really, really works. You don't bneed to keep pausing the cd either, you just rattle thru it. MORE PLEASE! Excellent beginners tool, 23 Jul 2003
I was a complete beginner and this gave me the confidence to continue. It's quick, it's easy and I wish there was more of it. I can't recommend this enough if it's your very first tool for learning Spanish. A Quick Jab at Vocab!, 12 Mar 2003
... Instant Recall's definitely worth ... the price. While its offering of 200 words is a less than ideal, one can go through the course in about 4 hours realistically (including breaks, checking out the blooklet which includes spellings and pronounciations, and about 2 1/2 hours of listening, imagining and testing time). I found that closing my eyes while listening to the CD, helped in imagining the associations between the Eglish and corresponding Spanish words. While there're no verbs (which is where I think most people would need help) a quick shot of 200 words is bound to help any beginner's confidence. I picked up the words fast, it's not hard considering they're spilt in categories and fed one at a time, in sets of ten. A word is announced in English (by Alex) and then it's Spanish counterpart (by Isabella), after which Alex asks you to picture an association. Alex: The word for soup in spanish is...
Isabella: Sopa!
Alex: Imagine a soup that tastes like soap. You're given some time... enough to work your imagination, and then Alex & Isabella move on to the next word. After a set of ten in a particular category you're tested. I think the technique works pretty well, but then again that might depend on the individual. I recommend using this along with the Michel Thomas Spanish Audio CDs. Neither audio set substitute good one-on-one teaching, but they're definitely good supplements (and should be good for those short of time). Had it dealt with verbs it would definitely get five stars!
A good beginners guide, 20 Jan 2002
Being a beginner in Italian I have bought other books which are difficult to get in to. However this book is excellent and the cassettes which accompany them are fantastic. They give you the chance to repeat what is said in dialogues and are very good.
A Perfect Tape to Acompany Buongiorno Italia Book, 19 Oct 2001
I would strongly recommend that you purchase this tape if you are learning Italian. I have been studying at night school and it seems that most tutors work from this book. With the tape you can listen and practice at home following the conversations from the book.
An excellent beginners guide for learing Italian, 19 May 2001
The book is divided into twenty chapters which gradually build your knowledge up from nil to a reasonable level of competence. Each chapter covers a 'situation' (such as in a cafe, booking a room etc) and includes conversation pieces (to go with the cassettes and TV programmes), vocab, references to simple grammar and exercises. The structure is such that it is fine as a self study aid on its own or in conjenction with other material.
Brilliant for home study, 03 Apr 2001
I found this book a great help for studying at home. I go to evening classes once a week where we use 'Italianissimo' the BBC course. I find this a much better book to get along with. Being an adult in fulltime work its hard to find time to study.This is easy and practical, it gives me confidence.I find that it teaches me in such a way that I can retain the information.Ideal for conversational Italian and getting by on hloiday.
An excellent easy to use guide for beginners to intermediate, 06 Jun 2000
I have successfully taught using this book for several years. It covers useful topics in a clear and interesting way. It has a wealth of exercises to practice your new-found knowledge. Grammar is introduced gently but thoroughly. It is a traditional style book and lacks the coloured pictures which newer books have but it is easy to follow and well presented. My only criticism is that the prices given as examples in the book are out of date making everything too cheap so don't be shocked when you go to Italy! The tapes are very useful and offer further practice. The book is user friendly and my students and I highly recommend it.
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Customer Reviews
Strong language course for beginners, 08 Dec 2007
I was slightly dismayed to see that the only review of this course had been overly negative; after lots of searching for an effective self-teaching course, I thought this was a fantastic find. Yes, the CD's are mislabelled, but that is far outweighed by the textbooks clear layout, supporting and fun exercises, knowlege consolidation pages, and clear grammar and vocab points. Only other complaint is that one might have to replay the listening exercises a few times to understand them in their entirety, but overall, I think this is an excellent course I would reccomend to anyone wanting to learn Spanish. The CDs have been labelled wrongly and some books have blank pages, 10 Nov 2007
I bought 2 copies of the complete pack of the 3rd edition of Pasos, which is the book I have been using for about 12 years, but the 2 C are wrongly labelled and it is confusing, one of the books has blank and missing pages.
I contacted the publishers and they exchanged the book, but the CD have not been exchanged or sold at a special price, all they can say is that they apologise.
It is quite confusing for the students and for me to use the right CD because the contents of CD 1 are on CD 3and viceversa.
I am not going to buy anything published by Hodder...and I will never advice my students to use the Pasos book again.
I am truly dissapointed and amazed at the poor response from the publishers.
