Description

AWARD WINNER: National Education Film Video Festival Dove Foundation Family Approved Seal National Health Information- Merit Award

Raising a child is an exciting experience that can seem overwhelming. This enhanced DVD Video Guide, with its many Bonus Features, has been designed especially for all parents and caregivers, with the assistance of leading childhood authorities. It will help give you the confidence to face this immense challenge, and assure that your child has the chance to benefit from the fullest and most supportive early care and guidance. You will see babies just like yours involved in everyday activities. Their develop-mental periods are divided into 0-3 months, 3-6 months, 6-12 months and 12-24 months to make understanding and application easy.

SOME OF THE TOPICS COVERED
Physical Growth
Nutrition
Mobility and Motor Skills
Breastfeeding
Mouthing and Gumming
Creeping-Crawling
Bottle Feeding
Standing-Walking
Sensory Development
Separation Anxiety
Extrusion Reflex
Holding/Grasping
Playing with Other Children
Stimulation
Food Sensitivities
Teething
Diapers
Food Introduction
Transition to Finger-Foods
Rashes
Signs of Overstimulation
Eating Utensils
Language Development
Nutritional Labels
Language Development II
Sounds and Communication
Playpen Use
Positive Reinforcement

The knowledge of what your child is experiencing, coupled with love, patience and a sense of humor, will add to your child's self-confidence...and your own sense of satisfaction. It will help you to nurture your baby and create the best possible environment for your child can learn and develop. ... Read more

Reviews (5)

Definately for beginners
Definately for begginers. He also needs mandolin classes, his tecnique is not so good, specially his left hand!

Good DVD - good service
Firstly the DVD is not region specific: it works fine on a European/UK region 2 DVD player and a region 2 PS2 without any problems.

Delivery from the US to the UK was quick - about 8 to 9 days from dispatch to receipt. Excellent service.

The DVD isn't really for *complete* beginners rather the teaching has a more intermediate feel about. Well structured lessons and a nice variety too. You can't really go wrong.

Wonderful tutorial
I haven't got much to add to the previous reviews, this DVD is fantastic. I do have one additional piece of information that might help non-US purchasers, though. According to the amazon.com product information, this DVD is region 1 encoded and won't play outside the US and Canada. In fact, I put it into a region 4 only DVD player and it played straight away without my having to alter the region setting, which is definitely set to 4. So I don't think this DVD has any region encoding. At least, not the one they sent me!

Chris is amazing
As another review mentioned, this is an intermediate to advanced DVD. But that's ok, as our skills develop so should our teaching materials.

After some basic information on how to hold the pick and how to keep the right wrist loose while picking Chris jumps right into a basic tune, "Red Haired Boy" which he uses to demonstrate several techniques throughout the DVD. He covers scale positions, arppegios, position shifting, right hand technique, and left hand technique. You'll learn several songs while you're working on these new techniques like "Red Haired Boy", "Ode to a Butterfly" (The opening song to Nickle Creek's first album) and others.

On the DVD version there's a nice index that shows exactly what he's working on in each of the 42 segments. However, you can only jump to the start of a section which may have 5 or 6 segments in it. But it's still pretty easy to navigate to the segment you want to study. Also, the smaller segments make it easy to "rewind" one segment to study the last 2 or 3 minutes again.

If you play mandolin this will probably become one of the "must haves" of study materials.

Amazing
Firstly, I'm a huge Chris Thile fan, so just sitting back and watching this is a great experience.
Anyway, most would say that this is an intermediate video, as he takes you through some tough stuff early on. But he does start at the beginning ("this is how you hold the pick").
As far as I know this is the only mandolin video on DVD, so that's a big plus too.
A "must have" for anyone learning mandolin at any level. ... Read more

Description

If you know a child that loves trucks, they will be fascinated with the Twenty Trucks video.Twenty Trucks shows 20 different trucks "doing their jobs" -- a dump truck being loaded and then dumping dirt and rocks, a vacuum truck sucking up trash, a cement truck being loaded and pouring cement, a monster truck jumping a plane and crushing cars -- and 16 other trucks in action.The video clips are accompanied by the real sounds of the trucks and simple narration explaining the job that each truck performs.There are no silly characters or actors in this video -- just trucks. ... Read more

Reviews (3)

20 Trucks Is Awesome (according to my 2 year old)
I have two sons (2 years old and 4 years old) that love this DVD. These boys are fascinated by each truck segment in the DVD and ask to watch it over and over. It's fun to see them calling out the name of each truck; they are especially fond of the monster truck segment.

