Review by Cathy Stucker

I had tried to learn Japanese several years ago by listening to audio tapes and then by taking a class, and found it very difficult. Rosetta Stone looked like they might have a better answer, so I gave them a try.

First of all, installation was a snap. I installed RS on a Mac running OS X Leopard, and had no problem at all. It takes a long time, though, so be prepared to wait or even walk away from the computer for a while during installation. I decided to try using the Mac’s built-in mic instead of the headset provided with the software, and found that it worked well. Of course, this would not be a good idea if there is a lot of noise near your computer. You may have trouble hearing the lessons, and RS would probably not do well judging your pronunciation.

You have a choice of how the Japanese words will display on your screen. If you are primarily interested in learning spoken Japanese, you might choose to have the text display using characters from the English alphabet, as that could help you to more easily recognize and pronounce the phrases.

Japanese is, obviously, very different from English, and I was unsure how well I could follow even the basic lessons. Turns out, it was simple due to the repetition built in to the Rosetta Stone system. The first time I heard a word or phrase it didn’t necessarily stick with me, but by the end of the lesson it had sunk in. That has turned out to be key in helping me to learn this unfamiliar language.

Although each phrase is repeated several times, it wasn’t boring. The phrases are mixed up a bit each time, and by paying attention and working through the lesson you start to understand a little more each time you use the software.

One thing that makes a difference in how much I retain is working the lessons consistently. Do not expect that you will spend a few minutes once or twice a week and really learn the language. Plan on spending time nearly every day, and the more time you can spare, the better. Half an hour or more a day would be ideal.

Although everyone has a different learning style, I believe that Rosetta Stone can work for many people who are comfortable with independent learning. It is certainly much better than audio-only, and allows you to learn and practice on your own schedule, unlike a class.