Read Andy’s review of the Michel Thomas Start Spanish language course>>

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I wanted to learn Spanish to be able to speak it on holiday. I have previously tried to study at evening classes and using “teach yourself” books, but with no real success other than picking up a little vocabulary. Using the Michel Thomas Start Spanish CD has certainly improved my ability to speak the language.

The basic principle of this beginner’s Spanish language course is a good one. Michel Thomas Start Spanish teaches the basics of conversational Spanish by starting with some simple sentences and building upon them one step at a time. This allows you to gain confidence by building longer more complicated sentences every time. He does this with a simple technique using demonstration students, who are asked to follow his instructions along with you, the listener.

“The simple repetition technique is effective and easy to follow”

The teaching starts by suggesting that the student can develop a substantial Spanish vocabulary by using English words you already know and making simple changes in pronunciation to create the Spanish equivalent. This works well in general, but occasionally seems to create Spanish equivalents simply because it is easy to do so, rather than because it will be useful in a real conversation. This leads to some stilted sentences and to learning some vocabulary that seems a little odd . Nevertheless, the principle is a good one and the rule for conversion of English to Spanish words is a very useful technique to acquire.

The course also teaches some limited, but useful, basic Spanish vocabulary without the need for the laborious use of the various tenses like in conventional school language teaching. This makes it simpler to pick up the basics of Spanish quickly. The use of these simple techniques mean that your initial progress is rapid and you rapidly gain confidence in your ability to speak the basics of the language. However, there does appear to be a lack of some simple vocabulary that would have been useful at the very beginning. Although some of this is there, I felt more would have been useful. In the later stages of the beginner’s course the sentences become more complex and whilst the examples are good and build meaningfully on the earlier work showing how the Spanish language works, it is at this stage that it would have been useful to have been taught some more general basic Spanish vocabulary rather than simply adapting English words and creating sentences from these. This would make the course a little more user-friendly, particularly for the beginner who is perhaps looking for the ability to use the language in a holiday or leisure setting. However, the focus of this course is primarily to pick up the structure of the Spanish language.

Throughout the course the biggest drawback is Michel Thomas himself. Whilst the quality of his English is good, it is often heavily accented and this can make his instructions difficult to follow in many instances. It is clear that his demonstration students also have this difficulty and I felt the same way on more than one occasion. This heavy accenting also makes the learning of some new Spanish words more difficult than it needs to be. This is because Michel Thomas’ pronunciation is difficult to understand and even when he appears to recognise that this is the case and he tries to help by either speaking very slowly or spelling out the word letter by letter, this can sometimes leave the listener none the wiser. Sometimes several rewinds were required to really get the correct spelling or pronunciation of the word or idea that he was trying to get across.

Whilst the CD transferred onto a laptop with ease, it would not synchronise with the iPad, and eventually I gave up. This did not really detract from the usefulness of the CD, as it played well in a CD player and in the car.

Overall, the course was useful and managed to teach the basics of conversational Spanish in a way that required no writing or use of books and dictionaries. There were some drawbacks, but on the whole these were minor drawbacks other than Michel Thomas’ heavily-accented pronunciation which did make learning difficult at times. If some basic leisure vocabulary was addeded to the course to assist the leisure, holiday or casual business user, then this would be an extremely valuable beginners’ course.

For more information and to buy Michel Thomas Start Spanish language course>>

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Book a Spanish language holiday in Spain with don Quijote>>

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Learning a language will never be this easy again. Up to the minute scientific research shows that the brain’s ‘window of opportunity’ for learning a second language is from birth to ages 10 or 12. Experts say early learning enriches overall mental development, including improved memory and better cognitive and listening skills.

This famous BBC course uses the award-winning character MUZZY, engaging kids’ natural ability to learn language.  The current BBC Muzzy Language Course includes story DVDs, song DVDs, vocabulary CDs and more.  Available in Levels 1 and 2, the BBC Muzzy 20th Anniversary Edition language courses combine 5 languages in one – French, German, Italian, Spanish and English.

