Rosetta Stone French Explorer

Each graduated lesson works like this: First, you learn a new word by seeing a picture of, say, a dog. You then read the French word for "the dog" and hear it spoken: le chien. After learning a whole set of words this way, you move into self-quizzing mode, where you see just a picture of a boy and you have to choose the right word, either from spoken or written cues. This emphasis on listening comprehension is fantastic and is one of the components that sets the software apart, but there are also reading and writing exercises.

So how do they cover grammar? Eventually, for instance, you'll see le chien under a picture of one dog and les chiens under a picture of two dogs. If you are a grammar guru, you might be able to figure out that plural nouns take les and end in s. However, the beauty is you don't have to be a grammar guru at all because the software doesn't expect you to state rules like that; it expects you only to associate a picture of more than one dog with les chiens instead of le chien. Eventually you get into longer phrases that cover verbs, adjectives, and prepositional phrases. It's amazingly effortless, especially so for children as young as 6.

Caveats: The CD-ROM includes both Mac OS and Windows versions. Your installation will include the first-level lessons of a couple dozen other languages for free, too, so you have to know that the French word for "French" is francais in order to select it from the list. Also, remember that software is no replacement for French-speaking people, so take what you learn and use it in the world! --Erik Macki

Amazon.com Product Description
Now you can learn a new language with the award-winning method used by the U.S. State Department to train diplomats. Proven effective by NASA astronauts, Peace Corps volunteers, and millions of students worldwide, the Rosetta Stone Language Library teaches new languages faster and easier than ever before.

We all learn our childhood language by associating new words and phrases with the world around us. The Rosetta Stone method replicates this process by presenting vivid, real-life images to convey the meaning of each new phrase. Instead of translating, memorizing, and studying rules of grammar, you actually learn to think in the new language. Vocabulary and grammar are integrated systematically, leading to everyday proficiency. It's the natural way to learn.

The Rosetta Stone Explorer contains 22 lessons for beginning learners with nearly 900 real-life images and phrases spoken by native speakers. It develops all key language skills--listening comprehension, reading, speaking, and writing--while its systematic structure teaches vocabulary and grammar naturally, without lists and drills. Includes previews, exercises, and tests for every lesson, with automated tutorials throughout the program. (Ages 6 and older)

It all feels very natural to me as I progress through the lessons. I am learning French in the same way I learned my first language (English) by seeing and then associating sounds with what I see.

The very best thing about this product (other than the smashing speed with which I'm learning French) is the fact that this 'explorer' version of their product lets me run the first few lessons in something like 20 (?) other languages! I've discovered that I really enjoy Italian, too, and it's fun to do the lessons in Japanese or Arabic and see what those languages are like. I have highly recommended this software to two families I know who are home schooling their children. The explorer will allow them to decide on a language that their child will truly enjoy before making a larger investment. Where else are we allowed (for such a small investment in money and effort) to 'try out' so many different languages?

I intend to invest in their more complete programs when I've exhausted the explorer. But what a lovely way to be introduced to the first 800 or so words of French.

One note: I am a very, very 'visual' person. For example, I rely heavily on the white board in my office when expressing ideas to the members of my software team. I have been told that I have a 'photographic' memory. Perhaps. What I am finding is that when I try to learn French merely by audio tape or audio CD, my memory fails. I cannot recall from one day to the next what I merely hear. But with the Rosetta Stone Explorer, I am SEEING and HEARING at the same time (photo of action, French speaker saying something about the action, French words superimposed over action photo). This is working for me 1000 times better than merely hearing a French phrase parroted on a tape. I need multiple avenues of 'input' in order to retain and recall the new language.

I know that there are millions of other people who have brains 'wired' the same way as mine. Many learning theory and research studies have been published on this subject; while some can learn solely through aural input and repetition, a large percentage of students need combined aural/visual input (or aural/visual/tactile). I'm sure that extensive research and theory is behind the design of the Rosetta Stone products. In my case, their approach works like a charm! I couldn't be more pleased with their product design.

My only concern is that using the product requires that the CD be inserted into a CD drive at all times while using the product. I would prefer to 'run' it off of my hard drive and find the screen changes unnecessarily slow due to this design decision. The speed with which a computer 'reads' from the hard drive is MUCH faster than reading from a CD drive. I suspect that this design decision was driven by a desire to 'secure' the product license (forcing you to have the CD physically present and preventing illegal 'sharing' of the product). It feels punitive and not terribly respectful to those of us that actually shelled out the money to buy the product. I've given them only 4 stars (instead of 5) because of this 'security' decision, which I hope they will abandon in the future. It's a very 'old school' method of license protection that other, much larger and more successful software companies abandoned years ago just for the reasons I've mentioned: It's punitive to 'good' customers and damages product performance. If I'm wrong about the reason for this design, and instead they are concerned about not copying 'too much' data to the customer's hard drive, then I'd leave this decision to the customer. I have more than enough room on my hard drive to copy the entire product over, and would much prefer to run it this way.


Limited Application.   December 13, 2002
Claus Felfe (San Diego, CA United States)
22 out of 23 found this review helpful

The learner is under the complete control of the learning method. There is no easy way to learn what YOU want to learn. After umpteen lessons, I found that I still did not know how to say, "How are you?" or "I am fine, thank you." In fact the pronoun 'I' is never taught at all. However, if you want to learn to say, "The children are dancing in the street" or "He is jumping into the pool", and many other useless phrases, this is the program for you.