Mary March

Although the instant immersion concept for learning a new language is a good idea, this workbook will only help you acquire a passing familiarity with the Italian language. This is like learning a new language through a phrasebook -- you'll pick up some key phrases and vocabulary, organized thematically, and learn the basics of grammar and pronunciation. However, what you'll learn just won't translate to practical use, at least, not enough to be proficient in Italian. There's just not enough material to the structure of the language for true understanding, so your progress is only as good as your memory. Now, I'm not saying these Instant Immersion workbooks are a waste of time. For people who have previously studied the language, it's a great refresher course to keep your skills sharp. And for people who are new to Italian, it's a good introduction -- before graduating on to more in-depth instruction.… (altro)