Behind the Wheel Spanish II / 8 Multi-Track CDs /Complete 207 Page Illustrated Text / English Translations / Answer Keys & Tapescrip 
asked by miceandmen on November 26, 2006 2:36 PM
At last the second level CD course for Behind the Wheel Spanish which requires no reading and which teaches you to actually speak advanced level Spanish in a minimum of time and effort. Designed by the experts at Language Dynamics, 'Behind The Wheel Spanish 2 For Your Car' takes the learner from low intermediate level to advanced level Spanish without the guesswork and pain usually associated with language learning. An expert English speaking instructor talks you through these multi-track CDs in English while 2 trained professional native Spanish speakers teach you Spanish the way it is really spoken. One voice is male and the other is female for added instructional value.
Behind The Wheel Spanish 2 For Your Car is the ideal way to continue to learn Spanish while you drive because there is no confusion, no reading, no looking up meanings, and no guessing. It's all on the CDs. Use your commute time to effectively learn level 2 Spanish with this delightful course whose method will have you speaking more advanced Spanish within minutes of receiving your course, and enjoying it. This product has superb clarity of voices and exudes a spontaneity which makes learning Level 2 Spanish fast, easy and fun.
Reviews
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Certainly, I can recommend the course with audio but the book is worth purchasing without any CD! Though the book is very plain, it is very full of useful, conversational concepts. I am nearly finished my second time through both text and audio and I now have the confidence to recognize errors and understand more complicated passages.
No one book or course can give you everything to fluently speak conversational Spanish through self study. When I decided to use this course, I had an intermediate understanding of Spanish grammar including several verb tenses but really wanted more conversational Spanish practice. This course was just what I needed. It reinforced several conversational building blocks that I already knew (tener que..., me gusta..., hay que...) and introduced several others with which I was not yet familiar (tener ganas de..., estar para...). Personally, I do not find memorizing phrases very useful. I strive to understand the literal, basic concepts so I can build my own sentences as needed in a situation. This course definitely advanced my understanding of Spanish in this respect.
If you already have some basic understanding of Spanish, need some good thoughtful practice along with new concepts, and learn well on your own, BTW II is a very good supplemental resource. I love the many brief narratives through out the book that are more like real, complete conversation. (By the way, all Spanish text and questions have the translations and answers immediately following on the same page, though in appreciably smaller font. BTW II does not so much teach formal grammar like more classical textbooks but rather introduces conversational phrases with practice.
Apparently, the same book is used for BTW I and BTW II but the audio is structured to the level of the course. The transcripts from BOTH courses are in the back of the book in small text. (Additional material!)
TIP:
Practice with the audio CD's (as with other multi audio CD courses) is greatly convenienced by 'ripping' the audio CD into MP3 format (Media Player with XP). All 8 CD's are quite easily written onto one CD. You can purchase a walkman CD that plays MP3 for $20-30 or other mp3 player. Each chapter is selected as an 'album' and each lesson as a 'song'. I can go to any lesson in any chapter of the entire course within a few clicks and never have to change the CD! Also, there is absolutely no time, even if you know the answer, to respond with the translation so manual pause/resume is absolutely necessary for effective practice. Fortunately, most of my driving is casual enough that I can pause at will. Actually, if I had a choice between a long pause for answers or no time, I would select no time as I prefer to have the course waiting for me than having to wait through long pauses. Sometimes I take the opportunity to expand on the question/answer before resuming.
You might want to visit the publisher's web site as you can 'sign up' and receive a discount code for direct purchases.
Si usted decide comprar el curso, espero que le guste esto tambien. Buena suerte.
No one book or course can give you everything to fluently speak conversational Spanish through self study. When I decided to use this course, I had an intermediate understanding of Spanish grammar including several verb tenses but really wanted more conversational Spanish practice. This course was just what I needed. It reinforced several conversational building blocks that I already knew (tener que..., me gusta..., hay que...) and introduced several others with which I was not yet familiar (tener ganas de..., estar para...). Personally, I do not find memorizing phrases very useful. I strive to understand the literal, basic concepts so I can build my own sentences as needed in a situation. This course definitely advanced my understanding of Spanish in this respect.
If you already have some basic understanding of Spanish, need some good thoughtful practice along with new concepts, and learn well on your own, BTW II is a very good supplemental resource. I love the many brief narratives through out the book that are more like real, complete conversation. (By the way, all Spanish text and questions have the translations and answers immediately following on the same page, though in appreciably smaller font. BTW II does not so much teach formal grammar like more classical textbooks but rather introduces conversational phrases with practice.
Apparently, the same book is used for BTW I and BTW II but the audio is structured to the level of the course. The transcripts from BOTH courses are in the back of the book in small text. (Additional material!)