Find out more about BBC Muzzy language courses for kids>>

Each day at 2pm, different neighbourhood groups set off a noisy display of firecrackers during an event called la Mascletá where only the best and loudest display will win! In addition to the noisy firecracker displays, are giant papier-mâché figures called ‘ninots’ or ‘falles’ which sit on several corners of the city and usually depict political people, soap stars or even characters from movies. These ‘falles’ are burnt on bonfires at midnight on the last night of the whole celebration called La Nit del Foc or the Night of Fire.

Many people wear traditional and historical costumes called ‘casal faller’ and some play music in the streets. The party goes on during the day and sometimes late into the night throughout the many days of Las Fallas.

Are you at Las Fallas? We would love to see your photos of the celebrations! You can send your photos to: contact@languageadvantage.com

For information in Spanish and Valencian about Las Fallas including a video of some of the firecracker displays>>

For information in English about Las Fallas>>

Find out about our recommended top ways to learn to speak Spanish>>

Read more about Spain and the Spanish culture>>

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Read Rosemarie’s review and find out why she thinks it is a well thought out approach to Spanish language learning>>

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In December 2011, the United States warned Latin American countries against closer links with Iran. Despite this, the Venezuelan President, Hugo Chavez, praised the launch of Hispan TV.

The Spanish language channel Hispan TV joins the English language channel Press TV and the Arabic language channel al-Alam, all financed by Iran.

Read more about the Spanish language TV channel recently launched in Iran>>

Get access here to the latest offers on Spanish language courses and accommodation from don Quijote.

We’ve teamed up with don Quijote, one of the best Spanish language schools in the world to offer you great Spanish courses in fabulous locations and most importantly good service. Going to Spain or Latin America will always be one of the best ways to study Spanish and learn about the culture. If you want to be adventurous, try Spanish and Scuba Diving in Tenerife or Spanish and Flamenco in Madrid or even Spanish and Voluntary Work in Peru! If you’re looking for something a bit more career focused, sign up for a Spanish language business course or an internship and meet local business people.

All the most recent offers and special discounts are now available at your fingertips everytime you come to this Offers Blog. Check out what special offer is available with don Quijote today!

The Think Language range includes Think French, Think Spanish and Think Italian. The subscription is a monthly online audiomagazine for intermediate and advanced learners, packed with features about the arts and entertainment world, people and places, current news and events, history, recipes and much, much more.  It is available online with PDF downloads of articles & audio clip downloads to ipod, iphone, itunes, mp3, mobile phone, PC etc.

There are between eight and ten articles every month, covering topics from people, fiestas, ecotourism and recipes.  It is an authentic approach for learning French, Spanish or Italian online, for intermediate and advanced learners.  You can even download the audio onto your iPhone or mp3 player and listen while you’re away, following a print out of the audio in magazine style, along with explanations of vocabulary.

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Think French Audio Magazine Subscription Sale Offer

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Think Spanish Audio Magazine Subscription Sale Offer

You can currently get two full years of Think Spanish audio magazine subscription for an amazing new low price!

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Enjoy learning languages in a completely unique and fun way with Earworms Rapid language courses. Listen to the rhythmic repetition of songs and melodies to help you learn the language by using your long-term memory or what they call the ‘accelerated learning technique’. You will be speaking real language without even realising it! The Earworms Rapid language course range is available in Arabic, Brazilian Portuguese, Cantonese, Dutch, French, German, Greek, Italian, Japanese, Mandarin Chinese, Polish, Portuguese, Russian and Spanish. Learn to speak a language in 70 minutes and on the go with Earworms Rapid Languages!

