Alternatives to Rosetta Stone?

[...................]

We use Rosetta Stone online (meaning that we will have to pay again every year.) Although my daughter enjoys the program and has learned quite a bit, she did not get as far as I would have thought.  It's VERY expensive (250 per year per person) and we haven't had success using it with more than one kid (totally totally messed up her progress over and over)  

 

So, in one level there are, I think, 12 levels that each have ten levels each.  She is only on level 3.  So she has completed 30 out of the 120 lessons.  I thought she was doing great, until I sat down and realized how NOT far we had gotten through.  

 

So...are there any other alternatives...I know and like Duolingo but I'm not sure it's really complete enough. 

 

My son uses GSWS and I have been VERY impressed with his progress, but of course the big white elephant there is what to use AFTER GSWS.  But...it definitely is awesome.  ANd cheap.

 

Any other ideas?  I'm thinking like 40.00 would be more reasonable for the amount of time we can spend on it.

[Random]

Have you looked at what is on Easy Peasy?

 

Or BBC Languages?

 

What about Song School Spanish or Spanish for Children?

 

If your DD has learned a decent amount from Rosetta, she may be ready for something like Destinos.  The videos are free, and you can buy workbooks.

 

!Buena Suerte! ;)

 

 

[Slache]

Tell Me More is the best, and therefore more expensive than you'd like, but can be used by 5 people at a time. You can buy it used for under $200.

 

Also check out Live Mocha which is free.

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Thank you! Destinis would be too advanced.

 

I'll check out Easy Peasy right now.

 

I don't like song school Spanish but I'll look into Spanish for children and Tell Me More.

 

(Made me smoke because we used it in high school and for some reason it was the object of a lot of jokes)

[MeaganS]

DuoLingo.  DuoLingo is a free, high quality service that according to some studies, does a better job than Rosetta Stone.  Plus, if you read up on how it works and what it does, it is really neat (you are helping translate the internet!)

[Random]

I just thought of something else! How about Rod & Staff?  They offer some of their curriculum in Spanish.  You could choose something like 1st grade reading, and get awesome lessons on how to read and write in Spanish.

 

[TarynB]

We like Visual Link Spanish here.  DS started it after GSWS and he likes that it is independent, online and self-paced.  You can sign up for a free trial.  It isn't crazy expensive anyway but the various levels go on sale quite frequently if you can wait a bit.  You'll get email sale notices if you sign up for a trial.  There's a link to it in my sig.

 

ETA - We have pretty good high speed DSL internet and still had issues with the VLS website (some parts slow to load, jumpy) using the online version.  We switched to the download version and have had no problems since.  HTH.

[mschickie]

Just as an fyi Tell Me More has been purchased by Rosetta Stone.  I am hoping they do not change the program since we were planning on buying the Tell Me More French for next year.

[happypamama]

Do you have access to Mango Language? I think it is pretty good. I'm thinking that between that, DuoLingo, and GSWS, DD's Spanish should be halfway decent, especially in the speaking/understanding department.