Editorial Reviews
Product Description
Teaches 200 key words in a matter of hours!When learning Spanish,
one of the hardest tasks you face is remembering new words. Instant
Recall Spanish Vocabulary presents on two CDs a technique for learning
and recalling vocabulary that has been scientifically proven up to three
times more effective than conventional methods. Spanish words and their
English meaning are linked by verbal images to help you learn, and, most
importantly, periodic testing ensures that you retain the vocabulary. Topics
include food and drink, clothing, traveling, family, numbers, and time.
No matter what level you are at -- a young student or a older traveler --
Instant Recall Spanish Vocabulary will teach you 200 key words and
phrases, as well as providing a method that can be adapted for learning many
more.
From the Back Cover
Developed by memory expert Dr. Michael M. Gruneberg, Instant Recall
Spanish Vocabulary offers a proven method that provides easy-to-remember
word pictures to help you recall words in Spanish--instantly. All you need
to do is listen, picture the images, and then respond to the tests--and
you'll learn 200 basic words and phrases faster than you ever imagined
possible.
Think of an image in your mind's eye for about ten seconds.
- The Spanish for soup is sopa. Imagine a soup that tastes
like soap.
- The Spanish for rice is arroz. Imagine someone shooting
arrows that land in your plate of rice.
- The Spanish for cheese is queso. Imagine a case o'
cheese.
- The Spanish for bread is pan. Imagine loaves of bread
stuffed in a pan.
Now, what are the Spanish words for bread, cheese, rice, and
soup?
Studies have shown how fast and easy this course is: Students have
achieved remarkable results up to three times quicker than through
conventional methods. For travelers wanting to be able to communicate abroad
and for those having difficulty learning basic Spanish at school or in
class, Instant Recall Spanish Vocabulary is the quick way to success.
Product Details
- Audio CD: 24 pages
- Publisher: McGraw-Hill; 1 edition (October 8, 2001)
- Language: English
- ISBN-10: 065801143X
- ISBN-13: 978-0658011436
- Product Dimensions: 7.4 x 5.4 x 0.9 inches
- Shipping Weight: 7 ounces
- Average Customer Review:
(8
customer reviews)
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Rating:
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This is an excellent CD for learning Basic Spanish Vocabulary!
I would highly recommend it!
Rating:
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It was ok but their insn't enough vocabulary on this cd
Rating:
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Ok, I read the above reviews and agree with all the points made.
However, I give strong 5 stars for this product. DO NOT buy it if you know some
Spanish already, DO NOT buy it if you are seeking for materials to study Spanish
grammar. DO BUY IT if you want to learn 200 words in a couple of hours and
remember them well for a long time. This material helps you to memorize 200
words and it does it very very well. They do not promise that they teach you
grammar. They do not promise that you will start speaking Spanish right away.
Memorizing words is essential task in learning any language, I would say the
most tedious task and the CD helps you with it greatly.
Rating:
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This method, in which you visualize quirky little images to anchor your attempt
to memorize, does work. It's called Mnemonics, and you can find it explained in
many places on the web.
An example from this CD would be for the English word "rice", which in spanish
is "arroz" (pronounced ARROS). When attempting to learn this word, you visualize
arrows landing in your plate of rice. You actually take a second, provided by
the narrators, to "see" this.
Sounds silly at first, but it really does help, and this CD will help you start
using this technique as second nature. You can memorize anything this way and
you may find yourself using it to remember other things outside of your language
studies. You'll also find it explained in books on memory.
And that's why it's worth it - you will thoroughly understand how to do this -
and feel comfy doing so - by the time you have done these words and will start
doing it every time you have trouble retaining new vicabulary. If you have never
worked this way, it will seem much more natural by the time you complete the CD.
And that's the way to evaluate this because the package itself is pretty thin.
I'm going to call it 3 for the value of the method, but be a little critical in
how much this package provides in actual vocabulary.
