for those familiar with Rosetta Stone

[jeri]

We are moving to Germany in February! Yipee! So I am on a quest to buy this before we go. I really want to buy version 3 and I'm wondering how far level 1 will take us. Or should I go for broke and buy level 1/2 together? I'm pretty good with languages and I reallyl want to learn German well, but I don't want to buy more than we need since you can't really re-sell RS anymore. So, will level 1 take us quite a ways? Or is it just the basics and we will move through it too quickly? Thanks.

 

jeri

[KJB]

We have Rosetta Stone 1&2 and my kids are just finishing up 2. We need to buy 3 and probably will after the holidays. I must say, for myself anyway, Pimsleur cds are awesome and give you very practical skills you'll use right away. RS starts off a little slow with vocab you won't use everyday (begins with words for airplane, horse, table, etc. where as I want to know how to find a bathroom in a public place first! lol)

 

Having said that, I must say we've learned a lot from RS, too. The two programs together work well. Also, my dd attended the Goethe Institute camp this past summer and her German skyrocketed. She also had a fantastic time.

 

We are in Germany, too! Where will you be living? If you are military, you'll find language classes through the community center, too. Ours run for 6 weeks and cost $50.

 

You'll love it here! Very beautiful!

[jeri]

How cool that you are in Gemany! We are now in CT and are moving to Wiesbaden in Feb. Dh works for DoD as a civilian. We will not be living on the base but need to find a house to rent. Know of any that will fit all 8 of us, LOL?

 

How long have you been there? Yes, I know Pimsleur gets you started faster since I used it to travel to Ukraine 3 years ago. Somehow I just can't see my kids asking someone, "Your place or mine?" so I think we'll go with RS. I just am trying to figure out if we will really take off over there with the language and living off the base and should just get level 1, or will we languish or ot learn very fast and need level 2. I love languages adn speak Swedish fluently and German is kind of close, so I'm hoping to learn quickly.

 

We are considering putting two of our kids in German schools and would love your thoughts on this. Our dd is 11 and our ds is almost 9. They both have a good handle on academics and I think would do fine once they learn the language. But I have heard that German schools are a little strict. Actually, this doesn'[t bother me too much since I'm a "no-fun" mom here with homeschooling. No, I don't do crafts or "specials" so maybe they wouldn't know the difference!

 

We also have three kids we adopted from Ukraine and Ethiopia, ages 11, 8, and 7. Since English is their second language (and the Ethio kids have only been home for 7 mths), we are leaning toward either homeschooling them or putting them in DoD schools on base.

 

There's my youngest, too, who is 6 and a bio. I guess he could do any of the options.

 

Anyway, since we don't get there until late Feb, and since I will have a lot to do when I get there, we are sort of leaning toward sticking them all in DoD schools for the rest of the year and then re-evaluation the situation over the summer. I guess I will make some appts to look at our German and American options when we get there, but ANY AND ALL IDEAS YOU HAVE FOR ME ARE VERY WELCOME!!! (yes, I'm yelling but I really would like some ideas if you have them!)

 

Ok, so are you there because you are military? How many and what kind of kids do you have? I would love to hear about your experiences so far! Thanks!

 

my email directly is jdunphy15@comcast.net

 

Jeri

[jeri]

jeri

[Friederike in Persia]

Hi Jeri,

as far as I can tell I'm the only German on this board (married to an English man, living overseas, thus homeschooling the dc in English :tongue_smilie:).

The other Americans in Germany might have more valuable advise, but here comes my piece:

 

First, I believe the German education system is awesome:D:D!, esp. for the academically able, which you said your dc are. The more challenging schools (Gymnasium) have a hight standard and often motivated pupils.

It'll depend a bit on the director of the school you'll end up at, but in general all children have to go to school in Germany, so that they're used to taking in students at short notice. When we're in Germany I stick ours in for the 2 or 3 weeks we're there and so far that's been rediculously easy (compared to the UK, where it's a big deal). So I think you might find the system more flexible, than you anticipate.

Elementary schools are comprehensive and as far as I can see from my nieces and nephews they play quite a bit and do lots of crafts. But how that would compare to an American primary school I don't know.

The language question is a bit more complicated, since children do learn languages fast, but not superfast. Do your dc want to go? Cause if they don't want to it would be seriously rough for them, to get through the tough beginning, where one needs to figure out what's happening and doesn't want to look like a complete idiot.

Finally RS. My dds to Russian and dd(8) is coming towards the end of level one. As far as I can judge it wouldn't help her that much at this point to communicate in Russia itself (the above mentioned table, airplain and boy stuff, rather than greetings,...). But my dd (9) has reached level 2 and is starting to talk some and understand even more, so that looks more hopeful.

If you've got anymore questions (we've got our dc in local schools here, where things are unfamiliar for us), feel free to ask.

 

By the way, I can understand some Dutch if I try hard :bigear:, but Swedish, not a word. It's a totally different language!