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Product Description
Review
"Ideal for any business traveller who needs to be able to get around confidently." (Sunday Business )
"A great way to learn; it's fast and it lasts". (The Daily Telegraph )
"Five minutes into the first CD, you already feel like you're winning." (Time Out )
"Michel Thomas is a precious find indeed." (The Guardian )
"Thomas makes it simple" (Sunday Times )
"Michel's methods will teach you effectively and easily" (Daily Star )
"Hugely inspiring" (Red )
"A great way to learn; it's fast and it lasts". (The Daily Telegraph )
"Five minutes into the first CD, you already feel like you're winning." (Time Out )
"Michel Thomas is a precious find indeed." (The Guardian )
"Thomas makes it simple" (Sunday Times )
"Michel's methods will teach you effectively and easily" (Daily Star )
"Hugely inspiring" (Red )
"Excellent for learning ... This entirely audio course is easy to use and quickly results in some useful ability in the new language. Great for the car."
(Adventure Travel )"Moving along at a relaxed, slow pace, punctuated by amusing anecdotes and jokes from the teacher, the new words, phrases and language rules are gently introduced and reinforced through subtle repetition without ever being tedious. In fact, despite a distinct emphasis on non-work, the course proves very effective and enjoyable, and its format is ideal for learning anywhere you like. So, if you only want to learn to speak the language, this course is highly recommended."
(Top Real Travel Product, Real Travel )Product Description
**There is a newer version of this product available with extra features**
The updated version is called Total French with the Michel Thomas Method.
Michel Thomas took the language-learning world by storm.
With no books, no memorising and no homework, Michel teaches the basic grammar of the language painlessly. Using the method he perfected over 50 years, he shares his secret with the world - and 'makes it simple' (Sunday Times).
In only a matter of hours, he gives you a comprehensive grasp of the structure of the language, enabling you to communicate with confidence. The present, future, conditional and past tenses are covered, and you are taught to think about the ideas that you are trying to communicate, rather than to translate words slavishly.
He points out the similarities of the vocabulary in English and French and gives you the tools to guess the words you do not know, or think you do not know.
Join two students as they learn in real time. Become the third member of the class and experience the excitement of learning a language as if by magic!
This new edition has one, very significant, new feature - an additional 'Review' CD. All the main teaching points have been lifted from the Foundation (8-hour) course and are contained on just 2 CDs. The student hears Michel teaching a specific point, there is a pause which allows time for the student to give his/her response to Michel's prompt, followed by Michel giving the correct response. If the student has struggled or given an incorrect answer, s/he can use the index in the accompanying booklet to locate the area of the main course where the specific language point was being taught in depth and can return to the main course to work through the relevant section again, quickly and efficiently. It can also be used very successfully by those coming back to the course after a lapse of time, either to check how much they have retained or as a quick revision tool. Only Michel's words and phrases are on the new CD, so the course is summarised succinctly and with a new, snappy pace.
Finally, the new edition is repackaged, with an up-to-the minute cover treatment and robust DVD-type cases inside a rigid card slip case, to ensure that the CDs remain damage-free and are easy to access and use.
The updated version is called Total French with the Michel Thomas Method.
Michel Thomas took the language-learning world by storm.
With no books, no memorising and no homework, Michel teaches the basic grammar of the language painlessly. Using the method he perfected over 50 years, he shares his secret with the world - and 'makes it simple' (Sunday Times).
In only a matter of hours, he gives you a comprehensive grasp of the structure of the language, enabling you to communicate with confidence. The present, future, conditional and past tenses are covered, and you are taught to think about the ideas that you are trying to communicate, rather than to translate words slavishly.
He points out the similarities of the vocabulary in English and French and gives you the tools to guess the words you do not know, or think you do not know.
Join two students as they learn in real time. Become the third member of the class and experience the excitement of learning a language as if by magic!
This new edition has one, very significant, new feature - an additional 'Review' CD. All the main teaching points have been lifted from the Foundation (8-hour) course and are contained on just 2 CDs. The student hears Michel teaching a specific point, there is a pause which allows time for the student to give his/her response to Michel's prompt, followed by Michel giving the correct response. If the student has struggled or given an incorrect answer, s/he can use the index in the accompanying booklet to locate the area of the main course where the specific language point was being taught in depth and can return to the main course to work through the relevant section again, quickly and efficiently. It can also be used very successfully by those coming back to the course after a lapse of time, either to check how much they have retained or as a quick revision tool. Only Michel's words and phrases are on the new CD, so the course is summarised succinctly and with a new, snappy pace.
Finally, the new edition is repackaged, with an up-to-the minute cover treatment and robust DVD-type cases inside a rigid card slip case, to ensure that the CDs remain damage-free and are easy to access and use.
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First Sentence
For the first time ever, the amazing teaching method of the world's greatest language teacher, Michel Thomas, is available to everyone, not just the rich and famous. Read the first page
Front Cover | Excerpt | Back Cover
For the first time ever, the amazing teaching method of the world's greatest language teacher, Michel Thomas, is available to everyone, not just the rich and famous. Read the first page
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Customer Reviews
Most Helpful Customer Reviews
97 of 98 people found the following review helpful
Format:Audio CD
By the end of this 8 CD course, you will recall phrase and sentence building tools that will provide a basis for getting by, as well as the confidence to progress to more intermediate and advanced skills.
Michel Thomas has definitely hit upon a clever technique for making language learning accessible, memorable and less painful.
The CDs help a novice or rusty speaker lay solid foundation for speaking straightaway to the level of confident beginner, as well as preparing for higher level facility in the language.
You must follow the tips suggested for using the material, especially: play them when you're very relaxed; stop and start just as you prefer; and most of all - pause the CD and try to say every phrase he has asked his students to attempt. Your brain will hurt if you're a beginner - but you'll progress rapidly.
As for the two students you learn with in real time: the guy on the CDs is fairly sharp and you feel he could be a strong French speaker in time. The woman is a disaster - as dumb as a doorknob that was dropped on its head as a child. Her meaningless participation impairs the course.
Repeat the whole course or individual CDs to consolidate the skills you picked up on the first run through.
I would not reccommend the 2 CD Introductory Course. Such courses are so superficial they are nothing to do with language learning. Buy this 8 CD one (the first 2 CDs of which are the Short Course anyway).
281 of 292 people found the following review helpful
Format:Audio CD
Allow me to get straight to the point. If you are serious about learning French, Spanish, German or Italian, and you have the money to spare, I would advise buying the full 8 hour course straight away. If you buy the 2 hour introductory course first, it will just be a waste of money, because I can guarantee you you will want to buy the full course after listening to it.
I'm a Spanish graduate and so Michel's teaching style really intrigues me. It is truly unique and extremely effective. You will find that you will remember almost all of the vocabulary without much effort - compared to a very low retention rate from traditional courses.
Michel focuses entirely on the spoken language and some people may find themselves fighting this method at first. That's only natural, because we are trained in school to rely on visual aids to remember things.... vocabulary lists, flash cards, videos, OHPs.... but when you consider how you learnt your mother tongue, you'll realize that our brain is wired up to learn a language in a auditory way. He spells out some of the trickier words, but for the most part you need to think of yourself as a child and absorb all of the information eagerly, not worrying about spellings. You can learn the spellings later, after you have finished the course.... just as a child learns to read and write his native language after he has learnt how to speak it.
The format of the course is great; it's very informal. It is a recording of Michel teaching two students who, like you, have little or no prior knowledge of the language. You will feel like you are the third student in the class. It is vital to pause the tape/CD when Michel asks how to say something. Take as much time as you need to think of your answer... he will never ask anything that has not already been fully explained.
As a language graduate, I have tried MANY textbooks, tapes, courses, videos, classes.... and I can guarantee you that this is the most effective, natural and stress-free approach to language learning that you will ever come across.
At the end of the eight hours, you will find that you have a good, solid working knowledge of the structure of the language on which to build.
As for further study, I would advise trying to get hold of a second hand copy of Margarita Madrigal's Magic Key to French (it's out of print now). It uses the same sort of methods as Michel, but you can see the words written down and can practise your own writing skills.
Enjoy!
58 of 60 people found the following review helpful
Format:Audio CD
Having read some of the previous reviews, I think there are some reasonable criticisms. However, he does NOT tell his students not to think, he tells them from the outset not to TRY to memorise! He wants students to think through each sentence he gives them, but the effort of trying to memorise words, lists, etc. can be disharmonious to confidence and learning. I agree, since with his method, I have been surprised how easily I have recalled words when prompted, with little effort - it becomes intuitive. Another criticism is the recording quality, from a sound engineer. My son is doing media studies, and now criticises every TV program for the camera work! I expect a sound engineer to find fault with a recording, but for me, the dialogue is clear, the words are easily heard and recognised, and the mono recording is fine: I don't need stereo for this, and it means tranferring onto my Real Player on PC hard drive, or my MD walkman (or iPod) takes up less memory!
The accent problem was again, not a problem for me. I'm a linguist, and I could pick up that his accent is not pure French. BUT there are many accents across France (or Belgium or Quebec, etc.), AND very few English learners will pick up a French accent anyway, at least not in these few hours. I plan to live in France, so in time I'll discover the nuances of my local accent. For this course, it shouldn't be an issue. Though Thomas obviously has lived in France some time as he gives you proper pronunciations I never learnt at school (and I flunked French BADLY there!)
Thomas DOES give you confidence from the outset. He explains how many words are the same as in English, just with different pronunciation, then starts with simple, common words in context, no complex grammar. At the start of CD2 (yes, after one hour!), he asks you to translate a 17-word sentence into French, and if you've listened, you can do it! Voila!
Cons now: though I enjoyed the course thoroughly, my wife found his voice boring, and just couldn't get into it. C'est la vie, one man's meat... it's not for everyone.