Yolanda Highly recommended, 12 Oct 2008
Whether you are school studying for GCSE Spanish, undertaking a Spanish course at night school or maybe planning to live in Spain, this 3CD learning pack is highly recommended. It can be used instead of using a text book, or alongside one. The exercises are interesting and enjoyable.
The course is not convincing or too complicated.
Decent elementary and ungimmicky programme, 12 Sep 2008
Straightforward and ungimmicky, i found the easiest way of using it was to transfer it to my MP3 player so i could use it on my commute.
It is very much a beginners Spanish - it starts slowly from the absolute basics.
Towards the end of the first (of 3) CDs the pace starts to hot up. One might get a little critical of their choice of vocabulary at this point, asking where things are and learning "in front of" "behind" and "opposite" - crummy linguists like me tend to use `point and show' to cope with this element of communication, but one can always quibble about this.
Usefully they give what they call "real conversation" (though it doesn't sound terribly real), where someone lets loose a mouthful of Spanish in reply to one of your questions, then they invite you to look for the words you know to make sense of it. This is a helpful survival strategy.
Recommendable stuff.
A vibrant new way to learn Spanish., 28 Aug 2008
The Collins easy learning is a quick and simple way to pick up the language. Many of these types of language learning programs promise big things and dont deliver.
The learning program is split up into 12 short units which introduces 5 keywords and phrases per unit. To aid the understanding of each unit, there are sections on culture and etiquette. This is most helpful in adopting the spoken language, and this approach is a new idea I've not come across before within these learning packages and I have to say it works really well when trying to adopt the language into a conversation.
It also gives a better understanding of which words to use and why and will improve word selection dramatically. This is by no means an advanced learning package, so don't expect to be speaking fluent Spanish within a few weeks because that's not going to happen. What you can expect is to learn how to use the language properly. It will heighten confidence greatly to take the language to the next level or if your happy to get by at the intermediate level then look no further.
The package is a complete bargain, and contains transcripts of the CD's. I recommend putting the CD's onto an MP3 player. I have done the course twice now and even though I'm no Spanish linguist I can speak Spanish much more confidently now. I certainly wouldn't feel stupid using it abroad any more.
A great product at a great price don't miss out.
my spanish has improved, 21 Aug 2008
i have loaded this onto my ipod and its helping me to improve my Spanish already. the disc's and book make it eaasy to learn the basics (mainly phrases) which you can build on, with more books in the series if you want. This course is not concerned with getting stuck into the verbs and tenses, but more getting you past been able to say more than hello, and a beer please. Easy help with ordering your fry-up!, 15 Aug 2008
The Collins Easy Learning Spanish does exactly what it says on the tin (well almost!). GCSE students of any grade will not find this package helpful as it really does concentrate on the basics, but if, like the majority of us "Brits Abroad" the depths of our comprehension of any foregin language has gone well beyond the point of embarrassment - this 3cd set will prove most helpful! After a week or so, I'm now confident enough to order my way through dinner, not panic if totally lost and maybe even not get arrested if stopped at the airport by saying the wrong thing!
My only gripe??..........in all honesty this is a "phrase" book set to get you by and the grammar sections are all basic. But for the same pice as a printed phrase book with the added bonus of the correct, legible and clear pronouncement it is easily worth 4 stars and a purchase! Eccellente, 25 May 2008
This is an amazing item, I have tried many diferent techniques to learn Italian and this is by far the best. I really do encourage you to buy this you won't regret it. The voices used are really good as well, they saying everything clearly allowing you to understand quicker. The music is also an added bonus it allows the words to stick in your brain faster, and makes the experience alot more enjoyable. With this product its not a matter of having to use it, but you want to use it. Fantastic. Not for me., 22 May 2008
The principle of learning a language by listening to music appealed to me but unfortunately I have to say that this doesn't really float my boat. It's not what I would consider music, rather it is just a re-work of the idea of repetition with some tunes in the background and some odd mixing.
Since buying this I haven't even been able to make it all the way through without becoming frustrated, or amused at the music... either of which aren't conducive to my learning some Italian.
I think I'll look for something else. Excellent and Fun, 30 Apr 2008
Have just bought this for a family trip to Italy in a few weeks.
This CD is great, very attractive to listen to - rather than a chore (my wife enjoyed listening to it compared to other ones shw would ask me to turn off!)
Production is great, background music is very good and really adds to the experience, but the way it gives and then breaks down phrases that you are very likely to use gets you using words and phrases straightaway. I would consider using EarWorm again (e.g. for French) Brilliant, 02 Apr 2008
This cd is absolutely brilliant, I had been struggling with remembering phrases and words before but now I listen to this on the tube on my way to work and before I know it I'm blurting out words in italian. It really does work, I had been letting the next module play whilst concentrating on the previous one but realised that without knowing it I had picked up words from the next section. Will definately be buying Volume 2. It Really Works !, 14 Nov 2007
By far the easiest method I have come across so far. I use it mainly in my car driving to and from work - it doesn't require a lot of concentration like others I have tried because it repeats each phrase several times (in a non-boring way) so it does not distract from driving.
