Rosetta Stone Spanish Explorer (Latin America) [OLD VERSION]

by Fairfield Language Technologies

Product Details

• Product Dimensions: 9.8 x 8.2 x 2 inches
• Shipping Weight: 7.2 ounces
• Shipping: This item is also available for shipping to select countries outside the U.S.
• ASIN: B00002S9FG
• Item model number: 100-29
• Date first available at Amazon.com: September 28, 2000
• Average Customer Review: 2.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (20 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #9,200 in Software (See Top 100 in Software)
• Discontinued by manufacturer: Yes

Product Description

Amazon.com Review

It is a credit to Fairfield Language Technologies that its Spanish Explorer is one of the best examples of language-learning software--period. If you are used to the old-fashioned but lamentably persistent grammar-translation method of learning languages, Spanish Explorer may surprise you because it involves no overt instruction in grammar or lists of vocabulary with English translations. Instead, it relies on very clever contextualization of Spanish words and structures with photographs so that you never realize you're learning grammar. We literally found ourselves speaking and understanding quite a bit of basic Spanish in about an hour.

Each graduated lesson works like this: First, you learn a new word by seeing a picture of, say, a dog. You then read the Spanish word for "dog" and hear it spoken: perro. After learning a whole set of words this way, you move into self-quizzing mode, where you see just a picture of a boy and have to choose the right word, either from spoken or written cues. This emphasis on listening comprehension is fantastic and is one of the components that sets the software apart, but there are also reading and writing exercises.

So how do they cover grammar? Eventually, for instance, you'll see perro under a picture of one dog and perros under a picture of two dogs. If you are a grammar guru, you might be able to figure out that certain singular nouns end in o; plural nouns end in os. However, the beauty is you don't have to be a grammar guru at all because the software doesn't expect you to state rules like that; it expects you only to associate a picture of more than one dog with perros instead of perro. Eventually, you get into longer phrases that cover verbs, adjectives, and prepositional phrases. It's amazingly effortless, especially so for children as young as 6.

Caveats: The CD-ROM includes both Mac OS and Windows versions. Your installation will include the first-level lessons of a couple dozen other languages for free, too, so you have to know that the Spanish word for "Spanish" is Español in order to select it from the list. Also, remember that software is no replacement for Spanish-speaking people, so take what you learn and use it in the world! --Erik Macki

Amazon.com Product Description

Unlike language learning programs that rely on text translation, The Rosetta Stone uses carefully selected pictures to clearly convey the meaning of each new spoken phrase. By invoking the mind's inherent ability to connect sound and meaning, learning occurs naturally and easily, the way you learned your first language as a child. With each new concept, your comprehension is verified with instantaneous feedback, confirming your progress. The program systematically integrates new vocabulary with new grammar in a natural, intuitive process as it builds on what you have mastered in the previous chapters. There is no other program that teaches and gives the feeling of success like The Rosetta Stone. (Ages 6 and older)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

305 of 307 people found the following review helpful:

2.0 out of 5 stars Excellent approach but Misleading Scope, April 18, 2001

By 

Ben Jobes (Ithaca, NY United States) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Rosetta Stone Spanish Explorer (Latin America) [OLD VERSION] (CD-ROM)

I want to give this product 5 stars for approach, and 1 star for scope and fair product representation. Please read the entire review.

This is probably the best approach I've encountered for language instruction. The organization of material is quite clever. After you learn a set of related words, these words are then used as reference points to help you learn the next set of words. The process is quite enjoyable and amazingly effective. You start with the most basic types of words... boy/girl/man/woman, primary colors, shapes, types of clothing, etc., expressed as simple phrases. You then work up to some full sentences.

BUT....

Here's the catch: The "Explorer" CD only contains the first 2 lessons from the company's 8-lesson Spanish Level I package (which you would have to buy separately). To complete the company's full Spanish program (and to reach material necessary for meaningful adult conversation), you would also need to buy the 8-lesson Level II package. If you decided to buy the entire 16-lesson "real" offering from the company's own web site, you would have to pay more per lesson than the Amazon price for this 2-lesson "loss-leader" product.

The Amazon review and product description are quite misleading. Through this purchase, alone, you will only be able to learn a subset of a 4-year-old's vocabulary and grammar.

59 of 59 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Useful Introduction to the Full Course, May 29, 2004

By 

Rob Hillman (Irvine, CA USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Rosetta Stone Spanish Explorer (Latin America) [OLD VERSION] (CD-ROM)

I've used The Rosetta Stone for a few years, now, quite successfully. From my experiences as a Language Acquisition Tutor, and 11+ year Language Learner, I've found that students who have struggled immensely in the past, whether in classes or on their own, find much success with The Rosetta Stone.

As far as grammar goes, it's true, The Rosetta Stone doesn't teach much. But that's the point! Grammar is one of the hardest aspects of a language for most people, and when you think about it, you were fluent in your native language before you even set foot in a school, or knew what a "transitive verb" was.

The Rosetta Stone teaches language, to paraphrase their ad copy, like you learned your first language. By the time you finish a Level I course, you'll be able to understand a good portion of what native speakers are talking about, whether it be in casual conversation, a radio program, or a movie.

I'd recommend not buying the Explorer course, but going to http://www.NetLLR.com/rosetta-stone.html to read more about the courses, then going to the Rosetta Stone website and trying the free Online Demo to see if it's right for you. If it is, don't throw away your money on the Explorer course, but instead get a Level I, or I & II course. You'll learn far more, and spend less money over time.

In conclusion, Rosetta Stone is perfect for almost anyone wanting to learn a language well, and participate in the daily happenings of the culture surrounding that language.

---
Rob Hillman is an 11 year Language Veteran, and has spent the last two and a half years teaching Language Acquisition Techniques privately. He is also the Founder and Site Administrator for www.Learn-A-Lang.com , a website that is currently taking pre-registrations for a new Language Book, and will soon be the home of reviews of Language Courses, tips, tricks, and help for learning a language.

55 of 55 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Simply Fabulous!, May 14, 2000

By 

Tito Rodriguez (Seattle, WA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Rosetta Stone Spanish Explorer (Latin America) [OLD VERSION] (CD-ROM)

Though I've bought many things from Amazon, I've never been moved to write a review. Until now. This product is wonderful. I'm using it in conjunction with a Spanish class at my local community college, but it would work equally well as a stand alone way to start learning Spanish. You practice all skills: reading, writing, speaking, listening, but this program makes it feel like a game. The Rosetta Stone is like having a built-in study partner available at your beckon call. Studying has never been so much fun.