October 7, 2005

Language Learning Software

Sometimes when learning a language you don’t want just the Listen & Repeat CDs or tapes because there are limitations to simply learning a language on audio. You can’t see the words you’re saying which limits your understanding of how spelling informs the pronunciation of the language. You can’t read or write the language at all with audio language programs and that can be important when you’re in a European city trying to read all those signs. And interactive language learning software can be a lot of fun since there’s so many entertaining tests, exercises, and games you can play to learn the language instead of just memorizing it through listening and repeating.

So in the case you’re interested in obtaining CD-ROM or online software for language learning you should check out our recently added publisher pages for Rosetta Stone and Transparent Language. You can check them out by going to:

www.learnoutloud.com/transparent
www.learnoutloud.com/rosetta

Rosetta Stone offers software in 29 languages with Level 1 & Level 2 programs that you can buy on CD-ROM or access through their monthly online subscription which costs $49.95 per month. Level 1 programs provide 92 interactive lessons and Level 2 programs include 118 lessons. Through these lessons you’ll learn through 4 methods:

1. Listening to native speakers speak their everyday language
2. Speaking the language and making sure your pronunciation is right through speech recognition that compares your voice to native speakers
3. Reading exercises that link written language to real-life objects
4. Writing exercises that check your spelling, syntax and punctuation

Transparent Language has a more extensive offering of languages with over 100 different languages to learn through their 7 product lines that are available on CD-ROM with some of their titles available as online software that you can download. These product lines are all described in detail on their publisher page but basically they are an interactive mulitmedia immersion into a foreign language teaching you how to comprehend, converse, pronounce, read, and write a language. Their Complete Suites include three of their software programs along with Linguaphone’s PDQ Talk which has 4 audio CDs and a translation dictionary.

Demos of their products are available online. For the online demo of Rosetta Stone click here. To download Transparent Language’s free trial software click here. We feature most of Rosetta Stone’s titles and Transparent Language’s titles on our site so check them out.