FSI (Barron's): Foreign Language Learning Series Reviews

[watsonjennifer]

If Barron's is basically the same as the original, why don't people just use the original? Is there a disadvantage? I was going to use Barron's from a friend but they only have 11/12 CDs so perhaps I should just stick to the original FSI website.

[peterjojo32]

I downloaded several kind of foreign language learner but this one is very much helpful and great tool to learn fast...very good presentation style...keep it up..Thanks for this service and support.

[Marceki111]

I actually got 40 CDs for the Portuguese courses (23 for Level 1 and 17 for Level 2)

[bergulometro]

does anyone have an idea how many words a FSI course can teach you? I mean, I know that average Assimil courses can teach you up to 2000/3000 words (which I consider as a good basis), would a FSI course allow you to learn more or less words than that? thanks!

[Marceki111]

Yes, I *am* actually going to use the Programmatic Portuguese course as designed (being drilled by the CDs in this case because Multilingual Books transferred tapes to CDs)

15 CDs for Level 1 + 17 CDs for Level 2 = 32 CDs.

[MissLadyboy007]

I downloaded several languages and the look very good and highly detailed. I didn't download any tapes as considering the source and the time they were made those tapes are probably full of CIA subliminal message: 'Commies are all Godless automatons' , and 'Capitalism is the only way'. and 'I love America and will do everything my country asks of me.' lol

[surrected4526]

The FSI French Phonology suits me perfectly. The drills are necessarily effective given my particular learning style. What may be boring to many, is rather meditative and refreshing to me. In fact, I find that my pronunciation has improved significantly, and that my recall is astounding.

[USStateSponTerrorism]

I just checked one of the Spanish Language FSI courses and it had a grammatical error in Spanish. It said, "Dónde está la farmacia? It should be, "Dónde queda la farmacia?" Está is for "temporary" location and "quedar" is for permanent location,something that doesn't change its location,i.e. Dónde está Juan?

[diego3rm26]

@USStateSponTerrorism Hmmm, at least here in Spain that sentence is just fine. ¿Dónde está la farmacia? ¿Dónde está la gasolinera? ¿Dónde está la casa de tu hermana? They are all ok.

[christopheclugston]

@USStateSponTerrorism Actually one time events real "temporary" uses ser. Donde es la fiesta hoy?

[SalvadorianThunder]

@USStateSponTerrorism In latin american spanish all those sentences you mentioned are ok.

[leeantony]

@USStateSponTerrorism ¿Dónde está la farmacia? is totally correct in Spanish. One can also say it the other way. Both are common and neither is better than the other.

[daconmiked]

One more question about fsi , Do these books , old ones , also teach grammer and wrting and reading and do these old one's you've displayed come with audio cassttee ? Thank you so much and nothing but the best for you .

[ProfASAr]

@daconmiked Generally, yes they do teach grammar, but each course is different, and some are far more systematic than others. They are all in the public domain and can be downloaded, with audio, from fsi-language-courses . org

[daconmiked]

where can i buy these origenal copies or do you suggest one's with tapes if your just starting in a language ? Peace .

[chiminox]

I'm cuerrently studying Mandarin using the FSI course as my primary method. I have to say I'm really impressed by the depth covered in the course. So far I've completed 2 modules in less than a week and the progress I've made (compared to Pimsleur's method) is astonishing.

I'd like to know if the mandarin for that specific FSI course is outdated, and if so... would that be grave ?

Thanks in advance !

[MashaGu]

I purchased a Korean FSI course, (2005 Edition) which does cover a good amount of grammar. However, the Korean used in this manual is rather outdated. So I suppose I expected a 2005 revised edition to be somewhat more modern.

[drhanyang]

I suggest you skip the first course, actually. If you use other materials until you reach a certain level of Korean, the second course will actually be useful. It's still outdated, but at that point you'll be able to recognize what you don't need.

[kisame426]

wat the best carrer track in the foreign service which pays alot and gives u some presitge to the wrld and president

managment, counslar, or political or even economics

[shebrokemiheart]

where do you download them for free online?

legally if possible?

[redcav97]

From a current FSI employee:

1. FSI abandoned the old courses and their accompanying methodology years ago. Many language sections use modern commercial texts in their place.

2. The courses were written principally for training Foreign Service Officers, although they were surely used for other purposes.

3. The language used in all of the courses is outdated and in many cases inappropriate or even offensive. Be careful which lines you practice!

4. Don't pay for them if you don't have to!

[blazethemonkey]

How could it be inappropriate or offensive? What alternates do you suggest?

[ultrajumboshrimp]

@blazethemonkey

The French word "bonne" used to mean "maid," but now it's an offensive word.

[gatsu6969]

@ultrajumboshrimp bonne is not an offensive word, it means good, but it can only modify nouns that are feminine.

[almostLiterate]

@blazethemonkey I would have to guess only offensive or inappropriate for a language with many dialects such as Chinese or Arabic which they had both of. If you are learning a language with fewer dialects (and less diverse) such as French or German, you should be fine with a little help from native speakers.

[Jonzwelet]

Are the Barron's courses exactly the same as the original FSI courses?

[ProfASAr]

All the Barron's books I have ever seen have been exact reproductions of the government manuals, just reduced to a usefully portable size, and in price as well. I believe they may have added cultural information, in English, on some of the recordings.

[1qewretry]

Professor,

I'm learning French at the moment; would you recommend the French FSI method; would the language being taught be too antiquated for a modern French ear? Thanks for all these videos - I'm looking forward to your guide to the Korean language in the current series.

[christopheclugston]

@Jonzwelet Barrons doesn't put out the full courses. For more information I did a vid about FSI speak like a diplomat