I could really do with part 2 now and I hope they make one soon! Love the crazy associations, 12 May 2008
OK, so some of the associations are a bit dodgy, but I actually found this to be really funny, which ultimately helped me to remember the words.
With only 200 words you're not going to become fluent, however I found the vocab to be really useful when used in conjunction with Michel Thomas' 8 disc foundation course (which concentrates more on sentence structure and verbs). My husband didn't use Instant Recall (and only did 6 of the 8 Michel Thomas discs) and it was surprising how much I had to translate/communicate during our recent trip to Cuba.
It concentrates more on Latin American pronunciation, which was good for our purpose. I did find that the translation of a couple of the words didn't quite match up, but this was never a problem during our stay.
In short this is worth the money if you get it for a good price.
Instant Recall Spanish Vocab, 23 Dec 2007
This is a great CD set to learn around 200 Spanish words using word and imagery association. The product review on this page explain the methods quite well. I found the explanations very clear and I was able to picture the images very well, therefore storing the vocab in my memory. Like other reviewers here I suggest you listen to this with your eyes closed to really picture the images in your mind. Some of the links are a touch tenuous, and these are the words I fail to remember, I've found (and recommend) that using my own imagery works better for these words and I'm slowly starting to grasp the remaining few words that previously escaped me. Not only is this course good for learning basic vocab, but it is also good for your brain overall, encouraging memory techniques that can be transferred outside of this course. The speakers on the discs are clear and are pleasant to listen to. Some courses i've done previously have put me off straight away with cheesy music and terrible speakers; this course has none of that. Overall this is a great place to start if you want to learn Spanish to get by on holidays and if you want to get a good grounding before starting night classes. I'd also recommend Michael Grunbergs Spanish association book that compliments this course perfectly and which I picked up on amazon for 2.99. This course is well worth a try. Does exactly what it says on the.. eh... tin, 20 Jul 2007
If, like me, you spend a lot of time in the car and don't mind folk thinking you are barking mad because you're talking to yourself, this is a great way to learn some spanish vocab. The only reason why I only give it 4 stars not 5 is because I wish there was more of it.
I already had a fair knowledge of spanish thru the excellent Michel Thomas series (very grammar based), but needed to improve my vocab. This is much more fun and really, really works. You don't bneed to keep pausing the cd either, you just rattle thru it. MORE PLEASE! Excellent beginners tool, 23 Jul 2003
I was a complete beginner and this gave me the confidence to continue. It's quick, it's easy and I wish there was more of it. I can't recommend this enough if it's your very first tool for learning Spanish. A Quick Jab at Vocab!, 12 Mar 2003
... Instant Recall's definitely worth ... the price. While its offering of 200 words is a less than ideal, one can go through the course in about 4 hours realistically (including breaks, checking out the blooklet which includes spellings and pronounciations, and about 2 1/2 hours of listening, imagining and testing time). I found that closing my eyes while listening to the CD, helped in imagining the associations between the Eglish and corresponding Spanish words. While there're no verbs (which is where I think most people would need help) a quick shot of 200 words is bound to help any beginner's confidence. I picked up the words fast, it's not hard considering they're spilt in categories and fed one at a time, in sets of ten. A word is announced in English (by Alex) and then it's Spanish counterpart (by Isabella), after which Alex asks you to picture an association. Alex: The word for soup in spanish is...
Isabella: Sopa!
Alex: Imagine a soup that tastes like soap. You're given some time... enough to work your imagination, and then Alex & Isabella move on to the next word. After a set of ten in a particular category you're tested. I think the technique works pretty well, but then again that might depend on the individual. I recommend using this along with the Michel Thomas Spanish Audio CDs. Neither audio set substitute good one-on-one teaching, but they're definitely good supplements (and should be good for those short of time). Had it dealt with verbs it would definitely get five stars!
A good beginners guide, 20 Jan 2002
Being a beginner in Italian I have bought other books which are difficult to get in to. However this book is excellent and the cassettes which accompany them are fantastic. They give you the chance to repeat what is said in dialogues and are very good.
A Perfect Tape to Acompany Buongiorno Italia Book, 19 Oct 2001
I would strongly recommend that you purchase this tape if you are learning Italian. I have been studying at night school and it seems that most tutors work from this book. With the tape you can listen and practice at home following the conversations from the book.
An excellent beginners guide for learing Italian, 19 May 2001
The book is divided into twenty chapters which gradually build your knowledge up from nil to a reasonable level of competence. Each chapter covers a 'situation' (such as in a cafe, booking a room etc) and includes conversation pieces (to go with the cassettes and TV programmes), vocab, references to simple grammar and exercises. The structure is such that it is fine as a self study aid on its own or in conjenction with other material.
Brilliant for home study, 03 Apr 2001
I found this book a great help for studying at home. I go to evening classes once a week where we use 'Italianissimo' the BBC course. I find this a much better book to get along with. Being an adult in fulltime work its hard to find time to study.This is easy and practical, it gives me confidence.I find that it teaches me in such a way that I can retain the information.Ideal for conversational Italian and getting by on hloiday.
An excellent easy to use guide for beginners to intermediate, 06 Jun 2000
I have successfully taught using this book for several years. It covers useful topics in a clear and interesting way. It has a wealth of exercises to practice your new-found knowledge. Grammar is introduced gently but thoroughly. It is a traditional style book and lacks the coloured pictures which newer books have but it is easy to follow and well presented. My only criticism is that the prices given as examples in the book are out of date making everything too cheap so don't be shocked when you go to Italy! The tapes are very useful and offer further practice. The book is user friendly and my students and I highly recommend it.
Unique and interesting learning tool, 18 Sep 2008
I fully praise this product for differing from the over populated language learning tools market. While the market has many examples of good books and CDs, they are yet to be combined in such a way as this.
The only fault I could really mention is that with the CD refering to the books a lot, it wouldn't be a viable purchase for learning in the car or on the move, for example. You'll need the time to put in to learning your chosen language, but should you put the time in it will pay off.
A much needed confidence boost!!, 22 Aug 2008
This pack has really helped me get to grips with French.
I was taking a short course, but I was struggling as we were just reading phrases out of a textbook. I was unsure about the pronunciation when I practiced alone. Result? I was very shy in front of everyone else & quickly became embarrassed and stuttered all of the time. I eventually gave up on the course...
That's why I love this pack. As well as a clearly laid out 207 page book, you'll also receive 2 CDs. The first CD goes with the book, so you can learn the correct pronunciation of the phrases.
The second CD is for when you've become a bit more confident & isn't used with the book. This is great as you can do the housework whilst you're learning. You can also take on car journeys & put those traffic jams to good use!!
The phases themselves are chosen out to learn before you go on vacation. The book is separated into 10 of the most popular holiday activities; visiting cafes, shops, museums, restaurants, taxi journeys, the tourist office, the market, what time is it & goodbye!!
This pack is only a beginner's guide, but my sister is also using it to learn the correct pronunciations of phrases & improve her confidence for her exams.
pretty good for beginner, 24 Jul 2008
Overall i think this product is aimed at the real beginner going on a trip to France with a chance to try out the language. Which is no bad thing at all. My French is moderate so i found the pack a bit basic. Some nice ideas and different ways to get ideas and phrases across, audio examples are very useful. Recommended for those who don't take kindly to just reading the text and are unable to translate what they read to the sounds/accent of the language.
A great way to learn., 09 Jul 2008
I got this in what I thought would be a vain attempt to learn English before a trip to France. Not having spoken a word of French since my GCSE's (and even then it wasn't much!), I was not confident. The package, like other language products, comes with both audo cds and books. What makes the difference here is the layout, and the general presentation. It is extremely easy to pick up and learn. This then gives you the confidence to continue. There isn't anything here that hasn't been done before, but it has been put together incredibly well.
Didn't work for me, 24 Apr 2008
This is the 3rd time I have attempted to learn French. Five fruitless years at school (compulsory subject), as second attempt with evening classes held in the university in which I teach, and now this. Obviously French and I don't mix, so perhaps this product was always going to be doomed to failure with me. I have rated it 2 stars rather than 5 as I admit that it was slightly better fun than the way French was taught at school or in the evening class.
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French Experience 2 (5 CD Pack)
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Jeanine PicardMike Garnier;
2004-07-12;
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Usually dispatched within 1-2 business days
*Best price found from Amazon Marketplace seller
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*Amazon: £17.65
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Customer Reviews
Strong language course for beginners, 08 Dec 2007
I was slightly dismayed to see that the only review of this course had been overly negative; after lots of searching for an effective self-teaching course, I thought this was a fantastic find. Yes, the CD's are mislabelled, but that is far outweighed by the textbooks clear layout, supporting and fun exercises, knowlege consolidation pages, and clear grammar and vocab points. Only other complaint is that one might have to replay the listening exercises a few times to understand them in their entirety, but overall, I think this is an excellent course I would reccomend to anyone wanting to learn Spanish. The CDs have been labelled wrongly and some books have blank pages, 10 Nov 2007
I bought 2 copies of the complete pack of the 3rd edition of Pasos, which is the book I have been using for about 12 years, but the 2 C are wrongly labelled and it is confusing, one of the books has blank and missing pages.
