Rosetta Stone Ltd. Spanish (Latin America) Level 1 - Version 3 Reviews

Rosetta Stone Ltd. Spanish (Latin America) Level 1 - Version 3 — 

What is the Rosetta Stone Spanish (Latin America) Level 1 Software with Audio Companion?

• Version 3  CD-ROM language learning software (Windows/Mac compatible)
• Comfortable headset with microphone
• Multiple CD, audio companion set to listen to lessons for extra practice
• User's guide

How Long does it Take to Get Started?

It was surprisingly easy to get my software installed, activated, and ready to go.  The challenging part was getting the microphone to work.  I went through the troubleshooting guide several times and tried various fixes, but I still couldn't get it to register.  After rebooting my computer and continuing to work at it, I finally got it working.  I'm not even sure which fix made the difference, but I was just glad to be able to start.

How Does the Rosetta Stone Software work?

In a nutshell, Rosetta Stone is different from other language learning systems because instead of teaching by memorization and vocabulary lists, Rosetta Stone makes you think like a baby.  When babies learn language they learn visually and by listening.  Unlike my 9th grade Spanish class that focused on study lists and memorizing grammar principles, Rosetta Stone introduced me to Spanish through pictures and spoken language.   It starts with the basics -  you see a  picture of a girl and hear "la niña."   The next slide might show a picture of a girl with a bowl of rice and you hear "la niña bebe".  With Rosetta Stone you don't get a vocabulary list that says bebe means eat.  You just figure it out based on the pictures, verbal  and context clues. 

What I Liked Most About Rosetta Stone Spanish (Latin America) Software

I chose the pace.  Each lesson is intensive and is comprised of multiple choice answers, speaking drills, and even some writing.  The lessons are scored for you and you can repeat as much as you like. 

I most enjoyed immersing myself in the language.  Because of the structure of the instruction, I found myself looking at everyday objects and trying to "think" in Spanish as opposed to trying to translate.  To practice when I'm not using the software, I come up with simple sentences (el pasto es verde; los calcetines son gris) or listen to Spanish-language television to see how much I can understand. (Not a lot, but more than I expected). 

What I Disliked About Rosetta Stone Spanish (Latin America) Software

For me, the software program itself is excellent.  In an odd way, the major downside in the program is the same as one of its strengths; namely, that there is virtually no translation or textual instruction.  None.  This is not an issue in the beginning, but as I progressed and the lessons became more challenging there were many times that I simply didn't know what they were aiming for.   For example, does a picture of the girl with a bouquet of flowers mean a) the girl has flowers; b) these are my flowers; c) I have flowers or d) something else entirely?   There's no help when you are wondering why sometimes it's "el" and others it's "un", or other questions that do come up.  As I moved toward the end of Level 1, I found that I needed to have a Spanish dictionary/grammar guide on hand to answer questions that Rosetta Stone doesn't bother to address.

The other issue I have with this software program is that it is expensive (over $200), and yet you can only run it on one computer.  If you want to run a copy on your laptop or another computer, you're out of luck.   You can't re-sell it, or let your child use it on their laptop.  I did create a user profile for my 4-year old grandson but he can only use it on my computer.  I have no idea what would happen if your PC broke down and you needed to restore your copy onto a new computer.  I'm sure it must be in the fine print somewhere, but they make it pretty clear that once it's loaded--it's loaded.

What Did I Learn?

I learned in a few months what it would probably take a year of classroom study to learn.  I also learned that even though studies show that it's best to "think like a baby" when learning a new language, I really do need my vocabulary lists and grammar guides to supplement my understanding.  I would like to go on to the next level, but I'm not sure it's practical.  On the other hand, it sure is fun.  Even those it's not perfect, it's a product I do recommend.