Product Description
Amazon.com Product
Description
Learn a new language with the award-winning method
used by the U.S. State Department to train diplomats. Proven effective by
NASA astronauts, Peace Corps volunteers, and millions of students
worldwide, the Rosetta Stone Language Library teaches new languages faster
and easier than ever before.
We all learn our childhood language by associating new words and
phrases with the world around us. The Rosetta Stone method replicates this
process by presenting vivid, real-life images to convey the meaning of
each new phrase. Instead of translating, memorizing, and studying rules of
grammar, you actually learn to think in the new language. Vocabulary and
grammar are integrated systematically, leading to everyday proficiency.
The Rosetta Stone Level I program offers a comprehensive course of
study for beginning learners, leading to intermediate proficiency. The
program contains over 3,500 real-life images and phrases in 92 lessons and
more than 250 hours of mastery instruction in listening comprehension,
reading, speaking, and writing. Systematic structure teaches vocabulary
and grammar naturally, without lists and drills. There are reviews,
exercises, and tests for every lesson with automated tutorials throughout
the program. (Ages 6 and older)
All Customer Reviews
Average Customer Review:
11 of 11 people found the following review helpful:
The ONLY worthwhile language learning software!, April 7, 2004
The Rosetta Stone series of language instruction software is "Pimsleur"
level of effectiveness and unfortunately, Pimsleur level cost as well.
The programs work on a total immersion basis, with no English used at
all. There are several types of drills, ones where you hear a word or
sentence and pick it out of a group of pictures, another where you read
the text of the word and pick out the pictures, etc. There are also typing
drills in your language to help you spell (without having to download
special fonts), pronounciation drills that allow you to hear a word, speak
it to your computer and hear your voice in comparison to the native
speaker played back to you.
This is the first program of it's type I've found where this feature
actually works!
I own both German and Russian 1 and 2. There is a LOT to learn here,
especially if you do all the types of drills for each lesson. You learn
grammar from inference, such as word endings when the subject is "in"
something rather than "on" or "under" it. You see the same endings used,
compare them with the pictures and you start to recognize patterns.
But one of the best things about this software is the user interface.
Since it's an immersion program, there's no English used and by it's very
nature needs to be intuitive. This is how it should be done. I've used
other types of language software that had a klunky, confusing interface
with features that didn't work, etc. None of that is the case with the
Rosetta Stone software.
On another note, I switched to Mac about nine months ago and Fairfield
Language Technologies sent me out a new Mac OS X systems disc for free, no
questions asked. At this price level you'd think this would be
commonplace, but it's not. Adobe allowed me to change from PC to OS X when
I upgraded from Photoshop 6 to 7, but Macromedia wouldn't and expected me
to buy all new software (I didn't). So kudos to FLT for their stellar
customer service!
Is it too expensive? I'd say yes, but this is a serious language
learning tool for serious self students, and it's a lot cheaper than
classes at the U. The axiom is true with both this and the Pimsleur method
tapes; you get what you pay for.
25 of 25 people found the following review helpful:
Great program, January 10, 2003
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A software user (Fremont, CA United States) |
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I really liked this program and highly recommend it.
Two things though:
1. You need a dictionary
The small booklet only contains the text of the course in its original
language
2. If you are sure you want to buy Level 1 then do NOT buy the Explorer.
The Explorer is merely a subset of Level 1.
19 of 19 people found the following review helpful:
Good program, November 9, 2001
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A software user |
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I started using this program so that I can learn German. I live in a
Dutch speaking home and Dutch was my first language. Since the two
languages are very similar I decided to begin learning German. The program
is very good, although translations would be helpful, and if the grammar
was explained. Also it would be nice if they introduced the definite
articles with each noun introduced in the vocabulary, this would make it
much easier instead of having to eventually figure out the noun gender.
But all in all this program is quite good to learn basic German, move on
to the second version of this program to learn more advanced things.
48 of 48 people found the following review helpful:
Great, but an option with translations would have been nice.,
October 30, 2001
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A software user |
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This program is the best I have run into for learning a foreign
language. It starts with basic German words and pictures, to which is
added other words and pictures so that one learns phrases and then
eventually sentences. Your mind associates the sound and spelling of a
word(s) with a picture representing the word(s), and in this way you learn
intuitively instead of having to think or translate. A few pictures,
however, can be interpreted in more than one way, and it would have helped
to have had an option that allowed one to view a translation. When I was
unsure of the meaning of a certain word based on the picture, I used a
dictionary and this solved the problem. The different sections in each
lesson interactively teach you how to read, listen, speak, and write. For
example, you will hear and/or read something and you will have to match
what you hear/read to the one of the pictures shown. If you match it
correctly you hear a pleasant sound and continue. If you match it
incorrectly you hear an annoying sound and you try again until you get it
right. For the writing section you hear words associated with a picture
that is shown. One of the writing exercises consists of choosing the right
words in the right order and another consists of typing in the correct
word, phrase or sentence off the top of your head. I liked the speaking
section because you can listen to German spoken at a normal speed, a slow
speed and an even slower speed: the slow speed helped me hear better how
words were pronounced so that I was more confident when attempting to
imitate them. This personal edition level 1 course teaches you just basic
German. You end up learning to ask and answer questions like "how do I get
to the train station?" You also end up learning grammar intuitively. The
reasons this program works well I think is: because you learn language
naturally through pictures; because it does a good job building from the
basics; and finally, because it tests you a lot. I had fun using it
because it tests you continually and I like getting "Skinnerian" positive
feedback every time I answer something correctly. It's a great way to
begin learning German, but I recommend buying a dictionary in case you
feel you have to look up a word or two.
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