I heard this company was also coming out with 20 More Trucks and 20 Trains. I'm sure my kids will love those too. I highly recommend this to parents with curious kids.

Can you name twenty trucks?
My 2-year-old niece and nephew can. I can't believe how enthralled they are by this DVD. They can name every single truck shown on the video. They even point to them on the road and say "Vacuum truck!" or "Cement mixer!" They especially love the monster truck segment. Just be prepared that kids will want to carry their Hot Wheels around with them everywhere they go after seeing this DVD.

My nephew loves it!
I bought the Twenty Trucks DVD as a present for my nephew's 2nd birthday and he loves it!  I thought it was about one of the cutest things I've ever seen when he stood and waved "goodbye" to one of the trucks as it honked its horn. The "Can you name Twenty Trucks" song that begins and ends the video is very catchy. I've caught myself humming the tune more than once. Some of the video clips are better than others. The DVD cover says that it is designed for kids ages 1-8. I would guess that it is better suited for younger kids, maybe 2-5, since the video and narration are fairly basic and might not appeal to older children. All in all I would definitely recommend this video for any young child who likes trucks. ... Read more

Reviews (1)

New Math Made Simple
As with all of the Standard Deviants educational series, the presentation is zany, and what you need to know is simply explained. It holds your interest so you don't get bored with the dry subject matter.

To compare DVD format to regular video, the DVD has much more versatility because of its interactive testing capabilities. The viewer has an option to test and review the subject matter by using the remote keypad. These little tests are helpful for making sure you understand the points covered.

The Pre-Algebra DVD covers math terminology, explaining each term so that it's easy-to-understand. Then they show you how it works. It takes the mystery out of math terms that intimidate all of us who didn't learn the "new math" during our school years. By viewing this DVD, I experienced a personal breakthrough in my struggle to learn the "new math". It was a tremendous help to me. I highly recommend it to others who struggle with this subject, especially parents and grandparents who found themselves unable to understand their kid's math homework. This subject brings it together for us so we can understand what our kids are learning. ... Read more

Description

Go inside the world's most elite, top secret strike force.Their mission is unique, targeted, dangerous...and only National Geographic will go deep into the secret world of US Special Operations.Follow Special Forces into battle and on secret missions in Afghanistan and Iraq as they face situations where honed skill, finely tuned instincts and split-second decision making are the difference between success and failure...between life and death. ... Read more

Reviews (4)

I liked it , good overview.
Its exactly what it says. Its inspiring ,focused and honest. Good if your a military buff. I keep watching it.

pseudo-documentary
The information value of this so called documentary approaches 0.

No info on organisation, units, equipment or vehicles.
No maps of the places they supposedly are operating in.
No coherent story line for this documentary.

The people they interview, except Gen. Boykin, might just as well
be members of some militia, by the way they dress, act and talk.

The takes of the people are not very convincing,
the people may be dressed in military garb and have
all the latest M4 mods and Blackhawk webbing
but their stance and bearing is not befitting a war zone.
They lounge around and pose on their Hummers
like in a cheap war flic.
Either the locations were totally devoid of enemy or
the people are actually members of your local paintball club and
the scenes were shot in Texas.

The interviews are bad and have no informational value.
The scenes with the "operatives" are boring and have 0 action.

All in all very disappointing, I'm afraid.

Better purchase a military documantary from Discovery.com.

The one on US Navy SEAL BUD/S training is quite good and
would serve as a fine example how a documentary may be produced.

The Truth at Last
Forget the fiction you've seen. The men in this film are the real deal. This graphic documentary is first-rate. You meet these Special Ops characters up close and personal. You go with these guys and follow their story from the streets of Iraq and the deserts of Afghanistan to their secret headquarters. What's particularly great is that they are often far from what you'd expect. But it makes you feel better to know they're there. This film also traces the history of Special Forces. If I had one complaint, I would have liked to have seen more interviews with the individual troops. But overall this film delivers big time.

