 We have had the Rosetta Stone French for a little over a month. I love the way the lessons are laid out, it's very intuitive and organic. The use of headphones and microphone enable the student to repeat the word/phrase until the pronunciation is correct. We recently traveled to France and were able to communicate effectively with the native speakers.” V. Caton, Co-op Member |
We purchased Rosetta Stone Spanish (Spain version) as we are going on a 3 week vacation to southern Spain.
I really like the immersion aspect of the language as those who "translate" from English never really think or become truly fluent in a foreign language. I couldn't find a text book that met these needs to help me formulate a teaching plan of my own even though I speak Spanish fluently and even had a BA in it.
It is very helpful that Rosetta Stone focuses on tricky pronunciations and listening details. As a cognitive skills trainer the ability to "hear" the specific sounds in language are crucial for listening comprehension, word recall, spelling and reading skills. I find this program offers many fine points covering both auditory input and output skills.
There have been one or two occasions when I have heard my children pronounce a word incorrectly and yet they are given a correct score. Conversely there have been a few times when their pronunciation is spot on and they don't get credit. Although somewhat frustrating for the student, this is not a frequent occurrence and they move on.
I am fortunate that I already know how to speak, spell and write Spanish so I can supplement the material off line and help them practice throughout the day. If you don't have this skill, the program is still adequately comprehensive that they begin to internalize the vocabulary.
We have been dedicating 30 minutes each day to the training 5 days per week and I do require that they score 90% or better. If they make the same mistakes continuously I can see that and focus their attention to the needed areas.
I have not found any other program that offers anything but South American Spanish and that would not meet our needs. I also like the tracking system for high school credit documentation.”Tara Jenner, Co-op Member |
After 3 years of French language lessons by wonderful French tutors, we found ourselves without a tutor due to various circumstances.
My 10 yr. old really missed her French lessons, but we were having trouble finding the quality of tutor we'd been used to. Finally, after 8 months of no lessons, she was given Rosetta-Stone French language lessons for Homeschoolers as a Christmas gift.
I was skeptical, but from the moment we loaded the program onto our computer, she has been asking to spend time with it. In her words, "I love doing it! And I'm able to continue learning French very easily."
Truly, it's the first thing she wants to do upon getting up in the mornings. The nice thing is, she is able to do it as often as our schedule allows, which is at least daily, and sometimes, more than once in a day. After having seen this program first-hand, I would recommend it to students with a strong interest in language, as well as those who are also using a tutor since it's great reinforcement of the language.”K. H., Co-op Member |
We recently purchased Rosetta-Stone for learning French. No one in our family speaks a foreign language so I was a little apprehensive, but my daughter is thrilled with the program so far and her younger siblings like being there just to watch what she is doing.”Kim A., Co-op Member |
I have 13, 8, and 5 year old boys. They each love this program! I was able to tailor it to the needs/abilities of each child, and love that they can repeat lessons as much as they wish. I plan on using it to brush up on my advanced skills, and my husband is excited to use it to solidify and improve on what he has been learning over the last 2 years. The kids beg me to do Spanish before anything else!”M. Deakins, Co-op Member |
My daughter has an interest in languages and we now have 2 sets of Rosetta-Stone. My daughter has learned vocabulary and is very very good at saying the words correctly. It is fun to be able to offer something to my kids that I don't know. It is also good to have a few minutes a day when someone else does the teaching. My daughter has enjoyed the programs. We have added a little more grammar from other sources as she has trouble figuring out verb forms and usage rules from this program. However, the fluency of speech is so wonderful, that I plan to keep using them for each language she wants to learn.”Ongoing Learners, Co-op Member |
