Customer Reviews

Rosetta Stone V3: Irish Level 1-3 Set with Audio Companion [OLD VERSION]

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I've always wanted to learn Gaelic. I have a daily calendar, grammar book, cd's, etc.
After 2 hours on Rosetta, I can read the calendar, understand the book and understand the cd's. I remember the words that never stuck before, no matter how diligent I worked at it.
If you want to learn a language, get Rosetta. Their format simply puts it in your brain.

I was nervous in trying this out, but I really want to learn the language, and since Rosetta Stone is supposed to be the best, I gave it a shot. I was shocked when I went through just the first few small lessons how much information I had retained the next day. What is the most difficult to get past is if you ever took a language in school, the way it is taught is much different. I am still on the very beginning lessons, repeating them numerous times, and still wonder, "when am I going to learn past tense, sentence structure, etc?" Because in school, that is stressed before you learn anything else. What helped me relieve the anxiety over this was realizing Rosetta Stone is structured in a way how we learn as babies to start talking. By seeing just a picture, you know what that is. Sentence structure, and more difficult concepts come later, but you have to grasp the basics first. With no English to help you in the program, it can seem scary. But think about it, when you were a child, you learned the word "ball" by being shown a ball. Your first words associated with it weren't, "I want a ball." You just say, "ball." Just repeat lessons as much as you have to, and take your time, and take written notes. When we were babies, hearing adults talking probably sounded like a foreign language also : )
My only other suggestion, is if you are like me, I find it hard to find time to actually sit down and commit to doing a lesson at times. The audio companion comes in handy this way. I downloaded the first CD onto my IPOD and that is what I listen to on the way to work. It can seem redundant at times, but your brain will start to process and remember. It will take me a long time to confidently finish the first CD and move onto to the 2nd level, and I'm sure even when I move on to the second level, I will continue to go back to the first, but I look forward to it. Buying a translation dictionary is very helpful too, if you get stuck. When being asked to compare sentences, again I stressed over "are they saying 'that' or 'this?'" The dictionary was very helpful in getting past issues like these. Good luck!

I've been trying to teach myself Irish for a couple of years. I've used several different programs. I find Rosetta Stone the easiest with its multi-sensory approach. I learn best when I can both hear and read the language. I retain it better when I have to type in Irish. If one has the time, motivation and money, I recommend Rosetta Stone Irish Level 1, 2, & 3 set with Audio Companion.

I PURCHASED THIS ITEM FROM AMAZON.COM AS A GIFT FOR MY DAUGHTER WHO IS INTERESTED IN LEARNING THE IRISH LANGUAGE. SHE LOVES IT.