Foreign Language Questions...

[Amy+2]

Simplified and short version here...

 

Rosetta Stone is on my wish list at CBD. Spanish version - all 5 levels. Very pricey. Ready to purchase when...

 

Friend back home who speaks fluent Spanish-her first language- says that even as a translator she has difficulty due to so many dialects within the Spanish language. Knew of different dialects, didn't realize there were so many. She has run across at least 5 in the last few years of translating.

 

Just moved to Texas, Spanish seems logical to learn. When I say learn, I mean in the complete context of becoming a 2nd language.

 

BTW, Oldest son wishes to learn Mandarin or French. Youngest wishes for ASL. Both are willing to learn Spanish-just not jumping up and down to learn it.

 

So, is it worth all the money to buy RS Spanish? Will my children be fluent but only to a certain dialect? Or, do I follow dear children's wishes and let them learn what they wish/desire to learn. Even if Spanish is the logical choice?

 

Latin and Greek are looking better by the minute...:glare::tongue_smilie:Seriously, maybe I should just start there...help. me. please.

[Ibbygirl]

Have you ever used the Rosetta Stone before?? I used it with my daughter only as a supplement because she got so bored sitting there clicking the pictures. My library had the cd rom and I just checked it out to use it at home. I would check your library first before shelling out that kind of dough on a program you're not sure about. Just my humble 2 cents.

 

btw, I'm no expert on dialects, but I can tell you that the Rosetta Stone teaches American Spanish with a neutral accent. I hope this helps.

 

I personally use Spanish Now with my daughter. The new versions come with a cd rom and my daughter likes the funny dialogs and puzzles. They sell it at amazon.com

 

Best of luck to you. :)

[Amy+2]

I was very impressed with the latest version at the recent curriculum fair. It is, IMO, much better than the older version that I had looked at through our library. I wouldn't even have considered spending that amount on the older version. The new seems to be much more interactive and kid friendly.

 

They always get me at the curriculum fairs. I had absolutely NO plan of even stopping to look at RS, I was heading straight to La Clase Divertida, and then, out of the corner of my eye...well, you know the rest of the story. Junkies are never safe at curriculum fairs...sigh.:001_rolleyes:

 

Thanks for the advice and suggestion!

[Ibbygirl]

I was very impressed with the latest version at the recent curriculum fair. It is, IMO, much better than the older version that I had looked at through our library. I wouldn't even have considered spending that amount on the older version. The new seems to be much more interactive and kid friendly.

 

They always get me at the curriculum fairs. I had absolutely NO plan of even stopping to look at RS, I was heading straight to La Clase Divertida, and then, out of the corner of my eye...well, you know the rest of the story. Junkies are never safe at curriculum fairs...sigh.:001_rolleyes:

 

Thanks for the advice and suggestion!

 

 

LOL I hear ya! :)

 

Ay, I am absolutely useless in regards to the new version I've only used the old. I didn't even know they had a new version. :blushing: Were you able to play around with it at the curriculum fair?? How did it look? Can you get a trial version off of their website and then just pay the difference to upgrade to the full version if you choose to buy it??

 

Hopefully someone else will chime in here soon who can be more helpful to you. :)

[Catwoman]

We're using Rosetta Stone Spanish, and ds9 is doing very well with it. I would recommend buying the first level as your first purchase, because while the multi-level packs seem to be a better value, you only save money if you're sure you'll stick with the program for a l-o-n-g time.

 

Also, Rosetta Stone prohibits the resale of their products, so you won't be able to list RS on eBay when you're through with it. (Just wanted to mention that in case resale is a consideration for you.)

 

We looked at several different foreign language programs, and chose RS for Spanish because we heard so many good things about it. We'd bought Muzzy French a few years ago, and that was an absolute waste of money for us. We're adding Latin in the fall, but will continue with RS Spanish, as well.

 

Let us know what you decide to get!

 

Cat

 

PS. I think RS still runs specials at certain times of the year -- maybe for back-to-school? I can't remember!

[chiguirre]

The Houston Public Library has RS for free online if you get a card which is free for all Texans, but you have to physically visit a branch. If you're close, it could get you started, but I'm pretty sure it's the old version.

 

I thought I'd written RS off, but now this news about a better version has me wondering. :confused:

 

If you want a fun, easy way to start over the summer for younger kids, try Salsa at Georgia PBS. It's a muppety basic Spanish show that my kids enjoy. There are also extensive supporting materials for kids K-2 that are linked.

 

http://www.gpb.org/salsa

[Matryoshka]

I don't know much about the new version of Rosetta Stone, but I thought I'd put your mind at ease about the "dialects".

 

Yes, Spanish varies a bit from country to country, but they're not true dialects, where they're not understandable. There are dialects within Spain (dialects need lots of time and isolation to develop), like Catalán, but the variations in Spanish worldwide are very similar to the variations in English worldwide, like among British, Austrialian and American English. Yes, there are different words used in different places, but most English speakers from those three countries would have no trouble understanding each other. There might also be more local variations that are more extreme (perhaps in the Carribean?), but if they go to school they still learn "standard" Spanish and can converse in and understand it.

 

I'm sure you've heard about the 2nd person fiasco (vosotros/ustedes). No big deal. Really. I learned Spanish first in Mexico and then lived in Spain. Took me a couple of days to adjust to the fact that the locals liked to leave the "s" off the end of lots of words, but then I had no trouble. I've also read lots of Spanish literature as well as South American - may need to look a couple of words up in the dictionary (ugh, García Márquez), but really it's fine. Argentinian Spanish even has a whole 'nother 2nd person fiasco (tú/vos) - but really it's just an easy variation - do you get that thrown off when someone from the south uses y'all instead of you? I am not a native speaker, but I have conversed extensively with people from Mexico, Spain, Argentina, Venezuela, Ecuador, El Salvador, and many other countries, and have watched non-subtitled movies and TV from both sides of the pond, and have never had trouble understanding them.