As soon as Rosetta Stone arrived at our door, my 12 year old loaded it on our computer. We had a technical problem and had to contact Rosetta Stone. The assistance was rendered immediately. We were able to begin learning Spanish that day. My son consistantly works on his lessons and enjoys them so well that he does not need to be told to do them. The lessons are repetetive yet engaging. I have begun to take the lessons also. I was worried that I was not learning the words well enough so I began the lessons again at which time my son pointed out that the information you learn in the beginning is repeated as you go on so that you do not forget what you have already learned. I am please that I chose to spend the money on this program.”Kim A., Co-op Member |
We are very excited about Rosetta Stone. My older boys (7,5) use it by themselves and within a few days started speaking Spanish around the house. My younger two enjoy the lessons with me and are learning Spanish words as well. We look forward to many years of learning with Rosetta Stone.”K Lewis, Co-op Member |
Our boys (ages 12 and 9) have been wanting to learn Spanish for about a year now. Between living in Texas and visiting Mexico occasionally, we figured the whole family needed to improve our Spanish speaking skills. The boys were so excited when I told them I had purchased Rosetta Stone, they kept asking me if it had arrived yet! They enjoy everything about the program. Getting to use a computer during our school day is treat for them, they are doing great on their worksheets and tests. Every once in awhile I'll even hear them listening to the audio companion even when it isn't assigned! Bottom line...for us Rosetta Stone has been fun and educational!”Kristine F., Co-op Member |
We love this! My kids (4 of 'em - ages 10-7) beg to do their Spanish each day! They are learning enough to talk to each other around the dinner table too. It is lots of fun! I am trying to work on it as well. I love it - easy but seems to stick in my mind. I would highly recommend this program”Jcole96, Co-op Member |
My two oldest have been using rosetta stone for a month now. They are doing great at it. I love how easy it was to set up each child based on their educational needs. My 10 year old is set up to learn to speak French, read and write it, while my 7 year old is set up to only focus on speaking since he's still going through english phonics. They both love it and attempt to teach everyone what they've learned. I have considered telling them that the cashier may not care how to say "the girl eats" :) My 2 and 4 year olds greet us EVERY morning with bonjour and after quiet hour with bonsoir. They always know the proper one to say.
To sum it up, I understand the hype behind these courses. They are amazing. The headset and voice recognition are so much better than I expected.”Lanie, Co-op Member |
After comparing foreign language programs we actively sought out Rosetta-Stone as the modern language program for our son's last 4 years of high school. We wanted consistency with a graduating language development, parental ability to monitor the progress and generate reports etc. Because it is a program, the tutor does not become frustrated at needing to work on areas repetitively (that would be me!), but maintains that elusive infinite patience as our child learns at his pace.
This is one program/subjects which my son continues to use/study in his free time and will forget to monitor his time, continuing well into the next study period if not held accountable.
Purchasing the Rosetta-Stone Homeschool verion through Homeschool Buyers Co-op enabled us to afford the complete 5 level set. Each level the equivalent of 1 high school credit, totaling 5 credits by the end of high school. We will pursue CLEP or AP when he completes level 5.
We have 2 other children who have selected different languages, so we hope this agreement between Rosetta and Homeschool Buyers will be around for them when they commence grade 8. It is the only way we are able to afford solid foreign language learning for our children.”Anne-Elizabeth Logan, Co-op Member |
As a homeschooling mother of 6 I am thrilled with my Rosetta Stone purchase (Spanish levels 1-5)! It was very easy to set up and had everything I needed to manage everyone (including lesson plans!!). My kids are loving it! I'm telling everyone I can about this program! Thanks so much for providing a homeschool friendly language program at a fabulous price!!”Terri Monteverdi, Co-op Member |
Extremely beneficial in learning Italian. Far superior to any other language course I have participated in!”P. Tomassi, Co-op Member |
It was a great deal to buy all 5 levels of Rosetta-Stone Spanish and we are loving the program! Thank you!”Amber O., Co-op Member |
Rosetta Stone is the best computer based language product I know of. It teaches the language from several different angles and promotes good pronunciation. My kids are learning to speak, read, and write Spanish all through an immersion approach.”Tammy M., Co-op Member |
