Review of TeachYourself.com
Books+MP3+CD, No pronunciation scores, Cheap, ★
They have up to 5 levels per language (most languages have only one level), with a book and 1-3 CDs in each level, at $10-50 per level. Levels 1-4 are alternatives for beginners; the difference is price and how much you learn. Level 5 (Perfect Your Language) is for intermediate learners.
CDs do not stand on their own, but refer to explanations in the books. Also CDs do not break down dialogues into individual words, let alone syllables, so you need to rewind endlessly. Audio is about 1 hour per CD, half in the target language, but with background noise (street, store, etc.) and unprofessional voices.
They teach vocabulary, grammar, and the alphabet where needed (very briefly), in 60 languages (thanks to LibraryThing for the list; the Hieroglyphics book teaches mostly Egyptian, and a little Mayan). Many Amazon reviews criticize the books for poor explanations and difficult CDs, though there are also extremely positive reviews which look as if they could be planted. Older editions tend to be more thorough if you find them. Each language has its own authors, some of whom are the same as the far better "Colloquial" series. (Click for Arguelles' review.)
Books+MP3+CD, No pronunciation scores, Cheap, ★
They have up to 5 levels per language (most languages have only one level), with a book and 1-3 CDs in each level, at $10-50 per level. Levels 1-4 are alternatives for beginners; the difference is price and how much you learn. Level 5 (Perfect Your Language) is for intermediate learners.
CDs do not stand on their own, but refer to explanations in the books. Also CDs do not break down dialogues into individual words, let alone syllables, so you need to rewind endlessly. Audio is about 1 hour per CD, half in the target language, but with background noise (street, store, etc.) and unprofessional voices.
They teach vocabulary, grammar, and the alphabet where needed (very briefly), in 60 languages (thanks to LibraryThing for the list; the Hieroglyphics book teaches mostly Egyptian, and a little Mayan). Many Amazon reviews criticize the books for poor explanations and difficult CDs, though there are also extremely positive reviews which look as if they could be planted. Older editions tend to be more thorough if you find them. Each language has its own authors, some of whom are the same as the far better "Colloquial" series. (Click for Arguelles' review.)
RSS Feed
