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Rosetta Stone Spanish (Latin America) Level 1
by Rosetta Stone
Software SummaryManufacturer: Rosetta Stone
Brand: Rosetta Stone
Audio: English (Original Language)
Format: CD-ROM
Release Date: 2010-09-14
Platform: Mac OS X 10.4 Tiger, Mac OS X 10.5 Leopard, Mac OS X 10.6 Snow Leopard, Windows 7, Windows Vista, Windows XP
Model: 27868
Product features: - Interactive language software with proprietary speech-recognition technology
- Build a foundation of fundamental vocabulary and essential language structure
- Master basic conversational skills; receive immediate and ongoing speech assessments
- Audio Companion for CD or MP3 player; learning application for iPhone or iPod Touch device
- Language-enhancing games; live online lessons; includes headset with microphone
Software Reviews of Rosetta Stone Spanish (Latin America) Level 1Customer Review: It reminds me of language courses in high school and college
Summary: 3 Stars
Customer review from the Amazon Vine™ Program (What's this?)
I am usually not the greatest at language. I took three years of Spanish in high school and blew through one disappointing semester of French in college, since I was studying European literature and wanted to know a main language besides Spanish connected with that. I've tried learning Italian and Gaelic (yes, Gaelic) on my own with books and also on trips abroad. But unless you have a relative or friend who is a nature speaker, it can be hard to practice. Even more so if you want to pay for a college course for a refresher. I do believe Rosetta Stone bridges this gap for the person who doesn't want to go back to college to learn this or perhaps a person who needs to learn basic Spanish for a job.
At first, I had a hard time installing this on my desktop. I've bumped this down to four stars because you can't install it on more than one computer, so I had to choose between computers. This, I didn't like at all. For the price of this program, you should be able to install it on both a work and home computer. I wish there was a way to validate your purchase so you could do this. I do notice another person with a MacMini had some of the same problems I did getting it installed. In the end, I felt it should have been more easier to do. I am not sure if my computer was the problem or maybe I didn't get good disks that can be read well. I was happy to find out, however, you can have up to five people on your one computer learning, which is nice. I can share it with my boyfriend, who also wants to learn.
The lessons, however, are very good. I was taught in high school and college in the same way, which is nice. It is advantageous for me to use this over taking a class at my local college since I can do it on my own time. I can also make mistakes without getting an F. :) In my old classes, we used to use flash cards in a similar way Rosetta Stone does their visuals. I learn pretty fast this way. It builds a simple vocabulary, mostly using present tense. Basically, if you took classes before, what two first year Spanish classes would cover, maybe a little less. It focuses also on strict pronouncing. Which is what I didn't get in school. Very personalized training. A Spanish teacher might skip over a syllable you don't say right, especially if you do well with reading and other activities, but Rosetta Stone will red you out if you don't say something clear. I like this feature. It helps me out a lot.
It took me a long time to get confidence enough to try their 3 month interactive program online. I shouldn't have been afraid of it. I enjoyed the games and got paired up with a speaker of my level. I was never once corrected in a way that made me feel stupid. I think that is very important. I feel people tend to get frustrated with learning languages because they feel, especially on a basic level, if they don't get something, it's over. They tend to quit. It is overwhelming. But this system doesn't overtax the learner. Some things I found I wasn't quick on the draw with were, finding out the balloons used were sometimes for the first person, getting the pace of the dialogue in exercises (sometimes they aren't in order) and sometimes I wouldn't catch on to games like the matching game right way, since there is no English in the program. It's nice though, it makes you not cling to anything. If reminds me of having to spend a whole hour in Spanish classes only speaking "en Español".
I do wish you got unlimited online service with this product since it is so expensive. If you paid the price of it for a college class for a year, you'd have access to co-students and a teacher to guide you, not three months of interaction. I am not sure how long the current program lasts. Can you keep using it even if RS releases version 5 without paying an extra $50? I am assuming all the audio and video stuff still works and doesn't go away once the next version comes up. The problem happens when your computer doesn't work or you want to upgrade. No way to do that or is there? I also can't find the subscription rate for this after my 3 month trial expires. I have been looking at the website for ten minutes now and can't find a simple answer. Ugh. I think I may knock it down a star for that. Information like that should be easy for anyone, owner of RS or not, to find. It makes me feel like they are keeping information away from the consumer until after they buy the product.
