Best program for learning a language?

[Lauren8211]

Forgive me if this has been covered in another thread, I didn''t see one.

I took French throughout high school and college, but barely use it anymore, and it''s fading FAST. I want to review the basics and work towards becoming fluent. I try to read french website and things like that, but I really want to brush up on the language foundations also.

Has anyone been succesful with any specific program they''ve used to learn a language? I''d prefer not to attend a class. I''d like something I can do on my own.

Thanks!

 

[Lauren8211]

Date: 10/10/2008 12:01:18 PM
Author: SanDiegoLady
I understand Rosetta Stone is supposed to be great. I plan to get it (at some point) to learn Italian.. I know Barnes & Noble is carrying it now.. I saw them there not long ago.

The commercials make it seem like it''s a great program, I''m hoping maybe someone on PS has used it before and could give me a review?

 

[CDNinNYC]

Funny you should start this thread. I'm currently brushing up on my french as well. I signed up for My Language Exchange. Here's the link. It's a great site where you create a small profile listing the languages you are fluent in and the languages you want to learn. You can then search for and contact members that are interested in learning YOUR fluent language and are fluent in the language you want to learn. In turn, you may/will be contacted by people who want to work with you. It's, as the website name suggests, a language exchange.

I'm currently in communications with various people from France and Switzerland. I help them with their english and they help me with my french. We do this through email and Skype.

Hope this helps!

ETA: This site works for me because I have a basic understanding of french. If you're a complete beginner, it'll get frustrating fast...

 

[fieryred33143]

A ditto to Rosetta Stone.

WE have 3 employees currently on the program to learn Spanish (they signed up on their own as we have to do heavy traveling in Latin America). Their spanish has improved so much over the past month and they started off just knowing the very basic.

 

[Lauren8211]

Date: 10/10/2008 12:09:16 PM
Author: CDNinNYC
Funny you should start this thread. I''m currently brushing up on my french as well. I signed up for My Language Exchange. Here''s the link. It''s a great site where you create a small profile listing the languages you are fluent in and the languages you want to learn. You can then search for and contact members that are interested in learning YOUR fluent language and are fluent in the language you want to learn. In turn, you may/will be contacted by people who want to work with you. It''s, as the website name suggests, a language exchange.

I''m currently in communications with various people from France and Switzerland. I help them with their english and they help me with my french. We do this through email and Skype.

Hope this helps!

ETA: This site works for me because I have a basic understanding of french. If you''re a complete beginner, it''ll get frustrating fast...

Awesome, thank you so much! I will definitely check that out!

I also have a basic understand of French, I can generally read it pretty well, but listening and speaking is somewhat of a challenge.

 

[CDNinNYC]

Date: 10/10/2008 12:13:53 PM
Author: elledizzy5

Awesome, thank you so much! I will definitely check that out!

I also have a basic understand of French, I can generally read it pretty well, but listening and speaking is somewhat of a challenge.

If you end up signing up and using this site, I strongly recommend using Skype to work on your listening and speaking skills.

Bonne chance!

 

[Lauren8211]

Date: 10/10/2008 12:12:50 PM
Author: fieryred33143
A ditto to Rosetta Stone.

WE have 3 employees currently on the program to learn Spanish (they signed up on their own as we have to do heavy traveling in Latin America). Their spanish has improved so much over the past month and they started off just knowing the very basic.

Ohhh, good to hear someone has had positive results. Do you happen to know if it''s really basic or if it gets more advanced? I wouldn''t need more than a gloss over in basic French. I really need to focus on intermediate to advanced comprehension, speaking, listening, etc.

I''m afraid I''ll buy the set and i''ll be learning basic verb conjugation.

 

[katamari]

Elle, Rosetta Stone is great. But, before you buy it check your libraries! Our campus library and our community library has many copies of several languages but certainly have the most in Spanish and French. I live in a city and attend a large university (but you do, too, if I remember correctly).

I joined a campus conversation group and that worked fine. We also have a language lounge which is like a coffee shop with televisions broadcasting programs in many languages. If you have any resources like this in your community (you could also check Craigslist), they are free and really helped me get better at French.

 

[iwannaprettyone]

I have the french! it is pretty amazing!

 

[strmrdr]

Date: 10/10/2008 12:07:06 PM
Author: elledizzy5

Date: 10/10/2008 12:01:18 PM

Author: SanDiegoLady

I understand Rosetta Stone is supposed to be great. I plan to get it (at some point) to learn Italian.. I know Barnes & Noble is carrying it now.. I saw them there not long ago.

The commercials make it seem like it''s a great program, I''m hoping maybe someone on PS has used it before and could give me a review?

A friend of mine and his now wife used it before a backpacking honeymoon in southern Mexico and they say it worked really well for both of them.
They used it for a couple months before they went, they said sometimes they had to ask that the person speak slower but they understood and were understood by the locals.

 

[somehowcollide]

elledizzy5, I have a running of list of websites and podcasts to help with foreign languages, from Arabic to Finnish to Hebrew and even French! Here''s a bunch of cool resources for you to check out (some of them are free and others are fairly inexpensive.)

