Teach Yourself Catalan Complete Course Package (Book + 2CDs) (TY: Complete Courses)
by Alan Yates
|
List Price: $28.95
Our Price: $14.41
Your Save: $ 14.54 ( 50% )
Availability: Usually ships in 24 hours
Manufacturer: McGraw-Hill
|
Average Customer Rating:   
|
|
Binding: Paperback
Dewey Decimal Number: 449.982421
EAN: 9780071430289
ISBN: 0071430288
Label: McGraw-Hill
Number Of Items: 1
Number Of Pages: 356
Publication Date: 2004-09-28
Publisher: McGraw-Hill
Studio: McGraw-Hill
|
|
|
|
|
|
Spotlight customer reviews:
|
Customer Rating:
Summary: "Teach Yourself" -- the title says it all
Comment: You can "get by" with Castilian Spanish in Catalunya, but it's sort of like seeing a movie halfway through. As far as I'm concerned, Catalan is indispensable in Catalunya if you want to get to know the country and the people. Really. It's liable to become even more important in the years to come.
This review is primarly directed to those who already speak Spanish (and I'll bet that covers 99% of the people who buy this course). If do you speak Spanish, consider learning Catalan in a way that's a little different from what the coursebook recommends.
This may not be the recommended approach, but it has certainly worked for me.
I recommend you use the book sparingly at first. The CDs are this package's real strong point--use them! Listen to both of them straight through. Then do it again. Spanish speakers will find they have already absorbed a great deal of grammar and vocabulary.
Then, as you continue to listen to the CDs, refer to the book at those places in the audio where you're not sure what's going on. Don't try to learn all the grammar by rote yet! Once you're confident you understand everything on the CDs (it'll only take a month or two), go through the book lesson by lesson.
By now, speaking and understanding basic Catalan using this package only, your curiosity will be stoked, and you'll want to listen to some "real" Catalan: go to http://www.catradio.cat/reproductor/audio.htm?ID=CATRADIO, and listen to streaming Catalan radio free!
Ready to go for the gold? Sign up free at http://pelc.uib.es/recursos/index.html, and get a world-class course online (Balearic Catalan, which has a few differences from what you'll use in Barcelona, but well worth the effort.)
But by all means start with this package. Highly recommended.
Winter Laite is the author of SKEE.
Customer Rating:
Summary: Book required during study
Comment: This course is designed for study WITH THE BOOK. I purchased this course in hopes of learning Catalan while driving. It is not intended for this application, and it doesn't work while driving. Without the book, it's a long slew of Catalan, no English, and no repetition. By contrast the Pimsleur system (they don't have a Catalan course that I could find) builds language skills slowly, repeating all words in English, then the other language.
In some sense, this is an unfair review. I'm not reviewing the product for it's intended use. So be it.
Customer Rating:
Summary: Good course
Comment: Good course, but definitely not the best. It works if you already live in Catalonya or if you have a close friend to practice.
Customer Rating:
Summary: Lack of language immersion
Comment: I would like to find a teaching book that could put me in Catalan idiom immersion. As it changes constantly from English to Catalan (and vice-versa), it took more difficult to assimilate the idiom.
Too few audio media. Need more do learn the idiom.
Customer Rating:
Summary: Pretty good but there's little else
Comment: I have studied several languages and wanted to learn a little Catalan before a recent trip my husband and I took to Barcelona. This book helped. The CD is absolutely necessary because Catalan pronunciation is very different from English, Spanish and French although related to the latter two. My biggest complaint about the CD was there was rarely enough time to repeat phrases and sentences after the speakers.
I would recommend this course mainly because there is little else out there about Catalan. For this reason I gave it 4 stars. If there was more choice of programs the rating would probably go down to 3.
|
|
|
Editorial Reviews:
|
Customer Rating:
Summary: "Teach Yourself" -- the title says it all
Comment: You can "get by" with Castilian Spanish in Catalunya, but it's sort of like seeing a movie halfway through. As far as I'm concerned, Catalan is indispensable in Catalunya if you want to get to know the country and the people. Really. It's liable to become even more important in the years to come.
This review is primarly directed to those who already speak Spanish (and I'll bet that covers 99% of the people who buy this course). If do you speak Spanish, consider learning Catalan in a way that's a little different from what the coursebook recommends.
This may not be the recommended approach, but it has certainly worked for me.
I recommend you use the book sparingly at first. The CDs are this package's real strong point--use them! Listen to both of them straight through. Then do it again. Spanish speakers will find they have already absorbed a great deal of grammar and vocabulary.
Then, as you continue to listen to the CDs, refer to the book at those places in the audio where you're not sure what's going on. Don't try to learn all the grammar by rote yet! Once you're confident you understand everything on the CDs (it'll only take a month or two), go through the book lesson by lesson.
By now, speaking and understanding basic Catalan using this package only, your curiosity will be stoked, and you'll want to listen to some "real" Catalan: go to http://www.catradio.cat/reproductor/audio.htm?ID=CATRADIO, and listen to streaming Catalan radio free!
