learning new language

[Miranda]

Does anyone have any experience with the Rosetta Stone products for learning a new language?

http://www.borders.com/online/store/...sku=1603916709

In my xmas cyber email coupons, I have one for their system. I'm considering investing in some tools to help achieve the goal of learning a second language (spanish).

I don't really have a die hard reason or need to do it. Other than I have always wanted to, and I think being bi-lingual would be a great life skill. Though, I do have some latino students in my classes at the gym, and acquaints, that I would really love to be able to communicate with better.

Any other thoughts on how to achieve this goal would be much appreciated.

TYIA
Miranda

[badgercat]

I don't have any experience with Rosetta Stone, but http://www.spanishdict.com/ is a nice resource. They have video lessons (which can also be downloaded as podcasts through iTunes and watched that way), flash card vocab drills, forums, etc. I took my first Spanish class of my life this semester and the video lessons really helped solidify the grammar concepts and stuff. And it's all free.

[shootingstar]

Have you checked out at a large local public library branch to see if they have any audio/video learning materials on Spanish? Of course, not all libraries will have this.

the fact that you are considering Rosetta STone for self-teaching, means that evening or part-time Spanish course doesn't fit your schedule? Really do think at some point (maybe after using some freebie audio/video learning aids) to enroll in a course for face-to-face classroom / group learning.

Language learning is a living thing..in the beginning it begs to be experienced directly with other people when one is learning a new language..and another culture "behind' the language in its words.

Or maybe you might discover you have a natural gift for learning another language more quickly than others. Hard to know unless you place yourself face-to-face.

Before I got tested for my French language fluency (or more notably, largely lack of), I signed out and used some audiovisual, reading materials from public library. Very helpful. It had been over 25 years since I used much of any French. But the learning aids refreshed my memory that I passed the basic reading comprehension test (really, that's primary school level), but flunked the written test. It was a 3-hr. test.

[Miranda]

...but http://www.spanishdict.com/ is a nice resource. They have video lessons (which can also be downloaded as podcasts through iTunes and watched that way), flash card vocab drills, forums, etc. And it's all free.

Thx for that link. I added it to my favorites bar. Free is good, yea.

Have you checked out at a large local public library branch to see if they have any audio/video learning materials on Spanish?
...that evening or part-time Spanish course doesn't fit your schedule?

Appreciate that help. Have not been to the library yet. On my list. As well as what might fit into my schedule for a course, and cost etc. I know what you mean about the language in use too. Next time I see one of my gym aquaints that's latino & very fluent in English as well, I am going to ask what she suggests. Maybe she could help with giving me some spanish speaking time when I see her to work out.

[Biciclista]

learning language, really learning it is a huge commitment. Rosetta stone is definitely something that can help you on your way. good luck.

[shootingstar]

I know what you mean about the language in use too. Next time I see one of my gym aquaints that's latino & very fluent in English as well, I am going to ask what she suggests. Maybe she could help with giving me some spanish speaking time when I see her to work out.

She would probably be pleased to help, to at least converse at length. It would be more fun for reinforcing whatever you learn from learning aids. Are there any Spanish language tv or radio shows/stations that you might already have?

For highly motivated, folks to retain their language or feel more comfortable, at least here in Canada, there are 24-hr./ 7 day dedicated tv channel and radio station for news and all shows in French.

I learned not only French as required by any Canadian child, I learned English starting from kindergarten. Even though I was born and raised in Canada. And I was a child..when the brain is more absorptive. It was hard enough since language is totally different from Chinese.

[malkin]

Rosetta Stone is decent pedagogy.

There's no magic to learning language; it's something that humans do.

You need exposure to the language; "comprehensible input" is a nice googleable term

When you learned your first language, you had a caregiver who talked to you as you learned what was what. If you had that again in another language, you could gain proficiency, but that level of input is hard to fit into a normal life.

[shootingstar]

Rosetta Stone is decent pedagogy.

There's no magic to learning language; it's something that humans do.

You need exposure to the language; "comprehensible input" is a nice googleable term

When you learned your first language, you had a caregiver who talked to you as you learned what was what. If you had that again in another language, you could gain proficiency, but that level of input is hard to fit into a normal life.

Yes, how much a child absorbs from caregiver(s). Just amazing how a child under 4, can juggle 2 verbal languages. Brain is an open, fast-growing miracle at that time in life.

