Rosetta Stone Version 3 or Homeschool?

[Moira in MA]

Has anyone purchased or at least seen the new version 3 of Rosetta Stone? Is it sufficiently better to forgo the scheduling benefits of the homeschool version?

I'm trying to decide whether to get that or the homeschool edition which uses the version 2 software.

Background: I have homeschool Spanish but will be moving to German next year.

Thanks for any insights.

[Susan M in WA]

But I was wondering the same thing. I am interested in Italian. We have used the Rosetta Stone through the library, but that will be ending soon and my dd likes the Rosetta Stone format.

If there are significant advantages to the newer version, I would hate to miss them in favor of a scheduling program, but I can't tell from the website if there are lots of significant changes.

[Beth in SW WA]

Slight hijack here....

How many credits do you assign for RS? Thanks!

[Michelle in MO]

Has anyone purchased or at least seen the new version 3 of Rosetta Stone? Is it sufficiently better to forgo the scheduling benefits of the homeschool version?

I'm trying to decide whether to get that or the homeschool edition which uses the version 2 software.

Background: I have homeschool Spanish but will be moving to German next year.

Thanks for any insights.

heard about or considered the German Online course at Oklahoma State University? I've heard/read of several on these boards being very happy with that course and with the instructor.

I had thought about this course with my older two girls, but they're not interested in German. However, I've read some very good comments about it. The only downside with an online course is that it's less flexible with your schedule. I had considered doing some of the Apologia science courses through The Potter's School about a year ago, and even though I know they're supposed to be top-notch, I also know we couldn't keep pace with them. My girls need more time with some of the modules.

Anyway, just a suggestion! In case you're interested, here's a link to that course:

http://germanonline.okstate.edu/

Hope this helps! :)

[Moira in MA]

The website is singularly uninformative, isn't it?

I may just have to breakdown and go to the mall to see it, there are a couple that have Rosetta Stone direct sales fairly close to me.

As for the credit question, Beth, I do not give any credit for Rosetta Stone. It is part of my dd's foreign language studies -- similar to the time I spent in the language lab when I took French in high school -- but the credit is for the whole package. We use parts of Breaking the Barrier, several easy readers and Spanish conversation to earn a credit.

HTH

[Moira in MA]

Michelle, thanks for posting.

I'm planning to use the Oklahoma State University courses plus the Rosetta Stone German. This way they get lots of language lab practise.

Regarding flexibility of the program, it is self-paced. You start when you want and go as fast as you want. The offices are staffed over the summer and they offer a discount for two homeschool students in the same family.

[Michelle in MO]

you're already familiar with their German program!

I don't know if I'd offer a credit for Rosetta Stone, either. It seems like RS might be a very good language program for 7th-8th grade. I'm not sure how grammar-intensive it is, though. German isn't as difficult as Latin, but it has still retained four out of the five noun cases (nom., gen., acc., dat.) and should be studied in conjunction with a solid grammar program.

It sounds like you have a good plan already, Moira!

:)

[Colleen in NS]

Has anyone purchased or at least seen the new version 3 of Rosetta Stone? Is it sufficiently better to forgo the scheduling benefits of the homeschool version?

I'm trying to decide whether to get that or the homeschool edition which uses the version 2 software.

Background: I have homeschool Spanish but will be moving to German next year.

Thanks for any insights.

I called Rainbow Resource a few weeks ago with these same questions. I don't remember the woman's name with whom I spoke, but she was VERY helpful. She and others at RR were, that very day, going over the scope and sequence of the new version 3 to compare it to previous versions. I can't recall exactly what she told me, but the jist of it was that the RR people were going to have a meeting with their RS sales rep to ask numerous questions about the new version. I got the impression the RR people were NOT impressed with it at all. Now, that could have changed when they met with the sales rep and got all their questions answered, I just don't know. I just remember thinking that there was nothing better about version 3.

[Colleen in NS]

I called Rainbow Resource a few weeks ago with these same questions. I don't remember the woman's name with whom I spoke, but she was VERY helpful. She and others at RR were, that very day, going over the scope and sequence of the new version 3 to compare it to previous versions. I can't recall exactly what she told me, but the jist of it was that the RR people were going to have a meeting with their RS sales rep to ask numerous questions about the new version. I got the impression the RR people were NOT impressed with it at all. Now, that could have changed when they met with the sales rep and got all their questions answered, I just don't know. I just remember thinking that there was nothing better about version 3.

Oh, and she also told me the prices were going way up in March/April.