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What about the rate of speech in Platiquemos and the original FSI program? The answer is here. Is the Platiquemos Program suitable for beginners? Yes. In fact, in some cases it is better to begin from the beginning. This is particularly true of students whose previous experience in Spanish was in an academic setting. Given the constraints of time and class size, most academic classes don't do a very good job of teaching pronunciation; the first two units of Platiquemos are focused on pronunciation. Other reasons for starting at the beginning with Platiquemos include depth of learning (many classes and self-study programs try to push too much on the student too fast, with the result that the student ends up with a vague idea of, say the difference between ser and estar, but no real command of or ability to use them. Another reason is sequence; different programs tend to have different sequencing of the elements of the language. Platiquemos is sequenced from most necessary to less necessary until the entire language has been covered in depth. An example is the formal future tense in Spanish, which isn't really necessary since the present tense can be used in Spanish to convey the same meaning. It is, however, very simple and easy to learn. Many programs teach it almost at the beginning; in Platiquemos it is delayed until Level VII. How should I use the Platiquemos program? If you have the time, you might want to read the full introduction to the original Foreign Service Institute Basic Course in Spanish, on which Platiquemos is based. The introduction explains the philosophy of the program, and describes in some detail each of the different sections. (The introduction in full is in the introductory section of each Platiquemos volume, as well as on this website here). How you use the program will depend to some extent on your own particular learning style. Some people are more visually oriented, and will thus want to use the book more than others. Since the program is primarily intended to help you gain proficiency in oral communication, however, the audio is very important. We have worked hard to make the audio easier to use without the book than the original was, primarily by providing spoken cues which were left out of the original. It is important to remember that almost everything that is in the text is also in the audio, with the exception of grammatical explanations and readings. The readings, which start with Unit 17, have English translations which were lacking in the original to make them easier and more useful for self studiers. (The translations go through Unit 36–at that point we believe you should start to use a dictionary.) Our best advice is, when you first start with a new unit, to go through at least the Basic Sentences in the text so that you will be familiar with what is coming on the audio. This is not vitally important, however, since the Basic sentences in the Platiquemos program are given in both English and Spanish. You might want to try with the audio only, and refer to the text as needed. Drills and exercises which have English in the text, also have English in the audio. Some of the drills and exercises, though, such as Substitution drills, Response Drills, and Replacement Drills are all in Spanish. Until your ear becomes well accustomed to hearing Spanish spoken at a normal rate of speed, you might find it helpful to go over these drills the first time with the book to be sure that you're hearing what is being said. The Basic Sentences are the core of the program. That is where new structures are introduced, as well as most of the new vocabulary. Make every effort to thoroughly master the Basic Sentences before moving on to the drills and exercises....it will pay off in the end. Finally, no two people are likely to use the program exactly alike, and very few are likely to do it perfectly. The important thing is to keep at it. If you persevere, you will learn. Guaranteed. If you don't you won't....also guaranteed. How much time should I devote to each unit? The amount of time to devote to each unit will vary from person to person, and from unit to unit with the same person. You'll find some parts of the program "easier" than others–and there's no way to really predict which ones you'll find easier or harder. You should work on each unit until you feel comfortable with it, and ready to move on to the next. Since each unit of the program builds on those that have gone before, in addition to the Review Drills that appear in each unit, there are lots of chances to practice what you've already learned. Also, there's no rule against going back and repeating a unit or units if you find you haven't mastered them as well as you'd like. For background, the original FSI program was taught in small classes with about 360 hours of class time. As a very general rule, we say about six to eight hours per unit for self study. Some may take less time, some more. Also, as a very general rule, you are better off in terms of being able to communicate with less material thoroughly mastered than with more material only superficially learned. What proficiency level can I expect at various Levels of the Program? A reasonably thorough explanation of the most accepted standards of language proficiency and how they relate to Platiquemos is here. Remember that whether you meet or even exceed these estimates of proficiency is going to depend in very large part on the time you invest. Can I get help using the Program? If you have questions or concerns, you can contact Don Casteel, Platiquemos´s author, at don@platiquemos-letstalk.com Within reason, Don will be happy to respond to your questions or concerns. What is the "digital" version? As far as we know, Platiquemos is the only "self study" program to utilize computer technology to make the program much more affordable. We believe that cost is one of the main sticking points with many people who´d like to learn Spanish; with the "digital" version we are able to go a long way toward making Spanish language learning as inexpensive as possible, while still providing the benefits of a complete and in-depth program. The "digital" version takes advantage of the capabilities of modern computers to compress the computer files that make up the Platiquemos program. The text files are in Adobe Acrobat format; the audio files are in mp3 format. This enables us to easily fit an entire level (about 200 pages of text and eight hours of audio) onto a single compact disk. The benefits of the "digital" version are that we can provide it for less than half the cost of the "hard copy" ("hard copy" means a printed book and regular audio cd´s), and that it can be used with great flexibility (the compact disk containing the program can be "backed up" either on the computer´s hard drive or by making a backup cd), and the files themselves can be used "as is" on almost any computer, or the text files can be printed out and the audio files can be converted on most newer computers to regular audio cd´s. There is only one "drawback" to the digital version. In exchange for saving over 50% and having everything on one compact disk which is much more durable than a printed book, you have to contribute (if you want to use the program other than on a computer) printing the text as needed with any computer printer, or converting the audio files and "burning " them onto regular audio cd´s (many modern cd players will play mp3 files, and if you have one of those you can skip this process). We strongly recommend the "digital" version to all who have access to a computer and even a little bit of computer knowledge. One reason we recommend it is, of course, cost; another equally important reason is the flexibility it provides, and the fact that a compact disk is much more durable than a printed book. How does the "downloadable" version work? One of Platiquemos's major goals is to use technology to bring the benefits of the Platiquemos/FSI program to people who want to learn Spanish for the lowest possible cost. We have recently added a "download" version, making four "versions" in all. The main thing to remember is that the contents of all the versions are exactly the same--the only difference is in the manner of delivery. The "download" version is the same as the "digital" version, except that instead of receiving data compact disks in the mail, the purchaser downloads the files from the internet. Even in digital format, the files for the Program are quite large. Level I alone in download version is about 180 megabytes. We have set up the downloads so that they can be done a unit or Level at a time for those who have really fast internet connections, or a part of a unit at a time. Using the latter method, the biggest single download is about five megabytes. In effect, what we're doing is trading a significantly lower price for the customer doing some of the work. The most important news for you is that the download version is about half the cost or the "digital" version on compact disks, and only about a quarter the cost of the "hard copy" version. Go on to student questions and our answers x x x x x x x x x
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