A MUST SEE
Goddamn this dvd is the best military documentary footage ive seen so far. it goes deep inside of the US Special Ops and great actions of the Green Beret in Afghanistan and Irag. The most 2 exciting parts in this dvd are when US Special Ops fight against the uprising prisoners in Afghanistan and the hunt for Saddam and and weapons in Irag during the recent Gulf War. I highly recommended. ... Read more

Description

Created by a four-time Emmy-winning filmmaker, "The Oregon Trail" chronicles the great mid-1800s trek across the unsettled American West. One in ten pioneers died along the way; many walked the entire 2,000 miles barefoot; but in the end nearly a half-million Americans followed the ruts west in search of a better life. Rare photos, diary excerpts, and stunning footage tell a fascinating story of tragedy and triumph.

This program received first-place awards from the Broadcast Education Association, the Oregon-California Trails Association, and the prestigious Telly Awards.

The film provides a comprehensive overview of the Oregon Trail, including: Lewis and Clark, the Astorians, the Whitmans, the Great Migration of 1843, reasons behind the journey, life on the trail, and encounters with Native Americans. Plus, the program includes background on all the key sites along the way: Ash Hollow, Chimney Rock, Scotts Bluffs, Ft. Laramie, Independence Rock, South Pass, Ft. Bridger, Ft. Hall, Three-Island Crossing, Whitman Mission, Ft. Vancouver, Oregon City, and many more. Two hours in length--divided into 4 half-hour segments. ... Read more

Reviews (1)

Great movie for your classrom
My class was studying about Westward Movement and I thought that this movie was a great resource for it. While Historians comment on the hardships and hazards along the trail, the movie shows stunning pictures of the trail and its famous landmarks. My students enjoyed watching the tapes because it gave them a visual aid to everything they were reading and learning about. ... Read more

Description

Relive the most spellbinding scenes from our television documentaries of exploration and delivery. Year: 1994 ... Read more

Reviews (7)

Nothing new, but it doesn't matter
With 30 years of some of the best documentaries around to choose material from, it scarcely matters that there is no new footage. The narration seamlessly bridges the gaps between the various shorts from National Geographic specials of the past. I wasn't sure what to expect, since it is essentially teasers of other films, but this is a great film in its own right.

We got the film for our little boys, and they've loved it from day one. My older son is learning a lot about the differing relationships of the natural world, and the broad expanse of this film is perfect for him. It never gets bogged down in the mundane, but it also panders to a long attention span. This is a big difference from the National Geographic videos intended specifically for kids. They tend to be the same basic idea...cut footage from older films, but cut so that there is no footage of animals eating each other, no mating, and it is interspersed with unneccesary music videos and cutesy animation. Even with Dudley Moore's narration, it can't compete. Skip the kid stuff and give your kids the real thing.

A wonderful compilation of highlights...you'll want more...
This video definitely holds up to repeat viewing. It offers a wealth of information on a wide variety of subjects and could easily have been an hour longer.

National Geographic really hit the mark with this video. Although it's a promotional tool, it stands on its own merits as an educational, entertaining, family video.

Immense educational value, absolutely delightful
This was probably the best purchase I ever made on amazon. I'd recommend it to anybody.. especially families with children.

Creme de la creme!
If you buy this DVD, you'll end up owning a lot more National Geographic Videos. And that's a good thing!

Sure, it a teaser. And there is no new material. It's a compilation made out of the best of their other movies. All their movies are good, so this one is the creme de la creme!

One new thing that this film does do...is drive home the point what an incredible organization they have been over the years...and how wonderful their films have been. As I watchd the movies, the voices of the narrators, particularly Jaques Cousteau, brings back memories of watching these films as a child.

And there are some crazy and totally memorable scenes...the little lizard running across the water...the spider and the tarantula...the lions...the elepahants....I could go on and on.

You'll love it...go ahead, buy it...you'll cherish it!

