Tell Me More French Performance Version 9 (10 Levels) [OLD VERSION]

by Auralog

Product Features

• Extensive French software with 2,000 hours of learning
• 10 different levels; 10,000 exercises; 10 hours of video
• Speech-recognition technology; 24/7 online adviser
• Role Play activity; tests to evaluate your level and progress
• Headset and microphone included

Product Details

• Shipping Weight: 9.6 ounces
• Shipping: Currently, item can be shipped only within the U.S. and to APO/FPO addresses. For APO/FPO shipments, please check with the manufacturer regarding warranty and support issues.
• ASIN: B0011SKWCQ
• Item model number: 9-002-10
• Date first available at Amazon.com: July 2, 2004
• Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (10 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #7,232 in Software (See Top 100 in Software)
  • #46 in Software > Education & Reference > Foreign Languages > French

Product Description

From the Manufacturer

Tell Me More Performance is the most complete and extensive French software available anywhere. Become fluent in French through 10 distinct levels and utilizing exclusive online services:

• A 24/7 online adviser to answer your questions
• Comprehensive tests to evaluate your level and progress
• Weekly lessons based on a relevant news topic
• New Role Play activity

Tell Me More Performance provides language learning that is simple-to-use and increasingly effective, making learning a language fun and engaging. It’s so effective, in fact, that more than 95 percent of learners have progressed at least one level (IDC study after 50 hours of learning).

Highlights:

• 2,000 hours of French learning and 10 different levels: Tell Me More Performance is the most comprehensive method on the market, allowing you to choose from 10 distinct levels of content, from Complete Beginner to Expert.
• 10,000 exercises: Covers all the skills to learn French: speaking and listening, reading and writing, grammar, vocabulary, and culture. Learn in an interactive way with dialogues, speech recognition, and other cutting-edge software.
• The most powerful speech-recognition technology on the market: Tell Me More Performance includes the latest speech-recognition technology, giving you the most effective way of assessing your pronunciation. You will improve your French conversational skills with graphs and 3D animations, while interactive dialogues with the computer make your French learning experience fun.
• 10 hours of video: full immersion in the language and culture through cultural videos--or play the part of a character in the Role Play activity.
• A 24/7 online adviser: Need help learning how to use the software? Have questions about how the software works and want an answer right away? Our advisers are ready to help you 24 hours a day, seven days a week, and will answer your questions for free by chatting with you online.
• Real news broadcasts: Experience a new Tell Me More lesson every week online, in partnership with EuroNews. In 30 minutes you will learn about a current news topic with video, vocabulary, and grammar exercises incorporated directly into the broadcast.
• Test your progress: at any time during the course, you can take a test to evaluate your progress.

Learn on the go with Tell Me More

Continue your French learning wherever you go:

• On your Pocket PC (MPEG videos, audio files, cultural texts, etc.)
• On your MP3 player (including iPods and other MP3 devices)
• On audio CDs
• On printable vocabulary lists and grammatical explanations

Product Description

Join the Revolution in Language Learning, with the brand new TELL ME MORE® PERFORMANCE! TELL ME MORE® PERFORMANCE is a breath-through for language learning. It is the most extensive French software available, offering over 2,000 hours of dynamic French learning on 10 distinct levels ¿ as well as additional exclusive online services. TELL ME MORE® PERFORMANCE provides language learning that is simple-to-use and increasingly effective, making learning French fun and engaging. It¿s so effective, in fact, that more than 95% of learners have progressed at least one level!* *IDC Study ¿ after 50 hours of learning An Internationally Renowned Solution Used by more than 10,000 academic institutions worldwide. Chosen by thousands of international organizations for their training programs, including the U.S. Government, Toyota, EDS¿Currently supports more than 5 million learners worldwide 2,000 hours of French learning and 10 different levels Covers all the skills to learn French: speaking, listening, reading, writing, grammar, vocabulary, and culture. The most powerful speech recognition technology on the market TELL ME MORE® PERFORMANCE includes the latest speech recognition technology, giving you the most effective way of assessing your pronunciation. A 24/7 online adviser Our advisers are ready to help you 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. Real News Broadcasts Experience a new TELL ME MORE® lesson every week online, in partnership with EuroNews®. Test your progress At any time during the course, you can take a test to evaluate your progress. Learn on the go with TELL ME MORE® Continue your French learning wherever you go: on your Pocket PC, MP3 player, audio CDs, printable vocabulary lists and grammatical explanations Progress Guaranteed TELL ME MORE® guarantees your progress, as long as you work at least 50 hours on the program. The terms and conditions relating to this guarantee are included in the software package.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

13 of 14 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars I'm actually learning!!! (startup sucks though), March 21, 2009

By 

Mthexuma "Mthexuma" (Long Island, New York) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Tell Me More French Performance Version 9 (10 Levels) [OLD VERSION] (DVD-ROM)

This software is really amazing. I love the way it helps with the pronunciation. I just got it and have spent the past 3 hours on it and it light years ahead of any other software I tried.

