Reasonable, but room for improvement

Positives: this takes you at a gentle pace (possibly too gentle at times!), and with lots and lots of repetition you really do learn what you're being taught. Negatives: some things you are taught I don't think are particularly helpful for a beginner crash course. For example "I would like to know why you haven't ordered a taxi" is good in terms of sentence structure, but as a phrase is useless to beginners, because let's face it, you won't understand the answer! Instead some time could be spent on learning other phrases which would be of more help to someone looking for the basics for travel, such as "can I have the bill?" and "where are the toilets?". I think there's also space for a bit more vocabulary, especially food and drink, as ordering in a cafe or restaurant is something you're pretty much certain to do when travelling. For example, rather than just "I would like a coffee" it would be helpful to be able to say whether you would like milk, or sugar. And finally, actively practicing numbers would also be helpful, rather than just a track at the end. I've also used Paul Noble to study some Spanish (the longer version). As I mentioned earlier you do drill the phrases, they do sink in. However, a weakness in the Paul Noble series is that while you get quite good at saying what you want to say, there is no practice for listening. A few tracks where you listen and translate to English, rather than just translating from English in to the study language would be beneficial in my opinion.

5 people found this helpful

Simple and helpful travel language

What made the experience of listening to Destination Italian with Paul Noble the most enjoyable?

This tape provides very useful and everyday applicable travel phrases

What could Paul Noble have done to make this a more enjoyable book for you?

Nothing to add to this simple entry level tape, but more of the same at a higher level of understanding please

What does Paul Noble bring to the story that you wouldn’t experience if you had only read the book?

Encouragement - especially to say it out loud which is such an important part of learning a language

Was there a moment in the book that particularly moved you?

N/A

Any additional comments?

More of the same please at higher levels

3 people found this helpful

Essential italian works

Loved it, best teaching method I've tried. Remembered more than I thought I would. Definitely recommend.

1 person found this helpful

Best learning experience ever

I'm usually good with languages but this method of learning, by simple repetition of likely phrases in different sentences, is phenomenally useful and quick. I started playing it as I got on the plane and by the time I landed, had most of the vocabulary I needed for my four-day stay. A perfect method for learning essential phrases.

1 person found this helpful

not enough detail

too much emphasis on particular phrases/words but he teaches them well. I know it was a short course but I feel like I've only 5 phrases and he could have done with a few classic tourist phrases - I'm looking for;. where is etc

1 person found this helpful

waste of money

books 12and 3 are good .this is very poor and lacking . if you already have the 1st 3 .this is a complete waste of time and money.

4 people found this helpful

fantastic

fantastic two hour reading, learnt a lot in so short a time. Next up for me will be the next lessons from Paul's collection.

Simple, useful, well taught

I LOVED this audiobook. I have learned - and retained - this learning. Handy phrases about ordering and reservations at hotels really useful. I am off to purchase the longer course!

Fantastico!

Having followed all of Paul’s Iatlian Languages Coures i can speak and get by better than ever. Not intended for advanced learners but to give travellers a good basis if understanding to form their own sentences and to understand verb structures and tenses. I failed French in school and was convinced i couldnt master languages. Used Pauls French audible to practice that too and my command id now better than after 3 years in high school! I would strongly recommend.

This is how learning languages should be

Very happy! I really wanted to learn enough to get by in Italy and recognise words i hear. You're basically learning like u did with your first language but not childish. You have to really understand language and learning to put this lesson together. Pauses are good length! I can do this in the car and while washing up. I actually learnt a bit about pronouncing letters and numbers and the c and r sounds before this at a class ...yrs ago..which i managed to recall and link in with this learning so i hadnt wasted that as i thought. i could have managed perfectly fine without prior knowlrdge though.