INCREDIBLE
This movie will be one of the cults of natural geographic's. The subjects differ from dancers to insects. I think everybody can find something about himself in this dvd. Sound quality and scenes are perfect. Extra features (pictures, cameramen dared movie)are good. This movie must be in all documentary lovers' library. ... Read more

Reviews (38)

Worked Like Magic for My Toddler
When I first viewed this video with my 2-1/2 year old I thought it rather silly, and thin on information for my toddler (the cartoon for children lasts a mere 5 minutes or so). But then my daughter asked to watch the video two more times. After the final viewing she immediately asked to use the potty. She proceeded to spend the rest of the day, and the next day using nothing but the potty. This was a remarkable turnaround for a child who used the potty sporadically at best up to that point. I have two criticisms which still stand, despite my daughter's new found potty success. First, the doctor interviewed in the video says that the average age for potty training is 2-1/2 years old, yet the vast majority of children shown during the potty song appear to be 18 month old or younger. Secondly, "Prudence" is shown throughout the video with a top on, but wearing no pants. Undoubtedly this how most parents get their children to start using the potty. But it would have been a good idea to also show Prudence learning how to pull down her pants to use the potty, representing the next stage of successful potty training.

my daughter loves it, but I don't!
I borrowed this tape from a friend after repeatedly hearing her daughter ask to watch it. My 26-month-old now asks to watch it once or twice a day. She LOVES it. She quotes it all the time (and I'm getting sick of hearing "Was it a milk bowl for the cat?"), loves the babies and the music on it. She also understands what Prudence is doing in the video. Although the kids' portion of the video is short, my daughter thoroughly enjoys it.

As for me, I doubt this video is helping my daughter with her potty training. My daughter was already having some potty success before we got the video, and I don't see her more inspired to go potty since. She never mentions the video when she goes potty. Also, the terminology "wee wee," "poo poo," etc. is different than what my daughter and I -- and the rest of our friends -- use, which doesn't help us with consistency.

I also wish the video addressed on my daughter's level other issues associated with potty training -- stopping play to go potty, buying "big girl" underpants (you see Prudence in them at the end but there's really no mention of what they are), etc. Covering these topics would be more valuable than the doctor's portion of the video, which covers information that anyone who has already started potty training already knows.

In short, I'm glad I didn't pay money for this video. And even though I don't care for it, my daughter loves it and it's for her, not for me, so we will keep watching it....

This video is the best!
My daughter watches this movie over and over! She sings and talks along with the movie! This has helped with her potty training! She loves Prudence and wants to do exactly what she does. I think you need to have a positive attitude and have fun with the potty training. My daughter also puts her potty on her head and asks if it is a hat, then shakes her head and says no it isn't a hat, just like the movie. I have no problem with this since her potty is clean.

I think this movie is very helpful!

VERY HELPFUL!
I used the "for him" video with my son who is now 7 1/2 yrs old and the "for her" video with my daughter who is now 5 1/2 and now I'm purchasing it for my 2 year old. The books are good to reinforce as well. It's such a cute video and tasteful.

Doesn't teach
I needed some help teaching my 2 1/2 year old to use the potty, so I got this video. It didn't help at all - the kids on there are BABIES who sit on the potty with their diaper on. This is all my daughter wanted to do after watching the video. There is one part where "Prudence" puts the potty on her head, which my daughter also wanted to do. It'd be more helpful it if taught kids of the right age how to pull their pants down, sit on the potty, then afterwards WASH THEIR HANDS. No mention of toilet paper at all, either. This was a complete waste of money and time for us. ... Read more

Description

El Inglés de Hoy is a DVD and booklet set that helps Spanish speakers master conversational English.The video demonstrates how to speak correct English within a broad range of real-life situations, such as:

* Presenting yourself professionally
* Ordering at a restaurant
* Making reservations over the telephone
* Meeting and greeting new friends
* Shopping for clothes
* …And much more!

Since what is taught is highly practical, you can put your new English skills to use immediately.To enable all levels of English learners to follow along, the lessons are clearly explained in both Spanish and English.

Each DVD comes with a dual-language review booklet with dialogue, practice phrases, glossary, and our unique "Inside Track" for useful American cultural tips on how to make the most of every situation.

El Inglés De Hoy es un un juego de DVD y libro que te ayudará a dominar el inglés conversacional de "hoy". Este video demuestra como hablar correctamente en una amplia gama de situaciones de la vida real, como:

* Presentarse en el ámbito profesional y laboral
* Ordenar en un restaurante
* Hacer reservaciones por teléfono
* Presentarse socialmente y hacer nuevas amistades
* Ir de compras
* ...y mucho más!

