Beginners...Master The Basic Spanish Language
As a beginner, learning the basic Spanish language can be overwhelming and confusing regarding where to start and with which courses. The importance of learning the basics of the language is paramount and I am here to guide you through the whole process, so relax and read on.
How Do I Know Which Products Will Be Best For Me?
Products I Recommend For The Basic Spanish Language
For beginners there are many products out there, however it pays to take time and consider your own personal learning needs and style before making those all important purchases. I personally recommend mastering a few basic verbs, basic grammar and adding new vocabulary to every learning period.
During my early days of learning Spanish I devoured nearly every product on the market, leaving me no option but to purchase even more storage space for them...not something I would recommend!
How Do I Know Which Products Will Be Best For Me?
As a beginner it is the basic Spanish language you will be mastering and I have put together my top products to help you.To begin with, basic Spanish learning products are a must. With consistent use soon you will be handling basic conversation competently and ready to move onto the next level.
Before you rush out on a spending spree, take a few minutes to identify your own learning style. You may prefer reading material to absorb information or listening to the spoken word may be your style. If you are a feeling person then you may wish to employ a personal tutor as to experience the full spectrum of feelngs, the visual cues and internalizing the experience of interacting with others. This can be a group setting or one to one.
I will give you my top products, products I have personally used and found to be the best out there for mastering the basics of the Spanish language.
Products I Recommend For The Basic Spanish Language
Michel Thomas
This was one of the first products I used and got me off to a flying start! Michel Thomas has an amazing style of teaching which has the listener engaged and hanging from his every word. He has taught world leaders, members of parliament, royalty, actors and actresses. The list is endless. He taught Eddie Izzard who then did a stand up comedy set in a foreign language.
You will listen in on Michel teaching 2 complete beginners the foundations of the basic Spanish language while building vocabulary into sentences. Without realising it, you will be learning basic verbs, basic grammar and all without the old fashioned way of repeating verb and grammar patterns
After using this I was able to have a basic conversation with my tutor on our first meeting! His philosophy is that there is no such thing as a bad student, only a bad teacher. I would recommend purchasing the 10 hour course. There is a beginners 2 hour course, however when you move up a level you receive the 2 hour course again within the 10 hour set. Whichever you decide you will be well on your way.
Amazon.co.uk
Amazon.com
Rocket Spanish
Rocket Spanish has explode all over the internet recently and has received excellent reviews. I was unsure, I had to try it to find out for myself and I wasn't dissappointed at all.
It is one of the courses which teaches 'Real Spanish' and moves away from the traditional methods of teaching. It is a jam packed course with over 30 lessons in audio, games to help with pronunciation and grammar, reading and writing skills,access to a forum, memebers area and more. With this beginners course learners of Spanish will get a grip on common words and phrases used in Spain today. An all round good product for beginners with a decent price tag.
Visual Link
Visual link is a course aimed at teaching you how to master the spoken word. You will learn to speak in complete sentences and ask questions in Spanish. The lessons are based around reading, writing, listening, grammar, vocabulary and the all important speaking. It is a very easy to follow programme with good graphics which allow you to proceed at your on pace.
There are lessons specifically to review vocabulary and pronunciation and fun interactive quizzes and games. For those of you who wish to work on your written Spanish then practice quizzes for the written word are also included.
You will receive 2 CD-ROMs, 10 Audio CDs, a conversation Manual and a travel Case for the CDs
Visual link offer an advanced verb module course which can be used on its own or together with the main course. If both are bought together then a discount is given.
You can go to the online store for a free demo CD and access free online lessons.
Audible
If you love listening while on the go then this is for you. I have trawled the internet for the best value audiobooks and I think I can say I have found it!! For a miniscule monthly subscription (under a tenner) you receive 1 audio book ready to download onto an ipod or mp3 player. There is, for a couple of pounds (or dollars) more, a subscription choice which gives you access to 2 free books per month which I think is awesome value for money. Whether you want to master the basic Spanish language or more advanced then this is ideal.
You can either download books and products onto an mp3 player, stream straight from your computer or burn onto cd..how cool is this? Built into their program you can stop playing a title anywhere and resume listening where you left off!
While you are a member you can have yourself a saving of between 30% and 80% on other titles you wish to purchase. Other products range from authentic unabridged Spanish novels to kids learning products. Note all products are not for learning Spanish but great for lisening to the language. Not to be missed.
Tell Me More is a great product which can help you get from the basic Spanish language to advanced levels quickly. They use a unique learning tool speech recognition, which is a fantastic aid in pronunciation. If you are unsure of a word then you can click on it to hear the correct pronunciation and translation. You will also receive a combination headset/microphone, which is a bonus if you are still a bit shy regarding speaking to others in Spanish.
Linguaphone
There are 3 choices as to which package to go for. For learners of the basic Spanish language there is the alltalk course which is audio only comprising of 16 CD's.
The second choice is the PDQ version which is ideal for a quick fix, if you are planning a holiday for example. I used this before I bought the Pro Course.
The Pro Course is a bumper pack of study material. You will get audio CD's, course books, and a variety of online resouces...great for those of you who enjoy working with the guide of written material. This is an established course to master the basic Spanish language.