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Rating: 
Summary: The must have textbook for the Destinos video.
Review: This review is for the "Second Edition of the Alternate Edition." I am unfamiliar with the earlier or other editions. I have, however, been told by others that items with the title "Nuevos Destinos" or "Destinos Handbook" should not be purchased since they are not the right materials. The textbook cover all 52 episodes with 52 chapters. I've only completed 12 chapters / episodes. You read and do the exercises in the "before viewing" section of each chapter. After viewing the video episode, you return to the textbook and complete the exercises. The answers to the exercises are in the back of the textbook. The textbook is very well laid out and easy to follow. It is also very instructive. This textbook was designed for the student who is doing distance learning AND with classroom instructions. Each chapter has exercises that you are to practice with your fellow students. If you are doing strictly distance learning or independent studies, I've been told that the 1st edition textbook of Destinos will work for you, but the earlier edition does NOT have the audio CDs. You can, however, still use this textbook if you're doing independent studies. If you buy this textbook used, be sure that you get the 7 audio CDs that accompany the textbook. I've seen this textbook being sold on eBay without the 7 audio CDs, but sold separately. This is not right! You need the 7 audio CDs to complete the exercises in the textbook. You should not have to pay extra for the 7 audio CDs. In addition to this textbook, there are Workbook / Study Guides Volume I and II. I have Workbook / Study Guide Vol. I which covers episode 1-26 (be sure that its ISBN 0-07-249711-4 since there are other similar Workbook / Study Guides out there). For Workbook / Study Guide Vol I, there's also audio CDs or audiocassettes that accompany it. The audio CDs for the Workbook / Study Guide are different than the 7 audio CDs for the textbook. You do have to buy the Workbook / Study Guide AND the audio CDs or audiocassettes separately or the Workbook / Study Guide will be useless. If you can afford it, I highly recommend getting the Destinos series on DVD. On DVD, you have the option of Spanish subtitles which makes it easier to understand. I view each episode twice - once with the subtitle and once without it. Unless you have a good aptitude for foreign languages, I do NOT recommend Destinos for those who are self-studying without any background in Spanish. Destinos isn't the "silver bullet" to mastering Spanish, but it does help in the listening and comprehension aspect of the learning process. One final thing. . . don't get frustrated with Destinos. Oftentimes, I view the episode, do the textbook and the Workbook / Study Guide and I find myself doubting my learning ability. I feel as if I can't learn anything. I would get so frustrated that I would linger for a long time on a particular chapter or episode. I've learned to accept that I won't know or learn everything covered on each chapter / episode. Instead I move on. Eventually, those things that I haven't learned in that chapter or episode will be covered again and again later on.
Rating:
Summary: The must have textbook for the Destinos video.
Review: This review is for the "Second Edition of the Alternate Edition." I am unfamiliar with the earlier or other editions. I have, however, been told by others that items with the title "Nuevos Destinos" or "Destinos Handbook" should not be purchased since they are not the right materials. The textbook cover all 52 episodes with 52 chapters. I've only completed 12 chapters / episodes. You read and do the exercises in the "before viewing" section of each chapter. After viewing the video episode, you return to the textbook and complete the exercises. The answers to the exercises are in the back of the textbook. The textbook is very well laid out and easy to follow. It is also very instructive. This textbook was designed for the student who is doing distance learning AND with classroom instructions. Each chapter has exercises that you are to practice with your fellow students. If you are doing strictly distance learning or independent studies, I've been told that the 1st edition textbook of Destinos will work for you, but the earlier edition does NOT have the audio CDs. You can, however, still use this textbook if you're doing independent studies. If you buy this textbook used, be sure that you get the 7 audio CDs that accompany the textbook. I've seen this textbook being sold on eBay without the 7 audio CDs, but sold separately. This is not right! You need the 7 audio CDs to complete the exercises in the textbook. You should not have to pay extra for the 7 audio CDs. In addition to this textbook, there are Workbook / Study Guides Volume I and II. I have Workbook / Study Guide Vol. I which covers episode 1-26 (be sure that its ISBN 0-07-249711-4 since there are other similar Workbook / Study Guides out there). For Workbook / Study Guide Vol I, there's also audio CDs or audiocassettes that accompany it. The audio CDs for the Workbook / Study Guide are different than the 7 audio CDs for the textbook. You do have to buy the Workbook / Study Guide AND the audio CDs or audiocassettes separately or the Workbook / Study Guide will be useless. If you can afford it, I highly recommend getting the Destinos series on DVD. On DVD, you have the option of Spanish subtitles which makes it easier to understand. I view each episode twice - once with the subtitle and once without it. Unless you have a good aptitude for foreign languages, I do NOT recommend Destinos for those who are self-studying without any background in Spanish. Destinos isn't the "silver bullet" to mastering Spanish, but it does help in the listening and comprehension aspect of the learning process. One final thing. . . don't get frustrated with Destinos. Oftentimes, I view the episode, do the textbook and the Workbook / Study Guide and I find myself doubting my learning ability. I feel as if I can't learn anything. I would get so frustrated that I would linger for a long time on a particular chapter or episode. I've learned to accept that I won't know or learn everything covered on each chapter / episode. Instead I move on. Eventually, those things that I haven't learned in that chapter or episode will be covered again and again later on.
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