Rosetta Stone

Rosetta Stone has been a mainstay in language learning for decades, with a distinctive approach that divides homeschool parents. Here's what families are saying about this immersive language program:

What Parents Appreciate

The self-directed nature of Rosetta Stone consistently ranks as its greatest strength among homeschooling families. Parents value that children can work independently, regardless of the parent's own language skills:

"My children use it on their own, and the software keeps track of their progress. The fact that the children could learn Spanish without my help was a buying factor for me." TheHomeSchoolMom Review

Many report that children actually enjoy the program, finding it more engaging than traditional language workbooks:

"We love this program, very comprehensive and the kids really enjoy sitting down at the computer and doing it." Elementary Parent via TheHomeSchoolMom

The immersion method resonates with many families who believe it mirrors natural language acquisition:

"This teaches language the way kids naturally learn their own... My 10-year-old had fewer issues with this than I did [as an adult learner]." TheHomeSchoolMom Review

Parents appreciate the focus on speaking and pronunciation from day one:

"The student gets lots of practice and reviews... they can record themselves and play it back, and even slow down sounds to really hear the pronunciation." TheHomeSchoolMom Review

For high school credits, many find Rosetta Stone provides comprehensive coverage:

"This is complete, all-inclusive... NOT a supplemental program." Parent after completing two levels

Common Challenges

The cost of Rosetta Stone is mentioned as a drawback in nearly every review, even by those who love the program:

"Costs way too much to be used as a supplement unless you happen to have a lot of money to throw away." Homeschool Mom Reviewer

The lack of explicit grammar instruction frustrates parents who prefer a more traditional approach:

"It prides itself on not teaching grammar, without which you cannot learn a language!" Homeschool Parent

"Learned a lot of vocabulary... not much of the grammar." Family who switched programs

The speech recognition technology, while innovative, can be a source of frustration:

"My son loves this program, but has experienced problems having his voice 'picked up' on some sections... it was not picking up the sound well enough." Parent of 9th Grader

Younger children often struggle with the program's learning approach:

"It just didn't go well. The curriculum assumed a certain level of maturity to infer differences in verb tenses and sentence structure." Parent of 2nd Grader

Age Considerations

Parents consistently report that Rosetta Stone works best for middle school students and up. The program's intuitive learning approach requires cognitive skills that many younger children haven't fully developed. While some families have used it successfully with children as young as kindergarten, most find that children under 10 need significant parental involvement.

Teenagers often thrive with Rosetta Stone's independent format, though motivation can be an issue for some:

"My boys gave me a hard time about Latin... they saw no point in learning Latin." Mom of Teen Boys

For modern languages with clear practical applications, teens tend to maintain interest and make steady progress.

Academic Outcomes

What can parents expect in terms of results? Most report solid vocabulary acquisition and basic comprehension after completing several levels. However, research suggests that students using only Rosetta Stone may struggle with spontaneous communication compared to those in interactive classes.

A University of Florida study found that college students who used only Rosetta Stone were "less able to communicate" spontaneously than peers in traditional classes, often needing to revert to English to express themselves fully. As one language teacher noted:

"Not only do we teach culture and pragmatics... we also provide students an understanding of how to put all those words and phrases together to create new meaning." Language Educator via University of Florida Study

Many homeschooling families enhance Rosetta Stone with conversation practice, grammar workbooks, or cultural studies to create a more comprehensive language experience.

Who Thrives With Rosetta Stone?

Based on parent feedback, Rosetta Stone works best for:

• Independent learners who can stay motivated without direct instruction
• Visual and auditory learners who benefit from picture-word associations
• Middle and high school students building foreign language credits
• Families where parents don't speak the target language
• Learners who prefer an intuitive approach over grammar memorization

Alternative approaches might be better for:

• Very young children (under 10) without significant parent support
• Students who need explicit grammar instruction
• Families on tight budgets
• Learners seeking conversational fluency as the primary goal

The Bottom Line

Rosetta Stone remains a solid choice for homeschoolers seeking a structured, independent language program. While expensive, it delivers quality content with professional audio, speech recognition, and a carefully sequenced curriculum. Most families find it provides a strong foundation in vocabulary and comprehension, though many supplement with additional resources for grammar and conversation practice.

As one homeschool parent summarized after using it extensively: "Overall, we are very pleased with the program... the children learn the language naturally and at their own pace."