01 Earworms Rapid Arabic

levels: beginner (Volume 1) - intermediate (Volume 2)
language: Arabic
method: audio cd, MP3 download (phrasebook is included)

Learn essential words at the heart of the Arabic language and how to put them together to make yourself understood. Volume 1 deals with the essentials you need for a trip abroad, whilst Volume 2 deals with more general conversational terms including the past, present and future tenses. This  is a fun way to learn a language rapidly and will have you speaking real Arabic straight away! This product is available as a download as well as on audio CD.

for more information and to buy the Earworms Rapid Arabic language course on earwormslearning.com>>

02 Earworms Rapid Brazilian Portuguese

level: beginner (Volume 1) – intermediate (Volume 2)
language: Brazilian Portuguese
method: MP3 download only (phrasebook is included)

Learn essential words at the heart of the Brazilian Portuguese language and how to put them together to make yourself understood. Volume 1 deals with the essentials you need for a trip abroad, whilst Volume 2 deals with more general conversational terms including the past, present and future tenses. This  is a fun way to learn a language rapidly and will have you speaking real Brazilian Portuguese straight away!

for more information and to buy the Earworms Rapid Brazilian Portuguese language course on earwormslearning.com>>

03 Earworms Rapid Cantonese

level: beginner (Volume 1 only)
language: Cantonese
method: audio cd, MP3 download (phrasebook is included)

Learn essential words at the heart of the Cantonese language and how to put them together to make yourself understood. Volume 1 deals with the essentials you need for a trip abroad. This  is a fun way to learn a language rapidly and will have you speaking real Cantonese straight away! This product is available as a download as well as on audio CD.

for more information and to buy the Earworms Rapid Cantonese language course on earwormslearning.com>>

04 Earworms Rapid Dutch

level: beginner (Volume 1 only)
language: Dutch
method: audio cd, MP3 download (phrasebook is included)

Learn essential words at the heart of the Dutch language and how to put them together to make yourself understood. Volume 1 deals with the essentials you need for a trip abroad. This  is a fun way to learn a language rapidly and will have you speaking real Dutch straight away! This product is available as a download as well as on audio CD.

for more information and to buy the Earworms Rapid Dutch language course on earwormslearning.com>>

05 Earworms Rapid French

level: beginner (Volume 1) – intermediate (Volume 2)
language: French
method: audio cd, MP3 download (phrasebook is included)

Learn essential words at the heart of the French language and how to put them together to make yourself understood. Volume 1 deals with the essentials you need for a trip abroad, whilst Volume 2 deals with more general conversational terms including the past, present and future tenses. This  is a fun way to learn a language rapidly and will have you speaking real French straight away! This product is available as a download as well as on audio CD.

for more information and to buy the Earworms Rapid French language course on earwormslearning.com>>

REVIEW! read our review of the Earworms Rapid French Volume 1>> and the Earworms Rapid French Volume 2>>

06 Earworms Rapid German

level: beginner (Volume 1) – intermediate (Volume 2)
language: German
method: audio cd, MP3 download (phrasebook is included)

Learn essential words at the heart of the German language and how to put them together to make yourself understood. Volume 1 deals with the essentials you need for a trip abroad, whilst Volume 2 deals with more general conversational terms including the past, present and future tenses. This  is a fun way to learn a language rapidly and will have you speaking real German straight away! This product is available as a download as well as on audio CD.

for more information and to buy the Earworms Rapid German language course on earwormslearning.com>>

07 Earworms Rapid Greek

level: beginner (Volume 1) – intermediate (Volume 2)
language: Greek
method: audio cd, MP3 download (phrasebook is included)

Learn essential words at the heart of the Greek language and how to put them together to make yourself understood. Volume 1 deals with the essentials you need for a trip abroad, whilst Volume 2 deals with more general conversational terms including the past, present and future tenses. This  is a fun way to learn a language rapidly and will have you speaking real Greek straight away! This product is available as a download as well as on audio CD.

for more information and to buy the Earworms Rapid Greek language course on earwormslearning.com>>

08 Earworms Rapid Italian

level: beginner (Volume 1) – intermediate (Volume 2)
language: Italian
method: audio cd, MP3 download (phrasebook is included)

Learn essential words at the heart of the Italian language and how to put them together to make yourself understood. Volume 1 deals with the essentials you need for a trip abroad, whilst Volume 2 deals with more general conversational terms including the past, present and future tenses. This  is a fun way to learn a language rapidly and will have you speaking real Italian straight away! This product is available as a download as well as on audio CD.

for more information and to buy the Earworms Rapid Italian language course on earwormslearning.com>>