Overall, it's a good refresher course. The first level won't make you a master, but it can help you learn enough to form basic conversations and use it in different situations. It can push you to learning on your own as well. I am not convinced it is the best way to go to learn language, but will give it a few more months before I completely say yea or nay. Wait, wouldn't that be sí or no?
Note: I have been using this and another Rosetta Stone for several weeks now and the headset that comes with it has a microphone that isn't so good. Both my boyfriend and I have trouble getting the microphone to register words we say, even if we say it correctly. For example, even simple Spanish words like Si and Hola get a negative signal even though I am saying it perfectly. I continue at the same volume about 5 times and then, it finally takes it. I wonder if it will become frustrating on high levels where you have to repeat back longer sentences. My Mac doesn't have an external mic, so I have no option but to use the headset and take it off to speak as loud as I can into the microphone. It doesn't seem to matter if I do their "1,2,3,4,5" test at regular voice, louder or softer. After having to repeat one word twenty times before they accept it, even though I know I am doing it right, tires me out!
Description of Rosetta Stone Spanish (Latin America) Level 1Build a foundation of fundamental vocabulary and essential language structure. Gain the confidence to master basic conversational skills, including greetings and introductions, simple questions and answers, shopping, and much more.
Build a foundation of fundamental vocabulary and essential language structure. Begin to learn and speak with confidence. Master basic conversational skills, including greetings and introductions, simple questions and answers, shopping and much more. What Will I Learn This level will help you: - Build vocabulary and language basics
- Spell and write accurately
- Speak without a script
- Retain what you've learned
- Read and understand in your new language
Sample topics include: - Age, family relations, household items
- Introductions and greetings
- Times of day and calendar terms
- Buying and selling
What Do I Get? Interactive Software Our award-wining version, complete with proprietary speech recognition technology. Audio Companion For your CD or MP3 player so you can review while on the go. Headset with Microphone For use with our state-of- the-art speech-recognition software. Live Online Lessons  Practice sessions led by native speaking tutors. Games & Community Language-enhancing games move you towards real-world proficiency. Mobile Companion Learning application for your iPhone or iPod Touch device. Our Method Recreate the natural way you learned your first language and reveal skills that you already have using Dynamic Immersion. This award-winning method has been adopted by countless organizations, schools and millions of users around the world. Learn Naturally: Discover how to speak, read, write, and understand--all without translating or memorizing. Our award-winning solution recreates how you learned your first language, unlocking your natural abilities. Speak Confidently: Perfect your pronunciation with speech-recognition technology. Gain the confidence in your new voice as you practice with other learners in our exclusive online community and participate in online sessions coached by native tutors. Immerse Yourself: Be surrounded by your new language. From core lessons to online sessions, Rosetta Stone gets you engaged and interacting with others. Stay Motivated: Experience accomplishment with each moment of achievement; with dedicated success agents you will never lose sight of your language-learning goals. Your Natural Ability. Awakened. Natural Discovery Learning your first language is as natural as smiling. Effortless. Rewarding. Every step in Rosetta Stone feels like that. Clear, compelling images appear precisely, in juxtaposition, conveying meaning. Intuitively, you just know what it means. - Our puzzle-like environments--a systematic presentation of sounds, images, and text--help learners absorb meaning intuitively.
 Rosetta Stone's award-winning software, where you will interact by speaking, clicking, selecting phrases and writing. Speech Activation  Rosetta Stone's proprietary speech-recognition technology provides immediate and ongoing feedback. Build your confidence and polish your pronunciation skills with state-of-the-art speech-recognition technologies and success-filled dialogues. - Our software provides immediate and ongoing assessments of your speech through Actionable Feedback, which helps you pronounce syllables, words and sentences correctly and easily.
- Based on a collection of literally millions of speech samples, our proprietary speech-recognition algorithms and speech models were engineered with a singular purpose--to help you communicate with accuracy, confidence and ease.
Native Socialization  Language-learning games will keep you motivated along the way. Practice with native speakers in our live interactive sessions and our online community. Every conversation gives you the confidence to communicate in your new language. - For many, traditional language-learning fails because it lacks real conversation. With Rosetta Stone you'll play games and chat with native speakers and other learners in our online language community.
- Hundreds of native-speaking tutors trained in the Rosetta Stone method are ready to help reinforce the language you're learning through live, online conversations. From Day One you'll be speaking your new language with confidence and ease.
Education & Reference Software
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