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Jeanne
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| Posted: Feb 23 2005 at 9:44pm | IP Logged
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I have been looking into different spanish programs for my children.
The Rosetta stone looks interesting, but so expensive.
Has anyone used this? What did you think?
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Jeanne
mom to 9 (21,19,17,15,12,10,6,4,8 months
"I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me."
P hi li ppians 4:13
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Kelly
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| Posted: Feb 24 2005 at 12:20am | IP Logged
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I have Rosetta stone but my children think it is dull as dishwater. I have not sat thru it all, but it appears to me that it would be helpful if you don't know the language your children are learning and need help with the pronounciation. As with all programs, especially foreign language programs, it's only good if your children use it on a regular basis. ... Which my children don't want to do, because they find it 'dull as dishwater'!
An alternative might be the program "Kidspeak" by Transparent. It provides disks for 10 languages, you can play with any (or all) of them. The format for all is the same: focusing on the most basic things---numbers, colors, greetings and so on, but in a game format. We picked our copy up on the advice of a local school's German teacher and have gotten MUCH more use out of it's $30 set of disks than we have the expensive Rosetta Stone (which only covers one language). I do think the pronounciation on the Rosetta Stone (that I have heard) is a little more measured, and clearer---Kidspeak tends to be a bit on the fast and funsy side, but it accomplishes its task of teaching the very basics.
Yet another alternative would be the Pimsleur cds or tapes available at Barnes & Nobles and elsewhere. We have the cds, but tapes would have the advantage of being able to be stopped and started at any point, rather than having to hear the entire lesson (which runs about 20 minutes? 30 minutes?) The basic "intro set" for any language Pimsleur teaches is $20 and might be a good thing for you to pop in when you are in the car. It is purely oral, starting with greetings and working your way along. The beauty of Pimsleur---and what sets it apart from other language cds---is that they ask you different questions as you go along, and constantly throw in review of what you have learned. You can't just sit and parrot the cd, you have to think. My children and I are using this for a half-year course in Conversational Chinese and it is great. Even my two year old surprises us with what she has picked up (I heard her saying from her carseat, "Excuse me, may I ask..." in Mandarin!). The only problem is that the $20 set won't carry you too far, after that you have to invest in the pricier set. Still, it's cheaper than Rosetta Stone and i like the concept of being able to use it in our "off hours" in the car.
For younger children, I'm not sure I really think a single computer program is the answer. Kids get weary of a single approach, and will balk at any "constant diet"...the problem being, of course, that with languages you NEED a constant diet to make it work. Although my older children will study with a textbook, and maybe some Pimsleur tapes, this method simply won't work with the little guys. I am finding that a variety----ranging from a computer program, to audio tapes, to movies in "their" foreign language (we have "Regreso A Casa"..Homeward Bound in Spanish and it is a crowdpleaser!)(also Baby Einstein, set in your language of choice!) to songs (the Teach Me series uses tunes from English songs, translates them into a variety of languages, easy to learn) to books and games make the best course. My kids learned the names of animals MUCH quicker playing "Beanie Baby German" (name the Beanie Baby animal in German) than they learned staring monolithically at Rosetta Stone. Learning basic prayers in another language is another easy way to train their little tongues around "wierd" new vocabulary. Knowing and using dinner blessings in different languages is another easy way to practice daily!
Just my "dos centavos" worth, Kelly in FL
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Mary G
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Another idea I've seen is to use a well-known movie on DVD (like Snow White, or Cinderella) and play the DVD in the foreign language (I think many come now in Spanish, French and/or German) with subtitles on -- it's a great way to see and hear the well-known lines....
HTH 
Blessings,
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MaryG
3 boys (22, 12, 8)2 girls (20, 11)
my website that combines my schooling, hand-knits work, writing and everything else in one spot!
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stefoodie
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we're using Rosetta Stone Spanish (Castilian) right now. so far the kids like it (been using it for about 4 weeks). it IS expensive but i figure with 4 kids (and they're ALL using it right now; the 13-yo is quite serious about it and uses it everyday, the littles think it's a game and sometimes try to beat each other) and years of use it comes out cheaper in the end. we got the homeschooling edition even though it's more expensive because it's easier to keep track of where each kid is lessonwise.
that said, nothing beats conversing with a native speaker; when we went to Italy just trying to speak Italian everywhere we went taught my kids so much and we just bought 2 learn-to-speak-italian picture books before we went (i thought poor planning on my part, but it actually worked out really well). i'd hire a foreign-language tutor except that we're not THAT gung-ho about foreign languages yet, so i'm satisfied with where we are right now. the format may not be attractive to everyone, but in general i think it's a great program.
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tovlo4801
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| Posted: March 28 2005 at 12:05pm | IP Logged
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Jeanne wrote:
The Rosetta stone looks interesting, but so expensive.
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You might want to check with your library. I discovered by accident that our local library subscribes to a Rosetta Stone language database. We can log onto the Rosetta Stone language learning area from our computer at home with just our library card barcode and go through any of I think 24 different languages for free. We haven't done much with it yet, but we did play around with the first level for Spanish and my kids thought it seemed pretty cool! If your library subscribes it can be a pretty painfree way to do foreign language and your not out any money if your family hates it. I LOVE our library system! Now if I could just get them to buy more Catholic books.
God Bless,
Richelle
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Jeanne
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| Posted: March 28 2005 at 3:49pm | IP Logged
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Wow!! That's great! I'm going to check into our library and if they don't subscribe I'm going to talk to the librian about it. 
Thanks for the info!
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Jeanne
mom to 9 (21,19,17,15,12,10,6,4,8 months
"I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me."
P hi li ppians 4:13
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Kathryn UK
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I have a sampler CD-Rom for Rosetta Stone with the first dozen or so lessons in seven different languages. I'm not sure if it is still available, but it is a cheap way of testing out the programme.
A cheaper - and I think more interesting - alternative is Learn Spanish With Grace, written by a Catholic homeschooling mother. It teaches prayers, grace before meals and so on in Spanish as well as basic vocabulary and conversation. We haven't used it as we are doing French not Spanish, but I browsed through a friend's copy and it looks good.
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Kathryn
Dh Michael,  Rachel(3/95) Hannah(8/98) Naomi(6/06)  (11/07)
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4Real Forums : Across Time and Place
Topic: Rosetta Stone
