~*~Michelle~*~ Posted January 15, 2010 Share Posted January 15, 2010 I'm trying to find a language program for next year. I've looked at both of them online but was wondering if anyone has used either of them and what you liked/disliked about them. My dd is almost 7 and will be in "second grade" Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
radiobrain Posted January 15, 2010 Share Posted January 15, 2010 I would suggest that you see if you can order Muzzy through your library's interlibrary loan. I think Muzzy is cute and all, but I don't know if it is enough. It is so expensive new! Now, I am just starting Rosetta Stone, so I can't tell you if it is actually going to work or not. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mhaddon Posted January 15, 2010 Share Posted January 15, 2010 I borrowed Muzzy from the library and did not like it. I am interested about Rosseta, but am worried that we wouldn't like it for the price. Our library doesn't have it to loan out to try or I'd do that as well. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MelanieM Posted January 15, 2010 Share Posted January 15, 2010 I purchased Muzzy when my daughter was 4 yrs old and disliked it so much we returned it. I found the story to be extremely creepy -- boy in love with girl, crazy stalker old man in love with same girl, weird computer cloning/possession sequence, etc. (I may be a bit off in my recall here, but that's the general impression it left me with -- crazy, weird characters with inappropriate (for my tastes) subject matter.) This was back in the day when our television viewing was still limited to pre-school shows, but even now that the kids watch a broader variety of programs (some with themes more mature than I would like), I still wouldn't want them watching this Muzzy story again and again. That said, the format seemed good and my daughter would have happily watched it over and over. Though she'd watch just about anything, so I'm not sure how much of a recommendation that should be! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted January 15, 2010 Share Posted January 15, 2010 We had Muzzy a couple years ago and I was not crazy about it. The kids only picked up maybe two phrases from it. Like others have said it does have a very weird story line. We ended up selling it. I have Rosetta Stone Mandarin Chinese. The kids have not done it yet, but I have done about 8-10 lessons. I learned and retained more in those 8-10 lessons than I did in two years of spanish in college. I love Rosetta Stone and plan on ordering more language programs. I love languages:001_smile:. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shehmeth Posted January 15, 2010 Share Posted January 15, 2010 I purchased Muzzy when my daughter was 4 yrs old and disliked it so much we returned it. I found the story to be extremely creepy -- boy in love with girl, crazy stalker old man in love with same girl, weird computer cloning/possession sequence, etc. (I may be a bit off in my recall here, but that's the general impression it left me with -- crazy, weird characters with inappropriate (for my tastes) subject matter.) This was back in the day when our television viewing was still limited to pre-school shows, but even now that the kids watch a broader variety of programs (some with themes more mature than I would like), I still wouldn't want them watching this Muzzy story again and again. That said, the format seemed good and my daughter would have happily watched it over and over. Though she'd watch just about anything, so I'm not sure how much of a recommendation that should be! I would have to agree with MelanieM's input - and nope, your not far off... I got Muzzy at the library to check it out - a few times (each time at different ages of my daughter with the same result)... My daughter will go off running screaming every time the "creepy stalker" came in or something happened to the princess.. in fact we have never seen the first dvd in its entirely... Kate Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lincap Posted January 15, 2010 Share Posted January 15, 2010 We have Muzzy Mandarian. We listen to the audio CD sometimes in the play room. DS1 has watched it many times, has picked up a few phrases. I agree the story is creepy and think that we are going to stop watching it. BUT we may continue with the vocabulary builder DVD. I am STUNNED that there isn't a better storyline. Really. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Karen in CO Posted January 15, 2010 Share Posted January 15, 2010 Our library has Rosetta Stone on a loooonnnnnggggg wait list so you may want to see if yours has it also. It is a good idea to try it if you can. My dd's enrichment school gives the kids Rosetta Stone (the online edition) and they love it. I have to kick my dd off the computer after an hour or two. She is learning French and her pronunciation is becoming pretty good. I don't think it could be done with a child that is not a strong reader, but after that I think it is terrific for kids. My youngest is excited to get her own RS account next year when she goes to K, and she has been picking up French words and phrases just by hanging around when her sister is doing her lessons. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LittleIzumi Posted January 15, 2010 Share Posted January 15, 2010 I purchased Muzzy when my daughter was 4 yrs old and disliked it so much we returned it. I found the story to be extremely creepy -- boy in love with girl, crazy stalker old man in love with same girl, weird computer cloning/possession sequence, etc. (I may be a bit off in my recall here, but that's the general impression it left me with -- crazy, weird characters with inappropriate (for my tastes) subject matter.) This was back in the day when our television viewing was still limited to pre-school shows, but even now that the kids watch a broader variety of programs (some with themes more mature than I would like), I still wouldn't want them watching this Muzzy story again and again. That said, the format seemed good and my daughter would have happily watched it over and over. Though she'd watch just about anything, so I'm not sure how much of a recommendation that should be! Yep. We learned some French but mostly were weirded out. Dh was very happy when Muzzy went back to the library. I think I learned more from the free sample of Rosetta Stone than from Muzzy. I might check your library for Muzzy but I wouldn't spend a dime on it, myself. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Julie in MN Posted January 15, 2010 Share Posted January 15, 2010 I'm trying to find a language program for next year. I've looked at both of them online but was wondering if anyone has used either of them and what you liked/disliked about them. My dd is almost 7 and will be in "second grade" My son has watched Muzzy and we didn't find it creepy, but he's older (14 now). He didn't watch it when he was 7. It just doesn't seem like enough. More like watching Sesame Street blurbs in Spanish. He listened to all the different audios & videos, and it really wasn't a lot. The only advantage is that it's sort-of "immersion" and picking up words by seeing them in context, like you do with your original language. And it doesn't have the "tourist" list of words to learn, like some library programs do. Have you looked at La Clase Divertida for age 7? My son used that off-and-on from about 3rd through 7th. We didn't do many of the activities, but the videos are solid and teach good stuff starting with vowel sounds. By the last level, you are heavily into verb tenses. Rosetta is good, too. It can be done differently for little ones. Julie Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LivingUnderGrace Posted January 16, 2010 Share Posted January 16, 2010 My 13 year old son is using Rosetta Stone for Spanish, and I am using it for Arabic. It is great! It's pretty easy to use and we are both retaining so much. I am not sure about using it for a 7 year old, my 8 year old did try the Spanish and had a hard time with it. If you can come up with the $ and you buy from Rosetta Stone directly, the more levels you buy at one time the cheaper it is. For example I got all 3 levels of Arabic for $462 and that included shipping. Just an FYI for anyone as it is normally almost $300 for 1 level. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Annabel Lee Posted January 16, 2010 Share Posted January 16, 2010 I agree w/ Melanie's review - the storyline in Muzzy is weird. Some of the characters talk in such a gruff, raspy voice that it's hard to hear how excatly the Spanish word is supposed to be pronounced. We just started Rosetta Stone Spanish and have learned more in 2 lessons than we ever did with Muzzy. I wonder if the Homeschool Buyers Co-op has a deal w/ Rosetta Stone - it would be worth looking into. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
~*~Michelle~*~ Posted January 17, 2010 Author Share Posted January 17, 2010 Our library has Rosetta Stone on a loooonnnnnggggg wait list so you may want to see if yours has it also. It is a good idea to try it if you can. My dd's enrichment school gives the kids Rosetta Stone (the online edition) and they love it. I have to kick my dd off the computer after an hour or two. She is learning French and her pronunciation is becoming pretty good. I don't think it could be done with a child that is not a strong reader, but after that I think it is terrific for kids. My youngest is excited to get her own RS account next year when she goes to K, and she has been picking up French words and phrases just by hanging around when her sister is doing her lessons. Can you only get the online version through schools? I'd much rather have an online version. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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