Customer Reviews

Michel Thomas Speak Italian Advanced: 5-CD Advanced Program (Michel Thomas Series)

5 star:		(7)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(2)

 

 

Unlike other Italian programs, this one is not full of the same old stuff: vocabulary lists, phrases like "How much is customs?", and all the other filler you find everywhere.
Instead, the teacher concentrates on getting you to use and understand verb tenses, particularly the more complex ones. He has a very unique teaching method, and it seems to be the most effective I've come across.
When I first put in the cd, I thought I was going to return it. The guy sounds too old, his English is not THE most clear I've ever heard (compounded by his age, and probably dentures), but his teaching method rocks. I've been more impressed by this series than anything else I've listened to. I highly recommend it. Its the only thing "different" out there in the language genre.

I had Mr Thomas's first tapes, I listened and learned so much that I could speak when in Italy. Then I wanted to go forward and bought these. He is so organized, there is time to think the drills through and answer without the idea that you have to beat the clock. It is basic grammar made easy to understand. The foundation to speaking.

I also bought the Living Italian advanced after having used the beginning book until it fell apart. This combined with Mr
Thomas makes me hopeful that I will be able to master this beautiful language. Now all I have to do is hope the dollar rises and the euro falls.
I would recommend these tapes.

I guess you could say I am obsessed with learning Italian. I have been to Italy more than several times. I have a solid command of "tourist Italian." I wanted more. I was intrigued by the Michel Thomas method--understand the language rather than memorize verb endings. I was also impressed that he had been the teacher of so many Hollywood stars. I bought the beginner and advanced series. It is top notch. If you're willing to stick to it, and let's face it, you have to listen to each CD at least a few times for things to sink in, you find yourself automatically putting together words and phrases and speaking quite fluently in the present, imperfect, future, and conditional tenses. Without memorizing. Because he explains how the language developed, you find yourself remembering the verb endings. It is also interesting. The format of how the information is presented is also low key. He is the teacher, an excellent teacher, with two students. You are the third student in the room. All this is explained in the beginning. I've tried the Rosetta Stone. A lot of drill. I've also used Pimsleur. They were both good in their own way, but I have to say Michel Thomas is the Best on the Market.

I loved it and have told the others in our "class" to use them. We have a study group of 10 and have studied vocabulary, conjugations, tenses, etc. This is the most enjoyable and easiest way to learn. It was helpful to have some prior knowledge of the language. We have used all kinds of study aids and cd's, but these are the best!

Thomas' approach is simple, always logical, always inviting the student to think about what he is saying, and to relate the new language he is learning to the one he already knows.

You begin speaking immediately. There are no vocabulary lists to memorize. You are not expected to master the Italian accent either--just speak the words clearly.

The course will only take you so far (reading Italian newspapers and having real conversations with native speakers are the next steps). Yet it is a solid beginning that gives you the experience that--yes--you too can speak a foreign language.

If you were like me, I always wondered "why" when I went through the pimsleur Italian series. Michel Thomas cds provide the answers. Yes, this is grammar, but it is indeed necessary. He concentrates on verb structure and provides excellent explanations. You won't get a lot of vocabulary, but you can get that elsewhere. Well worth the time and $. Advanced students will indeed benefit. I've been studying Italian since 2002 and this improved my skills.

I've used another Michel Thomas CD before so I am familiar with his method of teaching. This advanced level was not too difficult for me, although I'm only at the intermediate level. I would recommend these five CDs to anyone wanting to review or build on what he or she already knows. It is a refreshing way to learn Italian.

Michele Thomas continues with mastery of Italian verbs. The students in this course have clearly been studying ahead of time. Sometimes they know the answers so easily, the listener doesn't have a chance to think of the answers. A very good grammatical structure course, but work on vocabulary building would be essential for conversation.

Michel Thomas is an accomplished linguist I'm sure, but he should have had someone else speak for him on these CDs. After listening to his voice you'll just wish he would CLEAR HIS THROAT! He can't help it, but I found myself avoiding the CDs because it was hard sometimes to understand him. I hate to waste $50 Dollars so I think I will donate them to my local Library.

Nowhere does it tell you that this teacher is speaking Italian with a very thick German accent and there is no native speaker anywhere in these lessons. Most of your time is spent listening to his 2 students struggling to find the correct pronunciation and sentence structure. He lets them go on way too long to the point where you start to cringe. You get to hear him pronouncing the words with a heavy German accent and then you get to hear his students repetitively mispronouncing the words. They suck all the beauty and fun out of the Italian language. The Pimsleur series of lessons is far superior to this.