Learn to Speak English 8.0

by The Learning Company

Product Features

• Preassessment testing: Test your written and spoken English skills to see where you need to begin.
• Study plan: Set up a schedule and goals to match the schedule you create.
• Subject-specific topics: Choose lesson topics that match your goals and needs.
• Progress tracking: Keep track of how you're doing.

Product Details

• Shipping Weight: 1.6 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: B00001SHKP
• Item model number: LTSE3544DE
• Date first available at Amazon.com: October 24, 1999
• Average Customer Review: 3.3 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (3 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #4,242 in Software (See Top 100 in Software)
  • #16 in Software > Education & Reference > Foreign Languages > English
• Discontinued by manufacturer: Yes

Product Description

Amazon.com Review

With version 8.0, Learn to Speak English ranks as one of the first software titles to customize language learning specifically to a user's needs and skills--functionality we hope to see more of in future foreign-language packages. As with most ESL (English as a second language) programs, a key software design problem is creating a product of equal usefulness to people with first languages as diverse as Spanish, Vietnamese, or Russian, among others. Because of this tradeoff, you should have approximately one year of instruction in English or six months of living in an English-speaking country before starting with this software.

New to this version are four key features:

• Preassessment testing: Test your written and spoken English skills to see where you need to begin.
• Study plan: Set up a schedule and goals to match the schedule you create.
• Subject-specific topics: Choose lesson topics that match your goals and needs.
• Progress tracking: Keep track of how you're doing.

In addition, the Learning Company has set up a Web site for online supplementation of the product, including language study groups and a personal-tutor feature. At first perusal, the Web site shows promise, but until the site is better developed, the CD-ROM and accompanying workbook will remain the focus of your learning.

A caveat: based on the included animations, you might think Americans are all middle-class white people; we hope version 9.0 corrects this serious lack of multiculturalism. Overall, however, Learn to Speak English is one of the stronger products on the market. It makes excellent use of voice-recognition technology to create interactive exercises, and it covers vocabulary, grammar, comprehension, and written skills in a balanced way. --Erik Macki

Product Description

Learn to Speak English is your complete interactive foreign language learning solution. It offers you a complete, in-depth learning system to achieve all-around English fluency. Unique "real-world" conversation simulations and so much more!

See all Product Description

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

255 of 258 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Good - if used as a supplement., May 9, 2000

By 

Rusty Keele (Salt Lake City, UT United States) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Learn to Speak English 8.0 (CD-ROM)

Let me start off by saying that I am a native English speaker, and I am also an ESL teacher. I purchased this program so that I could use it to supplement my classes and give my students some extra practice. It has its up points and down points. Let me explain what I think of this program from a teacher's point of view. THE GOOD: 1) Like other "Learn to Speak" titles I would have to say that its strongest point is helping students learn vocabulary and pronunciation. It has some good vocabulary lists, a gauge that allows students to see how their recorded pronunciation compares to a native speaker, and wonderful simulated conversations that allow learners to practice English in a very life like manner. 2) It has several cultural movies about cities in the United States. They are very enjoyable and teach students about geography, history and U.S. culture while allowing them to practice their listening skills. 3) If students want to study something other than the lessons included on the four CDs, they can download additional lessons from the Internet. It is very easy to do, takes about ten minutes, and there are several topics to choose from. THE BAD: 1) The dictionary is good for nothing except helping students to pronounce words. Since this program is entirely in English, there is no translation for the words. It really is quite a useless dictionary! 2) You can't print anything! I thought it would be nice to print out the words and expressions so that students could take them home to practice them, but alas, you cannot. 3) The program (including instructions) is entirely in English. Don't get me wrong, there are many benefits to this, but if a student is using this for self-study I don't think they will get far before tiring of trying to understand all the English instructions. (For Spanish speakers I would suggest "Hablemos Ingles" from this same company.) 4) This program really is for lower level learners (first and second year.) My advanced students enjoyed the cultural movies, and found the simulated conversations novel, but the rest wasn't helpful to them. 5) If you already have version 7.0, then don't bother upgrading to this one. Only the simulated conversations are better. The movies and lessons seem to be the same - only organized a bit differently and in a more confusing manner. OVERALL: This is a good program if being used to supplement a current course or to give learners extra practice. I wouldn't recommend it for self-study because lower level students might have a hard time with the English instructions, and more advanced students would find it too easy. Definitely don't upgrade from version 7.0! If you are thinking about getting this program I would actually recommend that you get version 7.0 - you can find it for a much cheaper price, it is very nearly the same and it is organized better.

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Improves your pronunciation, April 7, 2005

By 

Fernando Casas Cruz "Fernando" (Costa Rica) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Learn to Speak English 8.0 (CD-ROM)

This is a very professional tool to improve your languaje skills. I love to use the voice recognition feature and the accent assesment. It really helps you to speak clearly.

Lessons are very well designed and it covers everything: pronunciation, grammar, reading, listening, vocavulary etc..

It's an excelent tool :)

10 of 17 people found the following review helpful:

1.0 out of 5 stars TWO THUMBS DOWN FOR THIS SOFTWARE, December 25, 2000

By 

Carlos (Homestead, Fl USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Learn to Speak English 8.0 (CD-ROM)

This software is designed for English speaking person only. The software installation instruction provided is not in Spanish in order for a non-native English person to properly install software. The software speaking narration is in English only and very hard to understand for non-English speaking person. The step by step lesson plan is strictly intended for an English speaking person. Over all this software was poorly design for a non-English person to acquire Basic English speech. Save your money on this one..