We have loved Rosetta Stone. This is our 2nd year to use the program. It flows very nicely. The boys, 6th and 10th grades, pick up on new materials quickly. You really do learn "naturally". The only way to get anymore natural would be to relocate to a Spanish-speaking area. The lessons are split up into different categories. The program tracks materials covered very well. It has been worth the money, and I see the boys picking up and translating when they "See" Spanish in our daily lives. We will continue to use Rosetta Stone through the high school years for the exposure and practice.”V. McNulty, Co-op Member |
My 8-year-old can not wait to get to Rosetta Stone each morning! He has learned so much Russian in just a couple of months, his accent sounds great, and he can go to a bookstore and pick out a word or two in Russian-language magazines, reading the Cyrillic without a problem! Rosetta Stone is just amazing. We highly recommend it to everyone interested in thorough language instruction.”L Metzler, Co-op Member |
My 6th grade son loves the Rosetta Stone Spanish homeschool curriculum! It has given him a very positive attitude about learning a new language. It is easy to follow, the worksheets give great followup practice, and it was simple to load and get started. This is his first year learning a new language and we are so pleased at how organized and simple Rosetta Stone is to work with. We love how there is only Spanish used and no English instructions which is different from most language programs we have looked at. It right away gets you into the language with visual pictures and only the written Spanish words. My husband and I have also decided to give it a try and we are loving it. Highly, highly recommend this product!”C. Nelson, Co-op Member |
This program is wonderful. My daughter recognizes Spanish words out and about in the world and is getting high 80s and 90s on the CD. My 5 year old son is also learning at his own pace and I love the style in which the language is taught; without memorization. We are defiently going to continue this program as far as it takes it us. I also have myself listed as a student on the CD and am learning right along with my kids.”Valerie P, Co-op Member |
We are a family that travels full time and so we are constantly being immersed in new cultures and new languages. Last winter we spent three months traveling through Central America. This winter we are spending five months living in a little puebla on Lago de Atitlan, Guatemala.
We purchased Rosetta stone this summer for our children to help them prepare for living in a village where there would be no other English speakers. THEY LOVE IT. I had planned their lessons to take them through Level 1 & 2 this year... within a week they had ALL (aged 8, 10, 12, 14) raced ahead of my plans and were devouring the material.
I love that this one program is equally usable by the eight year old and the fourteen year old. I have changed the settings within the lessons to customize the difficulty and the goals to my plans for each individual child.
We have tried the Learnables, Spanish in 10 Minutes a Day, and MUZZY (when the kids were tiny). Rosetta Stone is in a class by itself. I am trilingual (French, English and Spanish) and have spoken all three to the kids as they've grown. Rosetta stone has moved them quickly far beyond the little household phrases that we use in daily life and is allowing them to interact with the people in our community with confidence.
If you want your kids to actually SPEAK the language and be able to interact with native persons, not just pass a CLEP test, Rosetta Stone is worth the money. ”Jennifer Miller, Co-op Member |
My family is so pleased with RS! My teenagers are using the full year curriculum and ask if they can do additional sections each day. My husband (who thought he was too old for a new language) works studiously each day. My 5yo (non-reader) loves to use the listening and speaking focus program. All five of us are benefiting from Rosetta-Stone. However, the most amazing thing is our littlest one (not yet three) is watching and listening to each of our practices and repeating every word. We had used other Spanish programs and found that they would be sufficient for a vacation to a Spanish speaking country. I feel that when we complete RS we would be able to live in a Spanish speaking area. We recommend ROSETTA-STONE to everyone.”Rebecca, Co-op Member |
I have been so impressed by this program. It was easy to set up and the learning began instantly and almost effortlessly. My oldest daughter loves the program and diligently uses it every day, without being reminded by me! I have shared it with another homeschool mom and she is looking into purchasing for her family also.”Tena Cinnamon, Co-op Member |
We have an 8, 10 & 12 year old all using this. We all love it! They are each able to learn at there own pace. I like the homeschool-friendliness of this program; reports for each child can be printed to add their portfolios. Well worth the investment.”A. Miller, Co-op Member |