Con:
a) There are only about 200 words.
b) The words are generally too easy. The vocabulary is useful... household, days
of the week, colors.... but very elementary. If you have studied even a little
Spanish or been around Spanish speaking people you will find you know a lot of
these words already. I found I knew 75% of the words with no practice, probably
just from living in Texas and reading menus and bathroom doors in Mexican
restaurants. It's really for complete beginners or at least those who have never
heard of the method.
c) It's a waste of time to teach words that are almost exactly like the English
in this way. An example: The word hospital in Spanish is hospital, but
pronounced slightly differently. They train you to "imagine a bullfighter is
hurt and must go to the hospital". Since the excercise reminds you of the
English sounds rather than the slightly different Spanish sound you get nothing
from it except the knowledge that the word doesn't really need translating. A
considerable number of these silly words are included further diminishing the
overall number of truly new and difficult words you retain. I'm dissapointed the
would waste space on words like telephono, accidente, dentista and color. I bet
at least 15% of the words are of this type that require pretty much no thought
and are not well applied to this method. Subtract these and the other obvious
words and you get only 50 or less that actually need a method like this to help
you.
Pro:
a) Word list and glossary included. Not that you really need it for this tiny
selection.
b) Useful self testing tracks, and a full program accompanying. You should do
the self-tests. They tell you to relax, no one gets them all right, but I think
many people will get them all right. Again, nice they thought to include it, but
since the words are so easy not sure how crucial it is.
c) Words are grouped into categories. I contrast this to the Vocabulearn series,
which I also just got, and which unrolls words randomly without grouping them by
type. Not sure which is ultimately better for learning (perhaps a combination of
both is) but the grouping seems to work well here and makes it easier to see
where you are weak or need to go for additional work. If you wanted to pick up
missed words in the Vocabulearn CDs, you'd have to just guess where they were on
the CD.
d) The CD is recorded well and has tracks. It always amazes me when language CDs
are recorded in huge single tracks where you can't isolate specific sections
easily. This one is short, but well made. Sound is clear, and the speaking is
well done. The Spanish speaking woman's voice is a little shrill, but contrasts
well with the English voice.
In sum: Use it to learn the method, if you don't know it already, and don't get
upset about the simplicity of this particular program. Then use the technique in
conjunction with more comprehensive and useful vocabulary lists like Vocabulearn
CDs or Reznick's 1001 Most Useful Spanish Words pamphlet.
Rating:
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I gave two stars because it has been two years since I listened to the cds and I
still recall many of the hints and vocabulary I learned using the system,
however, I deducted 3 stars for failing to teach whether the nouns are masculine
or feminine. There is a small booklet which accompanies the cd's but it does not
provide gender either. If you are studying on your own and digesting a lot of
grammar through books, these cd's make a welcome change of pace and seem to
cover the basics.
Rating:
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This is a pretty good deal: You learn Spanish words by picturing them in funny
little scenarios in your head. It does work, but there are not really that many
words. Also, if you plan to use it in your car, or in a situation where you
can't read the words as you go, you should have a good understanding of Spanish
pronunciation.
By the end, you won't be able to understand Spanish as much as have a chance of
figuring out what someone is saying by cherry picking words. So don't think this
at all a course to get you speaking Spanish as much as it is a course that is a
primer or a supplement to your current studies.
It would be great if there were more words, but with some thought you should be
able to come up some helpful memory joggers on your own.
I gave it three stars because I just don't think the length justifies the price.
But, you WILL learn the words presented in about 10 seconds per word.
Rating:
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This is a great way to learn Spanish words. It doesn't do much in the form of
sentences or conversations - however - if you are looking to just learn the VERY
basics - this is a fun and effective way of doing it. Some of the recall methods
are rather humerous.......
Rating:
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This is really great, and it really works. I just wish there was another volume
available, with additional words. After learning these words so easily, it's
miserable to go back to flash cards.
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