Todo lo que se enseña en este video es tan práctico que podrás aplicarlo inmediatamente. Las lecciones se explican con toda claridad en inglés y español para que estudiantes de todos los niveles puedan seguirlas fácilmente.

Este DVD viene acompañado de un librito de repaso bilingüe que contiene los diálogos originales, frases de práctica, glosario y una sección única, "The Inside Track", con notas y concejos sobre la cultura norteamericana, para aprovechar al máximo cada situación. ... Read more

From the Publisher

Follow the mathematical adventures of Idaho Bones and hissidekick Boise as they search the darkest reaches of Algebra to find thecorrect answers for bewildered students everywhere. Topics coveredinclude functions, algebraic properties, linear equations, and many more.
(Running Time: 1 hour, 35 minutes). ... Read more

Reviews (3)

Very good
I recommend this to anyone having trouble in Algebra. It walks you through problems and gives you the terminology of the subject. Great for reviews.

Savior
I found the tapes helped me a great deal, considering I have been out of school for 20 years and never learned algebra in high school. The animations are wonderful and most of the time very clear. Of course with anything, you have to do it over and over again until you retain the information, but I will definitely say "Do not start school with out the tapes." There's only one catch, Standard Deviants recorded the tapes so that they build upon one another and you'll need to buy the entire math collection if you want a totally clear understanding. I live by Standard Deviants. Good Luck...

Pretty good overall for beginners or if having difficulty
I am a High School Freshman just finishing Algebra I & II. I found the tape boring, since it was all review. The little skits reinforced things I already knew. They misrepresented the length. At the beginning of the tape, they said "Part I" would be two hours, but it was only one hour and twenty minutes. If it was all new to me, I would consider it pretty good, since it covered everything, and showed me short-cuts I already knew. The animation was very good. It would probably be very useful to someone who was having problems in Algebra, or just beginning in Algebra. ... Read more

Description

Julie Clark and John Walsh have created The Safe Side to give parents simple, fun and interesting ways to discuss difficult information with their children.This laugh-out-loud video is one that kids will love to watch and parents will love to share.Full of important information presented with humor, this video will empower your child to make smart decisions in potentially harmful situations.Safety has never been so much fun!DVD includes Hot Tips mini poster and safety badges inside. ... Read more

Reviews (1)

WOW! My kids loved this!
I can't believe how fun this was to watch! My kids (6 & 8) have watched it four times in the past two days...and we've had some great conversations come of it. This is a GREAT way to teach kids about safety; we especially liked the part about 'kindaknows' and 'safe side adults' HIGHLY RECOMMENDED. Julie Clark has done it again!! ... Read more

Description

Features performances from Michael Manring, Andy Gonzalez, Francis Rocco Prestia and many others. Special Feature: Acomprehensive photo gallery of this historic event. ... Read more

Reviews (1)

A MUST HAVE
This is really an amazing live performance. One of the best I've ever seen on DVD. Approx. 100 minutes from the finest stuff.
MICHAEL MANRING plays a set of solo pieces on four different basses!
ANDY GONZALEZ leads an all-star latin band in a scorching set of Afro-Cuban music, joined by latin bass legend BOBBY RODRIGEZ.
FRANCIS ROCCO PRESTIA, with members of Tower Of Power, performs a set of funk classics and talks about creating a groove.
VICTOR WOOTEN performs a trio set and offers a lesson on bass technique.
In addition, JOHN PATITUCCI is the host of the show and fortunately he's not only speaking.

That's more than enough! These guys can guarantee the value of this dvd! ... Read more

Description

"The Poetry Lounge" is a free, multicultural open-forum for self-expression, inspiring young people to find their own voice and let it be heard. Hosted by award-winning Def Poets Shihan and Poetri, the "Lounge" has become the largest weekly open mic forum in the country, and was one of the inspirations for Russell Simmons' Tony-winning show, "Def Poetry Jam". Learn the fundamentals of writing and performing "spoken word" poetry from some of the most accomplished poets of the movement. ... Read more

Reviews (3)

Love all 4!
My daughter is now 9 1/2 months old, and has been watching these 4 DVD's for the past 4 months or so. She absolutely loves them! They keep her totally captivated. There are times that she gets so preoccupied that I can not get her to drink her bottle, but as soon as I put one of these DVDs on, she'll calm down and drink her bottle while watching the entire video. I swear by them! I am now expecting my 2nd child, and looking into buying more of them.

