Computers and The Internet
Learn a New Language Using Innovative Computer Technology
By
Aug 18, 2005, 20:48

Learn a New Language Using Innovative Computer Technology
Rosetta Stone Software Lets You Study Wherever There's a Computer

(ARA) – Allen Stoltzfus and John Fairfield weren't CIA agents, but it was international intrigue that led them to develop Rosetta Stone, their successful language-learning program. In the 1980s, the two spent time as students in Germany where they learned German by being fully immersed in the language and culture. Little did they know at the time that their experiences as students would lead to the most successful language immersion software program ever.
After Stoltzfus and Fairfield returned home to the U.S., Stoltzfus set about studying Russian using conventional methods that included drills, rote memorization and translation. He found the task arduous and frustrating compared to his experience learning German. Stoltzfus and Fairfield both knew firsthand that learning a new language could actually be an exciting, satisfying and successful experience.

It was this belief that led them to use the immersion approach as the basis for Rosetta Stone – a language-learning program available on CD-ROM and online that replicates the way native speakers learn languages as children, by linking words and real life images together to create an association that sticks. Stoltzfus and Fairfield dubbed their method Dynamic Immersion. They believed that interactive technology had the ability to replicate and activate their immersion method powerfully for learners of any age.

Since its introduction in 1992, millions of users in more than 150 countries have used Rosetta Stone to make learning a new language faster and easier. It has been successfully used to teach personnel in the U.S. Special Operational Forces, NASA, the State Department and West Point. In addition, Rosetta Stone is used by thousands of individuals, corporations, libraries, schools and other institutions worldwide to teach 28 languages ranging from Spanish, French and German to Arabic, Chinese and Swahili.

“We live in a world where communication across cultures is more important than ever,” says Eugene Stoltzfus, Allen's brother and company co-founder. “If you'd like to learn Italian or Portuguese, or something more exotic like Pashto or Hindi, Rosetta Stone can help. Today there is more interest than ever in experiencing a new language – whether learners want to use a new language to communicate at home or abroad, for self-improvement or to advance their career.”

Rosetta Stone allows learners to study whenever they want, wherever they are, as long as they have access to a computer. Learners proceed at their own pace, receiving one-on-one instruction and feedback. The structure of the program enables learners to enter at any level, so it's perfect for both beginners and people who want to brush up existing language skills.

The program's Dynamic Immersion method uses native speakers and thousands of real-life color images to convey the meaning of each spoken and written phrase to teach the necessary language skills: speaking, listening, reading and writing. The program provides instantaneous feedback within its carefully sequenced structure to ensure learning success, and its proprietary speech recognition program helps users learn to sound like a native speaker.

“What sets Rosetta Stone apart from other language-learning programs is that it provides truly interactive, multimedia language learning,” says Stoltzfus. “It unlocks the natural ability everyone has to successfully learn a new language.”

Sample lessons of Rosetta Stone are available online at www.RosettaStone.com/ind/free_demo and at retail kiosks located in select malls and airports throughout the United States. A complete list of specialty retail locations is posted on the company's Web site. To obtain more information or to purchase the program, call (800) 788-0822 or visit www.RosettaStone.com. Courtesy of ARA Content

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