I contacted the publishers and they exchanged the book, but the CD have not been exchanged or sold at a special price, all they can say is that they apologise.
It is quite confusing for the students and for me to use the right CD because the contents of CD 1 are on CD 3and viceversa.
I am not going to buy anything published by Hodder...and I will never advice my students to use the Pasos book again.
I am truly dissapointed and amazed at the poor response from the publishers.
Yolanda Highly recommended, 12 Oct 2008
Whether you are school studying for GCSE Spanish, undertaking a Spanish course at night school or maybe planning to live in Spain, this 3CD learning pack is highly recommended. It can be used instead of using a text book, or alongside one. The exercises are interesting and enjoyable.
The course is not convincing or too complicated.
Decent elementary and ungimmicky programme, 12 Sep 2008
Straightforward and ungimmicky, i found the easiest way of using it was to transfer it to my MP3 player so i could use it on my commute.
It is very much a beginners Spanish - it starts slowly from the absolute basics.
Towards the end of the first (of 3) CDs the pace starts to hot up. One might get a little critical of their choice of vocabulary at this point, asking where things are and learning "in front of" "behind" and "opposite" - crummy linguists like me tend to use `point and show' to cope with this element of communication, but one can always quibble about this.
Usefully they give what they call "real conversation" (though it doesn't sound terribly real), where someone lets loose a mouthful of Spanish in reply to one of your questions, then they invite you to look for the words you know to make sense of it. This is a helpful survival strategy.
Recommendable stuff.
A vibrant new way to learn Spanish., 28 Aug 2008
The Collins easy learning is a quick and simple way to pick up the language. Many of these types of language learning programs promise big things and dont deliver.
The learning program is split up into 12 short units which introduces 5 keywords and phrases per unit. To aid the understanding of each unit, there are sections on culture and etiquette. This is most helpful in adopting the spoken language, and this approach is a new idea I've not come across before within these learning packages and I have to say it works really well when trying to adopt the language into a conversation.
It also gives a better understanding of which words to use and why and will improve word selection dramatically. This is by no means an advanced learning package, so don't expect to be speaking fluent Spanish within a few weeks because that's not going to happen. What you can expect is to learn how to use the language properly. It will heighten confidence greatly to take the language to the next level or if your happy to get by at the intermediate level then look no further.
The package is a complete bargain, and contains transcripts of the CD's. I recommend putting the CD's onto an MP3 player. I have done the course twice now and even though I'm no Spanish linguist I can speak Spanish much more confidently now. I certainly wouldn't feel stupid using it abroad any more.
A great product at a great price don't miss out.
my spanish has improved, 21 Aug 2008
i have loaded this onto my ipod and its helping me to improve my Spanish already. the disc's and book make it eaasy to learn the basics (mainly phrases) which you can build on, with more books in the series if you want. This course is not concerned with getting stuck into the verbs and tenses, but more getting you past been able to say more than hello, and a beer please. Easy help with ordering your fry-up!, 15 Aug 2008
The Collins Easy Learning Spanish does exactly what it says on the tin (well almost!). GCSE students of any grade will not find this package helpful as it really does concentrate on the basics, but if, like the majority of us "Brits Abroad" the depths of our comprehension of any foregin language has gone well beyond the point of embarrassment - this 3cd set will prove most helpful! After a week or so, I'm now confident enough to order my way through dinner, not panic if totally lost and maybe even not get arrested if stopped at the airport by saying the wrong thing!
My only gripe??..........in all honesty this is a "phrase" book set to get you by and the grammar sections are all basic. But for the same pice as a printed phrase book with the added bonus of the correct, legible and clear pronouncement it is easily worth 4 stars and a purchase! Eccellente, 25 May 2008
This is an amazing item, I have tried many diferent techniques to learn Italian and this is by far the best. I really do encourage you to buy this you won't regret it. The voices used are really good as well, they saying everything clearly allowing you to understand quicker. The music is also an added bonus it allows the words to stick in your brain faster, and makes the experience alot more enjoyable. With this product its not a matter of having to use it, but you want to use it. Fantastic. Not for me., 22 May 2008
The principle of learning a language by listening to music appealed to me but unfortunately I have to say that this doesn't really float my boat. It's not what I would consider music, rather it is just a re-work of the idea of repetition with some tunes in the background and some odd mixing.
