Textbooks
The course uses the Contact! textbooks, that were selected for their many vivid and realistic dialogues, the fact that every dialogue and exercise has its own word list and that the dialogues are on downloadable mp3’s, so you can listen to them anywhere.
During the beginners’ courses, we’ll use Contact 1 Tekstboek, new edition (the purple book, ‘Contact 1 nieuw’). This book will be used during levels 1 and 2 and costs 45,-. In class we’ll only use the Tekstboek, therefore it isn’t obligatory to buy the workbook/Werkboek. It is recommended though to also buy this Werkboek, especially if you need extra exercises to get more practice.
At the end of the page you’ll find the different options to buy the Tekstboek and Werkboek in a paper or digital version.
You can listen to and download the audio files for Contact 1 (nieuw / new edition) on https://www.contactnt2.nl/audio-en-transcripties/
In the levels 3 and 4 and all other levels, we’ll use the first (older) edition of the Contact! Tekstboek (Contact!1 for levels 3 and 4, Contact! 2 for level 5, 6, 7, and Contact! 3 for levels 7 and 8). These textbooks cost around 45,-. As in levels 1 and 2, the use of the Werkboek isn’t obligatory, but strongly recommended if you need some more practice. These workbooks costs around 40,-.
All Contact! books are available at http://www.intertaal.nl
Be sure you get the correct version of the books as the new edition is a completely other book than the older edition. (New (purple) edition for levels 1 and 2, the older edition for levels 3 and above.)
Extra reading and listening materials
To get fluent in Dutch, only going through the dialogues and exercises in the textbook won’t be enough. During the course we’ll read and listen to many novels and audio books. Starting with special easy-to-read novels for foreigners, then moving on to humorous books for Dutch teenagers, to end with thrillers written for native speakers. Television broadcasts that can be watched with Dutch subtitles are used as well.
Students will also get a lot of Dutch songs to listen to (and sing along with): music sticks to the memory a lot stronger than other kinds of text. Beginners will get a selection of nice children’s songs about all kinds of daily situations, intermediate students will listen to popular songs that help them learn the irregular past tenses of verbs.
Grammar
Contrary to some other methods, quite some attention will be given to grammar. This is because you cannot make correct sentences without grammar, and conversation is an important aspect of the course. In order not to loose to much time in class explaining and practising the grammar, the students will get access to dozens of documents offering a detailed explanation and a few hundred of extra exercises, along with their answers.
Levels 5 and up: Extra material on vocabulary
For higer level students, it will become increasingly important to pick the correct word; is it student, leerling or scholier? Alleen, maar or alleen maar? And when to use (and not to use) all these small words like wel, nou, toch and hoor? As no existing book seemed to offer clear answers, the teacher wrote her own explanations and corresponding exercises.
Levels 8 and up; communication skills
In these levels more attention is given to saying and writing things with the ‘right tone of voice’: not too informal, not to formal, not too direct or compelling, not too modest or vague. For this, we’ll use the book De juiste toon, by Roos Naeff (29,50) as well as a lot of extra explanations and exercises from the teacher.
Resources aimed at saving you time
Don’t lose time searching for the meaning of words in dictionaries. In the Textbook, for each text or exercise a Dutch—English vocabulary list is provided. Also, all songs are translated and come with a vocabulary list, all novels and audiobooks that are used come with an extensive vocabulary list.
Dropbox
Once you register (after your trial class), you will need a (free) Dropbox account to have access to all the course materials.
Costs
Students in levels 2 to 4 pay a one-time extra amount of €15,- for access to the following extra materials developed by the teacher:
notes on grammar (including many important or interesting explanations you won’t find in any other grammar book),
exercises with these notes,
extra audio material and
the lyrics and translations of the songs.
This collection will save students quite some extra expenses for extra grammar and exercise books, as well as time in class, that can be spent on other things than explaning everything in full detail.
Access to all the extra Vocabulary notes and exercises (levels 5 and up) will also cost 15,-.
The resources related to communication skills (levels 8 and up) cost 10,-.
Contact 1- nieuw/new, for levels 1 and 2: paper and digital versions (last price update: september 2022)
The books needed for levels 1 and 2 can be bought in a paper version and a digital version. The digital version is cheaper, but take in mind that the licence expires after 14 months of use. It can be prolonged though for an extra amount of 24,95. For the course, only the Tekstboek (textbook) is obligatory, though the Werkboek offers extra exercises and listening material that are helpful.
With both the paper and the digital version of the Werkboek / workbook you’ll be able to correct your answers to the ‘closed exercises’ (those where there is only one correct answer).
Here is are the different options, taken from intertaal.nl, translated into English.
Contact! nieuw 1 cursistenlicentie (online tekstboek + werkboek)
Price € 42,95 ISBN/EAN 9789054510109
This student license contains both the complete textbook / Tekstboek and the complete workbook / Werkboek and can be used online and offline on various devices. The digital textbook includes audio links, a search and browse function, a zoom function, a highlight function and the ability to take notes. The digital workbook consists of interactive exercises. For closed exercises (where there is only 1 correct answer) there is the option for automatic correction. The validity period of the student license is 14 months.
Contact! nieuw 1 Cursist (bundel) (package)
€ 74,95 ISBN/EAN 9789463926782
This set of Contact! – New 1 contains the paper textbook and workbook with online MP3s + the digital student license of the textbook and workbook together. The digital license can be used online and offline on different devices. The digital version of the textbook includes audio links, a search and browse function, a zoom function, a highlight function and the ability to make and save notes. The digital workbook consists of interactive exercises. The answers are given for the closed exercises. The student license is valid for 14 months after activation.
Contact! nieuw 1 tekstboek + Intertaal Augmented
€ 42,95 ISBN/EAN 9789462939608
This is the paper version of the Tekstboek / textbook.
Contact! nieuw 1 werkboek + Intertaal Augmented
€ 39,96 ISBN/EAN 9789462939615
This is the paper version of the Werkboek / workbook.
This workbook consists of 15 chapters that correspond to the textbook. The workbook contains functional writing, listening, reading, vocabulary and grammar exercises. In addition, a lot of attention is paid to pronunciation.
Contact nieuw! Deel 1 Verlengingslicentie / Contact new! Part 1 Licence Renewal
€ 24,95 ISBN/EAN 9789462939615
You can only use this license if you have purchased the normal license first. This product is new especially for Contact! course participants and students whose first license has expired. If you do not buy this product to renew the first license, this product will not work!