Can you learn to speak German using a CD or Mp3 ? Certainly you can learn the basics and see it as a stepping stone to further understanding of the language and eventual fluency. The major advantage of a German audio course is that it gives you freedom and flexibility in when and where you want to learn German. And for many people this is a major advantage over other types of courses. This article will cover some of these issues.
Most people will know that a German audio course aims to teach two of the core skills that are needed to learn any language. It teaches you how to speak and comprehend spoken German.
Other things like reading and writing can come later but speaking and understanding are essential and are the fun part. You could liken it to getting a new iphone or some other electronic gadget. Speaking to friends on your iphone is the fun bit but there are plenty of other things that you can do with the phone. Until you read the operating instructions these will be a mystery to you. Learning to read and write are for a language like paging through the operating instructions of your shiny new phone. A bit dull but also essential if you want to get all the use and power that you desire out of your phone.
The best way to get maximum benefit out of German audios is to listen to them often. Indeed, you should try to devote every spare moment to listening to them, even if just in the background. If you can’t listen to the specific audios then any kind of German audio, like songs or radio can be just as beneficial. Get used to hearing it spoken.
A good way to use an audio course is to listen to it in the car. Many people have a regular routine where they will spend at least an hour in the car, be commuting to work or picking up/dropping off the kids. So this can be time well spent on learning your new language but a balance has to be reached. concentrating on both the course and road is not always possible.
There will be times on the road, like a traffic jam, where you can give yourself to the course a bit more but at other times you will need to be more careful. It will be hard to concentrate on the course when you are focused on driving however it can be done. The more you listen to it the easier it becomes to tune in and out of the lesson and still know what is going on.
Another way to use a German CD or Mp3 is on public transport when commuting too. All you need is a personal player and you are ready to go. Although you don’t have to concentrate on driving in this situation it may not be possible because you have to talk along with the audio at time. This could be off putting talking aloud on a crowded bus or train or maybe it wouldn’t bother you.
Some people also listen to German mp3 or CD’s while doing exercise. So you could listen to it while jogging or at the gym. Again, depending on how much you have to speak out loud this could be a good solution or not.
Above all, a German audio allows you to multi-task but you should also give it the respect of listening to, and participating in it, with your full concentration first. After that you can multi-task.
The key to learning anything, especially a language, is to be consistent. Try to hear a bit of spoken German everyday. Even with a little bit of teaching you will find that your knowledge is enhanced. Human brains naturally pick up languages so it is inevitable that you will learn German provided you give it enough time and get enough exposure to German.
