On this page you will find help with all aspects of the Live German Course (enrollment, features, etc.) You can also see the technical requirements of the German course and get advice about how to learn German online.
About the Live German Course
1. How do I learn German with the Live German Course?
2. Does the German language course have a fixed time schedule?
3. Is what I study in Deutsch Live useful?
4. Can I try the language course for free before enrolling?
5. How do I enroll and what are the fees?
6. Which payment methods are accepted?
7. Can I print the online lessons?
8. Can I record the live lessons?
9. Can I listen to the German lessons without a computer?
10. I forgot my User-ID. What do I do?
11. My e-mail address has changed. Who should I notify?
1. How do I learn German with the Live German Course?
Because the goal of this German course is to enable you to speak German as native speakers do, you study German using a variety of tools designed to develop all your language skills: speaking, listening and understanding, reading, writing. Real-time communication with a trained German instructor together with online and offline activities help you build and maintain a solid command of the language, both spoken and written.
The Live German Course offers you:
• Live one-to-one lessons with a qualified German language tutor -- the classes are held in a purpose-built virtual classroom that facilitates personal interaction and effective learning.
• Interactive online lessons for self-study -- the material includes vocabulary, grammar, and exercises that can also be printed (sound files are available in MP3 format too).
• A German language book for homework and review -- the textbook allows you to study away from the computer and it is also used during the live lessons with the tutor.
This way of learning German is personalized and intensive so to produce results quickly. The live one-to-one instruction and the additional online and offline material are organized for progressive learning to benefit both beginners and advanced learners. And of course you have the added advantage of being able to learn German at any time and from any location that is convenient for you.
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2. Does the German language course have a fixed time schedule?
This German language course offers complete flexibility. Because you learn German online, you can take the lessons whenever you have time and from wherever you have access to a computer: home, workplace, school, Internet café, etc. There is no fixed time schedule, which means that you can take both the online German lessons and the live one-to-one classes at your own pace, in an environment of your own choice.
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3. Is what I study in Deutsch Live useful?
Everything you learn is geared towards the main goal of the course: teach you to speak German correctly and with confidence.
You learn vocabulary and expressions used in everyday dialogs and texts. You steadily expand your conversational skills and can use what you learn in real-life situations, e.g. to get by during a trip abroad, to enjoy life in your new country, to prepare for course work, to read the newspapers or a work report, etc. The focus of the Live German Course on communication is a real asset: taking live lessons with a personal tutor on a one-to-one basis is essential if you want to actually speak the language and become fluent.
The online course also has sections on German grammar to give you the basis you need to build a solid knowledge of the language. The core of the grammar is broadened gradually to ensure a stable progress. The concise explanations are straightforward and supported by exercises to further clarify the use of the rules. These grammatical foundations are indispensable if you want to become proficient in German.
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4. Can I try the language course for free before enrolling?
You can take the Quick Tour of the German course online and learn about the features of Deutsch Live. The Quick Tour is an interactive demonstration where you can try some activities first-hand and start learning German right away. If you are interested in the Live German Course, you can also take a free trial lesson with a German tutor. Contact us for details.
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5. How do I enroll and what are the fees?
It is easy to enroll: simply complete the online form provided for enrollment and fee payment. You are guided step by step during the process and all the details you enter on the enrollment form are securely encrypted. Once payment is complete, you receive a User-ID that guarantees your access to the German language program. To view the complete table of fees and the enrollment form, please click here.
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6. Which payment methods are accepted?
You can choose the payment method most convenient for you: credit card, debit card, check, money order, or PayPal. (For accepted currencies, please refer to the enrollment form.) Your payment is processed in a secure way using a specially designed online form that encrypts your data. Information entered on the online form is not made available to any third party, and cannot be viewed or intercepted by anyone else on the Web.
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7. Can I print the online lessons?
You can print the online material so you can use it away from the computer. You can print vocabulary lists, grammatical explanations and even exercises.
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8. Can I record the live lessons?
You can record the live lessons with your personal German tutor while you are taking them. You have an audio-visual recording as well as a copy of the text typed by the tutor during the lesson. This is an invaluable feature of the Live German Course as it allows you to re-take a live lesson as many times as you wish. You can review the lesson and keep working on it to improve your skills.
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9. Can I listen to the German lessons without a computer?
There are MP3 files available for both the online lessons and the live classes with the tutor. The online German vocabulary is available as a list of MP3 sound files. If you record the live lessons with the tutor, you also have an MP3 recording of the class. If you want, you can download both the vocabulary files and the live class recording onto an MP3 player, for example your iPod, and learn German on the go!
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10. I forgot my User-ID. What do I do?
You can retrieve your User-ID automatically online: click the 'Forgot your User-ID?' button provided on the log-in page of the German course. Alternatively, please contact us.
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11. My e-mail address has changed. Who should I notify?
It is very important that you notify us of any changes in the details you gave at the time of your enrollment, e.g. e-mail account, mailing address, etc. Please e-mail us stating the change, for instance your new e-mail address, and we will send you a confirmation as soon as our records have been updated. You can contact us here.
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About technology
1. What do I need in order to take the German course?
2. I've installed Flash, but I seem to have problems with it. Can you help?
3. I tried to install the voice client, but it did not work. What can I do?
4. Do I need to be online the whole time while I take the German course?
5. In the virtual classroom I cannot hear the German tutor speaking. What is wrong?
6. In the virtual classroom I am speaking, but the tutor cannot hear me. Why?
7. I have a technical problem, but do not know what it is. How can I get help?
1. What do I need in order to take the German course?
To take the Live German Course your computer needs to be equipped with Flash, audio hardware (sound card), and a headset or speakers/headphones and a microphone.
