- Platform: Windows 7 / Vista / XP, Mac OS X
- Media: DVD-ROM
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Product Description
Discover Italian through the magic of a great teacher. The Fluenz tutor's custom-made approach guides you in English every step of the way through the challenges of the language, while immersing you in the beauty of the culture.
Fluenz Italian is based on three principles:
1) There's no substitute for a great tutor. It's often difficult to motivate yourself to learn a language on your own. Having a teacher to challenge and inspire you, while explaining exactly how the language works, makes all the difference.
2) The best way for adults to learn Italian is with explanations in English. Linguistics research shows that adults learn languages differently than children and really benefit from having clear explanations of how the language works. For example, it is extremely difficult to understand the how to correctly use masculine and feminine words in Italian without a clear explanation in English. Fluenz makes a difference because a real tutor guides you in English along a path specifically designed for Italian.
3) It's best to learn the most relevant words in Italian right away. Instead of focusing on child-like phrases such as "red apple, green apple," Fluenz has you ordering food, giving directions to a cab driver, making hotel reservations, and handling a wide range of real world situations right from the start. And, with 13 types of workouts covering verbal expression and comprehension, as well as reading and writing, you practice and internalize what you learn in the video tutorials.
Fluenz Italian is based on three principles:
1) There's no substitute for a great tutor. It's often difficult to motivate yourself to learn a language on your own. Having a teacher to challenge and inspire you, while explaining exactly how the language works, makes all the difference.
2) The best way for adults to learn Italian is with explanations in English. Linguistics research shows that adults learn languages differently than children and really benefit from having clear explanations of how the language works. For example, it is extremely difficult to understand the how to correctly use masculine and feminine words in Italian without a clear explanation in English. Fluenz makes a difference because a real tutor guides you in English along a path specifically designed for Italian.
3) It's best to learn the most relevant words in Italian right away. Instead of focusing on child-like phrases such as "red apple, green apple," Fluenz has you ordering food, giving directions to a cab driver, making hotel reservations, and handling a wide range of real world situations right from the start. And, with 13 types of workouts covering verbal expression and comprehension, as well as reading and writing, you practice and internalize what you learn in the video tutorials.
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Customer Reviews
Most Helpful Customer Reviews
10 of 10 people found the following review helpful
This is a review of Fluenz Italian Level 3. I have in the past completed Level 1 and am mid-way through level 2. Several days ago I received an email from Fluenz inviting me to purchase the newly released level 3, so I jumped at the opportunity.
If you aren't familiar with Fluenz, they use a "live tutor" on screen combined with listening and writing workouts. There are 30 lessons at each level, each lesson taking 50-60 minutes to work through. It's a well-thought-out program that follows an easy-does-it, slow-is-better approach. The upside to this approach is that you tend to retain what you learn. The downside is that the pace is at times too slow and, since each lesson is presented exactly the same way, the fatigue factor can set in. Another shortcoming for both levels 1 & 2 is that you don't see enough of Sonia Gil, the live tutor (also one of the company founders). She is an excellent instructor, but she only has about 7 minutes of air time in each lesson.
I'm happy to say that Level 3 has addressed both of these issues. First, the tempo of the lessons has picked up considerably (of course, this is expected for a level 3 software package). Each lesson moves along briskly, but not too quickly that it leaves you behind. Secondly, Sophie Pera, the instructor for this level, is, like Sonia, a very effective instructor, and her air time for each lesson has approximately doubled over the previous two levels (about 13-15 minutes per lesson). Both of these improvements should go a long way toward maintaining student interest.
I should mention that my personal method for learning Italian is to tackle multiple software packages at once, which helps keep up my interest level. Having said that, I consider Fluenz as the "anchor" for my study efforts.
I've only examined the software for about an hour tonight, so as I start the lessons in a few weeks after completing level 2, I'll refine my review. But at this point, I can say Well Done to the Fluenz team, and I would strongly recommend this software package for anyone wanting to learn Italian.
If you aren't familiar with Fluenz, they use a "live tutor" on screen combined with listening and writing workouts. There are 30 lessons at each level, each lesson taking 50-60 minutes to work through. It's a well-thought-out program that follows an easy-does-it, slow-is-better approach. The upside to this approach is that you tend to retain what you learn. The downside is that the pace is at times too slow and, since each lesson is presented exactly the same way, the fatigue factor can set in. Another shortcoming for both levels 1 & 2 is that you don't see enough of Sonia Gil, the live tutor (also one of the company founders). She is an excellent instructor, but she only has about 7 minutes of air time in each lesson.
