I don't know about you, but I took 8 years of French in elementary and Junior High schools and you know how much I remember of it? Enough to look like a fool when I go to Quebec (not an exaggeration -- it actually happened). So if someone asked you, "How would you like to learn more French in 8 hours than you did in 8 years?" would you at the very least be curious? I wasn't just curious, I was entranced.
Michel Thomas has been teaching languages for 50 years and in the past few decades, he has been teaching a method of learning a large amount of a language in eight hours without writing anything down and without doing any homework. He presents the concepts and makes comparisons to English so most things just make sense when you use them. He teaches you enough words and concepts to be able to formulate your own thoughts and sentences without having been told the sentence before.
The marketing for the programs offer you quotes from various celebrities and notes the actors and political diplomats who have paid Michel Thomas $43,000 for eight hours and walked away happy. They praise him on his ability to teach in a way the student can easily absorb. However, praise from celebrities who pay a lot more than most people could shouldn't be what convinces you. What convinces you is the results from people you can relate to who did not pay $43,000, but under $100 for the lessons on CD. Is $100 worth spending to learn a huge amount of a language and to understand how it works? A resounding yes is my answer.
These are actually audio courses on 8 CDs, approximately one hour per CD. I have only taken the French course, but whether it be French, Italian, German or Spanish you want to learn, Mr. Thomas has been teaching it long enough and has earned many accolades to impress. The results from my listening to the course have been wonderful. I only wish I had someone to converse with in French and in person! Well, one day, I will drive back to Quebec and say to the Tim Horton's attendant, "Je voudrais un verre de thé, s'il vous plait." with utter confidence.
