5 stars (Delightful - I love it) - I was originally using Rosetta Stone's Chinese program through online subscription. I went several times through the entire program before I decided that monthly subscription was getting expensive and since I enjoyed going over this program very much I finally decided to purchase it.
The online version has Chinese only written with pinyin and I was a little bit disappointed that it didn't have Chinese characters anywhere. When I received the package, I was thrilled and delighted to find that it had two books included and the books had all the material written both with Chinese characters and pinyin. This has taken my enjoyment of this program to a new level.
I do need to add that I have purchased numerous other books and programs, so this is not the only one I have been using - and the other books and programs have helped me tremendously in using this one.
Working with the entire Pimsleur program first has helped me tremendously in working with Rosetta Stone, as did many other books that deal with grammar and writing. Also, among different dictionaries, one of my favorites is Wenlin's electronic dictionary as well as NJStar program. Yes, getting all of these programs can get pricey, but they are all well-worth it, especially if you're learning Chinese on your own. They will serve you for a long time and will make the arduous process of learning Chinese a breeze, allowing you to progress easily and to enjoy the process.
5 stars (Great For Advanced Beginners - Intermediate Students) - I was originally using Rosetta Stone's Chinese program through online subscription. I went several times through the entire program before I decided that monthly subscription was getting expensive and since I enjoyed going over this program very much I finally decided to purchase it.
The online version has Chinese only written with pinyin and I was a little bit disappointed that it didn't have Chinese characters anywhere. When I received the package, I was thrilled and delighted to find that it had two books included and the books had all the material written both with Chinese characters and pinyin. This has taken my enjoyment of this program to a new level.
I do need to add that I have purchased numerous other books and programs, so this is not the only one I have been using - and the other books and programs have helped me tremendously in using this one.
Working with the entire Pimsleur program first has helped me tremendously in working with Rosetta Stone, as did many other books that deal with grammar and writing. Also, among different dictionaries, one of my favorites is Wenlin's electronic dictionary as well as NJStar program. Yes, getting all of these programs can get pricey, but they are all well-worth it, especially if you're learning Chinese on your own. They will serve you for a long time and will make the arduous process of learning Chinese a breeze, allowing you to progress easily and to enjoy the process.
5 stars (More valuable than meets the eye!!!) - Does it "teach? Yes and no. If your native language is English, the Rosetta Stone method is an acquired taste, since it uses no English, or any other language for that matter, to teach. And you'll find it more difficult than the traditional word memorization method.HOWEVER, the pronunciation and the listening value of Rosetta Stone Chinese is superb! I cannot emphasize enough how important good voice actors can be for language learning software. China is a very large country with many different dialects. Having a proper northern accent is like the difference of having a Hollywood accent and a Texas redneck accent. The voice actors are the best I've ever heard, and a zillion times better than Wenlin's voice actors. 5 out of 5 stars! Not just because they have good voice actors, but because they have IMPECCABLE voice actors. I've been learning Chinese Mandarin for over 6 years, and my native language is English. This is the only software that will get rid of your accent, if you don't have time to travel to China. |