I'm happy to say that Level 3 has addressed both of these issues. First, the tempo of the lessons has picked up considerably (of course, this is expected for a level 3 software package). Each lesson moves along briskly, but not too quickly that it leaves you behind. Secondly, Sophie Pera, the instructor for this level, is, like Sonia, a very effective instructor, and her air time for each lesson has approximately doubled over the previous two levels (about 13-15 minutes per lesson). Both of these improvements should go a long way toward maintaining student interest.
I should mention that my personal method for learning Italian is to tackle multiple software packages at once, which helps keep up my interest level. Having said that, I consider Fluenz as the "anchor" for my study efforts.
I've only examined the software for about an hour tonight, so as I start the lessons in a few weeks after completing level 2, I'll refine my review. But at this point, I can say Well Done to the Fluenz team, and I would strongly recommend this software package for anyone wanting to learn Italian.
9 of 9 people found the following review helpful
I have tried to learn Italian for years, and just couldn't find a language program that presented the material in a way that I could easily follow and retain. Fluenz changed all that. I'm working on level 3 now, but when we were in Italy this past spring I had only completed level 2. I could communicate the essentials in a way that allowed me to be understood, and could understand the essentials when communicated to me! I was excited about the release of level 3 this summer, and I recommend the Fluenz Italian program with rave reviews to anyone who askes me, "How did you learn to speak Italian?"
6 of 6 people found the following review helpful
I have used Rosetta stone Totale to try an learn Italian up to level 4. I found it frustrating that I had to try and figure out sentence structure and contractions by myself. It seemed the only way to learn them was to memorize. After struggling with trying to put sentences together, I began to look for an alternative. I came across Fluenz and thought that the way it was structured made sense. I have done 9 lesson thus far, and I understand more about how the Italian language (which is quite beautiful) works than after 4 complete levels with RS. It is a superior method of study for technical minded people (I'm a physician) and I find myself able to create simple sentences much more easily in just a few lesson. If you are a professional who likes to understand how things work, I believe this is a superior method of learning Italian compared to Rosetta stone. I enjoy the tutorials (Sonia Gil, the founder, is engaging and entertaining) and I am getting a lot out of the way the "workouts' (drills) are structured. To me, this is the way to go, and it's quite a bit less expensive.
Most Recent Customer Reviews
Wanted & expected to really like it -- but 'twas not to be...
Since I believe this to be a product with potential that many people will like, I have given this three stars even though I really disliked it myself and would rate it one star as... Read more
Published 13 days ago by Thomas Suarez
Excellent Product
I work with three native Italian speakers at my office, and frequently visit Italy for work. Since I have started this program 10 days ago, all three of them are impressed with my... Read more
Published 1 month ago by Vroc
We returned Rosetta Stone for FLUENZ!
I home school my two boys. We purchased Rosetta Stone and after the first month it was returned. HATED it for several reasons, the boys said it was to "babyish" and I agree. Read more
Published 2 months ago by J. Williams
The best
I have tried a couple of other Italian language programs- Rosetta Stone and Tell Me More Instant Immersion. This is by far the best program for beginners. Read more
Published 2 months ago by Katherine A. Pendergast
Best of the Best!!!
I've used many courses in my quest to learn Italian over the years & I've struggled with all of them. Read more
Published 3 months ago by C. Johnson
Amazing product and Amazing Service
I originally bought the Fluenz Spanish program and was very happy with how fast I was speaking the language.
Prior to Fluenz I spent 2 years using Rosetta Stone. Read more
Prior to Fluenz I spent 2 years using Rosetta Stone. Read more
Published 3 months ago by Repeat Customer
Fluenz for Family and Friends!
Like so many, I took French in High School - taught by a Scottish substitute that became permanent when the regular teacher retired. Read more
Published 3 months ago by Phillip
Thanks Fluenz!
Fluenz is very effective for me, far more so than the other leading language program I tried. The Fluenz program is well paced, allows you to repeat a section easily if you don't... Read more
Published 5 months ago by Paul Meeker
Excellent product
Fluenz offers an exceptional product. The Fluenz team specializes in teaching languages to English speakers and emphasis is placed on real life situations, such as travel to... Read more
Published 6 months ago by Kenney
Outstanding!
I LOVE this company! Their material is engaging, interesting, useful and FUN.
This is much more effective than any other language program I've taken.
Buy it now! Read more
This is much more effective than any other language program I've taken.
Buy it now! Read more
Published 10 months ago by Allison Davis
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