How to tackle Language & Culture lessons

I've been working through level 1 of Rocket Italian and I'm loving the format! I have a great routine going and I feel like I'm learning and retaining the content well.

The only problem I've been running into is the language and culture lessons. I LOVE that they're here because I learn better when I understand the “why” behind the grammar. But by the end of module one I was SICK of doing them back-to-back! Since then, I've been alternating between interactive audio lessons and language and culture lessons (5.1, then 5.6, then 5.2, etc). I notice when I learn words out of order, but that's not an issue, and I don't get sick of either content type.

The problem I can't solve is the examples used in the language and culture lessons. I love the explanations, but it feels impossible to learn the grammar when all of the examples include words I don't know yet! It's hard to concentrate on getting your direct object pronouns correct when you don't know the verb OR the noun being used. That lesson alone included 5 new verbs and over a dozen words I had never seen before. How am I supposed to learn where to put my pronouns if I have all this vocabulary to focus on first?

I also have to wonder… am I going to learn all this vocab somewhere else? Or is it just going to be thrown at me and forgotten? It's become my biggest struggle so far. Any tips or insight would be a big help.

Hi NicholasL23, 

Thank you for your feedback! It's great to know you were able to identify a way to make the course methodology work better for you! :) 

In regards to the situation about the vocab, please note that we introduce vocab words as you move along in the lessons, so if the lesson is new, most likely you will also see quite a few new words there as well; we don't introduce you to words before the actual lesson, so that's how it is supposed to be. 

If you would like to focus on the vocab first, please note it is possible to create and save words and phrases to your vocab list. You would just have to highlight the word/phrase and click on the “+Save” icon that will appear (when on a browser in a desktop/laptop). You can then export the vocab list as a CSV file in case you would like to print it; or, you can also create a Custom Flashcard set so you can reinforce on that before moving on with the lesson. 

We do try not to use grammar tenses that you have not seen before, but when it comes to vocab, you should expect a bit of new vocab in each lesson as you move along. 

Kind Regards!

Hi Nicholas

I know what you mean, I have found the grammar difficult and frankly tedious. Si I jump around a lot and have decided not to get stressed about the grammar. I just keep going back to it when I feel like it. The grammar was easy until level one,  lessons 6 and seven. So I have moved onto level two and then back to level one grammar when I feel like it. 

Have started on level two conversations and survival kit. I want to increase my vocabulary and then I hope it will all eventually fall into place. Level two has even more grammar much to my horror. My main aim is to just keep at it, slowly but surely. Some of those horrendous combining indirect and direct objects especially. So will keep on going back to them and it will eventually make sense. Happy learning

Sebongela