Should you buy [Rosetta Stone]?
A question that keeps coming up over and over.
I have tried Rosetta Stone and can’t seem to appreciate the value of it. It was originally developed by language people. Then marketing people got a hold of it and the rest is history. They hype it to be one of the greatest things after sliced bread and it isn’t.
There are 2 fundamental problems with using Rosetta Stone (and other computer based language learning software).
1. It is computer based. You must have time and be willing to sit in front of your computer for a few hours a day for it to have any decent value. Personally, one is better off with audio lessons that they can listen to while driving or listen to on an MP3 player.
2. One needs to have a good fundamental grasp of the target language to keep motivated. You will get frustrated if you are an absolute beginner. Don’t get me wrong, you will learn, but the pace will be frustratingly slow.
Please keep in mind that language is a living thing. Interaction in the target language will provide much more value and satisfaction than a computer course in the language.
In all fairness to Rosetta Stone. I do know one person who liked it. This person was at an intermediate level of Spanish. However, after a couple of days, came back and told me she preferred audio lessons.
