I don’t know about you, but Back-to-School season always gets me thinking about self-improvement. And isn’t learning another language something that we all wish we could do? I know I do.
My husband and I went to Paris a couple of years ago, and let me say that French is totally over my head. I can’t read it, I can’t understand it, and they were not able to understand my feeble attempts at speaking it.
However, in high school and college I did fairly well in Spanish, and when I went to the Dominican Republic with Compassion last fall, I was actually able to communicate a bit with some of the children and the interpreters.
So I requested review copies of French Level 1, and Spanish Level 1 and Level 2 from the Behind the Wheel System, so that I could see how the system worked with a language that I’m totally unfamiliar with, as well as one that I’ve made a bit of headway in speaking and understanding.
After trying to listen to Behind the Wheel French 1, I’ve concluded that learning French is not something that is going to happen in my lifetime. I was still befuddled. But my eleven-year-old daughter Amanda has decided that she’s going to learn French. She said it will be her own special language.
However, Spanish is another story. I took three years of Spanish in high school and four semesters in college. Until fairly recently, I retained a lot of the vocabulary that I learned — and then old age (and/or Mommy Brain) started stealing my brain cells.
Behind the Wheel Spanish has filled in the gaps!
I previewed Level 1 and Level 2, and I think that there’s enough review at the beginning of Level 2, that I probably could have just jumped in with that one. However, Level 1 did not feel overly elementary either.
When my children listened to the Behind the Wheel Spanish 1 with me, they were able to repeat after the instructor and begin to learn the days of the weeks and the months of the year, as well as some phrases with halfway decent pronunciation. Spanish is a bit familiar to them, through Dora and other instruction in school, so that made it easier.
One key feature that surprised me, was that it really felt like a class. The instructor teaches and encourages as if he’s sitting right across the table from you. The fact that a native speaker repeats the phrases adds depth to the lesson, and makes it feel conversant. Pauses of a good length are in the CD to give the learner a chance to repeat the phrases. There is lots of repetition, which is necessary to feel comfortable speaking and understanding a foreign language.
Each CD set comes with a booklet that has information about general pronunciation as well as written reminders of the lessons covered within that level.
Would you like to bone up on a foreign language? I recommend Behind the Wheel. There are currently courses available in
Spanish (Levels 1, 2, and 3)
French (Levels 1 and 2)
German (Level 1)
Italian (Level 1)
Portuguese (Level 1)
Arabic (Level 1)(There are many levels coming soon, and even some new languages!).
Check out a some behind-the-scenes info about what makes Behind the Wheel a great way to learn a language. Download a sample lesson from your choice of languages.
We have Behind the Wheel Language CD sets to give away to three readers. Just look at the programs that are available now as listed above, and let us know which language and which level you’d like to win.
This is open to U.S. and Canadian residents.
This giveaway is part of our 2009 Back To School Giveaway Event. Simply leave a comment on this post to enter (US and Canadian addresses) and, please, be sure to read our Back To School Giveaway rules.
As always, don’t forget to earn more entries: subscribe to our Feed, sign up for our 5M4M Newsletter, add our 5M4Giveaways button in your sidebar, write a post and link back to this contest on your blog, and spread the word via Facebook, Twitter, or email! Please see our site’s Terms and Conditions of Use for a complete list of our contest and giveaway rules.
Written by 5 Minutes for Mom Contributing Editor: Jennifer Donovan
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We would love to try the Italian series. My husband is second generation, and we are attempting to teach the little ones basic words;)
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I’d love to win the Arabic Level 1 program. THanks!
I have the back to school button on my blog – We’d be interested in French here.
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Please enter me into the contest. Thanks!
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I would love to try this!
I tweeted about this on my page–AmberRose1995!
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This would be so helpful! My son is taking French in school and it’s been a long time since I learned the language–I can’t always help him when he has questions at home. Thank you for the contest!
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I tweeted! 🙂
http://twitter.com/debralu
I’d love to learn Spanish. Thanks for the opportunity!
I would love to learn another language!
I would like to learn French! What a great idea.
Tried French in High School; then I tried spanich on my own; could not master either. Would love to try another language; maybe Italian, arabic, or portuguese.
I would like to win Spanish Levels 1 for my daughters. Thank you.
I would like to win spanish. Level 2 would probably benefit me the most.
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ooo german!
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have your button
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I would love to win the German Level 1 CD.
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I’d like Spanish 1.
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This would be lovely to win
what a great idea
I get an extra entry because i received the newsletter today! Yippee!
I’m an e-mail subscriber!
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I have your button on my blog http://colitascorner.blogspot.com/
The hard part would be picking which language to learn first!
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I earned an extra entry with today’s newsletter.
My future daughter-in-law and her family speak Spanish. This will help a lot with communication.
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I subscribe by email.
I’d like French Level 2. (I hope the fundamentals are still in the recesses of my mind.)
Happy End of Summer!
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Thanks for the entry. This one is such an amazing idea!
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I’d choose Spanish Level One
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I have your button on my blog…always! 🙂
I earned an extra entry with today’s newsletter. 🙂
I’d LOVE to brush up on my Spanish! 🙂
Here’s my extra entry as a newsletter subscriber.
I would totally love to brush up on my school Spanish!
I’d love to win this prize. Thanks for the chance.
I could use Spanish Level 1.
This would come in handy.