 

I personally would recommend at least learning the vosotros form, though - I'm a bit perplexed by a lot of US programs that completely leave it out thinking it's not "necessary" for people in the Americas. Spain is a beautiful country and has lots of study abroad programs at the college level - don't limit your options! :)

[Amy+2]

Alright, thanks to you all I am much less concerned now about the dialect thing. I think my friend was just a little over the top in making me think that Spanish has such variety within itself. I took 4 years of High School Spanish and 2 years in college. Granted that was over 15 years ago, but I didn't really think things had changed that much as far as how it is being taught. I can still understand it much better than I can speak it though. Of course, when one doesn't have to use it...hard to keep up with it.:)

 

I had definitely planned on teaching the vosotros forms/conjugations. Never know when we might go abroad!;)

 

The boys' uncle -my bil- is from Argentina. We don't see them often, maybe every 2-3 years if that, but what a neat fact to know about Argentina adding "the whole 'nother person".:) Next time I do see them, I'll have to ask him about that.

 

I guess I am mostly concerned about the ability to use it. TRULY use it as a second language, and whether or not over time we will get those results from Rosetta Stone. I think immersion is the 'best' way to achieve fluency results, but not sure that is possible or probable? I also want to make sure that I am not trying to acquire the unachievable by starting them with such a -IMO- solid program at their young ages.

 

Would I be better off to let them explore the languages they wish or the ones they really have a greater interest in now? And then, as they get into more upper level learning, go for the 'big guns' and expect to obtain fluency??

[PeterPan]

I guess I've missed some of the logic here. You've moved to Texas, where many people speak spanish, so you want them to learn spanish. Why not just let them have some interaction with those people and learn it as it's useful and interesting? They're clearly not interested in it otherwise, and they might be if they had a reason. I'd pursue the things they're interested in, and I sure wouldn't buy 5 levels at once of something you've never tried before. But that's just me. :)

[Matryoshka]

I can still understand it much better than I can speak it though. Of course, when one doesn't have to use it...hard to keep up with it.:)

 

It is hard - I've mostly kept up through reading. Lots of good Spanish novels out there.

 

The boys' uncle -my bil- is from Argentina. We don't see them often, maybe every 2-3 years if that, but what a neat fact to know about Argentina adding "the whole 'nother person".:) Next time I do see them, I'll have to ask him about that.

 

Get some Mafalda comics - they're fun! They were written in Argentina in the '70s (?). Here's examples of the "vos" conjugation instead of "tú"

 

tú quieres = vos querés

tú comes = vos comés

tú eres = vos sos

tú dices = vos decís

 

Basically, it's conjugated like the vosotros form minus the "i", and it's used the singular 2nd person familiar rather than the plural. Another reason to learn "vosotros" - it's easy to figure out if you've learned that, but it'd be hard if you'd never learned it.

 

I guess I am mostly concerned about the ability to use it. TRULY use it as a second language, and whether or not over time we will get those results from Rosetta Stone. I think immersion is the 'best' way to achieve fluency results, but not sure that is possible or probable?

 

Weeellll... Rosetta Stone isn't really immersion. Immersion is tossing them in the deep end of the pool - nothing but the language pretty much all the time. An hour on the computer is not immersion. I'm not discounting RS as a great supplement, and I hear there are improvements in the new version, but without true immersion - visiting the country without anyone who speaks English with you, or having someone speak nothing but the language with you for at least hours a day, I don't think immersion alone is all that practical. I'm a big immersion fan, but it has to be fairly intense if you're going to depend on it alone. Adding a good good age-appropriate program that has some grammar gives a framework (grammar alone I think rarely gives fluency - the speak and understand part is very important, I think you just can't throw out one or the other completely). How old are your kids?

 

Would I be better off to let them explore the languages they wish or the ones they really have a greater interest in now? And then, as they get into more upper level learning, go for the 'big guns' and expect to obtain fluency??

 

Good question - I think if they're going to achieve fluency, having them have an interest/investment is going to end up being important. Too bad your bil doesn't live closer - that could really spark an interest. FWIW, I think Mandarin and French are very useful. I worked in business managing software translation, and almost never used my Spanish, but ended up becoming very fluent at reading French software manuals. Go figure. Mandarin fascinates me, and if I ever decide to learn another language, I think that'll be it.

[Amy+2]

Thanks, matroyshka!! My bad though on one point...should have clarified...I meant immersion as in an actual immersion class that they could take. Maybe seek one out for them to go alongside. I know RS is only a teaching tool. :tongue_smilie: Also, I'll have to ask their uncle if he happens to have any of these comic books! How neat would that be?!:) I agree with you that the kids should have an interest in order to even think that fluency is an eventual possibility. BTW, oldest son is 9 and youngest is 7.

 

OhE...yes, that was the logic, but having just moved here 2 months ago, and knowing noone, it seems as though it may be difficult to just "seek out" Spanish speaking children with which to play and interact; although there may be a few in my sons martial arts class. Might be worth being a little more observant next time I take him. :) My overall logic is; once I look at the bigger picture, and if indeed they do 'grow up' here, that eventually Spanish would possibly be a big asset to their world. I completely agree with you in not going through with buying all 5 levels at once. It would definitely be worth the $ in the long run to take it a level at a time. ;)

 

Overall though, after thinking this through and bouncing it off of you all, I do think the desire needs to be there. Oldest has little or no desire for Spanish at the present. Youngest is all for it. Imagine that. They are never on the same page.:D That would be waayyy to easy!!:tongue_smilie: