Talk now! review

I returned Parlons Allemand to the library about 2 weeks ago and took out "Parlez Allemand" by Talk Now! beginner level.

This new cd-rom program is much more recent and technology wise works a lot better (no more problems with the sound). It's also Mac/PC compatible which is nice.

The beginner program includes 12 sections, each dedicated to a theme. Ten are pure vocabulary (numbers, colors, food, body parts...) and there's a basic phrase section (Guten tag, wo ist die bank?) and a more complicated phrase section.

In each section, you start out seeing pictures of the vocabulary and hearing the words. You can either click on the words you want or hear them all in a row. There's a man and a women throughout the program and it's nice to hear two different pronunciations of the same words. You don't get stuck learning the word with the same rise and fall of your voice.

After studying the vocabulary, there's a review, where you see the pictures and pronounce the words. You can choose to just see the pictures, or to hear the word at the same time and then repeat it. If you want you can listen to what you recorded.

For me, the best part of the program is what follows: there's an easy and hard game for each section and you earn points based on how well you know the vocabulary. Earn enough points throughout the program and you can print out a certificate for bronze, silver, or gold. Kind of cheesy, but the fact you have a goal and see the consequences of loosing too many points helps me. As an added bonus, each time you pick the correct answer the woman gives an enthusiastic "Ja!" and you can't help but feel smart.

Each section has a pictionary you can print out which is handy for studying away from the computer. There's also a separate review level with easy and hard games identifying the vocabulary.

There are two main negative points to this cd-rom though. First, you aren't measured anywhere on saying the words without any reminder. All the games are based on hearing the word and picking the right picture. I think this gives you a false sense of mastery of the vocabulary because you aren't tested on being able to remember and reproduce the sounds yourself. Secondly, the complicated phrase section seems way out of place. You're studying vegetables and body parts then in the next section you're supposed to be able to memorize "Ist es ungefährlich hier zu schwimmen?"

I know vocabulary is always the first thing you have to learn, but in the two programs I've tested so far, they seem to only focus on that, not teach you how to make a sentence at all, but then expect you to memorize by rote key phrases.

I recently looked into studying German through a correspondence course with the CNED. The modules cost 180€ (not too expensive compared to in person classes) and the best part is that you can start any time of the year. I haven't yet decided if I'll do it, but I was wondering if anyone has experience with the CNED or other correspondence courses in France.

Next up: Talk now! intermediary? Maybe a different cd-rom program.
To be continued!