A Review of Rosetta Stone
(Warning: if you have no interest in learning another language then this post is going to be boring for you. Come back later for something more to your taste… literally… just wait until you see my next language and culture post)
Ok, so if you made it past the warning then i will assume you have some vague interest in learning another language or maybe you already speak a couple of languages or you’re thinking of speaking another language… whatever your case, this post is about learning language and specifically the pros and cons of Rosetta Stone language learning software.
What makes me credible to give such a review as this? Well, nothing really, i just own the software and have used it for several months both in America and in China and i have combined it with other language learning strategies and tools. I’m no expert… did you catch that? I said, I AM NOT AN EXPERT. These are just my simple opinions based on my experience.
So, let’s dive in.
Overall, i think Rosetta Stone is a great tool for learning language, especially if you are living in a culture where the target language is not the one spoken (for example, studying Chinese while living in America). RS (can we call it RS?, Thanks.)… RS does a great job of immersing you in the language, where literally you can get lost for hours in the wonderland of listening to and speaking another language. However, if you live in the same culture as the target language then your best bet is to get off your butt and just go talk to people in the neighborhood.
What are the RS shortcomings?
1. RS is not conversational. The software does an excellent job at going through useful vocabulary by using the words in practical sentences, but it fails at teaching practical conversation elements. It doesn’t teach, “Hello, how are you?” or anything of that sort. This is a significant problem.
2. RS doesn’t teach sentence structure or offer ANY clues to the meaning of the sentence. I think there should be a, “give me a clue” button. Also, when learning such a different language as Chinese, i think there should be lessons that teach the difference in sentence structure and grammar. You may figure out the vocabulary in each lesson, but it will be impossible to piece together the rules of structure without some other outside teaching.
Do i recommend Rosetta Stone?
For Chinese? Yes. For any other language? I don’t know, haven’t tried them. I recommend it for a couple of reasons. For one, the depth of the software. There is so much you can do and so many lessons to go through. The depth of RS continues to amaze me, that aspect is far more than i expected. I also recommend because it’s like carrying a chinese book, but on a CD-ROM. It’s amazing. I can carry around a heavy book or i can have a CD to stick into my computer whenever i want. And the last reason i’ll mention here is that it’s a lot of fun. It really does feel like playing a game. Sure, i get frustrated when i can’t figure it out, but i also have a ton of fun when i see the progress i’m making.
Ok, this post can’t stop with just my opinion. If you read this far then i need to know what you think and what you’ve tried and how that’s worked or not worked.
Cassidy said
am July 18 2008 @ 1:03 am
RS does a great job of immersing you in the language, where literally you can get lost for hours in the wonderland of listening to and speaking another language.
RS is not conversational - agree
RS doesn’t teach sentence structure or offer ANY clues to the meaning of the sentence - agree
I think you make some good points about the product. It is great for getting some vocabulary and understanding of the language very quickly, but as regards being able to converse in it - has limited appeal.
I would recommend, for Chinese that is,
- the Pleco Dict for vocabulary and flashcards
- ChinesePod (http://chinesepod.com) for great audio lessons, real chinese that you will use — as well as strong supporting tools
- Lang8.com for practicing your writing skills
these are the ones I use regularly, and if was going to fork out money to learn a language (chinese in this case) it wouldnt be for the outdated Rosetta, but rather for these web 2.0 type products.
Hope this is helpful!
elaine said
am July 18 2008 @ 8:08 am
For me, the only way i was able to gain any confidence with Spanish (much easier than Chinese i’m sure!) was by speaking with native speakers. Obviously, this is most easily done when you are living foreign/immersion situation, but even then, americans, especially study abroaders in large groups, tend to speak English whenever possible. A good way to combat that tendency is to form a language partnership with a native student. (in spain, an intercambio). This is available through most universities. Even stateside, you can pair up with a foreign student at your own school to practice. To me, it is much more practical for learning the kind of language that people actually speak, and SO much more relational. And that’s what language is for, right?
emery said
am July 18 2008 @ 9:23 am
When I need to learn a new language, like Spanish, I normally go to a Mexican restaurant everyday for like a week. I think you become 1/10th Mexican after eating that much Mexican food. Obviously it is easier for a person who is 1/10th mexican to learn Spanish than a person with no ties to the culture. This same rule can be applied to Chinese and many other languages except redneck English….you need a mullet to learn that.
Wow, I hope nobody takes this seriously.
Erin said
am July 18 2008 @ 10:07 am
currently, i’m investing in 4 hours a week of private tutoring with a native speaker in a smallgroup(there are 4 of us)and then doing the required homework for another 3 hrs/wk. Also, my job requires that I speak some/listen to Portuguese as the people I am working with that are vital to the health and medical care of my tots speak no English. But, I have to say that the remaining time, I speak English.
It’s hard to break that habit.
But before leaving for Mozambique, I tried to do some cd roms and book learning on my own (never RS as they only have Brazilian Portuguese and not Portugal Portugese which is closer to Mozambican Portuguese) and found that most of them are completely geared for the things you would need to know only if you were a tourist for 2 wks in a foreign country…so the only useful things you are learning are stupid sentences like….my seat is 3A. Is this 3A? Do you travel in airplanes much? Thanks, but I need to understand the grammer and how and why I’m saying stuff to learn the language not just gross memorization and regurgitation.
Good luck! I sympathize as I mostly have contacts with tots under the age of 5 and half of them only speak toddler. hmmm….
Matt Hux said
am July 18 2008 @ 12:48 pm
Thanks for the insight. For now, I will bypass using RS. After spending a year in China, I might reevaluate that statement.
Lana said
am July 18 2008 @ 3:48 pm
still waiting on you to pass that along…
Sandra said
am July 18 2008 @ 7:07 pm
Hi Bisscuit!
I just stumbled upon your blog and I really like it - you have such a zest for life!
You asked for recommendations on other resources so I would like to invite you and your audience to check out Edufire.com. We are an online community that brings tutors and students together for a completely customized language learning experience. Joining is free and there are some fun resources (like our flash cards). Each tutor has their own rate and you can view their experience and credentials on their profiles.
You can get to know the tutors in the forums too, so you can get a better idea of who you would work best with. Work with a variety of different tutors for different perspective.
Stop on by - we’re a fun community!
Thanks Biscuet - nice to “meet” you!
Sandra
JoJo said
am July 19 2008 @ 2:36 pm
I’m glad you felt the same way about Rosetta Stone’s shortcomings. I took the Spanish program when I was in high school, and I don’t remember much from it other than a few words. But in your case, do you find it more helpful since you’ve already had some conversational experience with the language you’re studying?
John said
am July 21 2008 @ 3:56 pm
If you want to save your money then try free language learning software from http://www.valodas.com