Nova Development Berlitz Italian Premier Review

Want to learn or improve your Italian?
I'm an intermediate student but clearly remember being a beginner. Berlitz is good for both. The Berlitz recordings are created to siumlate real-life environments, with sound effects that keep your mind engaged and thinking about the setting. Then hearnig the scene again and again becomes much more entertaining - more like a radio show. It's easy to listen and the learning just comes naturally.

The Berlitz Format
I have a slightly older version of the program, but I don't imagine the format has changed. The beginning scenes are played out with heavy sound effects: "la finistra" as the window shuts, "la porta" as the door is shut. The conversation is easy to follow, and goes at the right pace. The farther along you get, in the series of lessons, the faster the pace. Then the conversations are said once, slowly, then again, rapidly, then one last time, slow again. This is a great way to try to hear the language at its natural speed. When you listen to the slow version, you can check the accuracy of what you think you just heard. Play it again and again until you understand every word. Then play it fast and try to hear it fast. That's what Berlitz is all about. Sounds tricky, but it really works. There are enough lessons you can always revisit an older one to refresh.

The Bottom Line: Libby Loves It!