TIP:
Practice with the audio CD's (as with other multi audio CD courses) is greatly convenienced by 'ripping' the audio CD into MP3 format (Media Player with XP). All 8 CD's are quite easily written onto one CD. You can purchase a walkman CD that plays MP3 for $20-30 or other mp3 player. Each chapter is selected as an 'album' and each lesson as a 'song'. I can go to any lesson in any chapter of the entire course within a few clicks and never have to change the CD! Also, there is absolutely no time, even if you know the answer, to respond with the translation so manual pause/resume is absolutely necessary for effective practice. Fortunately, most of my driving is casual enough that I can pause at will. Actually, if I had a choice between a long pause for answers or no time, I would select no time as I prefer to have the course waiting for me than having to wait through long pauses. Sometimes I take the opportunity to expand on the question/answer before resuming.
You might want to visit the publisher's web site as you can 'sign up' and receive a discount code for direct purchases.
Si usted decide comprar el curso, espero que le guste esto tambien. Buena suerte.
reviewed by bigchad on November 26, 2006 9:01 PM
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As the editor of the Learning Spanish Products Reviews (LearningSpanishProductsReviews) site, one of my responsibilities is to review learning-Spanish resources that are listed on Amazon. I am also a native Spanish speaker and a professional private Spanish instructor.
Like Learn In Your Car Spanish, Behind the Wheel Spanish 2 is a course that allows the user to learn while driving or performing another activity. However, I undoubtedly prefer this course over Learn In Your Car Spanish for several reasons. First of all, each CD begins with a 'pronunciation guide" to assist the student in proper pronunciation. Secondly, the CDs also have numerous short stories or short dialogs that are read by a native speaker. By listening to these short stories or short dialogs, the student is able to quickly improve her listening comprehension. Thirdly, the narrator instructed the native speaker to explain to the student when words varied from one country to another. One example, the native speaker told the word for "bus station" as it is said in most of Latin America as well as Mexico.
Lastly, the native speakers vary the speed of their speech. You will hear the native speakers speak at a pace slightly slower than normal speech so that you can emulate the native speaker and develop proper pronunciation. But you will also hear the native speakers speak at normal speed to improve your listening comprehension and to also prepare you for actual conversation.
Another positive point to this course is that you will learn a huge amount of vocabulary. If you are an intermediate to low advanced student and you are looking to expand your vocabulary, Behind the Wheel Spanish Level 2 will leave you quite pleased with the vocabulary that you have learned.
Like Learn In Your Car Spanish, Behind the Wheel Spanish 2 is a course that allows the user to learn while driving or performing another activity. However, I undoubtedly prefer this course over Learn In Your Car Spanish for several reasons. First of all, each CD begins with a 'pronunciation guide" to assist the student in proper pronunciation. Secondly, the CDs also have numerous short stories or short dialogs that are read by a native speaker. By listening to these short stories or short dialogs, the student is able to quickly improve her listening comprehension. Thirdly, the narrator instructed the native speaker to explain to the student when words varied from one country to another. One example, the native speaker told the word for "bus station" as it is said in most of Latin America as well as Mexico.
Lastly, the native speakers vary the speed of their speech. You will hear the native speakers speak at a pace slightly slower than normal speech so that you can emulate the native speaker and develop proper pronunciation. But you will also hear the native speakers speak at normal speed to improve your listening comprehension and to also prepare you for actual conversation.
Another positive point to this course is that you will learn a huge amount of vocabulary. If you are an intermediate to low advanced student and you are looking to expand your vocabulary, Behind the Wheel Spanish Level 2 will leave you quite pleased with the vocabulary that you have learned.
reviewed by anton584 on November 27, 2006 12:37 PM
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I was thrilled to experience another 'winner' with Behind the Wheel Spanish level 2.
All new material and two native speakers (male and female) make this course a needed addition to any aficionado's language collection.
The book with tapecript is also a big plus.
All new material and two native speakers (male and female) make this course a needed addition to any aficionado's language collection.
The book with tapecript is also a big plus.
reviewed by oden on November 28, 2006 9:30 AM
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Like the other Language Dynamics products I have tried, this is the gift that keeps on giving.
Behind the Wheel Spanish 2, like the Level 1 course, is full of life, realistic vocabulary,
and interesting and easy to learn sentence formation exercises.
The production on my course was perfect. How many language courses (like Pimsleur for example) don't even have multiple tracks at all?
How many more courses out these (like Berlitz) don't even have the decency to give you English for the Spanish exercises.
This and other Behind the Wheel courses have it all. The great material, the great technique and the great layout that makes learning a language fun for a change.
Behind the Wheel Spanish 2, like the Level 1 course, is full of life, realistic vocabulary,
and interesting and easy to learn sentence formation exercises.
The production on my course was perfect. How many language courses (like Pimsleur for example) don't even have multiple tracks at all?
How many more courses out these (like Berlitz) don't even have the decency to give you English for the Spanish exercises.
This and other Behind the Wheel courses have it all. The great material, the great technique and the great layout that makes learning a language fun for a change.
reviewed by smiling on November 28, 2006 1:48 PM