Since buying this I haven't even been able to make it all the way through without becoming frustrated, or amused at the music... either of which aren't conducive to my learning some Italian.
I think I'll look for something else. Excellent and Fun, 30 Apr 2008
Have just bought this for a family trip to Italy in a few weeks.
This CD is great, very attractive to listen to - rather than a chore (my wife enjoyed listening to it compared to other ones shw would ask me to turn off!)
Production is great, background music is very good and really adds to the experience, but the way it gives and then breaks down phrases that you are very likely to use gets you using words and phrases straightaway. I would consider using EarWorm again (e.g. for French) Brilliant, 02 Apr 2008
This cd is absolutely brilliant, I had been struggling with remembering phrases and words before but now I listen to this on the tube on my way to work and before I know it I'm blurting out words in italian. It really does work, I had been letting the next module play whilst concentrating on the previous one but realised that without knowing it I had picked up words from the next section. Will definately be buying Volume 2. It Really Works !, 14 Nov 2007
By far the easiest method I have come across so far. I use it mainly in my car driving to and from work - it doesn't require a lot of concentration like others I have tried because it repeats each phrase several times (in a non-boring way) so it does not distract from driving.
I could really do with part 2 now and I hope they make one soon! Love the crazy associations, 12 May 2008
OK, so some of the associations are a bit dodgy, but I actually found this to be really funny, which ultimately helped me to remember the words.
With only 200 words you're not going to become fluent, however I found the vocab to be really useful when used in conjunction with Michel Thomas' 8 disc foundation course (which concentrates more on sentence structure and verbs). My husband didn't use Instant Recall (and only did 6 of the 8 Michel Thomas discs) and it was surprising how much I had to translate/communicate during our recent trip to Cuba.
It concentrates more on Latin American pronunciation, which was good for our purpose. I did find that the translation of a couple of the words didn't quite match up, but this was never a problem during our stay.
In short this is worth the money if you get it for a good price.
Instant Recall Spanish Vocab, 23 Dec 2007
This is a great CD set to learn around 200 Spanish words using word and imagery association. The product review on this page explain the methods quite well. I found the explanations very clear and I was able to picture the images very well, therefore storing the vocab in my memory. Like other reviewers here I suggest you listen to this with your eyes closed to really picture the images in your mind. Some of the links are a touch tenuous, and these are the words I fail to remember, I've found (and recommend) that using my own imagery works better for these words and I'm slowly starting to grasp the remaining few words that previously escaped me. Not only is this course good for learning basic vocab, but it is also good for your brain overall, encouraging memory techniques that can be transferred outside of this course. The speakers on the discs are clear and are pleasant to listen to. Some courses i've done previously have put me off straight away with cheesy music and terrible speakers; this course has none of that. Overall this is a great place to start if you want to learn Spanish to get by on holidays and if you want to get a good grounding before starting night classes. I'd also recommend Michael Grunbergs Spanish association book that compliments this course perfectly and which I picked up on amazon for 2.99. This course is well worth a try. Does exactly what it says on the.. eh... tin, 20 Jul 2007
If, like me, you spend a lot of time in the car and don't mind folk thinking you are barking mad because you're talking to yourself, this is a great way to learn some spanish vocab. The only reason why I only give it 4 stars not 5 is because I wish there was more of it.
I already had a fair knowledge of spanish thru the excellent Michel Thomas series (very grammar based), but needed to improve my vocab. This is much more fun and really, really works. You don't bneed to keep pausing the cd either, you just rattle thru it. MORE PLEASE! Excellent beginners tool, 23 Jul 2003
I was a complete beginner and this gave me the confidence to continue. It's quick, it's easy and I wish there was more of it. I can't recommend this enough if it's your very first tool for learning Spanish. A Quick Jab at Vocab!, 12 Mar 2003
... Instant Recall's definitely worth ... the price. While its offering of 200 words is a less than ideal, one can go through the course in about 4 hours realistically (including breaks, checking out the blooklet which includes spellings and pronounciations, and about 2 1/2 hours of listening, imagining and testing time). I found that closing my eyes while listening to the CD, helped in imagining the associations between the Eglish and corresponding Spanish words. While there're no verbs (which is where I think most people would need help) a quick shot of 200 words is bound to help any beginner's confidence. I picked up the words fast, it's not hard considering they're spilt in categories and fed one at a time, in sets of ten. A word is announced in English (by Alex) and then it's Spanish counterpart (by Isabella), after which Alex asks you to picture an association. Alex: The word for soup in spanish is...
Isabella: Sopa!
