Living Language Complete

[kanewai]

It's important to note that there is the "Complete Course" set of three books, and then the "Platinum" edition. There's also a ten-dollar iphone app that has games, dialogues, and grammar review.

The three books, plus 9 hours of audio, cost about $30 - $50 total, depending on the course. They call it the sets beginner, intermediate, and advanced - but like other's have pointed out, it's really just n A1/A2 course. For thirty bucks, I'd say it's by far the best A1/A2 course out there.

The main difference I see between the old and the new is density. The old course would present a grammar point in a few sentences, then provide a few examples, then a few exercises, and move on. It packed a lot into a slim paperback. The new course provides the grammar point, then it's followed by a few pages of intermediate or high-school level exercises. It's easier, and slower paced, but leads in the same direction. I did the Japanese and Italian courses in about 3 months, although I was also using other material.

For a language like Italian this is just one of many good options for reaching a high A1 / low A2. For Japanese there are also many options, but this one worked best for me.

I only tried the old course for Arabic. It was useful, definitely, but I also stalled out around Chapter 7. There was too much new information for me to process too quickly, and I had to step back. I haven't tried the new Arabic course. I might, one day.

The expensive Platinum edition ($180) doesn't sound like it would add much. It has online programs, internet community (you have one here already!), and e-tutors - whatever that is. Chung, when you say the price point for this is awful, are you talking about the Platinum stuff?

[Chung]

I don't recall mentioning that the price was awful although with regards to a set in the LL "Complete" series, I still stand by the idea that it's not that bad if you can get such a set for no more than $40 including shipping. The pace and layout of LL"Complete Korean" unfortunately just turned me off after a few chapters in the first volume. I really don't like CD tracks being assigned to someone reading lists of vocabulary aloud or exercises where I'm asked to give the translation of a word or phrase after hearing the English prompt. The next two volumes of the Korean course seem more in line with my learning style and have dialogues with notes on relevant grammatical points and exercises. However to use those I'd need to have acquired enough background knowledge either from the first volume (as a matter of course) or some other source.