Between high school and college, I’ve studied Spanish, French, Italian and German. I also had a few informal study sessions in Portuguese with a fellow student originally from Brazil. I can still pronounce the languages pretty well, if you put the words in front of me, but I can’t really speak anything anymore. Because I was born in Spain and because of the prevalence of Hispanic language in our culture today, I’d like to try Spanish Level 1, just to try to pick back up some of what I’ve lost.
Since they don’t have Canadian, I’ll would love to learn Spanish, starting at 1.
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Spanish Level 1
German – Level 1
I am a subscriber
Spanish level 1
I would love to try the Spanish version, I have found myself on many occasions calling an interpreter in my line of work and I much rather be able to understand what they are saying.
I’d like Spanish Level 1! This would be great for the whole family!
This would be fabulous! We live in a largely Hispanic community and we would love to be able to learn their language!
Great contest! Thanks
Love the languages! What a great opportunity.
This is a great giveaway, sign me up.
I subscribe via email.
I would love to learn spanish myself. Although 2 of the grandchildren would benefit more.
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I wish I had taken Spanish or French in HS instead of Latin. It didn’t even help me on SATs.
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I’d love level 2 french; I think the entire family could use a refresher since we’ve been back in the states for so long now.
Your button is in my sidebar.
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I would love to win the German Level 1 CD.
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I would love to win the Spanish CDs.
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sounds like a great way to learn!
tweet, thanks! http://twitter.com/idahojill/status/3513523530
The back to school button is on my sidebar, too, thanks!
I get your newsletter, too, thanks!
I get your emails, thanks!
Your button is on my sidebar, thanks!
I had 6 years of spanish in school – I would love a refresher course – level 1 – because most of it is gone from my mind. (I know you actually have to use it to remember it!) I would also love my daughter to learn it, too! thanks
i would like to learn German (took a course a while ago but have completely forgotten it…) because we’re planning on visiting Germany next year 🙂
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I took Spanish in high school 40 years ago and would love to brush up on it. I think i retained enough that level 2 would be good.
I follow on twitter under April1p and tweeted: http://twitter.com/April1p/status/3513324367
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I would love to win the Spanish level 1. This would help out my son as he just started Spanish at school.
i’d love to learn spanish
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I’d love to have Portuguese Level !
I’ve always wanted to learn Italian….
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I have your button on my blog, Susan Heim on Parenting, at http://susanheim.blogspot.com.
I’m an email subscriber.
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I’d love to win Spanish Level 3 for my son. He’s in his third year of high school Spanish (and also had it in middle school), but it’s still his toughest class! This program sounds like it would really help his comprehension skills.
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What a great way for my grandkids to learn a language other than English. jelly15301@gmail.com
It would be good to learn French, thanks.
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would love spanish
This is such a great way to learn another language.
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Spanish level 1
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your button’s on my blog.
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We’d love to have Arabic Level 1 or Spanish Level 1.
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I would love to win French-Level 1. Thanks for the opportunity!
And I’m subscribed!
French Level 1
I see that it’s not available yet, but I would have chosen Japanese.
As for what’s available, I’d go with Spanish 1.
I took a few years of French in high school, but my daughter has learned some Spanish here and there through programs on TV and whatnot. I would love the Spanish CD’s to keep that learning rolling!
Thank you!
I am a follower too!
I would so love to win the German level 1. My son wants to learn it and we don’t have a curriculum for it yet.
I would chose Spanish. I have forgotten everything I learned in school
Oh boy! This would be so great for my family (with a 2 year old) and my kinder/1st grade class here in Austin, TX!
I would love to win French Level 1; this would be great for our homeschool!
i was just thinking the other day of new things i would love to learn. and learning a new language was one of them!
great prize for many.
I would love the Spanish 1 CD! I would really like to learn more along with my kids!
My girls would love Spanish! Dora has started a trend.
this would be wonderful! i would pick arabic
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Interesting product. I’m fluent in Spanish and have been trying to teach my sons. However, if I won this giveaway I would pick Portuguese Level 1. My husband speaks Portuguese and it would be nice to pick up some vocabulary to impress him with. 😉
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i subscribe!
I would love to learn french!
I tweeted about this giveaway.
http://twitter.com/Carols119
I have your button on my sidebar. Thanks!
I get your newsletter. Thanks!!
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I would love to have French or Spanish level 1. We went on a mission trip last summer to Mexico and it would have helped us out a lot. We are trying to plan a mission trip to France for next year. Thanks!!
I have the 5M4M Giveaway button on my blog.
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I’d love to win Spanish Level 1 for my kiddos. It would be a fun way to learn I think.
Would love to win the Spanish for myself and the kids! They take Spanish in school and are fascinated by it… the other day I walked into the room to find my 7-year-old son watching PBS in Spanish! Thanks for the opportunity!
i subscribe to your feed and would love to win the Italian!!
What a great way for my daughter to learn Spanish.
Hello, I’m leaving you a comment because you have the most lovely blog. Fantastic writing and I love your pics as well. Best wishes !
I would love to relearn French. I’ve forgotten so much, this would be a nice thing to do.
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Your button is on my sidebar.
Spanish would help both my husband and I as we are teachers in an area with many Latinos. It’s not on your list, but I hope one of the new languages will be Mandarin. I’m hopeless at it, but my husband and daughter would love it.
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Would love Spanish level 1 for me and my three kids
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I have your button.
would love the spanish!
your button is on my sidebar
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Would love to refresh my 3 years of high school spanish. I’d like to start with level 1 so my kids can get involved too.
My daughter would love the Italian instruction. Its something she wants to take in school, but its not offered.
I would love to win something like this with all four of my children attending French Immersion schools and a husband that is fluent.