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Dicho y hecho: Beginning Spanish (Spanish Edition) Review
I learned Russian at the Defense Language Institute and worked as a professional translator for the Soviets. I've also studied other languages. My research now involves neuroscience, so I take a keen interest in the neuroscience of learning.Coming from this background, I can say with certainty that this is a very, very, very bad book at virtually every level.
First, the dialogs are not given in the conventional "Listen, then repeat" mode. They're just read straight through. That means you get no practice in repeating, and internalizing, sentences. Unless, of course, you're willing to go find a way to make a new recording for yourself that has a pause.
Then, the dialogs are written ONLY in Spanish. This means you are only building your one-way capability of understanding Spanish. (Although sometimes you don't even do that, because it's unclear what the Spanish means.) You do not build your ability to translate from English INTO Spanish. The authors apparently assume that will come naturally, but that is NOT how the brain works. You've got to practice both from Spanish to English and English to Spanish if you want to learn the language well.
Then, the vocabulary lists are written so that the English translation is directly next to the Spanish word. This makes it hard to go and check whether you can remember how to translate the vocabulary words. You have to rewrite the vocabulary lists in both English and Spanish if you want to do this--an enormous waste of time that a better book would have helped you with.
Moving on to the recordings, one of the speakers speaks so faintly that it's very hard to even hear her.
The page layout is awful--busy, vivid use of color that doesn't make sense. (For example, you can't find a chapter by the edge color of the page, because every chapter is has all sorts of colors at the edge of the page.) Moreover, on the rare occasions when there are translations of phrases, with Spanish on one side and English on another--the translations switch sides every few phrases! This, again, makes it difficult to check yourself as you're working through the text, because just as you get used to the Spanish being on one side, it switches to the other.
The cost of the book and recordings is stratospheric. Yet much of it is simply gimmickry meant to make it look like you're getting value for your dollar when you're not. For example, having the ability to check your understanding of vocabulary on-line sounds great. Until you realize that it's multiple choice. Multiple choice is EASY! And it's very different than flat out knowing a vocabulary word.
An asset of the book is that it has Spanish speakers from a variety of Spanish-speaking countries, and it also has information about the many different Hispanic cultures. Maybe that's why my university made the mistake of choosing this book. But these very few nice attributes don't make up for this book's many deep-rooted flaws. If you are an instructor, please DO NOT select this book. If you are a student, be aware that you'll have to go way above and beyond if you truly want to learn the language.
Dicho y hecho: Beginning Spanish (Spanish Edition) Overview
Building on Dicho y hecho's strong 25-year tradition, this eighth edition now incorporates an unwavering focus on authentic communication. It offers the most thorough and varied practice of vocabulary of any text available today. Thematic vocabulary is presented visually and contextually and then activated through multiple, progressive phases of application that range from identification in the chapter opening art scenes to personal expression and situational conversations.Want to learn more information about Dicho y hecho: Beginning Spanish (Spanish Edition)?
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