For those of you interested in Rosetta Stone . . .

[Mama Anna]

Hey!  I got an email for this Rosetta Stone offer.  We got a deal like this last March, which was why we could manage to buy the full program.  I thought someone else might be interested.  I don't know how long it'll last, but wanted to give you a head's up if you're interested!

 

(Note: I don't work for Rosetta Stone, nor do I have any agreement to represent them.  However, if I were looking for a foreign language program, this was available, and someone didn't mention it to me, I'd be "hacked," as my mom is wont to say.)

 

HTH!

Mama Anna

 

 

[Carrie12345]

BEtter deal - code rslms5199 gets the 5-level homeschool sets for $179. Ordered mine last night!

[PinkyandtheBrains.]

And if you want a language that only has 3 levels rslms3199.

[Lakeside]

BEtter deal - code rslms5199 gets the 5-level homeschool sets for $179. Ordered mine last night!

Do you know when this code expires?

[SevenDaisies]

Do you know when this code expires?

Monday 9/2.

 

I paid almost that much for 1 level. What a great deal.

[Lakeside]

Monday 9/2.

 

I paid almost that much for 1 level. What a great deal.

Thanks! Oh wow. I hate it when things like that happen. :(

[dsmith]

Wow, thanks for the post and for the codes!! My son has been wanting to do German for the last 2 years but the price has been out of our reach. Now if only someone had an amazing discount code for IEW...

 

 

Just an FYI - I just placed my order, and they still allowed the interest free payment plan, so that was an even bigger help to me.

[Mom22ns]

Wow, that really is a fantastic price!

[DragonFaerie]

Thanks for posting this!  I just ordered one, too.  Great deal!!

[kwg]

Can anyone tell me what the "5 levels" means? lol. Does it correspond to, for instance, taking 4-5 years of a foreign language in school?

[Carrie12345]

Can anyone tell me what the "5 levels" means? lol. Does it correspond to, for instance, taking 4-5 years of a foreign language in school?

I have no idea how it corresponds to textbook break downs. The homeschool edition does come with 36 week lesson plans, so I'd have no issue with giving my kids a full year's credit. But they're not high school aged, so it doesn't really matter for us.

 

ETA Meaning, I don't know how the *content compares.

[jelbe5]

I want to order this but can't see where to enter the coupon code. Could someone help me figure it out? Thanks!

 

ETA - found it! Have to click on the "enter promo code" under "safe and secure transactions". It was not very obvious to me.

[Sebastian (a lady)]

Can anyone tell me what the "5 levels" means? lol. Does it correspond to, for instance, taking 4-5 years of a foreign language in school?

No.

 

Rosetta Stone is an interesting tool, but it has some serious shortcomings. 

 

We used earlier versions of German and a couple other languages.  They were very helpful when our kids were early elementary and we were living in an environment were the other language was the community language.  But there is a real shortage of practice with long readings and translations, overt grammatical instruction and production of written work.  I would also say that we are a very long way off from computerized analysis of speaking being adequate.  

 

Also, in my opinion, the farther you get from English, the harder it is to construct the grammar of a language on your own.  The less familiar you are with foreign languages, the harder it is also.  Just as an example, would someone new to foreign languages understand from the pictures shown that verbs are conjugated depending on person and number, not just tense?  Or that there are different classes of verbs with different conjugations?  Or that some languages have formal and informal forms?  Or that nouns have gender related to spelling or sound, but not to the nature of the word itself?  How do you convey that nouns following some prepositions use dative case, some use accusative case and others switch depending on how the preposition is used?

 

I hate to come off as someone bashing RS, but I think that some users hang expectations on it that it just cannot deliver.  At the end of a third year of high school language classes, most students have mastered most verb tenses, all noun and adjective forms and is able to read articles, hold conversations and probably read a short book in the target language.  They have probably memorized over 1000 vocabulary words (including gender and plural forms for nouns and principle parts for verbs).  They may also have practiced things like reading and understanding an advertisement or writing a short letter.  Along the way, they have learned the names for grammatical concepts that apply to other languages as well as English.

 

I used to be a big fan of Rosetta Stone.  And I still think it is nice for younger children who have access to other material in the target language (TV, books, community speakers). But I just don't feel that it really delivers the equivalent of several years of high school level language work.  If you search the High School Board, you'll find a number of threads from people who used RS and then found that their kid was not up to speed even for a second year traditional language class.  So do be aware of the limitations of the program.

 

(They do seem to have a great advertising budget, though.)

[Mom22ns]

 If you search the High School Board, you'll find a number of threads from people who used RS and then found that their kid was not up to speed even for a second year traditional language class.  So do be aware of the limitations of the program.

 

This.

 

RS is a tool. It is good for practice in hearing and speaking that a textbook can't give you. It makes a wonderful introduction or supplement. It is not credit worthy and many who have used it have learned that lesson the hard way with students failing skills tests, not being able to get through placement tests, and having colleges deny credit.

 

I really like RS. but you have to be aware of what it is and what it isn't.

[Carrie12345]

I've only done the first two lessons (it arrived fast!) I think the concept of listening/speaking with pictures and logic, not direct instruction, is pretty cool. It definitely has my brain working in a different way.

 

We've done Getting Started With Spanish, so we have a good handle on the basics of verb conjugation, articles, etc. It's a helpful background. And we'll continue with Breaking the Barrier while working through RS.

[dsmith]

I've also done the first two lessons. I was surprised how much I retained! My memory is something of a joke around the house, lol. Ds is a visual thinker with an awesome memory, so I think this method will work well for him. I wish that Breaking the Barrier was available for German. I kept trying to change ds's mind and push him to French, which I took in high school, but he wants nothing to do with it. 

 

I don't think RS is enough on it's own for a full year of high school language instruction, IMHO. This year, I plan on using RS along with some apps. I think there may be something on Discovery Streaming, so I may add that. Next year, when we officially start high school (ds is s/n and will have delayed graduation) I will combine RS with an online class. By then he will also have another year of Latin, which I think is great training for learning other languages. 

 

 

 

 

I've only done the first two lessons (it arrived fast!) I think the concept of listening/speaking with pictures and logic, not direct instruction, is pretty cool. It definitely has my brain working in a different way.

We've done Getting Started With Spanish, so we have a good handle on the basics of verb conjugation, articles, etc. It's a helpful background. And we'll continue with Breaking the Barrier while working through RS.