Level of Fluency expect with Rosetta Stone

[ocrtech]

I have acquired the three levels of Rosetta Stone and have worked through the first and started the second. I am curious what level of spoken fluency would be expected once all 3 levels are completed if I don't suplement my studies with any other material.

[kdavid]

I started using the first level, but found its approach incompatible with my learning style. Good to hear that it's working for you.

As it focuses mostly on training listening and vocabulary, I'd assume your passive (receptive) skills might be at a semi-solid beginner level once you finish level three.

The "speaking" portion of the software, unless they've revamped it since I bought it in '06, seemed quite useless. The whole "match your tone of voice with the computer's" isn't a good tool, IMHO.

If you're not supplementing the software with spoken practice with a real person, I'd say you'd probably have a beginner(?) level of speaking after level three.

Pimsleur is much more geared toward getting you speaking right from the start. If you're a visual learner, you might find it useful to locate the transcript and read along with the lessons. However, just like RS, after you finish level three (90 lessons, 45 hours), you're still only going to be at the beginner level.

[ocrtech]

I actually started with an imersion class at my local college. The teacher spoke very little English so all instruction was strictly in Chinese. I gave up after two weeks. It wasn't so much the fire hose technique but my inability to ask any questions about anything and of course understand the response.

I find RS is matching well with my learning style. At my current pace I figure I will be done with the three levels by this coming summer. I then have plans to vacation in China for a month or so. I was hoping that completing the 3 levels will get me to the point where I can communicate at a basic level to get around.

[renzhe]

That's what, 9 months for finishing?

I think that you can accomplish a lot in 9 months, but I'm not sure that Rosetta Stone alone will take you very far. I haven't used Rosetta Stone for very long, only saw demonstrations of it, but it didn't seem like something that will take you to an intermediate level. I have done Pimsleur, and the 3 months of that will take you to a low beginner level at best.

I'd recommend supplementing your learning with other methods. For Chinese, you need to be a bit more hardcore. If you're into audio input, you can look at many podcasts out there (ChinesePod is still free at newbie and beginner levels), and you can look into getting a beginner-level textbook.

I believe in using any resource that helps you learn, but I'm highly skeptical of a single software or tape collection that claims to teach you the language just by following it, at least for Chinese. My suggestion is to not sell yourself short, and to supplement these methods with other, more traditional stuff.

Finishing Rosetta Stone will most likely not get you to a conversational level alone.

[Christina99]

Hi, I think you may need more chances to practice, talk to natve speaker, find more opportunities to open you mouth.

Edited October 29, 2008 at 02:23 PM by Christina99

[ocrtech]

Renzhe,

The audio component of RS is pretty good. They use various speakers and speeds to read the same phrases. There is approximately 40 hours of audio per level.

What I do find that I am missing is the ability to pick up the little words. As funny as it sounds, for the longest time I though "zhè ge" meant "the". I also didn't understand that "de" is used to show possession, etc. There are lots of other little examples like that which I only resolved when I started using a dictionary as a part of the course.

I like the idea of picking up a textbook to use to supplement RS. I have an old copy of Begining Chinese by "DeFrancis". On the surface it appears that the vocabulary seems to fit nicely with how RS is teaching. I think I will give that a shot.

Christina,

This idea of speaking to a real person in Chinese is currently a swticking point for me. I was getting off a flight today and realized that I couldn't even construct a simple sentence like "that is my jacket" in Chinese. I suspect at this point in my studies I could get out one or two things and then wouldn't be able to say anything else. I wonder at what point it makes sense to get out there and really try to start communicating without it becoming so frustrating that it becomes demoralizing.