The Rosetta-Stone for German is easy to use and lets you know immediately how you are doing. I like the way I can go back over previous lessons to improve my knowledge and score. It allows you to keep track of the student's progress easily, too. I am very happy with Rosetta-Stone and would recommend it to anyone. For my family, it is much easier than using a textbook. We will continue using it.”Kathy K, Co-op Member |
I like Rosetta Stone and how it helps us learn. My 8yr and 12 yr sons both use level one. My 16yr daughter and I are both on level two. I find the set up very easy to use and enjoyable. We are all learning a lot. My kids all have a positive attitude when it comes to doing their Spanish work on the computer. I tell other people about it but wish it was not so expensive. The reason I justify the cost for my family is it is mandatory for us to learn Spanish. Its not just something for fun or to dabble in. We must learn it. My husband is from Central America and it is our heritage so the entire family must be able to confidently speak Spanish. Rosetta Stone helps us do that. It is the only program I've found that really moves us along to accomplish so much. I own about 10+ other programs but really believe RS is the best one. And the bonus is I dont have to do anything but install it on the computer. The kids are off and running.”Jill R., Co-op Member |
This has been a great tool for our family. Our son loves to do his Spanish lessons because they are interactive and fun. He has learned a lot.”L B, Co-op Member |
We love Rosetta Stone! My boys are 8,6,&5, and they find the program easy to use and they are learning alot.”Christina, Co-op Member |
We have been using Rosetta-Stone for about 7 weeks. My kids love it. In fact one of my 10th graders has to be told to get off of Rosetta-Stone and to do his other school work. I like how the lesson plan is all set up, so that we know exactly what to do each day. I like the written exercises, quizes and tests. The kids like the way the computer keeps tract of their success. We will continue to use this for my 2 tenth graders and my 3 younger ones will use it also. I tell everyone I can about our success with Rosetta-Stone.”Teresa Nelson, Co-op Member |
Tried the sample from Rosetta Stone and two others. Rosetta Stone is expensive, but the Co-op discount helped make the decision easier, and our 11th grader HAS to use it, but the 7th grader wants to use it too! It's easy to use, you learn the language quickly, and nothing could be more professionally done. We bought Levels I-III for high school 2yr equivalent language, but think it will really be one year of college as well.”Robert Hayner, Co-op Member |
My 9th grader enjoys this program, and I appreciate the ease of tracking her progress. Having the workbook and quizzes in pdf format is also handy. I'm using self-generated materials to flesh out the course (especially for French grammar) but am generally satisfied with this product.”Kathy H., Co-op Member |
We ordered Level One Spanish for our teenage daughter and Level One Chinese for our teenage son. They have both enjoyed using the program. The speech recognition component has been very helpful. It is more interactive than learning by a book and CD, and I see the children making progress in learning. It is especially good since I know neither Spanish nor Chinese! The younger siblings all like to try it as well. We have been happy with this product and plan to continue to use it for their learning.”M. French, Co-op Member |
Great way to learn a new language! I have kids in homeschooling and kids at school taking the same language class. And, definitely, my homeschooled kids have learned more in a more relaxed environment and at their own pace with Rosetta-Stone Homeschooling edition. They have even started talking between them in French (in short sentences), after just a few months. I was initially reluctant to do it. But, I have seen the results really fast. They learn to speak correctly, to read, and to write a new language quite fast. Even my 7th grader at school asks my 2nd and 5th graders at home for the definition of words or how to write them. My kids enjoy doing it, and it is one of their favorite classes. I will continue using it and maybe buy another language in the near future.”Tere, Co-op Member |
My two sons love the program. Within a week they started putting together phrases and had confidence speaking! My husband and I are also enjoying the program and trying to keep up with the boys! Great Job Rosetta Stone!”Colleen K., Co-op Member |
We have now been using the Latin America Spanish from Rosetta Stone for 7 weeks and we love it! It is a neat program that is very effective for learning a language. It is very simple and easy to figure out how to do the lessons. We chose a one year program-every day we look to see what lessons we are to do that day. You can check any time and see your progress.
