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Talk Portuguese
is an on-line introduction to Portuguese set in Portugal and Brazil.
It is divided into 10 short sections with slideshows, video clips,
useful phrases and quizzes. The course covers 10 subjects such as
your typical topics i.e. greetings, introducing yourself and others,
describing yourself, in a cafe, directions, food shopping, accommodation,
getting around, in a restaurant and hobbies). The website suggests
that you also try out (alongside the course) the TV series, a book
and audio cassettes and also if you are a tutor to look at the tutor
notes with added activities. To be honest, once you've done the
on-line course you don't have to buy the BBC Talk language pack,
unless you want to do the above away from your computer if you're
on your way to work. The TV series might be good to see what you
can understand though. The internet course is in a step-by-step
layout and easy to navigate around, although one thing to be aware
of is you have to double click on the arrows otherwise you will
be waiting 5 minutes for it to load (don't want to own up to doing
that as looking back it does sound like a very stupid thing to do!)
I think the
best thing for me to do is to get the negatives out of the way (there're
not many so please don't stop reading here and not try out the course
because it sounds bad!!). I found that the most annoying thing about
the on-line course is that you can't see the dialogue from the slideshows
in both English and Portuguese. You can see them side by side in
the useful phrases section, but I would have liked to hear and read
the phrases in both languages at the same time. The quiz is sometimes
irritating as there are an assortment of answer types (that's not
the irritating thing) and some of them are fill in the blanks. This
is especially difficult seeing as the word is not actually in the
useful phrases (i.e. vocé is you - sorry have just told you
one of the answers!) and so you are not told how to spell this beforehand.
The only way you would know what the answer is would be to sit down,
take notes from the slideshow (which would be easier if both languages
were on the same screen) and then learn the notes (I know I sound
like I'm moaning on a bit too much about this but it has annoyed
me, plus if I wanted to do a course where I had to write things
down then I would have chosen to do a paper course and not an on-line
one!).
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I
think this is a great way of really learning the spoken accent
and knowing what to expect if (or when) you visit the country.
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Right, I think I have done enough ranting and raving on the bad
parts,so it's now time for the good bit. I found that the video
clips were good because they used native speakers, so at first it
is hard to understand the accent but once you have listened a couple
of times you can really hear and understand what is being said.
I think this is a great way of really learning the spoken accent
and knowing what to expect if (or when) you visit the country. I
thought the quiz was good as it allows you to fill in the blanks
without having to worry about accents on the words, it accepts the
word without accents typed in, this is very handy as it often takes
me about 10 minutes to find the right accent for certain letters
(this is also unusual for online courses to do this, instead they
just flash an incorrect on the screen with the correct version of
the word - of course with accents!).
Another great thing about this course is that the sections are short
and fun. I seemed to absorb more vocabulary and information by doing
one unit a day rather than cramming them all into one session. Each
section took me around 15-20 minutes which I found was the right
amount of time to actually remember what I had learnt the next day.
This is fab especially if you work, you can just come home, turn
the computer on, do 15 minutes of Portuguese a night (time that
would be spent watching half an episode of Neighbours!) and hey
presto in about 2 weeks you would have completed a beginners' Portuguese
language course (the miracle of modern technology never ceases to
amaze!) The course needs Flash in order for the video clips to work.
The BBC website offers a link to get this downloaded for free, and
it is worth doing this as it is good to watch the video clips with
sound.
One thing you
should remember if trying this course out is that it is better to
have a fast internet connection as it could take a while for each
screen to load (this however is not a must have but if you are like
me and slightly inpatient it is probably better to have a speedy
one). The site also mentions the fact that you may have problems
connecting to the video course if the internet is too busy. I've
tried this site at various times of the day and so far (touch wood)
have had no problems, so don't let that put you off!
Overall I would
recommend people to try this course. At the end of the day, it takes
15 minutes to do one session which is hardly a lifetime - and in
exchange you get to speak a little Portuguese from doing it. And
did I forget to mention this? The on-line Talk Portuguese course
is free. Yes, you pay nothing ... thank you BBC Education. All I
have to do now is track down somewhere I can go and speak to people
in my newly acquired language!!
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And
did I forget to mention this? The on-line Talk Portuguese
course is free. Yes, you pay nothing ... thank you BBC Education.
