Rosetta Stone: Opinions Anyone?

[Aequitas]

I used it for my Spanish and I loved it. I thought it was great for preparing me to do well on the dlpt.

[The Dave]

RS seems to be a great program. I'm currently taking Arabic in college, and using the RS program at home. The major difference between the two that I noticed, is with the RS programs it seems like it's teaching you, as if you were a young child. Recognizing the words as you see them. I've learned things in the RS, that I haven't learned in class. Our class consists of 6 people total, so there's plenty of time to practice with the teacher...something RS just doesn't have.

Aric, been over 12 months since your initial post...did you ever get the program? If not, PM me and I can get it to you. I also have an old textbook and DVD, that will teach you to read, write, and a bit of basic conversation. I would gladly hook you up with it if you want. Just let me know (PM or Skype)

[aricbcool]

Originally Posted by The Dave

RS seems to be a great program. I'm currently taking Arabic in college, and using the RS program at home. The major difference between the two that I noticed, is with the RS programs it seems like it's teaching you, as if you were a young child. Recognizing the words as you see them. I've learned things in the RS, that I haven't learned in class. Our class consists of 6 people total, so there's plenty of time to practice with the teacher...something RS just doesn't have.

Aric, been over 12 months since your initial post...did you ever get the program? If not, PM me and I can get it to you. I also have an old textbook and DVD, that will teach you to read, write, and a bit of basic conversation. I would gladly hook you up with it if you want. Just let me know (PM or Skype)

Roger. Got your PM. Reply on the way. Thanks! --Aric

[airbornediver]

thanks guys.

gonna get on the RS program asap.

[SRT31B]

I've been using the RS stuff via Army e-learning and it seems to be pretty good. I started with some Pashto before we went wheels up, but now that I'm here I've mainly been trying to knock out all the Spanish courses since I'm already pretty proficient there. The thing I didn't really like (unless I just misunderstood something) is that it doesn't really start with the basics i.e. alphabet, basic rules of grammar, etc. leaving you to learn everything by memorization. Of course, it is an immersion program...

Overall, I think it's a good program, and if you can get it from the Army definately do it. Especially since now they have 30 different languages or so.

[dmgedgoods]

I'm probably just an echo, but RS sure doesn't beat the real people who speak the real language.
I work mostly with South American (Mexico, Guatemala) immigrants in the construction trade. Since I was about 11 years old, I have been trying to grasp Spanish. Not just for work with my dad, but for school as well. The teacher-taught school Spanish always seemed hard for me to comprehend, but on the other hand I would go to work during the summer and learn with the workforce. The contrast, for me at least, was huge. Learning a native tougue with native speakers is a gift. I have learned many customs, slang terms, and curse words over the past few years. These are things no computer program can give you.
I have RS Spanish I & II, and they do nothing but help me carry on my learning...with a robotic slant. I highly recommend RS, but I also highly recommend native help, or at the least fluent help. Coupled together, this has made a significant impact on my Spanish speaking. I am considering Spanish summer courses at the local JC to see if I have matured to the classroom setting, unlike my highschool Daze.

Hope this helps/informs anybody,
McD

[shfranke]

Greetings to ALCON.

I am a newbie here, registration eff 23 May 2006.

Following comments relate mostly to active duty and reserve status military.

As a couple posters mentioned in this thread, RS for various languages is now available as a free download from AKO. As some other posters mentioned, using RS can be a time vampire. While RS products include lots of content, their organization and applicability to military uses could be improved.

For those with limited time and likely deploying on SOF-typical missions, some alternative materials -- but for developing **only** functional / "tactical" proficiency for communicating during most-likely situations -- include:

1. Language Survival Kits (LSK) available (d/load or request hard copies) from DLIFLC in various languages for OIF and OEF (don't know about HOA yet).

POC at DLIFLC is Mr. Joe Betty at e-mail: < joseph.betty@monterey.army.mil >.

2. Tactical Language and Culture Trainng System (TLCTS).
Details at < www.tacticallanguage.com >.

It's an adapted video game, now a "talker's game" on CD, versus a shooter game. Interactive training, using characters in SOF (CA/FID) scenario. Includes the contents of DLIFC command and control card, but also includes audio feature for speak, feedback and tutoring.

You'll need a PC or laptop that supports playing video games to run it smoothly and quickly. Low-end/low-capable PCs are SOL. You'll also need a headset-and-mike device to plug in. Program enables you to speak utterances and then hear yourself, with feedback. Product line includes "Tactical Iraqi" for OIF, "Tactical Pashto" for OEF, and "Tactical Sahel French" for CJTF HOA (R&D on that is underway, so still a while to wait).

An earlier product, called "Tactical Levantine" Arabic, is a clunky dinosaur and may be competely re-engineered, but much later.

Disclosure: I was a late-comer SME on content and graphics of "Tactical Iraqi." Spent lots of time explaining what US Army and SOF are and what they do -- esp. FID -- to a bunch of interested-but-clueless "techie" grad students working on graphics, characters, and programming. Later mentored and advised on features and behavior patterns in various cultures in Iraq.

