Transparent Language's Learn Portuguese Now! version 10, Magnum Language System's Portuguese Lab, and Rosetta Stone's Level 1 Portuguese (Brazil) were impressive in different ways. Portuguese Lab was limited, but the others dazzle on all fronts, though their methods of language delivery are different.
With language software, language professionals look for an easy software interface. There are different language tasks the software must perform so as to drive the lesson home without frustrating the user with software mechanics. The language professional will also look to see how the course is organized, what content is used, and how that content will be delivered through various exercises and pedagogical reasoning. For beginning and intermediate levels, practical, pragmatic, and relevant content should be integrated into the software in a way that is easy to access and easy to find from any point in the language program. Then there is the question of the user. Who is going to use the software, and what are his/her language needs? What method or methods are best employed to meets the needs of this type of user?
In the three language software programs mentioned here, Transparent Language's Learn Portuguese Now and Magnum Language System's Portuguese Lab use the translation method for delivering the language, while Rosetta Stone's Level 1 Portuguese uses the Dynamic Immersion method. In all three, the buzz words are immersion and intuitive. Rosetta Stone has its Dynamic Immersion Method, Magnum Language Systems has its Easy Immersion Language Program, and Transparent Language has its Unique Approach to Language Learning. They are immersion-type intuitive language software programs.
These language software programs practice some form of active and interactive participation on the part of the user. The software interface is excellent in Rosetta Stone's Level 1 Portuguese and Transparent Language's Learn Portuguese Now. All areas of the software are easy to get to from anywhere in the program. Magnum Language System's Portuguese Lab lags behind here not so much in its software design capabilities but in the original language layout and severely flawed content.
For the money, Rosetta Stone's Level 1 Portuguese is the most expensive ($209.00 at its website), but the software fulfills everything it claims to. Transparent Language's Learn Portuguese Now is priced moderately at $69.95, a real steal for all the content and ease of use that it offers. Magnum Language System's Easy Immersion Portuguese Lab costs $50.95 at its website. It has some of the best speakers of Brazilian Portuguese.
When you buy your language software, focus on why you are buying it. Sure you like the language, or you have friends who speak it, whatever. But if you need to be able to communicate in Brazilian Portuguese very soon, then get Rosetta Stone's Level 1 Portuguese. If you are not sure how much of an investment you want to make in the language, but want to get your feet wet and don't mind some flawed content, then you may want to consider Magnum Language System's Portuguese Lab. And if you are serious about learning Brazilian Portuguese but want to stay anchored in your first language and do not need to communicate fluently in a few weeks or months, then Transparent Language's Learn Portuguese Now should fill all your needs for a beginning and intermediate course. Just remember, choose the language software that is going to serve you well.
