Rosetta Stone Japanese Level 1

I study foreign languages in my free time. Having said that, my preferences lean towards product that aid in increasing my confidence in speaking, reading, writing, and understanding. Generally, these programs have clear audio, pictures, simple grammar lessons, and clear breakdowns of phonetic structures for non-native speakers (being entertaining and cheap is always a plus!)

Rosetta Stone is a wonderful vocabulary builder. The pictures and audio help store new words in long-term memory. The games *can* be fun and the lessons test listening skills and adaptive recall. With purchase, a user gains access to online tutoring sessions with a native speaker after completing chapter units (to try out their new skills.) Listening to the natural rhythm of native speakers in the program helps reduce accent and familiarize a user with the new language. There is a lot of content in level 1 of Japanese alone, which is broken into 4 units: Language Basics, Greeting/Introductions, Work/School, and Shopping. Each lesson builds on the last, helping the user retain vocabulary previously studied (but sadly, nearly prohibiting skipping ahead).Unfortunately, there are some major flaws:

This isn't the fastest self-taught curriculum; you won't learn useful, everyday phrases right away. Sure, I understand "The cat is sleeping." Or, "The boy runs." That's good, but how am I to realistically apply this to practical conversation? It took hours of lessons to learn phrases like "goodnight," or "Where is the bathroom?"

Grammar is never fully broken down. Users are left guessing how or why sentence structure or the Japanese particle system works (if they can even figure out what that is). Vocabulary, even with the pictures, is also vague at times. A child learning a new language uses a lot of guess work and is constantly corrected by parents in the early stages of language development. An adult, however, shouldn't need to make nearly as many mistakes as a babbling toddler, let alone without being constantly corrected. When confused about a word or phrase meaning, there is no direct translation available through Rosetta Stone itself- ever. I shouldn't need to use Google Translate to understand what I'm learning. It can be frustrating for absolute beginners. The phrases, when repeated listen for accuracy in the user's speech. However, one must only be about 80% correct for a sentence to register as right. I tested by saying and omitting words at times, and skimmed through the lesson with few problems. It's not that it's not okay to make mistake while learning, but proceed with caution. The words pop up as the user speaks them. Parts of a sentence that do not register as clear will appear in a more faded font. There were times when I spoke correctly, and still read faded font, second-guessing myself. (Though my sensei confirmed I was correct!)

Lastly, despite having lots of content, the lessons can be insanely repetitive and even confusing at times. It's easy for beginners to get disheartened, or think that language isn't their niche due to a poor start with the wrong learning materials. Conversational Japanese is actually the easiest self-taught language I've studied, with consistent sentence structures and easily approachable sounds for native English and Spanish speakers.

I used Rosetta Stone as a vocabulary builder along with my college JPN 103 class. I got what I paid for: increased confidence, greater fluency, and larger vocabulary. The catch is that I already mostly understood what and why words were ordered in each set. I recommend Rosetta Stone for people with some basic knowledge of Japanese language looking to build on what they already know, but definitely not for a novice. For the money, I can see how this would be an overwhelming frustrating disappointment. Invest in something with audio and a simple grammar book, some hiragana/katakana workbooks, and flashcards. Ganbatte!

I want to learn Japanese to travel to Japan and read signs/menus/media and speak with native speakers (of Japanese and Spanish); so I purchased both Rosetta Stone Spanish (1.5 years ago) and Japanese (last month). The Japanese tool provides some basics but has much room for improvement. The same difficulties exist with both.
(1) The milestones frustrate learners greatly. Only a SINGULAR programmed response is acceptable; there is far too little information to discern it exactly (or even guess something close sometime); and as unacceptable responses mount negativity towards the product grows. This terrible feature (Milestone) should be eliminated or vastly improved.
(2) The allowable pronunciation of some runes (boht Japanese and SPanish) is VERY tight, while it is quite loose on others. It is irritating & frustrating. The pronunciation aid screen provides additional insight, but there are a few letters I cannot produce acceptably. In Japanese Shi, Chi, and Sa are far too tight. The use should be able to LOOSEN these.
(2a) Even after I produce an acceptable pronunciation, later in the lesson it is rejected. A HUMAN is needed to explain and help. The COMPUTER only defeats the learner's enthusiasm.
(2b) In longer words and sentences, the same mispronunciation of the same runes is allowed. The program is inconsistent.
(2c) What are you trying to teach? Can a native speaker understand the learner? If so, let it pass - even for single runes.
(3) The estimated time for each lesson is FAR too low. To think, read the strange new Japanese runes, pronounce the words (acceptably), and try to impress them into memory requires effort.
(4) When new words are introduced through a group of pictures, the learner islimited to SIGHT only. FOUR of the FIVE other senses are NOT ENGAGED. This is NOT AS ADVERTISED "learning the way you learned your first language."
(5) Because of this, a collection of pictures (for example family members) should NOT be used to INTRODUCE new words. The method of sound plus 2 pictures then choice of 3 pictures, followed by one picture with audio and a choice of three, followed by audio and the same choice of three is FAR BETTER. At least it involves TWO SENSES.
(6) A collection of 4 or more pictures should be programmed to keep the "NOT" choice until later among the choices. When the FIRST choice is "The person is not a DOCTOR" and there are 4 pictures, one of which is a doctor, it is difficult to pick out the correct picture. You may think you've given enough clues, but it is NOT a positive experience for the learner who is unsure what the word for doctor is.
(7) I tried to return to UNIT 1 after the MILESTONE and the program does not allow it. You need a REVIEW OPTION.
(7a) On my demand, I want to see pictures of NOUNS, their spelling, and AUDIO. When I learned my original language, I could do that via human interaction or media.
(7b) On demand I want to see verbs also.
(7c) I want to be able to get a definition, even if its only in Japanese using words I've already supposedly learned, on demand. For example, FUTARI. Eventually I had to ask a native speaker what it meant. At first I thought it meant standing, then smiling, then I gave up.

The good news is Rosetta does a job of teaching vocabulary but you have to accept that you won't learn anything except vocabulary. There is almost no grammar or verb conjugation instruction which yes is boring but is necessary to learn a language and No, I don't believe this can be picked up by "immersion."

Have you ever take a language class where the teacher showed you pictures of people driving and you thought, "Ah, that is a negative verb conjugation." No, yet this is how Rosetta expects you to learn-- without any instruction. I'm trying to learn a new language not play pictionary.

Because I was annoyed with the lack of instruction, I bought the Genki textbooks and found a tutor (native speaker) who has taught me more in 4 hours then the 4 weeks I spent clicking on pictures. I'm still using the program because it is good vocabulary practice but my tutor rolled her eyes and laughed when I told her I was using Rosetta Stone to learn Japanese.