STEP BY STEP
Talk Portuguese is made up of 10 short units: Greetings, Finding your way, Summer in Brazil , etc.
The course is most effective if you follow the units in sequence, but you can just dip into them, if you like.
Try doing one unit per visit. It will take you about 15 minutes to complete.
WHAT DO YOU NEED?
A computer with an Internet connection.
A modem.
Flash, which supplies pictures and sound, for the slideshows, the useful phrases and the video. You can get hold of it, free of charge, by following this link: Flash. Without it you'll still see the text and the pictures, but you won't be able to enjoy the audio and the video.
THE FEATURES Slideshows
Every unit begins with the slideshows, in pictures and sound. These are edited highlights of the Talk Portuguese TV programmes. Watch them with the Portuguese text in vision, or with an English translation. Click through the slideshows using the Next button. At the end you'll get a summary. To access the slideshows you’ll need Flash (see above).
Video Clips
At the end of the slideshow you'll see a link to the video clips. These are edited samples of the Talk Portuguese programmes. To watch them you'll need Flash 6, the latest version of the software. If you have an older version, it may not be suitable and you may have to download Flash once again. It takes time for the video to download, from 30 to 50 seconds, depending on your connection and the traffic on the Internet at that time.
Cultural Notes
While you're waiting for the video you can read the cultural notes. These contain interesting facts about today's Portugal and Brazil, as well as useful information for the traveller. You'll also find a link to the Cultural Notes on the right, above the slideshows.
Useful phrases
At the end of the slideshow you'll find a link to the most essential words and phrases of the unit. When you click on it a new window opens up. If you have Flash you'll be able to access the audio: click on the Start button at the top to listen and repeat the phrases one by one. As well as the translations there's also help with pronunciation and grammar. Move your mouse so the arrow points at the green boxes, called pronunciation guide and language note, to read them. Click on the boxes if you'd like to get all the notes on one page. You can also access the Useful Phrases from the link on the right, above the slideshows.
Quizzes
The forth link at the end of the slideshows leads you to the quizzes. Use them to check how much you've learnt. If you already know some Portuguese you might want to start with these, using them to brush up your knowledge.
DELAYS ON THE INTERNET
There are times of day when the Internet, just like the roads, experiences high demand or high traffic, which creates bottlenecks. You will then have to wait to receive some of the features, particularly the video, the sound and the slideshows. If you experience a delay, you can always use the simpler alternative version, which will download more quickly.