Although pricey, I do find it worthwhile. The only reason I didn't give it 5 stars is there is 2 discs and they seem like the same program. However one is just the beginning lessons and the other is everything. This messed me up big time. Also, the michrophone setup wasn't so easy and the their was no real introduction into the software, you just jump right in. However, I do like it now that everything is working well!

The software took me right where I need to be. (I have introductory french down pretty well.) The second CD appears to be if you have had 0 french background. That is where you would start.

12 of 14 people found the following review helpful:

2.0 out of 5 stars Tell Me More French, December 7, 2008

By 

TRex "TRex" (Florida) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Tell Me More French Performance Version 9 (10 Levels) [OLD VERSION] (DVD-ROM)

I chose this over Rosetta Stone because the RS Advanced sample looked so basic. However TMM lacks translations in many places making it hard for the complete novice. I'm familiar with French but my husband is new to it. I've tried the 1st level and there are words being thrown at you without any translation. Even with my understanding, I find this a frustrating program. There's also no translation for the EuroNews program which was also a big reason for purchasing.

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Still on the fence..., December 7, 2010

By 

D. P. D. (Omaha, Nebraska) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Tell Me More French Performance Version 9 (10 Levels) [OLD VERSION] (DVD-ROM)

I've had this for a few weeks now, and I haven't gotten too far into it. I'm going to assume that what I've seen so far is indicative of the program's overall approach.

Tell Me More uses a layout that is very interactive and mostly very well-designed, relying on repetition of concepts and a wide array of quizzes and exercises to measure and reinforce learning. From what I've seen, this approach does not include any straight-ahead instruction or lecturing of any kind whatsoever. (Whether that sentence strikes you as good or bad may tell you whether or not this software is for you.) From what I can tell, this is intentional- TMM's philosophy seems to be based on the idea that people will get bored by that sort of thing and will be more likely to continue and/or feel like they are learning if they are answering questions correctly and progressing through a given block of instruction. What this means, then, is that the user is expected to essentially absorb a given lesson's concepts/vocabulary/pronunciation, etc. through sheer repetition- mainly of bits of practical conversation.

Thus, whether or not TMM works for you may depend on your background in terms of learning languages. Have you learned another language before? Are you comfortable/confident with learning a language and/or with academics in general? Then- like me- you may find the lack of actual instruction/explanation frustrating. As a former military linguist (Chinese), I am comfortable with simply being taught, and with sometimes having to slog through some plain old memorization, etc. However, if you want to avoid that sort of thing, TMM might just be for you.

One of my specific pet peeves thus far is the lack of organized explanation of French pronunciation- for which I've actually had to use a separate website. To clarify- while using TMM, you can click on virtually any French word on the screen at any time and not only see its meaning and hear it spoken, but practice its pronunciation yourself. TMM comes with a headset/mic combo; and the speech recognition feature used to help users improve their pronunciation generally works very well. However, with this level of detail and interactivity, I am a bit surprised and disappointed that there is not simply a comprehensive list somewhere of French letters and syllables and how they're generally pronounced. I want to be able to pronounce French the right way, which is not easy- and maybe that will come with time if I simply continue to use the software. But, right now, I'm a bit frustrated when it feels like I am simply parroting back the words without knowing why, for example, the letter "e" is pronounced a certain way here but another way in another context. TMM does not explain these rules (or hasn't yet, anyway). Again, this may just come down to TMM's intentional approach- they probably didn't want to bog down users with a whole beginning section on correct pronunciation, instead jumping right into a conversation. For my part, though, I wouldn't have minded a detailed explanation on pronunciation- if not actually as the first lesson or block of instruction, then at least as an available supplement or something.

Other negatives: although it's usually fine (and a wonderful feature to have), the speech recognition is occasionally inconsistent and glitchy. There have even been one or two instances where I couldn't advance to the next section (without going back to the home page and then skipping ahead, anyway) because the software didn't recognize what I was saying. Also, the instructions for a given page/exercise are sometimes not completely clear. My biggest gripe though, as I said, is the total lack of actual explanation/instruction of concepts, etc. I understand the value of repetitive exercises and of working the concepts into a practical, interesting context; and I understand not wanting users to feel bogged down or lectured at, etc. But I think removing all straight-ahead teaching full-stop may be a step too far in the other direction.

What it comes down to, then, is that TMM seems to be language learning software for people who aren't- or don't consider themselves- language learners. Is TMM enjoyable and well-designed? Definitely. But I think the seemingly exclusive focus on practical, conversational exercises at the expense of any actual instruction whatsoever may make ultimately make this software more fun than effective in the long run.