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Rocket German Review

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What is Rocket German ?

Rocket German is a German learning course. Unlike many other courses, it can be downloaded over the Internet. It took me about 25 minutes to download it with a broadband connection. You can also download it with a dial-up connection but this would take more time I imagine. You can also get a hard copy version shipped to you but this is far more expensive than the download version and the content of both the download and hard copy are the same.

This is what you get with Rocket German :

An Audio Course
An Interactive PDF course
3 educational games
Access to a forum

Extensive Testing (mainly multiple choice)

Practice Pronunciation Tool (Rocket Record)

Follow up lessons from time to time

The rest of this review will cover the Interactive PDF course as the other components are covered in other posts.

What level is Rocket German ?

The courses caters for beginners. It will take beginners through to intermediate levels and onto an advanced knowledge of the German language.

How does it teach German ?

The course comprises 31 lessons.

The first 15 lessons deal with the basics of the German language

The next 10 lessons are intermediate level and build on the technical aspects of the language.

The last 6 lessons are more complex and start to tie in all the information you have learned from the previous lessons.

Each lesson deals with the same topic as the corresponding audio lesson.

Each lesson can take around 30 minutes to 1.5 hours, depending on the skill level of the student and the knowledge of the topic being covered.

How is a lesson taught ?

The topics of the lesson are introduced along with any new German words. The student will read through the introduction. Any German words can be clicked on and the audio for the word will be heard. The the word is clicked you will hear the English equivalent, then the German. Then there is a pause and the German is spoken again. This gives the student a chance to speak the German and practice what he/she is learning.

More examples will be given of the topic and examples of how it is used.

A variety of written and multiple choice type exercises conclude each lesson.

The Random button can be pressed at any time and a German sentence or word from the current lesson will be spoken. This can allow the student to practice conversation and comprehension for this particular lesson. It can also give the student a bit of control over the lesson.

Any other teaching methods used ?

The three games are accessed through the PDF course :

MegaVocab – vocabulary recognition, match one of 6 pictures to a word picked at random by the software
MegaVerbs – verb conjugation, conjugate a verb in the correct person and tense. There are 20 questions within each game and the software can select any verbs it has in the system.
MegaAudio – comprehension, listen to audio of a word or sentence and guess which of the 4 pictures represent the audio.

You can use these games simply as a bit of fun or you can consolidate any knowledge that you have gained in the lessons.

A set of flashcards are also provided. These are a set of pictures with the German/English meaning underneath. There are 250 of these cards and they need to be printed out to use.

What is good about the course ?

The course builds from beginner to advanced. It will give the student a complete grasp of the German Language at the end of the course.

The verb conjugation game is useful, as learning the forms of the verbs can get quite boring and tedious. The game can alleviate this boredom.

Random button is good for adding a bit of spontaneity to the lesson. This is useful if you have done the lesson more than once and need to freshen it up a little.

What is bad about the course ?

The pictures in the MegaVocab game are not always intuitively clear about the meaning. This can make guessing the words quite difficult at times. The English word can be displayed if this happens but doing this makes it too easy.

You can only improve your pronunciation by listening and repeating the audio, no feedback is given by the software as to how your accent sounds.

Any bonuses ?

The Survival kit is another 13 lessons on phrases, words, and essential grammar in the German language that you might need if you were traveling in Germany or another German speaking country. It pared down to be just the things you need to get by.

A good way to get a taster of the course and how it works is to try the free 6 day course. It should help you decide if Rocket German is for you and you will learn a bit of German along the way.

Once you have bought the course, you will be sent the Rocket German newsletter every fortnight. The newsletter has a new lesson in each issue.

Summary

I think the Rocket German course represents good value. You get an Audio and Ebook course and 3 software games. The forum and follow ups can help you to get help and stay motivated as you learn. Although it is not easy learning a new language, Rocket German can certainly make the task easier provided you are consistent and focused about learning German.

>>> Go to the Rocket German website now <<<

Rocket German VS Transparent German Complete Edition

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Are you planning a trip to Germany? Have you some business to do over there? Or do you just want to speak the language for the heck of it? Whatever reason you have for learning German, the very first step is choosing the right program.

