Editorial Reviews
Product Description:- For Beginner, Intermediate and Advanced
- Repetition of excerpts of complete conversations
- CD-Rom with booklet containing actual transcripts of French natives
- Color-coding shows what is and what is not pronounced in spoken French
- Successfully used in American Embassies
"This CD Rom is a "Must" for learning how the French REALLY talk!"
William Martin, retired political editor, The Oakland Tribune
"I've tried them all and this one is it!"
Joe Hogan, CBS
"When I heard my first lesson I honestly felt betrayed by my other programs --why didn't they simply tell the truth about French pronunciation like SmartFrench does?"
Patricia J. Gust, Attorney, Los Angeles, CA
For Americans, learning a foreign language is typically a very frustrating experience. After spending countless hours in a classroom environment, most find that they are still unable to comprehend "real world" French as it is naturally spoken between native French people.
To learn a language one has to develop speaking as well as understanding skills. What to do first is a matter of choice. To learn a few sentences to get by is good but to understand whatÂ’s coming back to you is also important. SmartFrench will develop your listening skills, which will raise your confidence to speak naturally (Just learning basic sentences would make you sound too "proper"). For better progress, this process should be done simultaneously and the sooner the better, right at the beginner level. Some people think that developing understanding skills should be a part of the beginner level training and some donÂ’t. For those who think it is, we have designed a beginner level. A beginner is naturally not expected to be able to understand dialogs at real speed right away, but with a little patience, you will soon feel more and more confident about your ability to "talk" French just by learning how to recognize the "rhythm" of the language and its predictable patterns.
There are seven interviews at the beginner level and six interviews at the intermediate and at the advanced levels. You will practice slowly at the beginner level and faster on the next two levels. On the booklet, the transcripts of the conversations are in colors to show you what is and what is not pronounced in spoken French. The lessons are organized interactively so that you can work at your own pace, pausing or rewinding at any time. At any level and at any time you can watch the video and read the translation before you work on the interview you have chosen.
We are so confident in your success using our revolutionary educational method, we stand behind this product with a full 30 day money back guarantee. If you are not completely satisfied, simply return the product to SmartFrench in its original packaging for a full refund.
"I have three other French language courses, and I've learned more from this one than I have the others put together."
Cynthia Stull, Washington, DC, writes contracts for the National Cancer Institute, for the AIDS programs around the world
"No matter what other sources you use in your language learning, the Smart thing to do is give yourself this key to confidence."
Ian Jackson, CEO, Breathplay, Dallas
Customer Reviews
Average Customer Review
Awfully misleading., November 16, 2008
By
A. DavisNot bad if you're just working on accent, but there is no attempt at grammar or even the meaning of what you are saying. It provides you with (awfully low quality) videos of people being interviewed in French. Then it plays it back slowly for you. You also see the text in French and English. Don't get me wrong, I'm sure it would be a valuable tool for honing accent and speaking French, but that's all it seems good for. I ended up purchasing Rosetta Stone and once I'm through with that, this may come in handy.
The best foreign language method -- and I've tried a few, September 25, 2008
By
Jordan Mechner (Los Angeles, CA USA)
SmartFrench and SmartSpanish at first glance may appear unorthodox. Their method is so different from the "standard" foreign language teaching techniques that most Americans are accustomed to, that some people may be put off because it's not what they expected. But if you have an open mind and are willing to try a new approach, you will be rewarded.
For a motivated adult who wants to not just go through the motions, but really learn a language and get to the point of actually being able to converse and function in a foreign language, the SmartFrench series is vastly superior to Berlitz and most every other audio CD method I have seen.
I am a native English speaker who learned French and Spanish as an adult (in my twenties). I can now say that I am fluent in both those languages, but I also spent a lot of time and sweat in inefficient study that, looking back, could have been much accelerated. I only wish SmartFrench and SmartSpanish had existed then.
I've tried a wide range of methods, including traditional in-person language schools. I took five years of German in high school and college, and while I got excellent grades and my grasp of vocabulary and grammar was good on paper, if you drop me into a German beer hall I have no idea what people are saying -- and that's the problem with the way most foreign language is taught. I "know" German, but I can't speak it. If that's your goal, SmartFrench may not be for you. But if your goal is to get quickly to the point where you can actually converse in a foreign language, then I can't recommend this audio product highly enough.
SmartFrench doesn't follow the traditional academic pattern. If you judge it by that expectation, you'll be disappointed, and I think this accounts for the negative reviews. It does something much more valuable -- teaches language the way the brain is actually wired to learn language. It may feel unfamiliar at first, but if you stick with it, you'll see results that will actually pay off, and probably quicker than you expect.
Wonderful French method, September 6, 2008
By
Sofia Tsirakis (Brazil)
This method made learning French much easier for me. I started using them on my own at first and then got so interested in learning the language that I found myself a teacher. But even taking some classes - I still use the method because it is so helpful to help my comprehension level and conversation skills. Highly recommended.
Excellent!, July 31, 2008
By
J. Passos Shokralla (UK)
If you want to learn French like the French children do, use this product. If you want to start with grammar and vocabulary, try the excellent SmartFrench - Introduction to French, Vol.1 and 2. I use both in combination with this product and I am very satisfied. It's very clear, very efficient and very fast. Thank you.
A tacky rip off, July 1, 2008
By
Edward F. Mcdonough"SmartFrench' Audio CDs (Intermediate/Advanced
Half the program was in Beginner French, "Intermediate French" took up eight pages, "Advanced French" took up all of nine pages. No Vocabulary, no grammar. It was a $23 joke. No addresses to contact so the money went down the drain.
HOW YOU GOT A GROUP OF 4 STAR REVIEWS AND NONE LESS LAUDATORY SUGGESTS THET THE AUTHORS HAD A BUNCH OF RELATIVES!