Alex: Imagine a soup that tastes like soap. You're given some time... enough to work your imagination, and then Alex & Isabella move on to the next word. After a set of ten in a particular category you're tested. I think the technique works pretty well, but then again that might depend on the individual. I recommend using this along with the Michel Thomas Spanish Audio CDs. Neither audio set substitute good one-on-one teaching, but they're definitely good supplements (and should be good for those short of time). Had it dealt with verbs it would definitely get five stars!
A good beginners guide, 20 Jan 2002
Being a beginner in Italian I have bought other books which are difficult to get in to. However this book is excellent and the cassettes which accompany them are fantastic. They give you the chance to repeat what is said in dialogues and are very good.
A Perfect Tape to Acompany Buongiorno Italia Book, 19 Oct 2001
I would strongly recommend that you purchase this tape if you are learning Italian. I have been studying at night school and it seems that most tutors work from this book. With the tape you can listen and practice at home following the conversations from the book.
An excellent beginners guide for learing Italian, 19 May 2001
The book is divided into twenty chapters which gradually build your knowledge up from nil to a reasonable level of competence. Each chapter covers a 'situation' (such as in a cafe, booking a room etc) and includes conversation pieces (to go with the cassettes and TV programmes), vocab, references to simple grammar and exercises. The structure is such that it is fine as a self study aid on its own or in conjenction with other material.
Brilliant for home study, 03 Apr 2001
I found this book a great help for studying at home. I go to evening classes once a week where we use 'Italianissimo' the BBC course. I find this a much better book to get along with. Being an adult in fulltime work its hard to find time to study.This is easy and practical, it gives me confidence.I find that it teaches me in such a way that I can retain the information.Ideal for conversational Italian and getting by on hloiday.
An excellent easy to use guide for beginners to intermediate, 06 Jun 2000
I have successfully taught using this book for several years. It covers useful topics in a clear and interesting way. It has a wealth of exercises to practice your new-found knowledge. Grammar is introduced gently but thoroughly. It is a traditional style book and lacks the coloured pictures which newer books have but it is easy to follow and well presented. My only criticism is that the prices given as examples in the book are out of date making everything too cheap so don't be shocked when you go to Italy! The tapes are very useful and offer further practice. The book is user friendly and my students and I highly recommend it.
Unique and interesting learning tool, 18 Sep 2008
I fully praise this product for differing from the over populated language learning tools market. While the market has many examples of good books and CDs, they are yet to be combined in such a way as this.
The only fault I could really mention is that with the CD refering to the books a lot, it wouldn't be a viable purchase for learning in the car or on the move, for example. You'll need the time to put in to learning your chosen language, but should you put the time in it will pay off.
A much needed confidence boost!!, 22 Aug 2008
This pack has really helped me get to grips with French.
I was taking a short course, but I was struggling as we were just reading phrases out of a textbook. I was unsure about the pronunciation when I practiced alone. Result? I was very shy in front of everyone else & quickly became embarrassed and stuttered all of the time. I eventually gave up on the course...
That's why I love this pack. As well as a clearly laid out 207 page book, you'll also receive 2 CDs. The first CD goes with the book, so you can learn the correct pronunciation of the phrases.
The second CD is for when you've become a bit more confident & isn't used with the book. This is great as you can do the housework whilst you're learning. You can also take on car journeys & put those traffic jams to good use!!
The phases themselves are chosen out to learn before you go on vacation. The book is separated into 10 of the most popular holiday activities; visiting cafes, shops, museums, restaurants, taxi journeys, the tourist office, the market, what time is it & goodbye!!
This pack is only a beginner's guide, but my sister is also using it to learn the correct pronunciations of phrases & improve her confidence for her exams.
pretty good for beginner, 24 Jul 2008
Overall i think this product is aimed at the real beginner going on a trip to France with a chance to try out the language. Which is no bad thing at all. My French is moderate so i found the pack a bit basic. Some nice ideas and different ways to get ideas and phrases across, audio examples are very useful. Recommended for those who don't take kindly to just reading the text and are unable to translate what they read to the sounds/accent of the language.
A great way to learn., 09 Jul 2008
I got this in what I thought would be a vain attempt to learn English before a trip to France. Not having spoken a word of French since my GCSE's (and even then it wasn't much!), I was not confident. The package, like other language products, comes with both audo cds and books. What makes the difference here is the layout, and the general presentation. It is extremely easy to pick up and learn. This then gives you the confidence to continue. There isn't anything here that hasn't been done before, but it has been put together incredibly well.
Didn't work for me, 24 Apr 2008
This is the 3rd time I have attempted to learn French. Five fruitless years at school (compulsory subject), as second attempt with evening classes held in the university in which I teach, and now this. Obviously French and I don't mix, so perhaps this product was always going to be doomed to failure with me. I have rated it 2 stars rather than 5 as I admit that it was slightly better fun than the way French was taught at school or in the evening class.
