Language Software Reviews
This page is an overview of the language software that we have tried and reviewed.
From this page you can choose to buy the product or read our in-depth review to get a better feel for each course.
Why Software Courses
Many people love to use software language courses as they use images and video as well as sound, and this appeals to people who are visual learners. Word association with a picture can help many people learn vocabulary much quicker than just hearing a word. If you think this is you then the software packages below will be ideal. Most people, however, will probably fare better getting a foundation of the language first and then using a software package to learn the script and practise pronunciation as well as learn a lot more vocabulary. This is where I have found the software packages to be ideal. I found using software packages on their own made it a little slow and difficult to learn a language, although perfectly possible—but of course everybody is different.
The ideal blend, as stated in the how to section, is an audio and software course running together. If you can afford it, this method will give you the best of both worlds and provide you with the confidence to speak and the vocabulary to have something interesting to say.
1) Fluenz - Read the Fluenz review
A top class language learning products and possibly the best in its field. The main advantage of Fluenz is the way it sets out to teach you as an adult. They recognise that adults learn differently to children and that they have a solid foundation of native language to build upon and compare to, and Fluenz uses this to great effect. The method of instruction with Fluenz is also top draw: Although it doesn't contain as much material as some of the behemoths of the language learning world (Tellmemore for one) it does deliver the material in a way that will keep learners interested for much longer than the majority of language courses. The one-on-one video instruction from Sonia Gil gives a personal touch to the proceedings and the accompanying excercises are probably the best we've seen.
2) Tell Me More - Read the Tell Me More review
A huge software package (apparently over 950 hours of material) that teaches you listening, speaking, reading and writing. The dialogue section is excellent: It gives you a picture of an object or an action and gives you a choice of possible answers. You must choose the correct response and speak it into the microphone, so you learn the vocabulary and grammar through word-picture association but also practise speaking the sentences out loud. The voice recognition software is excellent and the pronunciation section will give you feedback on how you say each word. The package also includes written exercises like gap fill and crosswords but these do not necessarily add that much to the experience. The package is expensive but includes all of the material from beginner to advanced level.
TELL ME MORE Language Learning Software
3) Rosetta Stone - Read the Rosetta Stone review
An excellent software package for learning vocabulary and grammar, and now can even help you improve your pronunciation with the use of a microphone and its voice recognition software. The basic idea is to show you 4 pictures and to play a word or phrase in the foreign language. You must choose the picture that best matches the word or phrase. If you are right you continue, if not you choose again. This continues and you score points as the words and phrases become more complicated sentences and the pictures become actions and more abstract concepts. The vocabulary and grammar are absorbed through constant hearing of the words and the association with visual representations.
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4) Transparent Language: Learn language Now! - Read the Transparent review
Learn language now! has several sections to choos from: The listen and speak section plays individual words or phrases and asks you to repeat them into the microphone, grading your performance on its meter.The conversation practice provides you with a situation on a picture or video with someone asking a question about the situation. The question is spoken aloud and you must respond with an answer.
The games are standard fare of crosswords, gapfill, and sentence reordering.
Learn language Now! does well at helping you learn vocabulary and practise it but falls down by not using proper script (In Japanese at least) It is however very cheap compared to the rest and would be a great accompaniment to an audio course for those on a budget.
Visit Learn Language Now!™ by Transparent Language
See the Audio Language Courses