--- 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 *********************************************** LLTI is a service of IALLT, the International Association for Language Learning Technology (http://iallt.org/), and The Consortium for Language Teaching and Learning (http://www.languageconsortium.org/). Join IALLT at http://iallt.org. Otmar Foelsche, LLTI-Editor ([log in to unmask]) ***********************************************