Ready to go for the gold? Sign up free at http://pelc.uib.es/recursos/index.html, and get a world-class course online (Balearic Catalan, which has a few differences from what you'll use in Barcelona, but well worth the effort.)
But by all means start with this package. Highly recommended.
Winter Laite is the author of SKEE.
Customer Rating:
Summary: Book required during study
Comment: This course is designed for study WITH THE BOOK. I purchased this course in hopes of learning Catalan while driving. It is not intended for this application, and it doesn't work while driving. Without the book, it's a long slew of Catalan, no English, and no repetition. By contrast the Pimsleur system (they don't have a Catalan course that I could find) builds language skills slowly, repeating all words in English, then the other language.
In some sense, this is an unfair review. I'm not reviewing the product for it's intended use. So be it.
Customer Rating:
Summary: Good course
Comment: Good course, but definitely not the best. It works if you already live in Catalonya or if you have a close friend to practice.
Customer Rating:
Summary: Lack of language immersion
Comment: I would like to find a teaching book that could put me in Catalan idiom immersion. As it changes constantly from English to Catalan (and vice-versa), it took more difficult to assimilate the idiom.
Too few audio media. Need more do learn the idiom.
Customer Rating:
Summary: Pretty good but there's little else
Comment: I have studied several languages and wanted to learn a little Catalan before a recent trip my husband and I took to Barcelona. This book helped. The CD is absolutely necessary because Catalan pronunciation is very different from English, Spanish and French although related to the latter two. My biggest complaint about the CD was there was rarely enough time to repeat phrases and sentences after the speakers.
I would recommend this course mainly because there is little else out there about Catalan. For this reason I gave it 4 stars. If there was more choice of programs the rating would probably go down to 3.
Passing time in the Pyrenees? Teach yourself Catalan. With Teach Yourself it's possible for virtually anyone to learn and experience the languages of the world, from Afrikaans to Zulu; Ancient Greek to Modern Persian; Beginner's Latin to Biblical Hebrew. Follow any of the Teach Yourself Language Courses Audiopacks at your own pace or use them as a supplement to formal courses. These complete courses are professionally designed for self-guided study, making them one of the most enjoyable and easy to use language courses you can find. Audiopacks include an instructional paperback book and two companion 60-minute audio CDs. Prepared by experts in the language, each course begins with the basics and gradually promotes the student to a level of smooth and confident communication, including: - Step-by-step guide to pronunciation and grammar
- Regular and irregular verb tables
- Plenty of practice exercises and answers
- Practical vocabulary and a bilingual glossary
- Clear, uncluttered, and user-friendly layout
- An exploration of the culture
- And much more
|
|
|
- Ask about this education product "Teach Yourself Catalan Complete Course Package (Book + 2CDs) (TY: Complete Courses)" in the forum
- Give review on this education product "Teach Yourself Catalan Complete Course Package (Book + 2CDs) (TY: Complete Courses)" in the forum
- Search related information in the forum
|
|
|
|
|
| OOEN Referral Program Spotlight |
 | | Advanced Technology Institute
Advanced Technology Institute (ATI), located in Virginia Beach, Virginia, offers hands-on degree and diploma programs in some of today’s hottest service careers. Choose from ASE and NATEF certified programs in Automotive Technology, HVAC and Refrigeration, Diesel/Heavy Vehicle, Commercial Driving, and High Performance Repair. Extensive job placement assistance is available, as well as financial aid for students who qualify. | |  | |
 | | Akron Institute
Are you ready for a career you’ll really love? Akron Institute offers career-track diploma programs that will prepare you to become a Dental Assistant, Medical Assistant, Medical Biller, or Insurance Coder. The best part? You can complete your program in as little as 9 months. Akron offers externships that will provide you with the real-world experience you’ll need to succeed. You’ll also benefit from extensive career placement services. If you’re serious about improving your future, start at Akron Institute. | | | |
 | | American Career College
American Career College (ACC) is one of the largest and most respected vocational training schools in the country. With campuses in Los Angeles and Orange County, ACC can provide you with the skills to become a Pharmacy Technician, Medical Assistant, Medical Biller/Health Claims Examiner, Optical Technician, Dental Assistant, Vocational Nursing, Computerized Business Specialist, or Surgical Technician. The best part? ACC can provide you with the skills you need in less than a year. | | | |
|
What is OOEN Referral Program Spotlight?
OOEN provides comprehensive listing of online courses, degree programs, colleges and universities.
Also OOEN provides links to their information request pages; if you want to find out more about any course,
degree program, college or university, you can just fill out the form linked from OOEN and request information.
It is completely free for anyone to request information, and you can request information from as many colleges
and universities as you'd like. We list featured schools and their brief information
in this "OOEN Referral Program Spotlight" section of OOEN Store for Education,
in case that you are interested in taking a class or two or even pursuing degree program
through these featured schools.
|
|
|
