Customer Reviews

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

5 star:		(6)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

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.

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.

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.

This is the best program I have ever encountered in a self-taught language course. Very well thought-out, exceptional design mimicking what it is like to be immersed in a foreign language. I am a complete beginner, yet I appreciate the fact that it is all in french with a steep learning curve from the start. The whole point of this program is to instantly force the user to listen and try to understand French even if it is only a few words in the beginning. This is how learning a foreign language works in a natural setting. The rewards are instant as I am learning at an astounding rate without really noticing it because it is so much fun.

There is help available at every step as the user is able to peek at the English translation of every word or sentence if needed. Perfect pronunciation is also available via a native speaker at the click of a button. I love the opportunity to practice pronunciation, and this function has worked for me without any problems. The best part of this is that every time the user pronounces the word, the program records and stores it and gives it a score. This way, after a few practices we can play back our own recordings, and hear for ourselves the differences between our good and not-so-good pronunciations. The exercises are many, varied and fun... there are additional online exercises to do, and news segments to watch (these are not translated, but this is what makes them authentic and a good practice for real life). I am very impressed, learning fast and happy with this purchase. I highly recommend this product!

I live in Mexico and I wanted to speak French, but still I don't have enough time to go to a language school... after checking Fluenz, Rosetta and Tell me more programs, I decided that TMM was what I needed. So, I bought Tell Me More French v10 (out of the Tell Me More site) and I love it! Its speech recognition software is outstanding!!!! I'm amazed with all the tools that this software has.. if you want to know the meaning of a word, you just have to click on it, and among other things, you'll find its pronunciation -which you can compare with yours-, conjugation, etc... I had studied French for a couple of months, so I have certain knowledge of what I'm learning, but I think that if you don't know anything about French, it isn't gonna be that easy... The program relies on your ability to learn out of situations, and on your ability to relate what you've learned with the previous knowledge... I was afraid on spending so much money on a program that wouldn't fit my expectations (I had to pay an extra $50 USD fee because I live in Mexico), but I can't complain... I give it 5 stars, but I'll give it more if I could!!!

Now in Español...

Recientemene he adquirido TMM v10, del sitio de la compañía. Puedo decir, sin duda alguna, que la compra valió la pena. Vivo en México, y me preocupaba el gastar tanto dinero, por un programa que al final resultaría poco útil... comparé TMM, con Fluenz y Rosetta, y después de leer varias revisiones, decidí que TMM era la mejor opción... y no me equivoqué. Me sorprende la cantidad de ejercicios y herramientas que trae el programa. Lo que es más sorprendente es su herramienta de reconocimiento de voz, en la que compara tu pronunciación con la correcta, e incluso te dice qué palabra -en un enunciado- es la que más te falla!!! Habrá que decir que estudié Francés por unos meses, así que me ha resultado más fácil la introducción, pero creo que si eres totalmente nuevo, no será tan fácil... la iterfaz también viene en Español, así que ni siquiera tienes que saber hablar inglés para utilizarlo...
Sé que el sistema lo utilizan en universidades como el Tec de Monterrey y en algunas empresas, y no me extraña... definitivamente recomendable

This is probably the worst language program I have encountered. Even at the beginner level of lesson one, it appears they assume you have had three years of French study. The whole program is nothing but exercises on material you never saw or heard without explaining any of it first. While you are in the exercise, you can click on translations and some explanations, but those should be taught prior to the exercise and then available in the exercise in case you get stuck. Nothing is explained or broken down to get you started and build confidence. It is like they just throw a bunch of excercise at you and hope something sticks.

The speech recognition is nothing but a totally worthless and fake gimmick. You can speak the phrase exactly but it will show a different wave form, or tell you that it didn't understand you. Worse yet, you can add extra syllables or mispronounce words and it will tell you that you spoke them correctly.

There is some stupidity in the design too. For the word searches, I repeated them three times because that part of the program kept repeating them when I clicked the "Next" button. Most lessons will not give you the "Next" icon option if it is completed. However, here is the really stupid part. The program said if you complete a lesson, the light will turn green. Since the lesson kept giving me the "Next" button and my light was yellow, I figured I was missing something. Turns out that what they call a green light is actually a yellow light. I wasted 45 minutes repeating this lesson because of this.

You will learn much more in a free 15 minute Coffee Break French podcast lesson than you will in 5 hours of this program. Do 3 or 4 free Coffee break French Podcasts and you will have learned more than 40 hours with this horrible course. Luckily I got it from the library so it didn't cost me anything.

I have had this program for 2 months, and I am thrilled with the program. The dynamic mode forces me to work on the areas that I am weak in, and the entire program is incredibly flexible to your learning needs. I have recommended the program to friends who want to visit a foreign country and who want to read and write in a foreign language. I did extensive research before I bought this program, comparing Tell Me More, Rosetta Stone, and Fluenz, and Tell Me More seemed to be far above these other programs. So far, I am not disappointed.
It would be nice if the manual were more thorough, although the 24/7 online help nearly makes up for it. There are also a few errors in the program (backwards accents, etc.), but nothing major.

I bought this software as we were planning a trip to France and wanted to learn it before leaving. We were able to create different accounts for each family member, which was great. We all had a lot of fun doing it together as there are tons of different exercises. It is very complete and extensive. The speaking activities are very useful and I truly fell I improved my pronunciation. Learning French has been a blast with tell me more.

I am so glad I did not buy Rosetta Stone! I read and looked through many reviews on this item and so far the reviews did not lie. It is easy to use and the program makes sure you pronounce it correctly. A must have. Will purchase the Spanish as soon as I am done with the French.

I got this product for Christmas, along with the Spanish one, and I love it! It is very complete and the activities are very fun. I use it daily and fell I improved my French so much already. The ability to speak and have scores on how well you pronounced words is very good.