FSI Programmatic Portuguese Course

FSI Programmatic Portuguese Course
This course is based on educated speech drawn principally from Brazilian sources but is designed to also serve the needs of students who are travelling to Europe and Africa. The guidance of an instructor can help with making such adaptations as are necessary for Contintental or African Portuguese as well as regional variations in Brazil. But the course is designed so that it can be learned through self-instruction along with the recordings, so an instructor, tutor, or native speaker is not strictly necessary, though it is of course always beneficial to have one. This course is divided into two volumes. Level 1 concentrates on speech and grammar and contains units 1 through 25 in transcription, and comes with 15 cassettes or CDs and two books; Level 2 focuses on more advanced grammatical features, irregular verbs, expansion of vocabulary, and the development of reading comprehension, and contains units 26-48 in transcription, and comes with 22 cassettes and a book.

FSI Programmatic Portuguese  -   MP3 Sample  -   How the Course Works  -   Pricing

Table of Contents, Level 1  -   Table of Contents, Level 2

The Programmatic Portuguese Course is based on educated speech drawn principally from Brazilian sources but is designed to also serve the needs of students who are travelling to Europe and Africa. The guidance of an instructor can help with making such adaptations as are necessary for Contintental or African Portuguese as well as regional variations in Brazil. But the course is designed so that it can be learned through self-instruction along with the recordings, so an instructor, tutor, or native speaker is not strictly necessary, though it is of course always beneficial to have one.

The method underlying this course is guided imitation, and the aim is automaticity. Acquiring proficiency in the use of language is like acquiring proficiency in any other skill, for example, driving an automobile: you must practice until the mechanics of driving - or speaking - are reflexive. It is the aim of this course, therefore, to bring students to a condition of ‘automacity’ in speaking and understanding everyday Amharic.

The ultimate goal of the course is to speak Portuguese accurately, fluently and easily. The text provides for the assimilation of all basic forms and patterns of the language by the guided imitation, memorization, and manipulation of a large number of sentences and by practice through confronting various common everyday situations. But actual living use of the language in free conversation is a necessary and essential adjunct - thus students are encouraged from the start to use the language in every way possible, above and beyond what is provided for in the text. Only by constant use of the skill they are learning can learners hope to master the language and retain it.

This course is divided into two volumes. Level 1 concentrates on speech and grammar and contains units 1 through 25 in transcription, and comes with 15 cassettes or CDs and two books; Level 2 focuses on more advanced grammatical features, irregular verbs, expansion of vocabulary, and the development of reading comprehension, and contains units 26-48 in transcription, and comes with 22 cassettes and a book.

Here is an MP3 Sample for the CD version of the FSI Programmatic Portuguese Course. MP3 is a common sound format for the compression of CD quality audio, and there are many freeware and commercial players downloadable from the Internet, including current versions of the Windows Media Player.

Level 1 contains twenty-five units of work. Units 1 through 24 contain new material. Unit 25 is a review. A portion of the materials is presented through programming. Indeed, the word programmatic in the title means just that: partially programmed. In the typical programmed format, information is given to you by means of a carefully designed sequence of numbered 'frames'. What is a frame? A frame is simply a step in a learning sequence, and it bears a number for identification. Let us illustrate.

1. Right now you are looking at a frame. It is frame number one, and we have given it that number. It is the first step in a very brief learning sequence that you are now undertaking.

2. This is frame number two. Usually a frame will refer you to an item recorded on the recording. When this is the case, you will see one or more sets of parentheses appearing right after the frame and just below it, like this:

 

()      ()

3. The parentheses will always mean that something is recorded on the recording, and the number of sets of parentheses will always tell you the number of times that that particular 'something' is recorded on the recording. Thus, two sets of parentheses will indicate that the item appears twice. Likewise, you can expect to hear an item three times if you see this:

 

()      ()      ()

4. So, when you see one or more sets of ( ) you should turn on the recording and listen. But, always be sure you read the frame first. You will probably find it necessary to turn off the recording after the last set of ( ) to keep the recording from getting ahead of you.

5. You will often see an 'x' after some or all of the parentheses like this:

 

()x      ()x      ()x      ()x

 

6. That 'x' means that you are to mimic aloud (at the very least, under you breath, softly) what you have just heard. In the case below you would repeat aloud after each of the last three times you hear the item. You may let the recording run as you do this.

 

()      ()x      ()x      ()x

7. Beginning in Unit 10 you will be asked questions which will be based on information we have given you. You are to answer aloud. The correct answers will appear just below the frame, to the left of the page, partially in the margin, like this:

(Answer)

8. Always give your answer aloud first. Then check the answer in the left margin to see if you were right. To avoid temptation you should keep the answer covered with your hand or a suitably sized piece of paper. Reveal the answer only after you have spoken it aloud. You should then further verify the correct response by listening to it on the recording, where it has been pre-recorded, and by repeating it aloud as shown. This procedure will usually be indicated as follows:

 

Verify:      ()x      ()x

So much for the very brief introduction to programming; it is unlikely that you will have any trouble following along. All portions of the material, whether they are programmed or not, lend themselves well to self-instruction. It is recommended, however, that you have a 'check-out' session with an instructor or native speaker at regular intervals to assure yourself that you are progressing satisfactorily. During these sessions they can verify what you have prepared, polishing it and practicing it with you. In an intensive course where you are studying Portuguese up to eight hours a day it is advisable to plan on two to three or more hours of 'check-out' per day, preferably not all at one sitting.

In the first six units the programming leads to brief conversational exchanges. These exchanges appear in the text and they are on the recording. You should take the time to learn them well, because you will be asked to exhibit them and practice them with your instructor during the check-out sessions.

A series of longer exchanges called dialogs begins in Unit 7, and these too should be prepared thoroughly. In Units 8 through 24 you will find a variety of practice exercises dealing with one or another grammatical points. Most of these exercises are on the recording. Follow the instructions for each one and work conscientiously. Your instructor will want to verify that you have mastered the point being drilled.

In Level 2 the programmed format is used to present the remainder of the major grammatical features. This is done primarily in the odd-numbered units. Dialogs or brief exchanges begin the even-numbered units. These are followed by substitution drills, practice with irregular verb forms, and special attention to vocabulary expansion.

The dialogs and brief exchanges are recorded in a one-step format. The longer sentences are broken down into shorter phrases. It is expected that students will know the sentences thoroughly so that they can produce them on cue.

The estorinhas that appear at the end of Units 26-34 will help to develop reading comprehension. They will also stimulate conversation. They are a good source of useful vocabulary.

FSI Programmatic Portuguese Course
This course is divided into two volumes. Level 1 concentrates on speech and grammar and contains units 1 through 25 in transcription, and comes with 15 cassettes or CDs and two books; Level 2 focuses on more advanced grammatical features, irregular verbs, expansion of vocabulary, and the development of reading comprehension, and contains units 26-48 in transcription, and comes with 22 cassettes and a book.