09 Earworms Rapid Japanese

level: beginner (Volume 1) – intermediate (Volume 2)
language: Japanese
method: audio cd, MP3 download (phrasebook is included)

Learn essential words at the heart of the Japanese language and how to put them together to make yourself understood. Volume 1 deals with the essentials you need for a trip abroad, whilst Volume 2 deals with more general conversational terms including the past, present and future tenses. This  is a fun way to learn a language rapidly and will have you speaking real Japanese straight away! This product is available as a download as well as on audio CD.

for more information and to buy the Earworms Rapid Japanese language course on earwormslearning.com>>

10 Earworms Rapid Mandarin Chinese

level: beginner (Volume 1) – intermediate (Volume 2)
language: Mandarin Chinese
method: audio cd, MP3 download (phrasebook is included)

Learn essential words at the heart of the Mandarin Chinese language and how to put them together to make yourself understood. Volume 1 deals with the essentials you need for a trip abroad, whilst Volume 2 deals with more general conversational terms including the past, present and future tenses. This  is a fun way to learn a language rapidly and will have you speaking real Mandarin Chinese straight away! This product is available as a download as well as on audio CD.

for more information and to buy the Earworms Rapid Mandarin Chinese language course on earwormslearning.com>>

11 Earworms Rapid Polish

level: beginner (Volume 1 only)
language: Polish
method: audio cd, MP3 download (phrasebook is included)

Learn essential words at the heart of the Polish language and how to put them together to make yourself understood. Volume 1 deals with the essentials you need for a trip abroad. This  is a fun way to learn a language rapidly and will have you speaking real Polish straight away! This product is available as a download as well as on audio CD.

for more information and to buy the Earworms Rapid Polish language course on earwormslearning.com>>

12 Earworms Rapid Portuguese

level: beginner (Volume 1) – intermediate (Volume 2)
language: Portuguese
method: audio cd, MP3 download (phrasebook is included)

Learn essential words at the heart of the Portuguese language and how to put them together to make yourself understood. Volume 1 deals with the essentials you need for a trip abroad, whilst Volume 2 deals with more general conversational terms including the past, present and future tenses. This  is a fun way to learn a language rapidly and will have you speaking real Portuguese straight away! This product is available as a download as well as on audio CD.

for more information and to buy the Earworms Rapid Portuguese language course on earwormslearning.com>>

13 Earworms Rapid Russian

level: beginner (Volume 1) – intermediate (Volume 2)
language: Russian
method: audio cd, MP3 download (phrasebook is included)

Learn essential words at the heart of the Russian language and how to put them together to make yourself understood. Volume 1 deals with the essentials you need for a trip abroad, whilst Volume 2 deals with more general conversational terms including the past, present and future tenses. This  is a fun way to learn a language rapidly and will have you speaking real Russian straight away! This product is available as a download as well as on audio CD.

for more information and to buy the Earworms Rapid Russian language course on earwormslearning.com>>

14 Earworms Rapid Spanish

level: beginner (Volume 1) – intermediate (Volume 2)
language: Spanish
method: audio cd, MP3 download (phrasebook is included)

Learn essential words at the heart of the Spanish language and how to put them together to make yourself understood. Volume 1 deals with the essentials you need for a trip abroad, whilst Volume 2 deals with more general conversational terms including the past, present and future tenses. This  is a fun way to learn a language rapidly and will have you speaking real Spanish straight away! This product is available as a download as well as on audio CD.

for more information and to buy the Earworms Rapid Spanish language course on earwormslearning.com>>

15 Earworms Rapid Turkish

level: beginner (Volume 1)
language: Turkish
method: MP3 download (phrasebook is included)

Learn essential words at the heart of the Turkish language and how to put them together to make yourself understood. Volume 1 deals with the essentials you need for a trip abroad. This  is a fun way to learn a language rapidly and will have you speaking real Spanish straight away! This product is currently only available as a download.

for more information and to buy the Earworms Rapid Turkish language course on earwormslearning.com>>

browse more Earworms language courses on earwormslearning.com>>