Wonderful
I have read scathing reviews on how Baby Einstein is a rip-off, and that it is a waste of money to buy these videos. I have found while babysitting that every child I watch from 3 months to 4 years finds something of interest in the videos and cds. It has also been written that these are bad for children because they just sit and stare at them, when clearly if these parents had watched the entire video and listened to the explanation at the end of the movie telling them that these videos were meant to be used for interaction WITH their children not as substitute entertainment and education. And while these videos are entertaining to small children, they do get a little monotonous for adults, but what child's toy doesn't begin to annoy you after about the tenth time you hear it's song or read the same silly story that your child loves so much because you do the same silly voices while you read it that you've done the last twenty times you read it for them. These videos and cds also have wonderful soft music and sounds fit for babies' sensitive hearing and is very soothing to not only them but you. Studies show that children exposed to different kinds of music, especially classical, show a higher use of advanced brain waves than children that aren't. Studies also show that any positive interaction with your baby advances them socially and emotionally over children that are ignored. The Baby Einstein company also makes books and toys that can be used to advance your babies in other ways. So I feel that this company is exploring every avenue of development for small children. I may not have children of my own yet but all the babies I take care of love these videos and cds, and I intend to purchase them and use them WITH my own children someday.

I paid money for this little thing!?!?!?!?!?
This is by far the WORST dvds ever! In ALL of the dvds under the Baby Einstein company, they all feature the same thing: cheap toys with a colorful background!!! I am not kidding you. You would be better off by buying the toys instead of the dvds. It would not only be more effiecent cost wise, but interacting with babies, is much better than sitting them in front of a screen watching a video\dvd type of thing. Throughout the baby einstein series, the same toys are used over and over and over... If you think about it, the baby eistein company is taking YOUR precious money for cheap toys and some clever editing they put on dvds! If you look closely at the dvds, you can oviously tell that not a lot of work went into making the dvd. When you first watch it, the question you will most likely ask yourself is: how much money did they put into producing this dvd? Buying one is enough to know the whole series. In addition, studies have shown that TV is BAD for growing babies. Save your money and avoid this dvd at all costs! I would give this dvd ZERO stars but by the review standards, that is not an option.

*0/5 stars* ... Read more

Reviews (9)

Great start for English Sign Language
I think this video is so great. Anthony Natale is funny and I do not dread having to watch it again as I am learning. I am glad in the introduction it is explained Anthony Natale does not teach ASL but signs as he speaks. (Obviously this is confusing for some people). This is not the video to learn ASL but to learn enough vocabulary to be comfortable enough to sign to an ASL signer or any hearing impaired person who signs. It also gives some great insight into the deaf world and encourages everyone to not be afraid to try to meet or talk to a deaf individual. I highly recommend this video as a person embarks on learning to sign, whether it be ASL or English. English sign is growing in popularity because it is easier to learn. This teaches you enough sign to begin signing English Sign Language. If you are interested in learning ASL exclusively, this is not the video for you. They do not teach any ASL grammar. Signing along with English sentence structure is NOT ASL. Great source of vocabulary words for all signers and those interested in learning to sign.

Great for the beginner!
I have always wanted to learn the basics of sign language and after reading all the positive reviews for this particular video decided to give it a shot. I watched it with my 8 year old son and since then we have been practicing signing and having a great time in the process. I have to point out it is very helpful for anyone new to signing to have a video to learn from and not a book... many of the signs involve motion, which is difficult to depict in books without some confusion. We have been surprised at the ease with which we have picked up so many of the basic signs, and this video was well worth the cost. It is well put together, easy to understand, and excellent for a beginner with a little time on his/her hands, so to speak.

signing to get along
I got this dvd because I have always been interested in signlanguage and baby sign. This dvd really gives you a nice base for learning to sign or just to get by if you should happen to meet someone who is deaf. I used to work retail and it really came in handy being able to communicate with a deaf customer who stopped in. I also use it to teach my children. (It really came in handy, when I lost my voice due to a cold) You may want to skip some parts however depending on the age of the child. (like asking for a date, or one sign that done wrong means a totally different thing)I loved it because it shows real life situations instead of a classroom like setting like most videos. It is a great teaching tool, or just as a review, if you are out of practice. I really enjoyed this dvd expecially being able to go to any scene with the dvd version.

