While skimming through the Russian Study Group files recently, I came across aravinda’s September, 2018, question concerning the Routledge Intensive Course and, while ilmari provided some much-appreciated additional information in the form of a link to the Companion Website, there was no actual discussion of these materials. I was about to offer a brief, but belated, comment myself and, in preparing to do so, searched the LLORG and the HTLAL for information on members’ actual experiences, but found very little. As I have three of these courses and will be commenting on them, it occurred to me that the opening of a separate discussion thread would provide all members with an opportunity to express their opinions and/or become acquainted with these materials.
aravinda wrote:Has anyone used the Routledge Intensive Russian Course? Is it commonly used as a university textbook? Is it really intensive as the title claims it to be? I am particularly interested in hearing about the audio CDs (which are expensive and difficult to find by the way). For example, are they completely in Russian or do they have a lot of English like the Colloquial series?
ilmari wrote:I don't know the book, but you can find more information (including a sample chapter) on the Companion Website: http://cw.routledge.com/textbooks/9780415223003/Has anyone used the Routledge Intensive Russian Course?
Routledge Intensive Language Courses
The Routledge Intensive Language Course series was introduced circa 2005 covering four languages: Dutch, German, Italian, and Russian. Materials include one textbook ranging from approximately 250 to 420 pages and 2 audio CDs. A separate workbook was published to accompany the Routledge Intensive Italian course. A Companion Website hosts additional materials including a transcript (without translation) of the audio CDs.
Routledge Intensive Language Courses – Routledge (Taylor & Francis) website:
https://www.routledge.com/Routledge-Intensive-Language-Courses/book-series/RILC
Components Sold Separately
Prospective buyers are reminded that these materials (textbooks and CDs) are offered for sale on the Routledge’s website as separate items and that, while this is clear on the publisher’s website, it is frequently obscure on the websites of the major online booksellers.
Methodology and Suitability for Self-Instruction
The target language is introduced through a series of very short dialogues, narratives, reading passages, and the like, for the most part without translation. Instructions and explanations are in English. In some cases (e.g., Dutch), the notes to the student on grammar and usage are clear and provide ample support. In other cases (e.g., German) these are either non-existent or so poorly structured as to require that the student resort to a separate grammar. An answer key is available on the Companion Website. Having completed the German and Dutch courses, I would say that the level upon completion varies: the German course would be about CEFR A2, and the Dutch course would be around CEFR B1.
The accompanying audio recordings (2 CDs), which are in the target language only, do NOT capture all of the short dialogues, narratives, et cetera. Rather, these recordings are mixture of “extracts” of the printed texts and recorded exercises for “comprehension” the texts of which do not appear in the course book. A complete transcript of the audio recordings (without translation) is available via the Companion Website. Overall, I found the barely two-hours-worth of audio recordings to be the absolute minimum for courses of this scope and found myself wondering what possible benefit might accrue to the user by limiting the recordings to a mere two hours. The answer lies in the fact that these courses were designed for use in a classroom where the student would, presumably, have more ample opportunities for practicing the target language.
In some cases, the publisher advises the prospective student that a specific course is intended for classroom instruction only and that it should NOT be used for self-instruction. In other cases, the courses are described as being conceived primarily for study with the assistance of an instructor but that they CAN be used for self-study. Having worked completely through the German and Dutch courses, and partially through the Italian course, I would say that, although the textbooks include a glossary, the absence of translations and the varying quality of the notes render these materials more difficult to use in an independent-learning situation than say those of Assimil, Living Language Ultimate, Linguaphone, and many, many others. Generally speaking, I would recommend that users “think twice” before using these materials for self-instruction. So then, while I have not used the Routledge Intensive Russian Course and thus cannot respond directly to aravinda’s question above, my advice to him, and to anyone else considering these materials, would be to look elsewhere.
Despite my general advice concerning the suitability of these materials in an independent-learning situation, given the comparatively fewer resources that are available for the study of Dutch, I would say that the Routledge Intensive Dutch Course is particularly comprehensive and well-conceived such that, provided the student is willing to make a substantial additional effort, this course should be considered for use in a self-instruction setting.
Reviews
Although there are very few discussions on the LLORG or the HTLAL of the Routledge Intensive Language Courses, one member did recommend the Dutch Course most particularly for its comprehensiveness. Reviews by Amazon Customers are sparse and either not particularly revealing or (a) expressions of disappointment that these courses are not suitable for self-instruction, (c) complaints concerning the unreasonably high prices for the two CDs, or (c) expressions of customers’ chagrin following their belated discovery that the components are sold separately, viz., did not receive the CDs, received only the CDs.
Comments?
Has anyone else used one of the Routledge Intensive Language Courses? Care to talk about it?
EDITED:
Tinkering.
Correction: Answer Key available on Companion website (merci à stelingo!)