Later, some people do seem to have a natural gift to learn a 2nd or 3rd language more easily than other people.

[malkin]

Some people learn first languages more easily too.

I'm pretty fanatically opinionated about the 'input hypothesis;' I know it has detractors, but I am not one.

[Jones]

I was having some luck learning French with "Instant Immersion" until I got too busy. Instant Immersion is like Rosetta Stone except much cheaper. I got mine at Costco for $29.99. I really enjoyed it. Good luck.

[Crankin]

I am using Rosetta Stone now, to prepare for my cycling trip to Spain in May. I do have some Spanish experience (3 years in HS, plus using it in AZ and FL when I lived there). Languages have always been easy for me.
I think it's probably the next best thing to being immersed. I can't take a class now, either, since I'm in grad school.
The only thing I am frustrated with is the lack of writing, even though I do the writing portion of each lesson. I need to write out the verb conjugations, now that we are getting into different tenses. I need to write to learn pretty much anything. So, I bought a book for people teaching themselves Spanish and it's very helpful.
My DH, who has a horrible auditory memory, is still struggling. He doesn't see the patterns any more than he did when he took a language in school. I think he's become a little bit better, but it ramps up with each lesson and he's always one step behind. And he's a very smart person.
Our friends who we are going with us also bought it. One is extremely good with languages (he learned Swedish!) and likes it. The other, just cannot reproduce the sounds the right way. When I tell her how to pronounce a word, she still repeats it incorrectly.
I would still recommend it. I have a pretty good vocabulary now and feel I can get by in travel situations. I really don't think you can become bilingual with this, though. That would take immersion. Eventually we want to do a language trip to Costa Rica and do the immersion thing.

[Miranda]

Thx, those are great responses. It's funny that's posted about not being able to reproduce the sounds. I had that problem already just in learning a couple things with my latino friend from the gym. She was trying to give me a song name in spanish. I just could not say it like she did. More practice would help I assume.

[shootingstar]

The only thing I am frustrated with is the lack of writing, even though I do the writing portion of each lesson. I need to write out the verb conjugations, now that we are getting into different tenses. I need to write to learn pretty much anything. So, I bought a book for people teaching themselves Spanish and it's very helpful.
My DH, who has a horrible auditory memory, is still struggling. He doesn't see the patterns any more than he did when he took a language in school. I think he's become a little bit better, but it ramps up with each lesson and he's always one step behind. And he's a very smart person.

Am similar in that way of learning. I have a powerful need to accelerate any spoken language learning, by also learning how to write it out correctly. I learn faster by hearing and seeing A person speak it (not just hear it on tape) so I see the mouth movements PLUS make that match with the written word. Similarily it helps me in memorizing certain words and understanding good grammar.

For myself, it may be why my Chinese has fallen down and not gone ahead anywhere: I cannot read nor write it. However to memorize those hundreds of ideograms, regardless of building block strokes and word variations.. groan.

So Miranda, perhaps by seeing some Spanish words in writing will make it abit easier. It doesn't have to be all words, but a few key words to start off. Then connect the pieces.

I'm like a bulldog running around in a bone china display when I speak Chinese. Have reached a point where I don't care what people think. Am raw, direct and peasant-like. Just want to be understood.

My point: Let go of some inhibitions of being overly concerned about looking stupid, when you try to speak too.

[tulip]

My mother is an ESL teacher and the college where she teaches uses Rosetta Stone as an important and very useful tool in their curriculum.

I used it for Portuguese years ago and was able to hold my own in Brazil after about 6 months of Rosetta Stone and private lessons before my trip. I even got my hair cut in Rio, negotiating the style and price and carrying on some sort of small talk with the stylist. I did not continue with Portuguese, however, so I could not hold a conversation now.

I have RS for Spanish and will be starting it up this winter for another trip to South America. I already can understand Spanish fairly well, but I really want to get better at speaking it.

I am fluent in French, but that took years of effort, daily conversation (my ex is French), a six-week immersion program in France, and 6 months of living over there and doing everything in French. All that was in addition to French classes from fourth grade through college. It was well-worth it, though, and it's such a wonderful experience to be bilingual. Although I no longer speak French on a daily basis due to a change in family situation, I still read it regularly and had no problems sliding right back in to speaking and thinking in French when I visited France last year.

[Biciclista]

My point: Let go of some inhibitions of being overly concerned about looking stupid, when you try to speak too.

This is so very very important.