Best books out of popular series like Colloquial,Teach Yourself,Assimil,Linguaphone?

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iguanamon
Black Belt - 2nd Dan
Posts: 2354
Joined: Sat Jul 18, 2015 11:14 am
Location: Virgin Islands
Languages: Speaks: English (Native); Spanish (C2); Portuguese (C2); Haitian Creole (C1); Ladino/Djudeo-espanyol (C1); Lesser Antilles French Creole (B2)
Studies: Catalan
Language Log: viewtopic.php?t=797
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Re: Best books out of popular series like Colloquial,Teach Yourself,Assimil,Linguaphone?

Postby iguanamon » Tue Jun 01, 2021 9:52 pm

I have had some experience with all of the series mentioned. I agree with AnthonyLauder:
AnthonyLauder wrote:I had to face the truth that I knew deep down: the best language book is the book you finish. It has meant pushing down feelings of excitement when I see a new, and promising looking, book, and instead focusing on finishing textbooks before starting new ones.

If I could've voted for his post a hundred times, I would have. I am familiar with most of the series mentioned in the OP. I completed an Assimil course "Le Catalan". While I got use out of it, I don't think Assimil is the greatest thing since sliced bread. I felt it fell short on repetition and grammar exercises. I wrote about it in my log.

The DLI Basic Courses for Portuguese and Haitian Creole were the best I have ever done. They are thorough, no nonsense courses that get the job done- despite their age. I finished them. Still, any course that can teach a learner the basics and give them a good foundation is a good enough course... especially if a learner finishes the course. It doesn't matter whether the course is 50 years old or brand new. Too many learners get lost in "paralysis by analysis". Pick a course(s), the big languages have many of them. (the small ones have few choices, a learner has to play the cards they're dealt) Make sure the course(s) teach(es) the basics well. Each course has its strong and weak points. Do the course(s) consistently. Finish the course(s).

For me, the real work of learning occurs after the course is finished. That's when I see grammar in action, learn new vocabulary and phrases... and how to manipulate them... in the real world. That's when you really teach yourself.
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