You want to learn Italian and have decided to go the language software route. The criteria for finding the best language software varies from person to person. Some folks just want the most feature-packed program that they can use till their advanced stage, regardless of price. Others just want a low-cost starter program that they can use to get to an intermediate level. Regardless of what you’re looking for, here are some of your options.
Rocket Italian
Billed as an Italian-learning package that makes lessons “fun,” the system is intentionally designed to engage and entertain students while taking in their daily dose of language training. It can be ordered as 20 physical CDs or instant download (well, as “instant” as downloading 20 CDs can get, anyway).
Rocket Italian’s main content consists of 33 interactive audio lessons that last around 25 minutes each, around which a whole host of extra features are included. These extras include voice comparisons, vocabulary practice, listening comprehension tests, interactive conversation practice, culture lessons, language games and practice exercises. The software integrates progress tracking, so you can see exactly how well you’re improving.
One of my favorite parts of the software is the way it “chunks” Italian conversations, breaking it into easily-recognizable parts that makes it easy to follow and remember. The voice mapping, which lets you record and compare your own speaking to the correct pronunciation, is also very helpful, especially if you want to learn words right the first time.
Rosetta Stone Italian Level 1
Just like the rest of the Rosetta Stone series, their Italian course adopts dynamic immersion, which simulates the immersive learning you’ll go through when you live in the country, learning directly from experience. As you can probably guess, this is far from the traditional instruction that you’ll get from regular structured lessons. If you prefer classroom-style lessons, this isn’t the software for you.
Those, on the other hand, who aren’t big fans of traditional language lessons will probably find this unusual style of training refreshing. I, for one, found it invigorating, especially since you spend most of the time speaking instead of merely listening. If you can get into the style of teaching it embraces, Rosetta Stone will probably get you speaking Italian faster than other programs out there. Oh, and the support for mobile phone doesn’t hurt either.
Transparent Italian Complete
The Complete Edition of this package includes Premium Edition (speaking and writing skills), Byki Deluxe (vocabulary builder) and Lingua Match (a visual-based game-type language learning system). As you can tell, that’s a whole lot of material in a single package, giving you plenty to sink your teeth into.
For the most part, I think this is an excellent software for taking the leap from beginner to intermediate, especially if you’re interested in developing the different areas of language facility (reading, writing, speaking and listening). You can also use the modules independently, such as focusing strictly on Byki if you only want to build up your vocabulary. Features include a progress tracker, built-in and downloadable flashcards, quizzes and practice tests, and plenty of useful word tools.
TeachMe! Italian
One of the most affordable courses out there, TeachMe! Italian offers a solid toolset to learn the basics of the language. Its whole premise is based on two goals: build you a vocabulary of 2,000 words minimum and teach you the rules of Italian grammar. The lessons are mostly traditional and classroom-style, though — no conversation practice, no voice comparisons and no culture lessons. Extra features like progress tracking and vocabulary retention measurements add a nice touch, although a little more, such as MP3 modules could have rounded it up better. Make sure you figure out a way to integrate conversation practice into your language training, though. Since the software doesn’t cover it, you’ll need to make up the difference on your end.
Instant Immersion Italian
While it’s called “instant immersion,” I actually found Rosetta Stone’s approach a lot closer to real immersion. That doesn’t mean it’s bad — in fact, this is probably one of the most effective Italian programs I’ve heard. The focus in Instant Immersion is to teach you significant words and phrases using a variety of approaches, including audio, video, images and more. The speech recognition feature is probably one of the best I’ve tried, allowing you to practice accent and pronunciation in an accurate manner. While this program bundles plenty of tools, the speech recognition plus voice playback is probably the one most users will find extremely rewarding.
If you like to learn the rules of grammar, this isn’t for you. The software, pretty much, glosses over the mechanics, choosing to focus on teaching you the words and phrases correctly, rather than explaining the grammar rules step by step.
Berlitz Italian Premier
Right out of the gate, one of the best features of Berlitz is the mobile support — you can literally get your lessons whether on a computer at home or on a smartphone during travel. We also love the total immersion approach, which has you using nothing but Italian during lessons. That way, you’re forced to think in the target language, rather than switching back and forth with your native tongue.
In Berlitz, most of the activities focus primarily on one thing: building your vocabulary. As such, it’s able to go at a fast pace, provided you can keep up. Useful features include speech recognition, practice videos, dialog transcripts, word lookups and more. The one thing I’m missing is progress tracking — there’s none integrated, so you’re left to your own devices when it comes to evaluating your progress.
Choosing A Language Software
This is merely an introduction to some of the most popular language learning programs out there. Chances are, you’ll need to visit the websites for each of the above individually if you really want to get a complete picture of what they have to offer.
As you can probably tell by our short reviews, each one of these titles bring something positive to the table. It’s up to you match those advantages up with your language goals, schedule and personal strengths.
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