NationStates Jolt Archive

I'm trying to learn to speak Swedish and since there's not a single place in this city that has Swedish courses, I figured I'd get some computer program to help me learn, but before I go spend tons of money on this stuff, I'd like to know what my options are, and what the oppinions are of people who have used them. The two ones I know of are Rosetta Stone and Transparent. So, for those who have used those ones, or any other ones that offer Swedish, what did you think? Give lots of details!

Thanks

I have known two people, one learning French and the other German. Both said Rosetta stone was helpful to them. I can't give details Since I haven't used it myself.

Also check your local library for free resources.

I'm trying to learn to speak Swedish and since there's not a single place in this city that has Swedish courses, I figured I'd get some computer program to help me learn, but before I go spend tons of money on this stuff, I'd like to know what my options are, and what the oppinions are of people who have used them. The two ones I know of are Rosetta Stone and Transparent. So, for those who have used those ones, or any other ones that offer Swedish, what did you think? Give lots of details!

Thanks


Wow....this is scary....you have like my same mindset...I was looking for Swedish-teaching software not too long ago. Oh well, god lycka som finner den :D

Programs for learning languages usually suck. I've never come across one that didn't offer something that a book and a course didn't.

By the by, you should reconsider learning Swedish. It's not a very useful language.

Pimsleur produces some good software for conversational language acquisition, the way you learn as a child. They are a series of audio files. There is no video though so you won't learn to read or write with it.

I question the ability of help computer software can bring to the learning of language. Aren't foreign language learning software meant to be cheap (budget software)?

Sure, if you consider $195 US to be cheap.
As far as books and lessons are concerned, as I've said, there's nowhere around here that I can take lessons, and a book alone won't do much. I guess I'll just try Rosetta Stone, but thanks for the help anyway.