What language learning software do you recommend?

[EffEmDoubleyou]

Hi!

Has anyone here used a software package to learn a foreign language? And if you have, do you have a recommendation? I have seen excellent reviews for both Rosetta Stone and Tell Me More software, but I haven't had the chance to speak to anyone personally who has used them.

If anyone has advice about those two brands or any other software you have used, it would be much appreciated. Thanks!

 

[strawberries]

my mum and dad taught me to speak english australian. they might teach you if you pay them.

 

[ultimawepun]

I'm using Pimsleur. It's basically a language tape. It has 3 levels, each with 30 tracks that each last for 30 minutes. Once you finished the tapes, then get VocabuLearn. It's similar to the Pimsleur but instead expands your vocabulary. I only have little experience with Rosetta, but I recommend Pimsleur over it.

I should remind you that you'll need motivation. A lot of people found Pimsleur too boring to stay focused to, but I personally never had that problem. Note that Pimsleur alone will not be enough. So I advise searching and reading for grammar lessons/explanations online while your at it. I'm learning a HELL lot by doing so without compromising too much of my work/play time.

 

[Metamorphosis]

My personal favorite is Michel Thomas. It's all audio, works well, and builds a strong grammatical base while teaching methods to expand vocabulary dramatically. If you really want to learn a language, go with something like this or pimsleur. If you just want some vocabulary to impress friends and mess around with, go with Rosetta stone. It teaches a lot of vocabulary without giving a strong understanding of the language. ...imo, of course.

 

[Orangey]

I'm using Pimsleur. It's basically a language tape. It has 3 levels, each with 30 tracks that each last for 30 minutes. Once you finished the tapes, then get VocabuLearn. It's similar to the Pimsleur but instead expands your vocabulary. I only have little experience with Rosetta, but I recommend Pimsleur over it.

I should remind you that you'll need motivation. A lot of people found Pimsleur too boring to stay focused to, but I personally never had that problem. Note that Pimsleur alone will not be enough. So I advise searching and reading for grammar lessons/explanations online while your at it. I'm learning a HELL lot by doing so without compromising too much of my work/play time.

Yeah, I like combining Pimsleur with a grammar overview book (a strictly technical one) and a vocabulary workbook (plus online vocab resources and programs like Anki.) It's also good to find a newspaper or other basic reading material in the language to practice translating.

Pimsleur is good because the repetition is just enough (and spaced out just right) that you easily remember vocabulary and it makes it easier to transfer knowledge of the syntax into speaking practice.

 

[ScorpioINTP]

Must be Rosetta Stone, because I've seen that commercial so many times I could recite it verbatim.

 

[NotOfTwo]

I have researched this quite a bit and even though people find Rosetta Stone fun, it does not work as effectively as Pimsleur.

 

[EffEmDoubleyou]

Thanks for the advice everyone! I came upon Pimsleur in my research, but it received poor reviews and I had sort of eliminated it. You guys have made me reconsider.

 

[Curator]

from everyone ive known, they find rosetta stone waaaaaaaaay better than Pimsleur for learning as fast as possible, and with the greatest ease, then they use other systems/classes, which are more difficult/boring to expand their knowledge of the language... basically, they state Rosetta stone helps them build the best foundation of useful language skill, and the other stuff adds to it... All I have ever used is Rosetta stone, so Its the only one I personally know of...

 

[wolfy]

I've never used any language learning software. Actually, that's a lie, I did use some in the nineties. I used books for the most part. Anything where you build a grammar and vocabulary base and are put in situations to use it would work I think.

I still like books. Rosetta Stone looks like fun on TV.

 

[NotOfTwo]

I asked a teacher who had a doctorate in neuroscience and he hated Rosetta Stone. I really think learning is so individual though. Maybe you could borrow some programs from the library and see what you like.

 

[RDF]

My way of learning a language was to get some minimal exposure to basic vocab and grammar rules for that language (skim a beginner's grammar book on that language), then move to reading a novel with the original English and the foreign language translation side by side. For example, Harry Potter and John Grisham novels have been translated into just about every language in the world. After a few months or more of that, I would start to listen to the language on the radio (news reports, for example). By that point, having already completed a few months of reading, I would have a decent passive vocabulary; picking up the listening part (and eventually the spoken part) would go pretty fast and painless.

Naturally, this way of learning meant that I picked up reading skills first and that speaking/listening skills lagged considerably behind. Language software/tapes typically put the emphasis on the reverse: They try to get you up and running on simple spoken language exposure first, with the assumption that you want to travel to the country and get around on your own. They drill you on how to order food in a restaurant and buy tickets at a train station. In my case I was a professional translator, translating documents from other languages into English. For me, reading skills were primary and speaking/listening skills were not all that necessary.

When I *did* want to pick up spoken skills, then any language tapes were fine for me since I probably had a good passive vocab in the language by that point. Pimsleur seemed okay for playing and repeating phrases while driving. Never tried Rosetta--that system only got big later in my career. But if I wasn't driving, then most of all I liked listening to foreign language news broadcasts: They gave me a current vocabulary on a limited number of daily repeatable subjects; for example, currently one would hear daily updates on the quake/tsunami/nuke situation in Japan, or daily updates on the hostilities in Libya.

Also, as NotOfTwo said above, learning styles are individual. If there's no hurry, introverts might prefer to use books first; extroverts might head directly to the tapes and TV/radio shows. And so on.

 

[figsfiggyfigs]

I'm using Pimsular as well. My INTJ friend raves about Rosetta stone though. I have it, but have yet to try it out.

I can only approve of Pimsular, thus far..

 

[EffEmDoubleyou]

Thanks for your help, everyone! I've decided upon Rosetta Stone at least to begin with. I agree with the posters that said many methods are quality, but some methods are better for some learners. There were some factors that led me to pick it over Pimsleur despite the raves here.

1. I tried a demo lesson from Rosetta Stone and I really liked the interactive method. The software helps you correct your pronunciation by the use of a headset and microphone, and you have free online access to live sessions with native speaking instructors.

2. I found that Pimsleur is exclusively audio CDs. That reminded me too much of the way I was taught foreign language in high school and college, and I didn't learn a lot in those classes.

3. There is a six-month 100% money back guarantee. So if it doesn't work, I can send it back and get Pimsleur or another method. This is what really made the decision for me.

I'll give it a shot and then supplement with books or other methods when I find what I need more work with. Ciao!