Rating: 
Summary: 99 Better Places to Spend Your Money
Review: I didn't like these learning Spanish CDs. I wouldn't recommend them to any one that really wants to learn Spanish on his own. To be honest, I think these lessons will do more harm than good. That's because they don't help you develop a real speaking Spanish accent. In fact, they will cause you to develop an awful speaking Spanish accent. Michel Thomas is from France or somewhere. He's definitely not a native Spanish speaker. To make matters worse, he's about 80 or 90 years and he speaks like it and sounds like it. What I mean is that it's very difficult to understand even his English. There are two students on the Michel Thomas course. But they are both beginners -- definitely not someone who you'd want to copy their Spanish pronunciation. I am by no means an authority on how to learn Spanish. But I do know that it is extremely important to take Spanish lessons or Spanish classes from a native speaker or learn from a course recorded by natives. It's the only way to get a Spanish accent that sounds real. If you are a person that learns visually, then I would recommend the Rosetta Stone Spanish course -- www.rosettastone.com If you are a person that likes to learn naturally by learning how to speak Spanish before you can read and write it, then I'd recommend that you learn Spanish with the Learning Like Crazy Spanish plan at www.learningspanishlikecrazy.com
Rating: 
Summary: Execellent on-the-fly program
Review: I have tried many methods for learning Spanish, and have had loads of French from elementary, high school and university. I have also done extensive immersion training in both languages. I bought the 2 CD set, which was a mistake. I should have read some of these reviews first, then purchased the full set. It is excellent.My advice, buy the set when you are about to embark on a long car or plane trip. You get used to sitting on a plane and muttering to yourself while your wearing headphones. Bring some Shakira (Spanish only) and Mana, maybe some Intakto to punctate the verbosity. I agree with some of the other reviewers. It could have done easily without the male student. I also found Michel's pronunciaton to be a bit dodgy at times, whether you're familiar with speakers from Spain, Argentina or Ecuador. I don't think these CD's should be used as a substitute for a good 6 weeks spent in Guatemala or Andalusia with a native speaker and proper lessons, but they make an excellent introduction and refresher. Thomas' method is easily the best audio medium based material I have ever tried.
Rating:
Summary: The BEST introduction to Spanish available today
Review: Several years ago I started a new job and found that many of my clients spoke only Spanish. In reponse to the need to communicate more effectively at work, I began to learn Spanish. I took a couple evening classes in conversational Spanish at a local community college. I also went through several CD progams, including Berlitz, Pimsleur, and a few others. While I got decent at reading and writing Spanish, listening and speaking always seemed more difficult. This probably has to do with my not wanting to make a fool of myself in conversation by saying something stupid to one of my clients. Recently I purchased this set of CDs by Michel Thomas and finally I have found a teacher who knows how to teach conversational Spanish. His method is excellent and fairly painless. Although I already knew the vocabulary and grammar on these CDs, they gave me confidence and helped me understand the nitty gritty nuts and bolts of the spoken language in a way that no other teacher or course had done. I would highly recommended these CDs as a place to start if your goal is to speak and be understood. The 4 stars reflect the poor packaging. The individual CDs are wedged into a plastic case and are not in their own sleeves. My set became dislodged in shipping and I received a set of scratched CDs because they were loose in the box and rubbed against each other in transit. You might want to buy them at a local store so that you can immediately return them if they are damaged. Otherwise, you need to ship them back and hope that the new set is not similarly damaged in shipping.
Rating:
Summary: Refreshing Change from Most Language Courses
Review: I loved what Mr. Thomas said in the beginning: "Don't try to memorize, learn by rote, or mindlessly repeat over and over." That's one of the best lines I've ever heard regarding a language course! His approach is very memorable as he has a student who is very good and another that is pretty bad. This is a refreshing break from having one or two people saying something in Spanish then translating it with a small description of how it was used. In conclusion, this course is pretty refreshing, especially if you're looking for a new way to try and learn a language. It may not be quite as comprehensive as taking a formal Spanish class, but it can be a great supplement to formal study or foreign travel.
Rating: 
Summary: Great Learning Experience......However.......
Review: I cannot express how easy it was to pick up basic conversational abilities using this language program. This is by far the easiest method of learning the Spanish language I have ever tried. Mr. Thomas' method of teaching languages is second to none. There is one thing that should be changed. The male student MUST go! His repeated mispronunciations and general mistakes make the program almost not worth it at times. If you are stuck in traffic, the male student is guaranteed to annoy the most patient of listeners. Other than the above listed complaint, the program really is excellent. I only wish an intermediate and advanced course were available.
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