A `must have' for budding linguists!, 02 Aug 2006
These CDs should really be purchased alongside the course book. After having ordered the CD set alone, I discovered that to enable a full understanding of what was happening, and to expand my reading and pronunciation and recognition of French, the course book was essential. May I fully recommend spending the extra £10 - if you really would like to benefit as much as is possible from the French Experience 2 Course, then do so. I have been learning French in for 2 years, and found this intermediate course study `just right' for the stage I was at. After following the `Encore Tricolore' scheme, this appeared to act as a perfect `stepping-stone' from Encore Tricolore 2 to 3. May I also recommend the other BBC Language books. [...]
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Customer Reviews
Strong language course for beginners, 08 Dec 2007
I was slightly dismayed to see that the only review of this course had been overly negative; after lots of searching for an effective self-teaching course, I thought this was a fantastic find. Yes, the CD's are mislabelled, but that is far outweighed by the textbooks clear layout, supporting and fun exercises, knowlege consolidation pages, and clear grammar and vocab points. Only other complaint is that one might have to replay the listening exercises a few times to understand them in their entirety, but overall, I think this is an excellent course I would reccomend to anyone wanting to learn Spanish.
The CDs have been labelled wrongly and some books have blank pages, 10 Nov 2007
I bought 2 copies of the complete pack of the 3rd edition of Pasos, which is the book I have been using for about 12 years, but the 2 C are wrongly labelled and it is confusing, one of the books has blank and missing pages.
I contacted the publishers and they exchanged the book, but the CD have not been exchanged or sold at a special price, all they can say is that they apologise.
It is quite confusing for the students and for me to use the right CD because the contents of CD 1 are on CD 3and viceversa.
I am not going to buy anything published by Hodder...and I will never advice my students to use the Pasos book again.
I am truly dissapointed and amazed at the poor response from the publishers.
Yolanda
Highly recommended, 12 Oct 2008
Whether you are school studying for GCSE Spanish, undertaking a Spanish course at night school or maybe planning to live in Spain, this 3CD learning pack is highly recommended. It can be used instead of using a text book, or alongside one. The exercises are interesting and enjoyable.
The course is not convincing or too complicated.
Decent elementary and ungimmicky programme, 12 Sep 2008
Straightforward and ungimmicky, i found the easiest way of using it was to transfer it to my MP3 player so i could use it on my commute.
It is very much a beginners Spanish - it starts slowly from the absolute basics.
Towards the end of the first (of 3) CDs the pace starts to hot up. One might get a little critical of their choice of vocabulary at this point, asking where things are and learning "in front of" "behind" and "opposite" - crummy linguists like me tend to use `point and show' to cope with this element of communication, but one can always quibble about this.
Usefully they give what they call "real conversation" (though it doesn't sound terribly real), where someone lets loose a mouthful of Spanish in reply to one of your questions, then they invite you to look for the words you know to make sense of it. This is a helpful survival strategy.
Recommendable stuff.
A vibrant new way to learn Spanish., 28 Aug 2008
The Collins easy learning is a quick and simple way to pick up the language. Many of these types of language learning programs promise big things and dont deliver.
The learning program is split up into 12 short units which introduces 5 keywords and phrases per unit. To aid the understanding of each unit, there are sections on culture and etiquette. This is most helpful in adopting the spoken language, and this approach is a new idea I've not come across before within these learning packages and I have to say it works really well when trying to adopt the language into a conversation.
It also gives a better understanding of which words to use and why and will improve word selection dramatically. This is by no means an advanced learning package, so don't expect to be speaking fluent Spanish within a few weeks because that's not going to happen. What you can expect is to learn how to use the language properly. It will heighten confidence greatly to take the language to the next level or if your happy to get by at the intermediate level then look no further.
The package is a complete bargain, and contains transcripts of the CD's. I recommend putting the CD's onto an MP3 player. I have done the course twice now and even though I'm no Spanish linguist I can speak Spanish much more confidently now. I certainly wouldn't feel stupid using it abroad any more.
A great product at a great price don't miss out.
my spanish has improved, 21 Aug 2008
i have loaded this onto my ipod and its helping me to improve my Spanish already. the disc's and book make it eaasy to learn the basics (mainly phrases) which you can build on, with more books in the series if you want. This course is not concerned with getting stuck into the verbs and tenses, but more getting you past been able to say more than hello, and a beer please.
Easy help with ordering your fry-up!, 15 Aug 2008
The Collins Easy Learning Spanish does exactly what it says on the tin (well almost!). GCSE students of any grade will not find this package helpful as it really does concentrate on the basics, but if, like the majority of us "Brits Abroad" the depths of our comprehension | | |