Fluenz Spanish is the new kid on the block when it comes to multi-media Spanish language software. It’s going up against the well-known Rosetta Stone, against Tell Me More, and possibly some other programs.
This is a way you can learn to speak Spanish by using a program that runs on your computer. All of them run on Windows, and most run on Macs as well. They are designed in a series of lessons, and have mp3 sound files you can put on an ipod or similar device, so you aren’t chained to the computer for your Spanish practice.
In my research, I found good reasons to choose Fluenz Spanish. First, let’s tackle the competition:
Tell Me More Spanish is a complex, multi-media program and their website says millions of people have learned the various languages that they offer. But I found their demo practically impossible to sign up for, and once I finally succeeded, the program was scattered in its approach, teaching words with no apparent rationale behind the order in which they were introduced.
Rosetta Stone is way better than that. It’s been around for decades (even before computers existed), gradually evolving with the times. Many people
love this program… it is a strong contender for your time and your bucks. I am sure you can learn a lot of Spanish with Rosetta Stone Spanish.
But the approach it takes is based on old ideas about how people learn languages. Back when it got started, it seemed reasonable to assume that since children learn their native language simply by being around it, that adults should learn any second language that way.
So Rosetta Stone developed lessons that don’t use any of your native language when you are learning Spanish. It’s all done by pictures and by using the Spanish vocabulary you are building up over time. There’s a business advantage to doing this for Rosetta Stone as well: it doesn’t matter if your first language is English. Swahili, or Mandarin… everyone uses the same program when they are learning Spanish. (Okay, I doubt they sell many copies to Swahili speakers, but you get the point.) They only have to produce one program and sell it in many markets. No wonder they are the market leaders.
Fast forward a few decades and now a lot more is known about how people learn to speak Spanish or any other language. Until puberty, the pictures approach is great. But around the age of 12 or 13, the human mind shifts gears, so to speak, and after that, second language acquisition is best done by drawing on the language you already know. In other words, you learn by experience. You use logic and comparison with your first language rather than absorbing new words like a sponge, the way little kids do..
This is where Fluenz comes into the story. Developed by a group of bright Harvard and Cornell graduates quite recently, Fluenz Spanish takes into account all the newest information on how we learn. Explanations are given in English by the perfectly bilingual Sonia Gil, one of the founders of the company. This speeds up your learning process considerably over trying to guess exactly what word a picture is trying to convey.
When I took the free online demo at Fluenz, I was very impressed. It seems that Fluenz Spanish is the cream of the crop when it comes to learning to speak Spanish fast, with a multi-media approach.
To find out more, see my reviews of the three programs:
Tell Me More Spanish
Rosetta Stone Spanish
Fluenz Spanish
I’ve also compiled a comparison chart of the features of these and other learn-Spanish programs.