To narrow down your search, here are two language learning programs that are definitely worth checking out. Rocket German VS Transparent German Complete Edition.

Rocket German Approach

The people behind Rocket German believe that people learn a language best the way they first learned their mother tongue. The natural method, which is also referred to as the interactive conversational approach, will have you understanding and speaking German before you can read and write the language – just like when you were young. So, even if you have never spoken a single German word in your entire life, you will partake in a German conversation at your very first class.

Transparent German Complete Edition Approach

Transparent German, on the other hand, has a totally different approach. The people behind this program believe that if you want to speak German fluently, you must also know how to read and write German. This highly modular method is jam packed with features that are designed to help you utilize all of your skills, and not just listening comprehension and speaking.

Rocket German Tools

Although Rocket German mainly focuses on listening comprehension and speaking, this program is filled with features and tools that your two guides, Sandra and Mathias, will help you out with every step of the way.

With the package, you will get 31 audio lessons that last 20 minutes each. These primarily cover highly interactive conversations in German that you actually take part in. So basically you will have 11 hours of casual everyday German conversations that are actually very useful since these topics focus on asking directions, ordering in a restaurant, and the like.

Since all of the files are 100% downloadable, you can take your Rocket German classes wherever you by using your iPod, MP3 player, or pocket PC. Since these classes are relatively short, you can take them whenever you like- while driving to work or during a lunch break. Not to mention that you will also have access to full transcripts of the entire class as well, just to help you out even more.

Aside from the conversation classes, you will also have 31 language lessons and culture lessons. With the language lessons you will have full explanations on grammar topics while the culture lessons give you a deeper insight into German customs, traditions, and history. Here you will have over 110 hours of embedded audio clips, various activities, and details and explanations.

To make learning the language fun, there are 3 MegaGerman games.

MegaVocab is supposed to help you build up your German vocabulary. MegaAudio focuses more on developing your listening skills. MegaVerbs is claimed to help you with German verbs and their forms and conjugations.

Rocket Record is another learning tool that is designed to help improve pronunciation. Here you will be able to record your own voice and compare it to a native German speaker.

You will also have lifetime access to Rocket German Language Lounge and any updates that occur in the future. Here you will find a progress tracker, tons of quizzes and tests. You will also be able to take down notes on certain lessons and you even have the chance to get certified by Rocket Languages.

Transparent German Complete Edition Tools

If you think that Rocket German has a lot of tools, let’s just say that the Transparent German Complete Edition is not called the complete edition for nothing. Actually, this course is more of a compilation rather than a creation since team Transparent actually gathered tools and features from their other programs and came out with this one.

With Transparent German Complete Edition, you begin the learning process with the Byki Deluxe. Here you will be able to take quizzes and tests, play educational games, and keep track of your progress throughout the entire course. This also comes with a voice recording feature that allows you to compare how you say something in German to how a native German speaker would say the same phrase. However, one of the key features of this are the flash cards. The flash cards are just what you need to build up your German vocabulary base.

Part of the complete edition is the Transparent German Premium Edition. With this, they claim that you will not only develop your oral conversational skills but your written ones too through the use of language texts, videos, and even stories that are all a part of a detailed lesson plan.

LinguaMatch German is a unique feature to Transparent Languages because this actually allows you to explore 30 virtual reality scenarios. By clicking through, you will be able to learn the German terms for objects and conversational phrases from the characters that you will meet.

The Lexicon translation dictionary can be kind of like your quick reference to over 65,000 German words.

Also, with Everywhere German audio lessons, you can pretty much take your classes everywhere and anywhere, like when you are stuck in traffic, when you have a short break, or even when you are on the treadmill.

To Sum Up

So, here are the facts and nothing but the facts. Basically, when it comes down to Rocket German VS Transparent German Complete Edition, the winning program depends on your personal learning style and preference. Hopefully this article has given you a better idea of what each course has to offer and help you make a more informed decision.

