Audio Language Course Reviews
This page overviews all of the audio language courses that we have reviewed on this site. From this page you can choose to buy the product or read our in-depth review of your chosen product.
Why Audio language Courses?
If you are learning a language from scratch and only want to get one product to begin with, I always think that audio courses are the best bet. This does not mean that software courses do not have their place and I am sure many people have learned just fine from them, but I do feel that a good solid audio course gives you the best foundation of vocabulary, structure, and pronunciation in the shortest possible time. I have found learning a language solely from a software course to be a difficult uphill struggle, although more often than not, rewarding you with a bigger vocabulary at the end.
The ideal blend, as stated in the how to section, is an audio and software course running together. If you can afford it, this method will give you the best of both worlds and provide you with the confidence to speak and the vocabulary to have something interesting to say.
For those of you that just want one course to begin with, here is our list of top rated audio courses available:
1. Rocket Language - Read the review
As much as I dislike the quite aggressive sales tactics of the Rocket homepage I have to admit that the whole Rocket French package is excellent value for money, but as well as that, it is actually a very good product. Although the audio course is the main focus here, on its own it is possibly not quite as effective as the Pimsleur audio course. It is, however, a very respectable product, and does a good job at immersing the student in conversation and keeping it interesting. I actually like the audio course (although I found the guy a little over-enthusiastic at times) and it makes learning easy and fun. Combine that with the mega games (which for me are the biggest surprise package of all) and you have a great all-round product. At a possible download price of $99 it is also great value for money. Probably the best value for money audio course available.
Visit Rocket Wesbite
Chinese, French, German, Italian, Spanish, Japanese, American sign language.
2. Linguaphone: allTalk - Read the review
16 Cds of conversation based on a storyline where an English speaker has to learn the language. The system uses conversations and then breaks them down by giving the vocabulary words individually and then asking you to practise using them in different lessons. The vocabulary given in this course is huge but the method of learning is less efficient than some of the above products and you are left to memorise the vocabulary words before you use them in practice. A good value for money product though, with more information than most and a dictionary of the vocab to go with it.
Order Linguaphone
3. Pimsleur audio - Read the review
A very effective program for learning to speak a new language. Keeps you interested throughout the course and the 30 minute lessons are perfect bitesize chunks of work. The graduated interval recall is excellent at introducing and re-introducing vocabulary enough times to make it 'stick'. I have heard there are 350 vocabulary words learnt in level one and i am pretty sure that anyone can remember at least 80% of them when they finish. Not a bad start to learning a language. Pimsleur does not specifically teach grammar but relies on the students recognising grammar patterns as they occur through the course and picking it up, pretty much as we did as children.
You cannot learn reading or writing from Pimsleur but if you are looking to start speaking a language as quickly as possible then this is probably the best starting point.
Order Pimsleur Download or Pimsleur CD Delivery
4. Michel thomas - Read the review
Michel Thomas is a different kind of audio course: It places you in a classroom with 2 other students and Michel Thomas as your teacher. Michel teaches you vocabulary and sentence structure through asking for translated responses to his English. This technique works but may not appeal to everybody. A lot of vocabulary is learned especially through his fondness for teaching words that are similar in English and the foreign language. The price is reasonable and a good level can be attained. Pronunciation may be a problem as Michel is not a native speaker but instead speaks with a fairly strong Polish accent.
Visit Michel Thomas
5. Onlingo - Read the review
The only product we did not personally test but used strong testimony from other customers.
Onlingo is a substandard product which seems to be being used as a front to trap people into monthly subscription fees which prove extremely difficult to cancel.
We recommend you read the review if you are even contemplating buying this product
We do not support the ordering of Onlingo through our site.
See the Software language courses.