Did you know that the Study Guides supplied with Direct English are the key to success?
1 Each lesson begins with Guided Conversation. Refer to the Lesson in the Companion.
2 Read the title of the Lesson in the Companion which is given in your mother- tongue.
3 You will see a video symbol with numbers which refer you to the video tape counter. Fast wind your video to this point.
4 Below the title of the Lesson in the Companion, you will find a description of the situation, followed by a question. These are in your mother-tongue. Read them carefully. [The description of the situation gives you necessary background information; the question obliges you to look at the episode carefully and listen to the dialog with total attention.]
5 Watch the episode on video at least twice, while thinking about the question that has been posed. Try to answer this question in your mother-tongue. [You will become very skilled in answering these questions, without preparation. This means you are being successfully trained to listen to new language and to understand it.]
6 Turn on your tape-recorder. Listen to the first recording of the dialog without consulting your Companion. The first recording is at natural speed. The different recordings of the dialog are separated by music. [This gives you further practice in understanding entirely through your ears.]
7 Now look at the Companion. Read the dialog silently to yourself while at the same time listening to the second recording on your cassette. The second recording is slower than the natural speed. [Listening and reading at the same time now allows you to match what you hear with what you read. You are using both your ears and eyes to understand the text.]
8 Rewind the tape as often as is necessary and repeat Step 7. If you failed to answer the set question before, try to answer it now.
9 Confirm that you have understood the dialog by referring to the translation in the Companion. (Translations are provided for Books 3-1.) Check that you have answered the set question correctly by referring to the end of the Companion.
10 Read the dialog silently, while at the same time referring to the detailed numbered Notes in the Companion. [These Notes anticipate any difficulties you might face with grammar and vocabulary and provide explanations in your mother-tongue.]
11 An extract of each dialog is recorded with pauses for you to repeat. This extract isn’t always the beginning of the dialog. [This gives you the opportunity to copy the sounds of the English you have just heard.]
12 Rewind the audio cassette and repeat as often as is necessary for you to feel comfortable with your pronunciation of the English you have just heard.
13 You are now given the opportunity to take one of the parts on the tape and to speak during the silent sections on tape. Follow the instructions for each exercise. [This gives you the opportunity to repeat the text from memory if you wish to.]
14 Rewind the audio cassette and repeat Step 13 until you feel comfortable with your pronunciation of English.
15 Re-play the whole episode on video. Watch and listen purely for pleasure. [You can now understand everything you see and hear. It isn’t necessary to learn the dialogs by heart, but learning by heart can greatly improve your fluency.] Remember to use the Indexes at the back of the Companion if you need extra help.
