Berlitz German Today (Berlitz Today)

Rating:
Summary: Needs Updating
Review: Berlitz theory, in practice since the 1870s, believes the best way to learn a foreign language is the way a baby learns a language, through listening to/repeating after native speakers. Berlitz Basic German comes with 3 hours of campy dialogs on 3 cassette tapes. I can imagine the actors in a 1940s radio studio, ringing bells, playing tapes of car engines, etc. First you're supposed to just listen to the tape to get a feel for the language, then participate with the actors, then follow the dialog in the workbook. The black and white workbook is a disappointment. Individual words are defined in the margins, instead of right over or under the German words, so it's time consuming to figure out the exact translation. An occasional grammar rule (such as a verb conjugation) as it applies to a particular word is given in the margin, but not in a way that you can easily generalize across the board. Words that are exceptions to rules are presented here and there, but not as a list where one can learn many at a time. Furthermore, grammar rules are often awkwardly written, so one must read them several times to figure out what's going on. I'd prefer a learning system that made more use of visual learning, with a colorful and more helpful workbook. Also, I'd prefer the tapes to contain some English, so one can easily learn German in situations where one can't consult the workbook such as driving or walking.

Rating:
Summary: Needs Updating
Review: Berlitz theory, in practice since the 1870s, believes the best way to learn a foreign language is the way a baby learns a language, through listening to/repeating after native speakers. Berlitz Basic German comes with 3 hours of campy dialogs on 3 cassette tapes. I can imagine the actors in a 1940s radio studio, ringing bells, playing tapes of car engines, etc. First you're supposed to just listen to the tape to get a feel for the language, then participate with the actors, then follow the dialog in the workbook. The black and white workbook is a disappointment. Individual words are defined in the margins, instead of right over or under the German words, so it's time consuming to figure out the exact translation. An occasional grammar rule (such as a verb conjugation) as it applies to a particular word is given in the margin, but not in a way that you can easily generalize across the board. Words that are exceptions to rules are presented here and there, but not as a list where one can learn many at a time. Furthermore, grammar rules are often awkwardly written, so one must read them several times to figure out what's going on. I'd prefer a learning system that made more use of visual learning, with a colorful and more helpful workbook. Also, I'd prefer the tapes to contain some English, so one can easily learn German in situations where one can't consult the workbook such as driving or walking.

Rating:
Summary: basic
Review: I bought this course and have been working through it in the last month. I like this course, I remember things alot quicker when I can read along with a text book, without too much english.
I have pimsleur basic and find it difficult because I can't see the words. I have to remember strings of syllables that make up words, made harder by sounds that aren't in english. Berlitz have made an easy approach to learning basic german. I have worked through "Japanese for busy people 1" and "basic italian".

Rating:
Summary: A Great Starting Place
Review: This course is an excellent starting place for learning German. The lessons are geared toward the tourist (a lot of hotel, restaurant, and travel information), but the supplemental Learning Guide and Verb Handbook are excellent references for more in-depth study. I found the Course Book to be colorful, interesting, and easy to follow. The lessons are short - excellent for studying when you only have a few minutes at a time. I especially like the pocket dictionary, which also some grammer hints and conversational phrases. I carry it with me everyday! A great investment if you plan to spend any length of time in a German-speaking country and want to learn the language on your own.

Rating:
Summary: A Great Starting Place
Review: This course is an excellent starting place for learning German. The lessons are geared toward the tourist (a lot of hotel, restaurant, and travel information), but the supplemental Learning Guide and Verb Handbook are excellent references for more in-depth study. I found the Course Book to be colorful, interesting, and easy to follow. The lessons are short - excellent for studying when you only have a few minutes at a time. I especially like the pocket dictionary, which also some grammer hints and conversational phrases. I carry it with me everyday! A great investment if you plan to spend any length of time in a German-speaking country and want to learn the language on your own.