>>> Check out the Rocket German Course here <<<

>>> Check out the Transparent German Course here <<<

Rocket German Or Tell Me More German: You Decide

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Learning German is hard enough as it is, but with the right program, you will find the whole process much less intimidating and much more enjoyable. But choosing one that suits you is a whole other story.

With so many learn German courses and programs offered on the market today, finding one to match your learning style can be tough. So to narrow down the search, here is a short review on two of the most used programs minus all the sugar coated sales talk. Here you will find just what you need to know about each program- the method and the tools, and after you have gone over the facts it is all up to you. Rocket German Or Tell Me More German: You Decide.

Rocket German

The Approach

The people behind Rocket German have taken the “natural” way of learning and further developed it with interesting learning tools and features. The natural method is actually based on how children naturally learn their mother tongues. Basically, they begin to understand, listen, and speak much earlier than when they start to read and write. That is why this course is focused on listening, comprehension and conversational speaking skills.

The Learning Tools

Rocket German comes with 31 audio lessons. Each of these are very interactive and last for about 20-30 minutes. All in all, that adds up to about 11 hours of casual conversations in German – the kind that you will actually be able to use during your trip to the country. So basically you will learn real to life, everyday phrases and sentences such as what you need to say when checking into a hotel or ordering in a restaurant.

You can download every single file so that you can take it wherever you want. Plus, since the lessons are only 20-30 minutes each, it will be easy to find time to squeeze in a class here and there – like when you’re driving or working out.

Also, you will have access to the full transcripts of each lesson to make things much easier, especially for beginners.

Aside from that, you will also get 31 language and culture lessons. The language lessons provide detailed explanations on grammar topics and the like while the culture lessons give you more insight on the history and culture of Germany. With these you will get over 110 hours full of embedded audio clips, notes, and activities.

Again, these lessons can be downloaded if you want to look at them without logging into the Rocket German Learning Lounge. They are downloaded into a PDF format and can even be printed out if you want to read them away from the computer. Of course the interactive part of the pdf documents won’t work if you print them out.

You will also get full access to the Rocket German Language Lounge. Here you will be able to track your progress, take self tests and interactive quizzes, add notes and comments to the lessons you have already taken, you will get free updates, and at the end of the course, you will even be officially certified.

Since all work and no play makes you a dull student, Rocket German make learning fun with these three games-

MegaVocab,

MegaAudio,

and MegaVerbs.

MegaVocab is supposed to help you memorize vocabulary and expand the words that you already know. MegaAudio is designed to enhance your listening comprehension. MegaVerbs is supposed to help you out with verb forms and structures.

Rocket Record, one of the latest additions, is bound to help you improve your German pronunciation, stress, and intonation. Here you will actually be able to record your voice and compare it to that of a native German speaker.

Tell Me More German

The Approach

The people behind Tell Me More German believe in what they refer to as the PRIME approach.

P as in Progressive,

R as in Real World,

I as in Interactive,

M as in Motivating,

and E as in Effective.

It is progressive because they believe that your level will surely go up, no matter where you begin. Real world because the things you will learn are based on real life scenarios. Interactive because you actually partake in the conversations and lessons instead of just merely listening. It is motivating because you will have over 40 different tasks that are designed to challenge you each and every time. Effective as it claims to have a 94% rate under its belt.

The Learning Tools

Tell Me More German covers 10 different levels of learning that cater beginners to advanced students. Here you will have 20 hours of interesting and interactive videos that are followed up with over 20,000 activities and exercises.

You can learn wherever you want whenever you want as you can download the files to your iPhone, MP3 player, or Pocket PC plus you can even print out vocabulary lists as well as the grammar lessons.

One thing that Tell Me More German is proud about is the state of the art technology that they use to make the learning process better. SETS, Spoken Error Tracking System, technology can actually detect mispronounced words. This highly advanced speech recognition system is designed to help improve your pronunciation and your intonation. Another cool high-tech feature is the role play activity. Kinda like an role play game, you get the chance to be a character on your very own TV show.

To see just how far you have come, you can take the progress tests and use the tracking tools which are designed to help you keep your eye on the goal the entire program- which is to be able to speak German.

