Conference terri::cars_uk

    Doug,
    
    Most of the time it doesn't help. You must have some kind of book in
    front of you, to help you, but extreme exposure to the language can't
    be bad... it's apparantly the best way to learn - hasn't for me!
    Yet! ;-)
    
    				Lewis.

    I started doing this about a year ago, and would highly recommend
    it. It does wonders for your pronunciation, and your ability to
    understand spoken French. You don't need to concentrate too hard,
    just expose yourself to the cassettes over and over, and you will
    soon be able to understand everything on the cassettes.
    
    I have been using the BBC courses, France Parler and France Extra.
    I prefer the latter. I have been told A Vous La France is also very
    good for starters. I made the mistake of getting Harraps "Drive-in
    French". It is rubbish. Stick with the BBC courses. The vocab and
    grammar is very good, and the format is very logical.
    
    After listening to some chapters in the car during the week, you need
    to spend a few hours at home with the book, and go through a chapter.
    This will make everything click into place.
    
    Go for it!
    
    d:){=| Dave.

I'll go for it ... but where do I get it?

Dougie

    Dougie Phone me DTN 849 3395 re these tapes Rob Sugden
    

    any good book shop, or 'borrow' them from someone who's not using
    them any more (sorry I can't offer at the moment)
    
    I think the book+tapes comes to about �20. 
    
    d:){=| Dave

	Another good one is the 'Paul Daniels Magic language Memory Method' 
	courses (if you can stand the stigma of picking them up from the 
	library that is -- take a brown paper bag with you).   

	Its a completely cassette based course (12 cassettes in all).  I did
	the Italian and thoroughly recommend it.  The emphasis is on vocabulary
	and not grammar.  By the end of the course you should have learned
	about 1500 words.

	It is only an introduction though.  I've now progressed to the 
	'Linguaphone' Italian course, but I find that I can't study that 
	one in the car quite as easily.

	Cheers,

	Alan

	 

For once Derek I agree with you!

I always wondered why so many people seemed to be so totally unaware of
everything that was going on around them. Now I know. They were all
practising their "Je suis un connard".

Colin.

I dunno what the difference is between listening to the Archers, the Today
programme, or parlez vous. Things usually sort themselves out. I can't 
concentrate on the radio when I'm in difficult traffic situations.

I don't know what you're saying. Should we not allow in-car entertainment? 
Perhaps we could tune all radios to only receive Capital Radio, then it 
wouldn't tax the brain! :-)

Dougie

    I think there is a big difference between "listening" to the radio
    or cassette and trying to "learn" or "remember" exactly all thats being
    said.
    
    If you are concentrating hard on what you are listening to it may
    impact your observation and awareness.
    
    - Roy 

	I agree with .7 and .8, but only in part.  The introductory 
	leaflet to the Paul Daniels courses advises against using the
	course in the car to begin with, until you've mastered the
	memory-method.   But after that, I can assure you its no more
	dangerous that singing along to the radio.  The most dangerous 
	part is probably changing cassette.

	Try it, you'll like it (not a lot!)

	Alan.

The Readers Digest set is good.

Costs approx �60 for 15 tapes, a small F/E dictionary and a phrase book.


You learn by listening to phrases, and repeating them in the silence that 
follows, the phrase is then repeated and explained.

    I've been listening to Italian cassettes in the car. They're vocabulary
    only, no rules involved. I find that, if something "out there" happens,
    my concentration is completely on the driving situation. When when
    things get relaxed again, the cassette sounds slowly grow back into
    awareness.
    
    russ

    What ? learning italian without your hands ?
    
    :-) Paul
    

    I did say I managed to concentrate. Never mentioned anything about
    having my hands on the wheel.
    russ

    I have used the A Vous La France tapes and found them very good. The
    handbook is also very good. As for learning while you drive you need a
    clear road and not be in a hurry. I did the Digital skillful driving
    course and I believe that the instructor would have ruled against it.
    Once my pressing need to brush up my french was over I stopped.

I can't think of anything more annoying than having Paul Daniels
in the car with me! 

:-{*}

Dougie

I've been tuning in to French radion stations on long wave, they sort
of go ...



   blahdeblahdeblahdbebalhblahthingummyBorisYeltsintumptytumptyfrumpty
dumptyJohnMajorramalammadingdong.

I think I'll get the hang of it pretty quickly

Dougie

	Re: .17,  The brown-paper bag covers up his mug-shot, and if you
	fast-forward the first minute of tape 1 you can miss him out
	completely.  The courses are given by native speakers.

	Incedentally, the library in DECpark I has a selection of language
	courses available for loan.  The waiting list is quite long though.

	Cheers,

	Alan