The gaps between his prompts and the students' responses are quite long (to allow for the slow learner), meaning much of the 8 hours actually is silence. Since you should pause the CD anyway to think and respond, these gaps are too long (this is the reason I didn't give 5 stars). Something addressed in the Advanced course, where 6 hours of recording actually teach you more material, and in the 'Language Builder', it's just Thomas with no gaps at all, so 2 hours has a lot.
If you pick up as quickly as I did, you WILL find the stumblings of his subjects over simple sentences a bit frustrating - you'll want to move on.
This IS a spoken French course, and though he does spell out words for you, the simplification of grammar that aids the learning here, means that if you require to understand the complexities of grammar, or written French, you'll need to supplement this, but since it is only to get you confidently speaking French, for me it does 'exactly what it says on the cover'! This course will make you fluent as a tourist and a bit more. For more complex conversation, you'll need to follow with the advanced course (if this one works for you).
The accent problem was again, not a problem for me. I'm a linguist, and I could pick up that his accent is not pure French. BUT there are many accents across France (or Belgium or Quebec, etc.), AND very few English learners will pick up a French accent anyway, at least not in these few hours. I plan to live in France, so in time I'll discover the nuances of my local accent. For this course, it shouldn't be an issue. Though Thomas obviously has lived in France some time as he gives you proper pronunciations I never learnt at school (and I flunked French BADLY there!)
Thomas DOES give you confidence from the outset. He explains how many words are the same as in English, just with different pronunciation, then starts with simple, common words in context, no complex grammar. At the start of CD2 (yes, after one hour!), he asks you to translate a 17-word sentence into French, and if you've listened, you can do it! Voila!
Cons now: though I enjoyed the course thoroughly, my wife found his voice boring, and just couldn't get into it. C'est la vie, one man's meat... it's not for everyone.
The gaps between his prompts and the students' responses are quite long (to allow for the slow learner), meaning much of the 8 hours actually is silence. Since you should pause the CD anyway to think and respond, these gaps are too long (this is the reason I didn't give 5 stars). Something addressed in the Advanced course, where 6 hours of recording actually teach you more material, and in the 'Language Builder', it's just Thomas with no gaps at all, so 2 hours has a lot.
If you pick up as quickly as I did, you WILL find the stumblings of his subjects over simple sentences a bit frustrating - you'll want to move on.
This IS a spoken French course, and though he does spell out words for you, the simplification of grammar that aids the learning here, means that if you require to understand the complexities of grammar, or written French, you'll need to supplement this, but since it is only to get you confidently speaking French, for me it does 'exactly what it says on the cover'! This course will make you fluent as a tourist and a bit more. For more complex conversation, you'll need to follow with the advanced course (if this one works for you).
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Most Recent Customer Reviews
Faulty CDs Michel Thomas French Course
The Michel Thomas CD
The CDs are faulty in that after CD 2, 3 & 4 are read as 2 again so 3 overwrites no 2 then 4 overwrites 3 (originally 2) in Windows media player
5 to... Read more
The CDs are faulty in that after CD 2, 3 & 4 are read as 2 again so 3 overwrites no 2 then 4 overwrites 3 (originally 2) in Windows media player
5 to... Read more
Published 2 months ago by Scrivenor
great item
Have started on this French lessons class and i find that i can follow him, not sure how it will go from here but good for a novis.
Published 3 months ago by Mrs. K. Moore
This is really, really good!
I studied French for years at school and got top grades. Despite this, I struggled in France to make myself understood, even when I got the words right my accent was so bad, so... Read more
Published 4 months ago by smartesthorse
excellent introduction
Found the cd's easy to listen to and method of teaching relaxing,an excellent introduction to a new language. Good for absolute beginners
Published 4 months ago by andyb
Brilliant - but please get rid of the female student!!!
I bought this to listen to in the car and it has been fantastic. I progressed very quickly and was surprised how much of what I learnt I actually remembered! Read more
Published 7 months ago by Book Chick
Never got on with other languages... until now.
I'm not any good with languages and probably like other people, have always had admiration for those who are. I am a complete beginner, but my wife has studied French before. Read more
Published 7 months ago by LMBS
Verstehst du mich?
I found this particular course a nightmare given I also used the equivalent to learn some German a few years ago. Read more
Published 11 months ago by R. Megicks
Very Effective
I hated French at school and found it very confusing and dull. After 5 years of tuition I just managed to scrape through my GCSE then promptly forgot everything I had learnt. Read more
Published 11 months ago by Dassia2005
Effortless way to learn a language
I was bought this set as a gift. It is the most amazing and innovative approach to learning a new language either from scratch or as in my case trying to re-learn from my school... Read more
Published 12 months ago by Pinkie
michael thomas
Really progressing my basic french but no way are those pupils in the tuition discs not French. He teaches two pupils with lots of repetition and lots of french emphasis - great... Read more
Published 13 months ago by cucumber
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