I sometimes train US Marine and Army units on Tactical Iraqi. Those Soldiers who've also used RS say that they don't want to know the Arabic names for dog and cat, they want to know how to get directions, information and cooperation, plus conduct general mil training.

3. For OIF-bound people: "Iraqi Phrasebook" by Yasin Alkalesi, paperback, at $8/95. Publisher is McGraw-Hill, ISBN 0-07-143511-5. B&N, Borders and Amazon carry it, last I heard.

Hope this helps.

Regards,

Stephen H. Franke
San Pedro, California

[Dan]

Howdy Stephen. Thanks for the input.

Please see this thread for the rest of your intro. Thanks and welcome aboard after your intro post, Dan

[AnyJoe]

I have been using the Sosetta Stone program and I have found that I am getting pretty good at guessing what pictures to click on when it comes to the word recognition. I still don't speak arabic so I guess the moral of the story is to at least have someone to practice speaking the language with if you can't get a certified instructor to teach you.

[TrackguyRH]

I started using Rosetta Stone through Army e-learning about 2 days ago. I'm taking the russian course. It's very user friendly. I plan to only use it when I don't have access to my instructor.

[Atilla]

Rosetta Stone is a decent program for familiarization but if learning Arabic is the goal it will not get you there. If you are serious about it find someone to give you instruction. Craigslist seems like a good place to look for someone to tutor you. Best way in my opinion is to take a course at a College or University that uses the Al Kitab series by Brustad and Al-Batal (husband and wife and heads of our Arabic department here at UT) as it is the standard. I also used it at AUC in Egypt this Fall which says something about how effective it is. Supervised instruction is the best way to go. Arabic is not a language that is easily picked up or inferred, like Spanish is for most of us English speakers. Arabic is by far the most difficult and frustrating thing I have ever done mentally so be prepared for a beating. I know this is an old thread but I thought this might help anyone searching here about Rosetta Stone for Arabic. Main point is to find someone to teach/supervise you. If classes are out, try to find a conversation partner in your area who wants to improve their English and offers Arabic instruction in return and as a rule it might be smart to keep your motivations for learning to yourself when meeting with this conversation partner. Just my $.02 as I am finishing my third year of Arabic and spent five months in Egypt and still feel inadequate, Arabic is an ego check period.

[silentreader]

Does anyone else who has used RS for Arabic feel that the language is way over-the top formal? It has some strange vocab (manzil for house instead of bayt) and, in my version at least (v3), the words are fully voweled, which seems like a waste if you're using it to try to learn to communicate as opposed to reading the Qur'an or passing a test.

That being said, I would say the same thing most everybody else has about RS in this thread: not a bad tool for review, but you're never going to "learn Arabic" using it without a lot of additional help and study.

Originally Posted by silentreader

Does anyone else who has used RS for Arabic feel that the language is way over-the top formal? It has some strange vocab (manzil for house instead of bayt) and, in my version at least (v3), the words are fully voweled, which seems like a waste if you're using it to try to learn to communicate as opposed to reading the Qur'an or passing a test.

That being said, I would say the same thing most everybody else has about RS in this thread: not a bad tool for review, but you're never going to "learn Arabic" using it without a lot of additional help and study.

Interesting points, I've taken a few semesters of Arabic and I can say that overall the vocab for Arabic is ridiculous. My first and second semesters I could say "I attended the United Nations meeting" but couldnt say "where is the bathroom?" I feel RS just compliments this by adding more vocab and as you said using odd words for certain things.

Also to comment on 2 posts up... Al Kitab is the terrible book I was referring to when it comes to vocabulary. Sorry but Brustad and whoever else did not a good job when writing that book. Every Arabic professor I've spoken with despises the book and says not to use it. Yes it will teach you the alphabet, yes it will give you some vocab, but it will not teach you things in a logical order. Hated that book.

[StRaTeGy_]

I usually use RS, but I always go straight to GLOSS which is the Global Language Online Support System and it has a lot of resources straight out of DLI.

[dcvl]

RS worked well for me for the little prep time I had to travel. I'm stationed overseas and go to Germany frequently. I can understand nearly everything, "aber Ich spreche nicht so gut Deutsch".

A lot of people complain that RS doesn't give you a big vocabulary. Just read a dictionary if you want to learn more words. The important thing is learning sentence structure, forms, and masculine and femanine. There is no real easy way to "learn" masculine or femanine or netural. You pretty much have to memeorize.

There is also another language program that is free that you should be able to go through your base library for, or at least we can here in Europe. It's called Mango, look it up. It seems more centered around cultural and regional aspects of the language you're learning. Pretty informative.

As always, immersion is the best way. My skill in listening and understanding German sky rocketed when I went and traveled around Germany staying at pensions (basically bed and breakfast) where the owners spoke no English. There's a website called italki.com where you can find internet pen pals who are native speakers and write back and forth to them. You help them with english, they help you with whatever you're trying to learn.

Hope this info helps. After being in Europe and seeing people easily switch between 3- 4 languages, it motivated me to work harder on learning one.