Customer Reviews

Berlitz New Basic German

5 star:		(1)
4 star:		(0)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(2)

 

 

I have used this, and other, berlitz materials. I am a teacher of foreign languages and I have decided to review all of the Berlitz materials I have ever purchased or used. This one is rather like listening to a can opener. The price is also obscene for what you get. Shop around, you'll find better.

It seems to me that Berlitz has become a notorious exaggerator of its own worth. Critiques of Berlitz-related products are often so gushy and ecstatic with delight that they leave the reader believing that they could only have been written by Berlitz staff.

Berlitz products are notorious among foreign-language education professionals for their lack of exercises, their scanty grammatical explanations, their inflated prices, and the flashy pseudo-science of their famous "method" (a gussied-up listen-and-repeat scheme). The informed consumer will take the time to compare Berlitz "method" products with other, often university-related course supports. The focus of university-generated products is generally less on the marketing and the cultivation of repeat-buyers and more neutrally, disinterestedly geared towards the linguistic enrichment of the student.

The business traveller is particularly ill-served by methods that promise enormous bounds in fluency across short time periods. These travellers often find themselves seduced by grandiose promises--often while under high-stress conditions [foreign travel, foreign-language presentation preparations]--and end up rather disappointed for having been duped.

Any "method" that claims to produce fast, effortless results is suspect. Most "methods" are marketing illusions dreamed up by sales teams.

The Berlitz method, in my opinion and in that of many language professionals, is the foreign-language-learning equivalent of a get-rich-quick scheme. I have been disappointed by their products and teaching in every case I have ever crossed WITHOUT EXCEPTION.

I would not care for german if I did not come across this course. It gives great examples of everyday german sayings, and is very easy to follow. The accents are pretty realistic compared to native german speakers, and it allows you to be able to pronounce german words better. The course gives you just enough to help you in learning german, and will leave you wanting more. Thats why there is an intermidiate course. Although this course is very good, if you don't have a chance to talk to any native germans or any fluent speakers, than you should buy some grammer books, and verb books.

The folks at Berlitz must be getting desperate. Another listen-and-repeat songbook? One hour with ANY OTHER WORKBOOK will teach you the German you need to "get by" on your trip to Frankfurt. If you're a more serious student, just buy a more serious product. The bottom line is: this product just doesn't work and it's not in the least charming. The reviewers who give five stars are Berlitz employees and most of the reviews you're reading are sales pitches.

NOTE A DESTINATION DES PROFS: Ces livres sont du gaspillage total. Il faut les eviter ? tout prix ? risque de decevoir vos ?tudiants.