Is there a special someone in your life, a friend, a family member or significant other who needs an easy, accessible, and convenient way to learn or improve his or her English skills? Tell Me More Premium English is probably what I would buy for those special, non-English speaking persons in my life because I believe this it is exactly what they need!
People who, like me, did not grow up speaking English as a native language know all too well how difficult the language is. The grammar may not be that complicated, but the pronunciation, idioms, and irregular and phrasal verbs are very difficult to grasp for a non-native. If only Tell Me More premium English had been available when I was a student. I would have been spared much frustration, insecurity and, very importantly, boredom. Learning English as a foreign language for the people of my generation or even for students of just a few years ago (before all the advancements in technology that this software package so aptly implements and makes accessible to the user) meant, almost exclusively, having to memorize boring, complicated grammar rules and long word lists. The chances of interaction with native speakers at a level that was appropriate to our skills as learners were few. Moreover, there were few or no incentives to learn more about the culture and the lifestyle of English-speaking countries. In general, the chances of listening to spoken English were very small or totally out of reach; even rarer were the chances of practicing the spoken language with someone who was patient (or professional) enough to put up with our struggling English skills. I would have been spared much frustration, time, money, and effort if Tell Me More Premium English had been available. Well, the good news is that it is 2007, this software is available, and it is an excellent product!
With Tell Me More Premium English, learners can benefit from all that present-day interactive technology has to offer when it is applied to language acquisition. Auralog, the company that produces the Tell Me More software series, proudly claims on its website that “whatever your objectives or level, Tell Me More adapts to your needs and guides you through the language learning process, just as a teacher would.” I’m a professor of modern languages who has been teaching in America for many years, and I would affirm that the Auralog claim is true. Thanks to this software package, the person you care about who currently knows no English (or maybe struggles with it, or simply would like to improve) can learn easily and naturally. Tell Me More Premium English uses a method that combines the most modern and well-established trends in language acquisition with state-of-the-art interactive digital technology. This advanced audio-visual method allows the learner to virtually interact with native speakers as well as with American culture. All the skills critical to learning a language (reading, writing, listening, speaking, vocabulary, and grammar) are addressed. Fear not; with Tell Me More Premium English, learning grammar, structures, and vocabulary is easy, effective and, most of all, non-threatening. In fact, the learner will never feel patronized by the program. Since you can repeat exercises and choose your own pace, the frustration of learning a foreign language is kept to an acceptable minimum. Unlike similar packages, language exercises revolve around real, authentic American culture. [See Image 1]
This is the most complete and extensive language software on the market, with up to 850 hours of learning. This is also the new build of the program, which now includes a Total Beginner level. [See Images 2-4] Tell Me More Premium English is based on a combination of audio-visual materials, full immersion, dialogs (both written and spoken), and, thanks to the digital revolution, interaction. Students learn in the same way everyone learns their native language as children, by connecting words and phrases with images, or words with sounds, or words to other words in context. Each lesson focuses on the main areas of effective language learning: pronunciation, vocabulary, grammar, listening, reading, writing, and speaking. The adult learner may also appreciate the opportunity to learn why things work in a specific way rather than another, thanks to the concise and accessible grammar sections. Your friend, family member, or significant other will learn, improve, and understand English by watching videos and pictures geared to their specific level. By hearing real native speakers talk, they will learn or improve their own English speaking skills. Through virtual interactions with natives in dialogs via the included microphone, they will know quickly whether what they’re saying and how they're pronouncing it is correct or not. They will learn and improve their writing skills by typing, all the while receiving immediate feedback and help. Finally, they will learn, or improve, vocabulary through interaction and context.
I highly recommend this program to beginners who want to learn on their own or to people who have learned some English and want to improve. Learning becomes truly easy and accessible with this software package. Since this package is meant for learners who come from different backgrounds, there are no exercises based on translating from or into English.
Learning a language independently requires some discipline. Users need to know that they will need to set aside about half an hour a day, every day, for a few months. However, the task is made more accessible by the interactive nature of the software, which both engages and challenges you. The attractive interface, graphics, and audio capabilities, in fact, make such a commitment easier. It feels more like playing an interactive game than studying. Moreover, the built-in Day Planner feature will help students keep up with their English. [See Image 5] They will move rapidly from basic to advanced conversational skills. Although relatively expensive, this software is a steal since it is a complete method, from beginner to advanced speaker. The four steps, each on an individual CD-ROM (True Beginner, Basic, Intermediate, Advanced) are well-constructed and do correspond to authentic levels of linguistic competence and proficiency. The speech recognition feature is quite effective, although at times it requires that you speak at a pace that will seem too fast.
Tell Me More Premium English is never tedious or boring. Some of the exercises may leave you a bit puzzled as to their real purpose (such as the “find the hidden words” exercise that seems taken from a children’s game magazine), but they do serve to familiarize you, in a playful manner, with relevant material that is normally cultural in nature.
There are three learning modes available, making this one of the most flexible and personalized learning approaches. The Free-to-Roam mode allows you to select the activities of your choice; the Guided mode proposes Learning Paths according to your learning objectives and availability; and the Dynamic mode evaluates your progress as you work and adjusts your activities based on the results of previous exercises. With such flexibility, the user shouldn’t worry much about skipping one day, or even a few. It is easy to pick up again and maybe with a quick review move on. Most importantly, you need not be a computer whiz to benefit from this package. As a matter of fact, I’m seriously considering buying Tell Me More Premium English version for my mom, who is almost 80 years old and definitely not a computer whiz. Also, my 45 year old friend, who has always struggled with languages, is definitely getting this software for Christmas.
What's Hot: The graphic interface is simple and easy to navigate, thanks to the animations that guide you through Tell Me More Premium English. You will always know where to click and where to go next. [See Images 7 and 8] The voice recognition is effective, based on S.E.T.S. (Spoken Error Tracking System) technology that automatically pinpoints your pronunciation errors. [See Image 9]
What's Not: Pay little attention to the voice recognition graphs, as they are by no means accurate.
What's Hot: Tell Me More Premium English includes four levels of lessons: Complete Beginner, Beginner, Intermediate, and Advanced. There is also an audio CD, as well as a headset with microphone. Frankly, this headset/microphone is not the best in terms of quality. It is not USB, has only one earpiece, and feels flimsy. That said, the voice recognition feature works decently even with your PC's built-in microphone. The “Learn English Everywhere” audio CD is a welcome addition but no great shakes. There is one new feature, however, that is decidedly more exciting and will substantially help reinforce your learning: you can extract specific audio files to make your own audio CD or play them on any iPod or similar device. This feature is an indication that Auralog successfully incorporates current trends in technology to keep up with changing consumer needs and habits.
The three learning modes available do offer freedom and flexibility and it becomes easy to fit learning Italian into your busy everyday schedule. [See Image 10] A variety of language games, puzzles, and crosswords should do a good job in keeping your interest even in the most stressful of times. [See Image 11]
I was impressed with the “complete the dialogue by speaking your replies” exercises in each chapter. They’re well-constructed and effective, and make you feel like you are having a real conversation/interaction with a native speaker. It is a nice way to prepare for “the real, English-speaking world.” [See Image 2]
Tell Me More Premium English is a high-quality product that is intuitive and easy to use. There are a few frustrating moments with speech recognition, but otherwise the easy-to-understand interface will always guide you and let you know what you should do next. It’s easy to pick up and use in the way that best reflects your interests and needs. You can skip parts if you are pressed for time or are unable to speak at that moment, and you can simply select the types of activities you want to work on. The person who gets this product will learn real and authentic American English. Last but not least, he or she will also learn about American culture.