THIS WAS GREAT - AND HELPFULL! WHAT A BARGIN.
I bought this at first as a gift to my sister, but very fast
as i watched her watch it, i found out how interesting it is.
the tape shows you very clearly the bsaics of ASL, and as long as you have a little time to devote on watching it you will "Catch it" really fast.

When did i figure this tape is great:
i was at a McDonalds in manhatten (where i live) on 14th and 7th ave, and a person, who gave out cards claiming he can't hear and asks for money.
i asked him a simple question (how are you) by ASL, and he understood and replayed!

any way, if you are interested in ASL (American sign lang)
buy this - also makes a great great gift!

he "talks" too fast with his hands
he does phrases when I need basic nouns,verbs,connectives. single words,then expressions. why can't he walk along pointing out things,like in the film JOHNNY BELINDA? there're subtle nuances &facial expressions to signing that he doesn't address. it's hard a for a beginner to keep up,and I don't see any other videos that look easier,from their descriptions. so,having just lost my hearing suddenly,at age 39,I'm still lost,an island floating away from being able to "hear" people speak to me. ... Read more

Amazon.com

The 2-disc set The Standard Deviants - Spanish Parts 1 & 2contains:

The Standard Deviants - Spanish, Part 1
The first hint that this isn't your normal, staid Spanish review course is the subtitle that's flashed across the screen: the "Salsa-riffic World of Spanish." The Standard Deviants, a cast of ebullient young performers who believe no joke is too bad as long as its memorable, bring their talents to a course in introductory Spanish in this video. Lots of flashy graphics keep things lively, but the course material itself is rock solid--it's been approved by an academic panel. Following some basic information on where Spanish is spoken, the real lessons begin with instruction on pronunciation and the Spanish alphabet (which, of course, uses some typographical symbols not used in English). A bit of vocabulary is imparted as the pronunciation lessons progress, and after some pointers on capitalization, simple lessons in practical conversation begin. The video proceeds to the inescapable bane of many language students, conjugating verbs. While this production won't be a substitute for an actual course in Spanish (and the cast specifically points out that it doesn't intend to be), the presentation is consistently energetic, with the lessons easy to remember. Someone who is interested in learning (or reviewing) basic material will no doubt gain from watching it. --Robert J. McNamara

The Standard Deviants - Spanish, Part 2
In the opening jingle, the oddball lyrics "Careful or you're speaking Spanglish, then your grade will cause you anguish" provide a glimpse into the premise of this production from the Standard Deviants. In this, their second trip to the "Salsa-riffic World of Spanish," the energetic young cast performs skits and unleashes some clever and elaborate computer graphics while providing a reliable review course in the Spanish language. Starting with what's billed as "Really Basic Stuff," the cast reviews practical matters such as how to count, talks about what time it is, and discusses the weather. Moving into more advanced material, there are pointers on grammar, with a focus on the rules of particular verbs. It should be noted that the curriculum has been approved by a panel of professors, but the cast members tend to present the material in a relaxed format, which often involves the use of costumes and some bad (and hopefully memorable) jokes. Each major portion of the program is followed by a quiz, which the student can either take or skip, and the entire DVD concludes with an exam titled "La Tormenta." This DVD isn't a substitute for classes in Spanish, but as review material the unorthodox presentation would be helpful to a student. --Robert J. McNamara ... Read more

Reviews (6)

Breath of fresh air
I was struggling with Spanish, but these DVD's rock. They really slowed it down for me, and it was useful hearing other English speakers and Spanish speakers do it at the same time. Besides, the video parts are really funny. It's like Saturday Night Live decided to teach Spanish.