The Flash player is a free software that lets you view interactive content created with Macromedia-Adobe Flash. You probably already have Flash on your computer because it is pre-installed in most operating systems and web browsers. If you have an older version of the player, you may need to upgrade it from time to time. If you are being asked to update the Flash player, please do so by following the instructions on the screen.
To access the virtual classroom you also need to install a small voice client that allows you to interact with your German tutor. The download is simple and free. Updates are installed automatically once you have installed the voice client.
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2. I've installed Flash, but I seem to have problems with it. Can you help?
You can test the Flash player to make sure it's working correctly. You should find a solution to eventual installation's problems in the Macromedia - Adobe Flash Player Support Center. Please visit their troubleshooting area here.
For help about the Flash Settings Manager, please refer to the Macromedia - Adobe documentation here.
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3. I tried to install the voice client, but it did not work. What can I do?
The ActiveX controls of Internet Explorer should automatically download and install the voice client into the correct folder. Depending on the settings, your browser may pop up a security message when you try to install the voice client. In this case, please allow the installation. The voice client is completely safe to use. If the download is not successful the first time, please try again.
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4. Do I need to be online the whole time while I take the German course?
You can study German offline using the book provided with the course and the printable version of vocabulary, grammar, and exercises. If you want, you can be connected to the Internet for the time necessary to log into the German course and load the section that you wish to study. You can use the Preload button to load sound and data files to your computer's cache. You will be alerted on the screen when the loading is finished. At that point, you can disconnect and study offline. Of course, you do need to be online during the live classes with your private German tutor.
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5. In the virtual classroom I cannot hear the German tutor speaking. What is wrong?
If the volume of the tutor's voice is too low, drag the bar next to the speaker icon to the right. If this does not solve the problem, make sure your headphones and microphone are plugged in and working correctly. You may also need to adjust the settings of your PC in the 'Sounds and Audio Devices' folder of the Control Panel.
Remember that if you were talking, you need to release the 'Ctrl' key or unclick the microphone icon to let the tutor speak. If you do not, you will not be able to hear the tutor.
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6. In the virtual classroom I am speaking, but the tutor cannot hear me. Why?
To speak, hold down the 'Ctrl' key on your keyboard. When you are finished, release the 'Ctrl' key so that you can hear the tutor. To speak, you can also click the microphone icon that is on the left-hand side of the screen, at the bottom. When you are finished, unclick the icon.
You may also need to adjust the microphone volume: push the bar next to the microphone icon to the right. If this is not enough, adjust the volume settings of your PC in the 'Sounds and Audio Devices' folder of the Control Panel.
Remember that you need to press down the 'Ctrl' key or click the microphone icon to talk. If you do not, the tutor will not be able to hear you.
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7. I have a technical problem, but do not know what it is. How can I get help?
Should you experience any problems while taking the course, please be patient: most of the time it is something simple that can be fixed very easily. If you cannot find the cause, please contact us.
Explain as precisely as you can what is wrong. Remember to provide each of the following:
• the code of the error message you received, if an alert box popped up on your screen (e.g. #REG001, ...)
• the browser version you are using (e.g. Explorer 7, Navigator 7, Firefox 2, ...)
• the platform you work on (e.g. Windows 98, 2000, ME, XP, NT, Mac, ...)
• whether you are using a Macintosh computer and, if you are, which type it is (e.g. PowerMac 6100/60, G3, ...)
If you do not know how to find out the above information, please tell us and we will try to find out together.
In any case, report in your message anything that may be relevant, e.g. whether you had been online the whole time when you experienced problems with the program, what you could see on the page, etc. Any detail can be useful. A message stating 'I cannot use the course' doesn't help us help you, so please try to give us all the pertinent information you can.
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About learning German
1. Are these German lessons of benefit to me?
2. What is the best way to learn German online?
1. Are these German lessons of benefit to me?
Yes if you wish to learn German and improve your language skills. You will benefit from this online course if it is the first time you learn a foreign language, if you are already familiar with some German, if you have already reached a reasonable level of fluency but are a little 'rusty' because of lack of practice, and also if you have a good command of the German language but need to improve further.
These online lessons are ideal to get you started if you are studying German for work, travel, school, or pleasure. If you already know the language, the combination of interactive lessons and personal tuition is the perfect way to brush up on your language skills, improve your confidence, and achieve a high level of proficiency.
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2. What is the best way to learn German online?
You should prepare before a live lesson with the tutor by studying the Vocabulary and Grammar portion of the online lesson. After your meeting with the tutor, you practice using the Exercises and additional material suggested by your language teacher.
For best results, make an effort to take the course regularly, and avoid long breaks between the lessons. If you do not have much time, study in short sessions but as frequently as you can. This ensures a more effective progress.
Ideally you should devote four to five hours a week to the course and take at least one live class with your private tutor. The program is flexible, however, and you can adjust the schedule as it best suits you.
Follow the instructions given, practice everything thoroughly, gain confidence by drilling and testing your progress. Most of all, do not be reluctant to speak aloud while taking the lessons and during your live classes! If you devote enough time and practice to the course, and always speak German aloud, you will get the best results.
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