Also, whenever the need arises, this program gives you access to an online tutor 24/7.

So, here are the facts, now for the choice. Rocket German Or Tell Me More German: You Decide.

>>> Get Rocket German here <<<

>>> Get Tell Me More German Levels 1-10 here <<<

Rocket German VS Pimsleur German: Comparing the Two

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Learning German is no easy task, but it can be much easier with the right language program. However, with so many readily available, it is easy to get lost in all of the flashy advertisements and sweet sales talk. So here are two of the leading language courses with nothing but the cold hard facts. Rocket German VS Pimsleur German: Comparing the Two

Rocket German

How You Learn:

The approach of Rocket German is called the interactive conversational approach. The creators and developers also refer to this as the natural method. They have taken the way children learn their first language, which is by understanding, listening, and speaking first and reading and writing later, and tweaked it up a bit to make it suit adults by adding tools and features.

What You Learn:

So, with Rocket German, you will basically be focused on conversational German, and not so much on written side of the language. This will mainly cover useful vocabulary, common phrases, grammar, and pronunciation.

What You Use To Learn:

To start off, Rocket German will provide you with 31 interactive audio lessons that are 20 minutes each. So that comes up to a total of 11 hours of useful casual German conversations that you will be able to listen to over and over as many times as you please. These conversations will cover everything you need from simple greetings to asking where the toilet is.
All are fully downloadable so that you can take them anywhere on your iPod, MP3 player, or pocket PC. Plus, you will also get complete transcripts of each lesson to help you out even more.

Rocket German also comes with over 31 language and culture lessons. That comes up to a total of over 110 hours of activities, embedded audio clips, explanations, and notes. With these you will learn the details of the language, such as grammar, as well as the rich history and culture behind it.

To lighten things up a bit, MegaGerman offers three games to make the learning process more enjoyable. MegaVocab will not only help you remember German words that you have already learned but it will help expand your vocabulary altogether. MegaAudio is supposed to help you out with your listening comprehension. MegaVerbs is designed for more advanced students as it focuses on verb forms and conjugations.

The Rocket German Language Lounge has a lot to offer. Here you will have access to interactive quizzes and self tests. All the results go directly to the progress tracker so that you can see just how far you have come. You also get to store notes and comments on lessons that you have taken for future reference. You get free upgrades. Heck, you can even get certified. You can access all of this through a user friendly navigation system.

Pimsleur German

How You Learn:

The method that Pimsleur German focuses on is based on two main principles which are Graduated Interval Recall and Principle of Anticipation, and two key factors which are core vocabulary and the organic learning concept. Basically, Graduated Interval Recall means that the minute you begin to forget a word or phrase, you will be encouraged to remember it asap. Principle of anticipation means that you will simply anticipate the correct answer just a few seconds before it is revealed.

Core vocabulary is highly important as it serves as the base of the whole German language learning process. So you basically have to learn a selected list of German words that have been proven to be most common and at the same time useful. The organic learning concept is that while you learn common German phrases, you will also learn vocabulary, grammar, and pronunciation at the same time. So it’s kinda like hitting 4 birds with one stone.

What You Learn:

Pimsleur German, like Rocket German, focuses on the oral side of the language and not so much on the written area. However, you will learn basic German reading skills. So with this you will learn vocabulary, pronunciation, grammar, sentences, and phrases.

What You Use To Learn:

Pimsleur German offers 3 levels with 10 interactive 30-minute audio lessons each. The first level covers the basics. This is pretty much greetings, asking questions, giving directions, and the like. The second level expands on what you have learned in the first one and adds a whole lot more vocabulary and phrases. The third one should have turned any beginner into and intermediate student by now.

Since written German is very different from written English, Pimsleur German offers reading lessons, but it only covers the basics. Coming to a total of around one hour, these readings will teach you how to pronounce different characters and letters of the German alphabet. You will also have a Reading booklet that comes in a PDF format.

>>> Get the Pimsleur German course here <<<

>>> Get the Rocket German Course here <<<