Bad instruction
The DVD could be a great medium to teach spanish basics, but this is just plain silly. Even as a beginner, I spotted mistakes like in incorrectly accenting "esta". Who knows how they chose the vocabulary -- some words are presented that you really wouldn't ever use. They start to teach ser and estar, and then go into why it's OK to leave out the subject pronouns. Aside from my specific gripes, it's all too silly, aiming for a 4th or 5th grade slapsick level. DVD is 99% english (and even most of that is unneeded and a waste of time) and 1% spanish. Perhaps people would enjoy the silly images, but I'm sure that there's no spanish language teaching here.

Phenomenal stuff
If you need to learn spanish and have no clue what you are doing, these Standard Deviants shows are for you. The Standard Deviants are made up of a group of young, fun guys and gals who explain the ins and outs of spanish. I was particularly pleased with the sections on the alphabet, ser and estar. I am following this up with a purchase of the advanced box set, but disappointed to see they dont make that on DVD.

A fun way to learn - it's true!
I recently picked up the Standard Deviants Spanish 1&2 on a lark. I took Spanish in High School (far too long ago for me to remember anything, not that I was all that good at it anyway). I thought the tapes covered the basics in a way that kept my attention, without being too juvenile or silly. Unlike the previous reviewer, I LIKED the use of English and Spanish... it helped me pair the words and their meaning more easily. I fscholl had been more like this, I probably would've paid more attention (and remembered more today)!

not so salsa-riffic
I'm not impressed with these videos. I've been a Spanish teacher for 17 years so I've seen lots of materials. There's too much boring narration in English... "Pato means Duck...Abogado means Lawyer..." Why have video if they're not going to use it? Just show us the picture and say the word in Spanish!

Ok, and here are some more gripes...the Spanish that is heard in the video is often spoken with a less-than-authentic accent. The written Spanish had errors within the first two minutes of the video. And worst sin of all..mixing Spanish and English in the same sentence! and why spend all that time on capitalization rules? in the very first lesson?

All in all it's pretty boring and repetitive in a way that's really not very effective. I was disappointed. Hoped to use the videos for beginning students, but I doubt very much that I'll subject anyone to them. I haven't even mentioned the dopey stereotypes..but I should have been ready for them given the title of the video. Sorry I put out the dough for this one. ... Read more

Description

Play the Piano Overnight instructor PATTY CARLSON releases a brilliant new simplistic program for piano students of all levels.Utilizing the Numeric Language of Music®, authored by Patty Carlson, Patty teaches the vocabulary of the language of music in very simple terms.Similar to learning the English language, Patty explains how tones are selected and combined together to form music vocabulary providing near instant advanced playing ability.

Patty Carlson has long been known as a leader in music education.The Piano Logic program is the most advanced understanding of a simplistic numeric language of music ever authored.There is no limit to what a student can accomplish with this information.Piano Logic is unconditionally the foundation of understanding every piano student needs to be able to play the piano, arrange music, compose music and read music.

Understanding the vocabulary of the language of music before a student reads music is every bit as necessary as being able to speak the English language before you are introduced to reading a book.

Patty does not teach traditional music education.The information is ground breaking, and through this new information new levels of accomplishments are possible in a fraction of the time once believed necessary.

The Numeric Language of Music has re-defined the meaning of the terms and symbols of written notation, however, written music is not altered in anyway.Through the Piano Logic program and the Numeric Language of Music,a long needed change in music education is rapidly moving forward. ... Read more

Description

The Standard Deviants Enormous English Pack includes everything you’ll need to become a terrific writer!You get FIVE DVDs at a discounted price: Writing Basics, English Punctuation 1&2 and English Grammar 1&2. ... Read more

Reviews (1)

Compatibility Problems
I don't really know how many stars to give here because I couldn't view three of the DVDs. I had a replacement set sent from AMAZON and the same discs had the exact same errors in the replacement set. I called the customer service number for Standard Deviants (800) 238-9669, and they said they had had compatibility problems but didn't indicate that my player--the Sharp DV-740--ought to have them.
Therefore I think it likely that a good number of you will have the frustrations I had. Maybe it is best to go for the VHS--I have a VHS set on the way; both DVD sets will soon be on the way back to AMAZON. If you order these DVDs, good luck to you; you may need it--but AMAZON's customer service is excellent... ... Read more