French Level 1 & 2 Win/Mac Personal Edition [Old Version]
by Fairfield Language Technologies
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Software Reviews of French Level 1 & 2 Win/Mac Personal Edition [Old Version]
Customer Review: The New French Teacher
Summary: 5 Stars
Between high school and college I have studied French for three years and I had been convinced that I would starve to death in Paris trying to understand the menu and to then get myself understood. Much of that has changed not that I am half way through the Rosetta Stone program. My ear is now tuned to the language. I have a visceral feeling for the grammar and an ability to discern tenses. My vocabulary still needs to get stronger, but now that I can distinguish individual words in a stream of French, that is only a matter of practice with the language. As advertised, this program is painless and progress is rapid. Try the demo, you'll see.
Customer Review: room for improvement, especially at that price
Summary: 3 Stars
A good program, but does not offer the chance for spontaneous speaking like Pimsleur does, just repetitions.
Written material insufficient. Especially at that price, an index, dictionary of terms used, grammar explanations are totally lacking. Also, exercises with "new ways" of using what we learned: this software will only just ask every time for the exact repetition of the exact sentence from the exact picture, even in the review chapter.
As for the accent, I rate from total red to total green, depending on days, and I have not worked out what makes the difference (position of microphone?).
So, still worth buying, but for that price I expected a stand alone product and it's really not. They have plenty of room for improvement. I will probably still end up buying the Pimsleur, a dictionary and a grammar on top of that!...
Customer Review: Internalizes the language
Summary: 5 Stars
The immersion process is the only one that works, and this product is a first rate immerser, making the study painless, even immensely pleasurable as one realizes he/she is coming to "own" a new language and perspective. In working with students it is the best "head start" method that I know of, comparable to one-on-one study for at least a year with an accomplished tutor. Unlike less effective methods, it quickly achieves the essential purpose of deeply internalizing the language if one does each of the processes thoroughly. Of course continued study, especially in acquiring vocabulary, is necessary, just as it is for those acquiring a native language - the study of any language is ongoing.
I would give this program 50 stars if that option were available.
Customer Review: Very good product to study French
Summary: 4 Stars
While not easy, this is a very good product for learning the French language. There is a variety of learning tasks that reinforces the learning experience. Although most of the learning options were useful, I found typing responses in French to be too awkward and time consuming to use without a French keyboard. The visual pictures would be more effective if images from France or the French speaking countries had been used. Customer Review: A Great Beginning
Summary: 4 Stars
This is a great product for learning French, but it is not a complete solution.
I have been working on the French language for the past year and have tried many products. Assuming that many people who are looking at this product are just beginning to learn French, I will share my experiences and recommendations on various products.
There are two products that are fabulous for getting you started.
* French for Dummies
* Rosetta Stone French
Please note that these two products will not actually teach you to speak French, but they are an excellent introduction to the language. These products will get you ready for the real work which begins when you get face to face instruction with an experienced French language teacher.
I am completely convinced that the best way to learn French is in a classroom. I have found no other method that works for me. All other avenues can be useful additions, but classroom instruction is what it takes to make progress.
Notes on Products:
* French for Dummies. This is the most clear and accessible source for an overview and introduction to this strange and challenging language. I got this book after a couple of months of French lessons and the book provided a huge number of aha's. Things that were just a mystery to me where simply explained in this book. Highly recommended.
* Rosetta Stone French Level 1. This is an excellent acclimation to French. You can easily tune your ear to the sounds, pick up rudimentary vocabulary and learn basics of sentence structure. I still use it for practice drills and to check my pronunciation. (which is always a challenge)
* Movies. You may not know this, but many DVD's have multiple languages on the disk. You can rent DVD's, set the language to French and the subtitles to French and then learn the language. Start with movies with a simple dialogue. Something like Shrek, simple is good. Look on the back of the DVD case for a list of included languages.
* Tell me More French. Complete dog, never worked right on my computer. The concept is great, execution is awful.
* Pimsleur French Audio. Decent set of audio instruction. Useful for memorizing phrases and listening for pronunciation.
* Berlitz French CD Pack Audio. I didn't like this as well as the Pimsleur audio, but it's OK.
* Berlitz Virtual Classroom. Berlitz has a program where you work with a live person over the internet. You talk on a headset and share a whiteboard on your screen. It's OK for people who have a tough schedule and can't get to in person training but it is far inferior to a classroom setting.
* Berlitz Classroom Training. One-on-One and class room training. Quality is inconsistent, completely depends on which instructor you get. My experience was poor to medium. The best part of Berlitz is their printed material. The Berlitz verb, grammar, and phrase books are my favorite references.
* L'Institut de Langue et de Culture Françaises de Paris (ILCF Paris). I did a one month course at ILCF in Paris. Six hours of French classes for one month. After struggling for months with books, tapes, programs, phone work etc. I finally got to learn French. My instructor was excellent. The class was intense and very very productive. I know many people will not be able to take a month off to go to Paris and learn French, but this is the ultimate in learning the language. There are dozens of school in Paris that teach French at all levels. ILCF is the only one that I have experience with.
My summary of how to learn French:
1. Spend several weeks with the Rosetta Stone French system and the French for Dummies book as an introduction.
2. Then enroll in a classroom for as many hours per week as you can manage. Use the Rosetta Stone material for supplement and maybe another tape set for more practice.
3. Watch lots of movies in French.
4. Schedule a visit to France and practice.
J'aime Paris.
Bonne chance.