We did have a problem with our headset not working. By using the live chat feature we discovered our headset was defective. A new headset was in our hands in 2 days. Using Rosetta Stone has been a very positive experience for our family. We are all using it to learn Spanish for future missions trips.”Deborah G., Co-op Member |
We got Rosetta-Stone Spanish in the summer, way before we planned to start school. My kids insisted on trying it right away and LOVED it. They continue to use it without any prompting on my part. I was amazed that they were speaking Spanish sentences within the first few days of starting the program.”Lori A., Co-op Member |
As an adult, I absolutely LOVE the RS language programs. I purchased the Spanish program for my three children (8 yr old twins and a 10 yr old), but quickly found that they were having a lot of trouble because they were trying to read the words on the screen and pronounce them. I discovered that trying to read another language before they become proficient readers of their own language is not the way to go.... so I switched my approach. I now use the RS program myself, and plan oral lessons for them. I figured that they should learn this second language the same way they learned their first: by imitation and repetition. They learned to speak long before they learned to read.
So - what I would wish from RS is that part of the program could be set up as strictly oral - without the words on the screen - for young students. One of the modules indicates that you can choose Listening and Speaking, but the words still appear on the screen, which is what gave my kids such a problem.
So, there you are. All in all, I'd give the RS Spanish program 4-1/2 (out of five)stars. (If they are so inclined to add the above-mentioned feature, they'll get six stars from me!
Oh - I should have mentioned that I'm aware that my children will definitely grow into the RS program, and be fully able to use it right out of the box. It's just these beginning stages that I have to adapt for. I took Spanish in high school and college, but never became fluent, so I purchased Levels 1-5, as I plan to learn right along with my children.”Vikki O., Co-op Member |
My daughter is currently taking Latin American Spanish III (she also used Rosetta Stone for Spanish I and II). In the past, she has taken Spanish classes and never learned much. With Rosetta Stone, she has progressed so much and her accent is so good that she was able to easily converse with Spanish Speaking children that she worked with last summer. I recommend this product to anyone needing a foreign language.”Mary H, Co-op Member |
Rosetta Stone is the gold standard in computerized languages. I had purchased Rosetta - Latin (ver. 2)- 5 years ago, and thought we couldn't afford two more languages. So we tried two other brands and the kids were not happy with them, one brand especially brought them at times to tears of frustration. When I bought those languages in Rosetta Stone the kids were very happy, and they really like the improvements made in the 3rd version. I tell everyone I know who is even thinking about getting a computerized language that Rosetta is the gold standard and anything else is a waste of your money and your kids' time.”S. Munter, Co-op Member |
We ordered Rosetta Stone Mandarin for our son. We adopted him from China 15 months ago at age 6 and realized he was rapidly losing his Chinese language and not interested in speaking Chinese. Rosetta Stone has encouraged him to speak and we have seen him regain his ability rapidly. Additionally, his siblings have been watching over his shoulder and wanted to start learning too! Now three of them are learning to understand and speak Mandarin. I would recommend this product to other families that have adopted children that speak other languages. It is very common for adopted children to lose their first language. This is a great way to encourage them to keep their first language and be truly bilingual.”Kristine Aldrich, Co-op Member |
We purchased Rosetta Stone software Homeschool version for both Spanish and French languages and are currently using them with our middle school age children (and I have been using the Spanish one for myself as well).
We have found it to be very user friendly, simple to use and a good way to learn language. It is certainly more effective than the in-classroom way that I learned French as a child, or the DVD method that we attempted to use last year with our son.
Picture association on screen tied to audio sounds and practice with a microphone tied to voice recognition software seems to be working well with both our children, who have very different styles of learning.
I plan to use this software right through high school with our children as we have been very pleased with it. The only downside that I see is that it is expensive, even with the HBC discount, but we feel it is worth the cost.”Robin Schumaker, Co-op Member |
