You may have learned some of that language when you were in school. Many of us took a foreign language class. We feel we have a "foot in the door" of that language. So, one might as well continue, for whatever reason. (The shortcomings of learning a language in a classroom are discussed elsewhere.)

You have possibly used a program to learn some language. Maybe you bought some multi-media computer program that shows you the pictures, plays the sounds, and possibly even records your voice and analyzes it. You learned a few words and phrases. Congratulations! Right?

But, you are here because you are truly commited to learning more of this language. You want to see what Really Works. You are tired of wasting time and money on cheap stuff. Or you just want to Do It Right the First Time. Here is a link to a simple chart showing the features and ratings of several multi-media computer programs. You may be familiar with some of these products from personal experience!

First, you will see that the table refers to programs to learn Russian only. But also see that the manufacturers are the big names you will find in most of the major langauges.

After a brief study of the chart, and the ratings given to the products, one thing becomes plain. Generally, the program with the least number of features is rated worst. Look at the the chart again to see if this isn't basically the case. There are two glaring exceptions: Rosetta Stone and 101 Languages. Rating programs like this assumes one thing:

Does that make sense to you? If so, buy the "best". If you are a program developer, then create some program that has a ton of features, regardless of quality. But look again, 101 Languages has the most features, and only rates fifth place. Furthermore, Rosetta Stone seems to be the only one to understand that More isn't better!

Maybe it's better to ask users of these listed programs to find out what has worked best for them. Or does that make too much sense?

There is something else that this chart exhibits by what is doesn't say. All the programs listed are multi-media programs. There are no programs here that are just audio-based. Or, for that matter, audio-based with text. Are there such programs you can buy? Of course. Do they work?

Many professionals (and semi-professionals, and others in the language learning field) will tell you that the best programs are NOT multi-media. I have to agree.

So what are some of these other programs? There are several excellent ones.

First, as many are aware, is a product called Pimsluer. You can use it with NO BOOK! Don't buy the little teaser versions that have just 8 or 10 lessons. Get the full-blown product. All 3 levels of it. Cost: several hundred dollars, depending how you buy it. The used versions on eBay can set you back $500. Yes, it is worth it. Consider the Time Spent Using the product, or the Time Investment, which I'll call Effort. Effort: one half-hour per day for 3 months. Nice.

The next product I can wholly recommend is FSI, or Foreign Services Institute. This is a program developed by the United States years ago to train spies. Need I say more about it's effectiveness? It is audio-based and comes with a large amount of text. There are several levels of the FSI program, too. Typically 2 to 4, depending on which language you are studying. Cost: a few hundred dollars. Effort: about one year at several hours per week of real study. YMMV (Your Mileage May Vary). However, in all Honesty, you will learn more than the Pimsluer product in terms of vocabulary and grammar.

The next product is Learning Spanish Like Crazy (LSLC). This is a relatively new product. And, as you probably guessed from the name, it is for Spanish only. Like Pimsluer, it is audio-based. It also includes some text, but the text is only a copy of what is on the audio. According to some (read "many"), it is a "Pimsluer Rip-Off", but everyone says it happily because it includes vocabulary that the Pimsluer product does not have. In fact, many have done Pimsluer first, then followed up with LSLC. One could say LSLC is a post-Pimsluer product. Cost: a couple hundred dollars, depending on what format you buy. Effort: about a month at 30 to 40 minutes per day.

Another product that very few have heard of is Spanish Power. It is audio-based and includes a lot of text (4 manuals and many flash cards). One can also buy telephone tutoring sessions to enhance learning. At any rate, it isn't a multi-media computer program. Like LSLC, it deals with Spanish only. However, it has more vocabulary and grammer than Pimsluer and LSLC combined. Cost: several hundred dollars with some tutoring sessions (if you buy all four levels). Effort: about one year, YMMV. But not as much effort as FSI.

You've read about several aspects of the non-multi-media products (Cost and Effort). But I havn't really mentioned the most important one while reviewing each one. Effectiveness. They are all very effective. I would personally recommend any of them over any of the products that are in the chart above. One important reason: These audio-based products work. They achieve the basic goal: speaking a foreign language. And they do it well. In terms of effort, Pimsluer and LSLC combined have the least Time Invested and will get you far (if you use them combined). If you want a little more bang for your buck (something closer to fluency) and are willing to expend real studying effort, get FSI or Spanish Power.

FSI: Barron's issues a version of FSI. It is more attractive and cheaper than the government's version. Also, here's a freebie for you, an FSI sample .

LSLC: They cover reflexive verbs in one of their lessons. They use the same verbs that Spanish Power uses. I'm not saying who copied who. I don't know, but have my suspicions. Still, LSLC is a fine product, especially as a Pimsluer companion product.

Rosseta Stone: as one reviewer on Amazon pointed out, "it is, unfortunately, the best multi-media product". To Rosetta'a credit, many feel it is an excellent way for children to learn a language.

Unforgettable Languages: I highly recommend this product for adding hundreds of additional vocabulary words to your new language. But, it is better to have some understanding of the basic grammar of your the language you are studying. Use this in conjunction with one of the audio-based products discussed here.

Something Different: If you only want to master the minimum that you need, I found an interesting program that claims to let you Communicate in Spanish using only 138 words! I don't know anything about this company, but feel free to check them out if you need a crash course for a upcoming trip. True, again, it is a Spanish Only program, but Spanish seems to be the number one foreign language to study (if you are a native English speaker).

Books: Books are great for general knowledge. But to learn a language from knowing nothing (or very little) about it, I can only recommend a couple of general books. But if you already have a glimmer of knowledge about the language you are studying, there are several books that I recommend

. E-Books: Buyer beware! There are some useless books. More specifically, eBooks. Stay away from eBooks in general. These are usually scams. You can not preview the eBook first. The eBooks are usually over-priced. Imagine buying an eBook that promises fluency in 6 months and costs $30. It exists! NONE of the hard copy books I recommend cost any where NEAR that much! One exceptional exception to the eBook rule is here. Maybe I'm just attracted to making money from the author's ideas!

Do Something: If your goal is to speak a foreign language in a reasonable amount of time, you pretty much have to use a program or a class. For example, if you are studying French, you can learn a few words from your French speaking friends or co-workers here and there. But this will easily take years until you have any real speaking ability. Conversely, a structured environment (like a classroom or a program as discussed here) will have you speaking in far less time.

Classes: You may be taking classes at the Junior College at night, but at $300 per semester, times 3 or 4 years of study (math: 300 x 6 semesters = $1800!), you will save time AND money by using a specialized program.

Bottom Line: If you are a dedicated student of a language, don't be cheap! Buy something that will work and save you time (years!) and money (hundreds!).

Now, you are fully informed. What are you waiting for? Learn!