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BBC
Talk language courses both
on DVD and as a traditional
language pack with audio CDs
and language book. What could be better than to relax, sit back
on the sofa and learn a language? The DVD courses are entertaining
and informative and can be used as part of a short language course
along with the language pack, or on their own to give you an introduction
to your new language. With its interactive activities, bilingual
subtitles and other extra features including topic selections and
weblinks, dvds are an easy and inexpensive way to learn a language
from the comfort of your own home!
These
six-part television series offer a lively introduction to everyday
French and Spanish for absolute beginners. Based on the classic
BBC TWO series, these entertaining and informative programmes can
be used either alone or as part of the highly successful BBC short
course Talk French or Spanish, which includes a compact course book
and accompanying audio. Filmed on location in France and Spain,
the Talk French and Spanish programmes assume no prior knowledge
of the language, and feature authentic dialogues between native
speakers, plus clear and concise on-screen language tips. Offering
an invaluable insight into the sights, sounds and culture your students
will encounter during their trip, the programmes will bring the
language to life before their eyes!
An
ideal course for absolute beginners in French, German, Greek, Italian,
Japanese, Portuguese, Russian and Spanish. The language pack contains:
128-page paperbacks
- step by step approach with 10 units which present the language
simply
- opportunities for involvement and interaction at every stage and
regular progress checks to make learning simple and enjoyable
audio
- 2 x 60-minute CDs or cassettes
- authentic dialogues allow students to hear the language as it
is actually spoken
- closely linked to the course books, so the audio allows them to
develop their listening & speaking skills, giving confidence
to use the language learnt
Talk
French and Spanish DVD
Talk French Programme:
Programme 1
- greeting people in French - introducing yourself - talking about
where you come from - saying what you do for a living
Programme 2
- introducing the family - meeting people at a christening - ordering
drinks at a café
Programme 3
- finding your way around town - getting lost in the countryside
- saying where you live and work
Programme 4
- booking a room in a hotel - checking in - buying a train ticket
- asking about times
Programme 5 - visiting the fish-market in Marseilles - ordering
a meal in a restaurant - buying fruit and vegetables in Aix-en-Provence
Programme 6
- nightlife in Marseilles and getting into a disco - painting in
the landscape of Cézanne - talking about your favourite sports
English & French Running time: 90 minutes approx.
Talk Spanish
Programme:
Programme 1
- Introducing yourself - finding out where people come from and
what language they speak - meeting some of the revellers at one
of Spain's spectacular fiestas - greeting people in Spanish. What
to say when
Programme 2
- The family, numbers and ordering drinks - getting introduced to
Spanish families - an invitation to a wedding - with a difference
- how to order a drink, and get what you expected!
Programme 3
- Finding your way, and talking about where you live and work -
Spanish time. Find out what happens when - finding your way. We
join schoolchildren in the ancient town of Xàtiva - how to
talk about where you live and work
Programme 4
- Booking into a hotel, and buying presents and food - booking into
a hotel - buying presents at a street market - buying food at Valencia's
huge Mercado Central
Programme 5
- Buying tickets and ordering a meal - buying tickets and travelling
by train - how Spanish people get away from it all - ordering a
meal in a restaurant - paella and much more
Programme 6
- Going out, leisure activities and the Fallas festival in Valencia
- going out on the town and buying tickets for a concert - a visit
to Valencia's extraordinary Fallas festival - leisure activities
- how to talk about what you enjoy doing
English & Spanish Running time: 90 minutes approx.
Extras Include:
- INTERACTIVE ACTIVITIES so students can check their progress at
every stage
- BILINGUAL SUBTITLES with on-screen support at the touch of a button
- LANGUAGE SUMMARIES and listen to and practise key phrases
- RESOURCES FOR TEACHERS on www.bbcactive.com/languages
- BOOKLET to accompany the DVD outlining how to use it as a learning
tool
review
in association with BBC Languages 2006
Click
here for more information and to purchase BBC
Talk language courses.
The BBC Talk language course for beginners is available in French,
German, Italian, Portuguese and Spanish on CD or cassette.
Click
here for more information about all BBC
Languages courses.
Click here for more information about other Portuguese
language courses.
If
you require any further information,
please contact us!
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