Rosetta Stone... yes or no?

Shelly · **Posted:** Thu Feb 14, 2013 5:19 pm

It is expensive, but they do have a sale right now and also have a payment plan. Would you buy it? All 5 levels are $350.

Any one even use it?

Anna1111 · **Joined:** Sat Jun 30, 2012 7:14 pm **Posts:** 8115

I have not tried it. I know some people who tell me how wonderful it is - but none of them have actually stuck to using it and made progress with speaking the language. They all have a "great package" sitting in their office or homeschool shelf.

I would love to get a chance to work with it myself, but I'm not going to sink $350. into a proverbial "Pig in a Poke" - and the sample they promise doesn't come in the language I'm studying (which makes me wonder how much attention they give to constructing the lessons in that language)

I'm a huge fan of Pimsleur - I'm working on the second level - I find it is something that I can (from time to time ; ) stick with, and make progress. I know others who have attained a basic conversational level in more than one language with Pimsleur.

I wouldn't invest in Rosetta before giving Pimsleur a good, hard look

Pimsleur teaches speaking & listening only - NOT reading and writing & formal grammar, but it is VERY good at what it does. I've spent years on vocabulary & reading and writing & formal grammar only to find myself unable to hold a basic conversation (I find myself thinking, "Which noun do I choose that is in the right declension with the right gender, etc?" - while the converation passes me by). With Pimsleur, my conversational skills improve in every lesson.

BTW - I've never looked at Rosetta stuff when there wasn't a "sale" on.

Sis · **Joined:** Sat Jun 30, 2012 5:22 pm **Posts:** 8837

I think the fact that you get online coaching and lessons and can pay $75 a months (5 months) makes it a good deal. No other program really lets you ask the questions you have. It's a program I like to go back to (and I have the old, no frills one) occasionally just because it's good practice and simple. It's easy to cheat but the newer one makes it a little more difficult. I don't know if it's "the" program to have, but it's certainly a decent one.

It also depends on the person using it. Pimsluer, while good, is much more boring. ;-)

You can get a $10 trial edition (or find it at the library sometimes) to try it out. You used to be able to do the same with Rosetta???

Martha R. · **Joined:** Sat Jun 30, 2012 8:45 am **Posts:** 2924

Dd is doing Russian. She wishes it has an English translation because she struggles with figuring out what things mean.

We had the French one in the past and my older dd did it. I speak French and thought it was pretty good. I don't know how much she remembers, but her accent is nice!

Shelly · **Posted:** Thu Feb 14, 2013 7:37 pm

My des wants the Russian version. I got another e-mail and they offered another $25 off so it would be $324. I think we might go for it. It is a lot of money though.

LindaS · **Posted:** Mon Feb 18, 2013 8:54 pm

DD used Pimsleur for German and she still remembers a lot of it, Her dad quizzes her every so often , he took it in college and still uses it off and on
One of our friends had us over and she had a young woman there from Germany and she and DH talked a lot. I was surprised he remembered what he did .

NCAlyce · **Joined:** Sat Jun 30, 2012 9:16 pm **Posts:** 139

Both my children used Rosetta Stone and hated it. They retained nothing. Their biggest complaints were that there were no english involved so it was somtimes hard to translate. They also didn't like that they weren't using anything they could use in a conversaton until well into the program. Dd finished it but like i said doesn't remember much. Ds switched to a program run by the University of Oklahoma. It is about the same price and has the same options but it also includes some english help. They are mostly know for their German program but I believe they've added some other languages now. After my experience using Rosetta Stone and in a couple of different languages I can't in goo conscience recommend it to anyone.

homeschoolkitty · **Joined:** Mon Feb 18, 2013 11:34 pm **Posts:** 14

If they wait a little they can go to the military and then it is free! all the languages are free for military personel.

just a thought, if the military track is there for any of you.

=o)

k

Tory · **Joined:** Sat Jun 30, 2012 6:58 pm **Posts:** 5828

My dd wants this in Japanese. I'm not sure about it though. I don't think she'd like that there are no English translations.
Shelly, if you get it will you let me know how you like it?
I would only buy the 1st level though. I'd hate to buy 5 levels and then dd doesn't like it, then I'm stuck will all of them. Resaling 5 levels would be challenging!
FWIW I've heard great reviews of Primseur from others besides those on here. I may look more into that.

Anna1111 · **Joined:** Sat Jun 30, 2012 7:14 pm **Posts:** 8115

I have just discovered that one of the Pimsleur heirs is making this series for kids. AND our library has it! : ) (unfortunately, not in Greek yet)

https://www.littlepim.com/languages/jap ... -for-kids/

It might be a good start for DD with little investment, to see how she likes it. (I watch "Greek for Kids" with my little DD all the time - kids programs are a great way to learn)

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