-French for Beginners: Fun, effective lessons for beginners. Provided by the French Ecole. website

-Le Journal en français facile: Nightly news from RFI presented in slowly spoken French to assist you with your comprehension. website

-Learn French by Podcast: A well-reviewed series of lessons for beginners and those who want to brush up on their French. website

-Learn French with Daily Podcasts: These lessons are brought to you by French teachers from Paris. They are best suited for those who already have some beginning French under their belts. website

-Ma France: The BBC offers 24 video podcasts that will teach you French. website

-The French Pod Class: A very popular collection that teaches students the French language and different facets of French culture. website

-The Verbcast - French Verbs by Relaxation: A four-week series of lessons that will allow you to refine your knowledge of French verbs. website

 

[neatfreak]

Best way to learn a language is to immerse yourself in it, no doubt. If by chance you can afford a language program in France or Belgium that would be the way to go IMO.

 

[katamari]

Date: 10/11/2008 6:12:50 AM
Author: somehowcollide
elledizzy5, I have a running of list of websites and podcasts to help with foreign languages, from Arabic to Finnish to Hebrew and even French! Here''s a bunch of cool resources for you to check out (some of them are free and others are fairly inexpensive.)


-French for Beginners: Fun, effective lessons for beginners. Provided by the French Ecole. website


-Le Journal en français facile: Nightly news from RFI presented in slowly spoken French to assist you with your comprehension. website


Thanks for these links, somehowcollide! I am getting inspired now to brush up my rusty language skills now.


-Learn French by Podcast: A well-reviewed series of lessons for beginners and those who want to brush up on their French. website


-Learn French with Daily Podcasts: These lessons are brought to you by French teachers from Paris. They are best suited for those who already have some beginning French under their belts. website


-Ma France: The BBC offers 24 video podcasts that will teach you French. website


-The French Pod Class: A very popular collection that teaches students the French language and different facets of French culture. website


-The Verbcast - French Verbs by Relaxation: A four-week series of lessons that will allow you to refine your knowledge of French verbs. website

 

[galeteia]

Date: 10/10/2008 12:09:16 PM
Author: CDNinNYC
Funny you should start this thread. I''m currently brushing up on my french as well. I signed up for My Language Exchange. Here''s the link. It''s a great site where you create a small profile listing the languages you are fluent in and the languages you want to learn. You can then search for and contact members that are interested in learning YOUR fluent language and are fluent in the language you want to learn. In turn, you may/will be contacted by people who want to work with you. It''s, as the website name suggests, a language exchange.


I''m currently in communications with various people from France and Switzerland. I help them with their english and they help me with my french. We do this through email and Skype.


Hope this helps!


ETA: This site works for me because I have a basic understanding of french. If you''re a complete beginner, it''ll get frustrating fast...

Livemocha is very similar. It''s free, allows for interaction with native speakers, and friendly.

 

[somehowcollide]

Date: 10/11/2008 3:38:11 PM
Author: Galateia

Date: 10/10/2008 12:09:16 PM

Author: CDNinNYC

Funny you should start this thread. I''m currently brushing up on my french as well. I signed up for My Language Exchange. Here''s the link. It''s a great site where you create a small profile listing the languages you are fluent in and the languages you want to learn. You can then search for and contact members that are interested in learning YOUR fluent language and are fluent in the language you want to learn. In turn, you may/will be contacted by people who want to work with you. It''s, as the website name suggests, a language exchange.



I''m currently in communications with various people from France and Switzerland. I help them with their english and they help me with my french. We do this through email and Skype.



Hope this helps!



ETA: This site works for me because I have a basic understanding of french. If you''re a complete beginner, it''ll get frustrating fast...

Livemocha is very similar. It''s free, allows for interaction with native speakers, and friendly.

How neat!

 

[HappyAnniversary]

I can get Rosetta stone online through my city library. Access to lots of languages, I flipped through a bunch just for fun. I don''t know if it is the same as what you buy, but free is good in my book. Los ninos estan saltando! Heard variations of that one quite a few times!

 

[Lauren8211]

Thank you everyone so much for the suggestions! These are such great resources!

Hopefully soon I can put a post up in French!!

 

[somehowcollide]

Date: 10/12/2008 10:21:06 AM
Author: HappyAnniversary
I can get Rosetta stone online through my city library. Access to lots of languages, I flipped through a bunch just for fun. I don''t know if it is the same as what you buy, but free is good in my book. Los ninos estan saltando! Heard variations of that one quite a few times!

Oh yeah! I forgot about that, and you can usually access the files while you''re online, no need to physically go to the library. A lot of library systems offer this, I would look into it! Great suggestion!

 

[swimmer]

Date: 10/11/2008 9:06:57 AM
Author: neatfreak
Best way to learn a language is to immerse yourself in it, no doubt. If by chance you can afford a language program in France or Belgium that would be the way to go IMO.

Agreed! And you know, a romance is always the best way. I can still speak Dutch

for no real reason.
Good for you wanting to keep it up, free podcasts are always on itunes as well.

ETA: you ARE planning on moving to Canada! Ze clues, zey fall into place wah ha ha ha!

 

[Nate]

I am currently going through this program for Spanish:
http://www.studyspanish.com/
It is very good IMO, my pronunciation is perfect. I''m working on more advanced conjugation and vocabulary. I find my small vocabulary is the hardest part and the biggest hurdle to understanding what others are saying. My wife is Peruvian and it would be really nice if I could understand her Spanish.