Anyone used Rosetta Stone? Is the Homeschool edition better value?

[sorky]

Ds1 wants to learn Spanish.
We can't afford to go to Spain to immerse him in the language there unfortunately, but we will make trips as he learns the language here.

I've heard lots of good things about Rosetta Stone and I'm willing to spend the cash, but wanted to know if anyone has any experiences with it first.
Also there is a homeschool edition and I can't really understand the difference. If I buy the homeschool edition will it be usable with my 3 other children or is it specific to one child only?

TIA

hi sorky

we have it for welsh, it is very very good and my kids can use it (6 and 4).

One problem we do have: the interface is a bit rubbish, and we can't save where we are. There is no option to create multiple accounts. HOWEVER I think they have updated some of their language packs to allow for multiple accounts, etc. Welsh hasn't been updated, but Spanish is quite a bit more popular than Welsh so I expect it has been updated.

Also, ethically, as a company I have heard bad things about them, mass emails threatening to use intellectual property law to close down tiny companies (including those run by HErs!) with the audacity to also offer (quite different, and not obviously infringing) computer based language learning, that sort of thing.

I think it is way better than anything else though, apart from a tutor.

how does Rosetta Stone work?

Hi all I am interested in Rosetta Stone too

Filly - Im being a bit slow here, what do you mean by "the interface is a bit rubbish, and we can't save where we are"

My los were in school until july so they are ok at welsh, ds especially- Im not sure whether to pursue learning welsh with them or not (especially as its a high probability that ds wont live and work in wales as an adult)
Im gutted that because their school was so hopeless their opportunity to be fluent in welsh is ruined - arghhhhhhhhh!

BBC online is very good for welsh language learning - there may be other online resources for language learning, worth a look

oh I just mean its a bit of a pita to find where you were, you can't save where you are, etc etc. not user friendly.

zzzen look on their site, there is a good demo.

(liw, are you in wales too? (not, say, minnesota or south dakota -my kids are absolute little house nuts))

oh just to add, i like rosetta stone, against my better judgement , because it is so well designed. You are put in a situation where you HAVE to understand, but also where you are not relying on much memory work. You use the information almost right away, so it sticks. I do think it is great but they need to stop bullying small companies .

Yes Filly we are near you - 20 miles north of the city west of yours

I will investigate rosetta stone I think although the bbc resources online are very good and free!

Thanks Fillyjonk for that. I think we will get it for them.

Little house....that takes me back to Sunday mornings

I am collecting the DVD boxsets of little house

Thus I can fulfill my need at any time

Plus Im getting this for dds my birthday!