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May 2008, Week 5

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From:
LLTI-Editor <[log in to unmask]>
Reply To:
Language Learning and Technology International Information Forum <[log in to unmask]>
Date:
Thu, 29 May 2008 14:15:58 -0400
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--- Forwarded Message from "Tina Deveny Oestreich" <[log in to unmask]> ---

>From: "Tina Deveny Oestreich" <[log in to unmask]>
>To: "'Language Learning and Technology International Information Forum'"   
<[log in to unmask]>
>References: <[log in to unmask]>
>In-Reply-To: <[log in to unmask]>
>Subject: RE: #8854.4 (!) Rosetta Stone / Pimsleur
>Date: Wed, 28 May 2008 14:21:53 -0400
>Thread-Index: AcjA7oShw6W8X4VvTnShBqh1YpfmbQAAI6xA

Dear Bob,

Thank you for the software review site! I understand what you're saying
about the limitations of self-paced software not used in conjunction with an
instructor. 

I have compiled links for ESL learning that I give to students, but I have
been charged with finding a software package for international students to
use within our lab. Like you, we don't have a lot of money to spend on
software, so this is a difficult decision. 

For the others who have written on this topic, I have found out that neither
RosettaStone or Tell Me More offer an off the shelf page for labs that can
be checked out from the front desk. (RosettaStone did at one time, but have
apparently stopped.) Since I don't have the money to buy a networked
solution, it seems that Pimsleur might be the only choice...if any of you
know of anything else, please let me know!

Thank you,
Tina 

-----Original Message-----
From: Language Learning and Technology International Information Forum
[mailto:[log in to unmask]] On Behalf Of LLTI-Editor
Sent: Wednesday, May 28, 2008 2:12 PM
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: Re: #8854.4 (!) Rosetta Stone / Pimsleur

--- Forwarded Message from "Bob Peckham" <[log in to unmask]> ---

>Subject: RE: #8854.3 Rosetta Stone / Pimsleur
>Date: Tue, 27 May 2008 13:39:07 -0500
>Thread-Topic: #8854.3 Rosetta Stone / Pimsleur
>thread-index: AcjAInl54f3aSLfXTiecHJHVb96KcwABITA1
>References: A<[log in to unmask]>
>From: "Bob Peckham" <[log in to unmask]>
>To: "Language Learning and Technology International Information Forum"   
<[log in to unmask]>

You will find many software reviews through the Glob-Gate Project site:

Foreign-Language Software & Web Central
http://webpages.charter.net/tbob/softwrev.html

Please suffer old-bearded teacher philosophy about all of today's digital
learning resources. In order to make any of the materials you choose work,
they
have to directly support, enhance or extend what the teacher is doing in
class
and what students are expected to show when they are tested. This does not
mean
that they must contain testing materials, but rather that students have some
confidence of their tutorial function. It means that lab directors must work
these things out with teachers, lab committees and or department chairs.

At UTMartin, where every department will be cutting back at least 7.5% this
year, we have never had much money for software, in the 

Muriel Tomlinson Language Resource Center
http://www.utm.edu/staff/globeg/lab.shtml

we are trying to create something that will serve our students in the
context of
the goals and objectives set for them by their teachers, and serve teachers
by
assuring that students will be able to use some targeted resources without
going
all over the net to find them.  I have complete, but will soon renovate

French Learning Objects
http://www.utm.edu/staff/globeg/dmlearnfr.html

and I am working to complete

Spanish Learning Objects
http://www.utm.edu/staff/globeg/lobjectsp.shtml

Though Spanish is my 2nd foreign language, I took my last course 40 years
ago.
Fortunately, I have colleagues in Spanish who will help me.

We do teach German, Japanese and some Portuguese. I will do what I can for
them
also. The Japanese teacher is working on her own web tutorial, and I will
see if
I can set something up with the German teacher. My German is weak.

We only teach Portuguese, when one of our French teachers (native Brazilian)
has
free space in her schedule and we are able to get enough fairly fluent
Spanish
speakers together for a very intensive Portuguese as 3rd language course.

TBob

Robert D. Peckham, Ph.D
Professor of French
Chair, AATF Commission on Advocacy
Director, Muriel Tomlinson Language Resource Center
Director, Globe-Gate Intercultural Web Project
Director, Andy Holt Virtual Library
Department of Modern Foreign Languages
Univ. of Tennessee at Martin / Martin TN 38238 
Email: [log in to unmask]



-----Original Message-----
From: Language Learning and Technology International Information Forum on
behalf
of LLTI-Editor
Sent: Tue 5/27/2008 12:52 PM
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: #8854.3 Rosetta Stone / Pimsleur
 
Hi all,

 

Our lab invested in the Pimsleur audio books for many languages before I
started my position. We would now like to buy some stand alone programs for
ESL. I don't think that I could personally use the Pimsleur because I am a
visual learner.  I'm considering RosettaStone as an alternative. I would
like to get a demo of RosettaStone before we buy it, but the sales people
haven't contacted me yet. (The brief demo on their web site isn't enough for
me.)

 

Also, one of my coworkers told me that my predecessor was interested in
RosettaStone, but he didn't buy it because they wanted him to buy more than
one copy per language. If you're using RosettaStone, can you please tell me
how you and your patrons like it? Also, can you tell me how you are
delivering it to the students (e.g., you have one copy that you check out,
you have the Internet service, etc.) 

 

Finally, if you have experience with both Pimsleur and RosettaStone, can you
help me to compare them? I understand that Pimsleur is audio only and
RosettaStone is a complete package, but I'm wondering if the Pimsleur helps
people gain conversational fluency faster - is better with helping with
pronunciation, etc. Since I'm considering something for international
students, these would of course be people who have some level of fluency
already and just need to build on their existing skills.

 

Thank you!

Tina

 

Tina Deveny Oestreich

Language Learning Manager

The Freedman Center in Kelvin Smith Library

Case Western Reserve University

11055 Euclid Avenue

Cleveland, OH 44106

(216) 368-5283
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