Customer Reviews

Parliamo Italiano! A Communicative Approach (Second Edition)

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

 

 

I teach Italian at the undergraduate level and this book is excellent. Having used other textbooks in the past, I have seen the difference in how much and how quickly students learn from "Parliamo italiano". If you are using this book on your own, I would recommend that you work with a tutor. It is not impossible to work with it on your own but you have to plan the material very carefully beforehand and stick to your plan.

This is the worst book I have ever used for learning Italian. Unfortunately, it is the core book for my uni course. The grammar explanations are awful and at times incomplete. The dialogues would be better off as a soap opera on T.V. The only slight advantage is that it has covered the passato remoto, la cordanza dei tempi (the more difficult stuff) by chapter 10. But what is the point in racing ahead with the grammar when listening, speaking and reading skills are being ignored.
I have been forced to use this book for almost 2 years, and I can barely say a sentence in the present tense even though we are in unit 12 grammar wise.
When I finish my semester at uni, before I go to Italy in October, I will be spending 5 months solid with a book from the BBC.

Confusing approach; improper sequence to develop concepts & vocabulary. I had experience with conversational Italian and another college text but I am finding this book a nightmare. If you are unfortunate enough to have it as a class text; buy supplemental books (dictionary, grammar, verbs...even another text)and maybe some Pimsleur tapes since conversation skills are shortchanged in this tedious text.

cover good
everypage written on should have said so in the ad