Pimsleur CD 3
Well, I’m about to start CD #3 of Pimsleur’s Egyptian Arabic lessons, and I must say I’m very, very impressed so far! This is really the best way for me to learn a language I think. Listen to it be spoken. I’m not a “grammar first” type of guy. Just let me learn how to say stuff, then tell me later why I’m saying it that way.
I listened to lesson one about 6 times I think, partly because I didn’t have the others here yet. The 2nd lesson I listened to only 4 times. The program says that it’s okay to “move on” when you’ve mastered 80% of the material on the CD… in other words, when you can answer, without much thought, 80% of the “questions”. By the time I’d gone through it 3 times I had a really good grasp on it, easily 80%, but wanted to do it one more time for posterity.
Celeste was so nice as to buy me the Kullu Tamam! book that Adam had recommended. She surprised me with it actually! It looks, simply put, amazing! However, it also looks very intensive… so, at this point I’m planning on completing the first 8 lessons of Pimsleur (the “Quick and Simple” CDs) then I will move into going through Kullu Tamam!. That way I will have a really good, even though “basic”, grasp of speaking the language and can build on that with the book.
I’m very excited with how well my progress seems to be going. Of course I credit God for blessing me with the ability and success in learning it. Thank you God!