About

The list and website are created by Paul Burke, an independent researcher. I have:

• Been a consultant on worldwide comparisons of public schools for the UN Development Program.
• Been a consultant on student achievement for the US Congress' Office of Technology Assessment.
• Compared curricula in different countries for the US National Commission on Social Studies in Schools.
• Published articles on student achievement, community development, tourism, statistics, and websites on election security, climate, erosion, education and animal communication.
  
• Given seminars at the University of California-Berkeley, Columbia University, Fordham University, Venezuela's National Council on Human Resources, and the International Labor Statistics Center of the US Department of Labor.
• Grown up as a native English speaker, with a United States accent. I was born in New York. My parents were from Ohio and Illinois, so I do not have a New York accent.
• Learned French during elementary school, Spanish during high school.

• Taught computer software, in Spanish in South America.

• Taught French, at secondary level in Africa. Since I taught students with limited English, I speak more slowly and distinctly than average.

I have not received any payment or gifts from any program reviewed here. The reviews are based on the samples free to everyone on the web, and library copies, and a few I bought. Many review sites receive payments if you buy a recommended product; I do not.

The comments and ratings are my own opinions. I recommend courses which can teach good pronunciation to beginners at low cost, and I hope they will help all beginners, especially those in developing countries. If you find any errors, please tell me (Information@Lang1234.com) so I can fix them.

I also cite reviews by Arguelles. He covers some of the biggest publishers, and while he has worked with Dunwoody, his reviews of the others also seem very fair. We do not always agree, since his criterion is learning to read literature, rather than speaking in developing countries, so his opinions complement mine.

I do not receive income from any of the links. There are several Amazon links to show you reviews and availability, but these do not give you or me any special deals. When you choose a product, I encourage you to check for better deals on Addall, Baidu, or your favorite comparison site.
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PO Box 1320 ,
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The designated agent for any notice under 17USC512(c)(3)(A), claiming copyright infringement is: Paul Burke, PO Box 1320, Shepherdstown, WV 25443, CopyrightNotice@Lang1234.com, 304-876-2227

Selected Publications on Development and Education

1. "Issues in Shipping's Future," Intereconomics (Hamburg), Jan. 1976 
   
2. Housing Affordability Problems and Housing Need in Canada and the United States, also in French as Étude comparative: les problèmes d'accessibilité des logements et les besoins de logement au Canada et aux États Unis, co-author, HUD and Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation, 1981
3. "What Do the Other Folk Learn? Social Studies Curricula, by Grade," National Commission on Social Studies in Schools, 1988
   
4. "Different Interpretation of the Data: Most Students Know a Lot," Educational Leadership, Nov. 1989, Eric EJ398942
   
5. "Math that Adults Need," Journal of College Admissions, Summer 1990
6. "US Students: the Myth of Massive Failure," The Washington PostAug. 28, 1990, reprinted in 10 newspapers nationwide
7. "You Can Lead Adolescents to a Test, but You Can't Make Them Try," US Congress, Office of Technology Assessment, 1991 Eric ED340772
8. "People Watch," paper on development and environment for UN Development Programme, 1994
9. "Mean Years of School," paper for UN Development Programme, 1994
10. "Exploring Machu Picchu and beyond," International Travel News, January 2009, p.20