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Transparent Language
Written by: Michael Mardings
Learn another language with computerized flash cards or with videos.
Learn Italian. It's a simple two word phrase, but it's a bit harder than it sounds. For me, flash cards have always been the answer. In fact, I used my computer knowledge to write a very cheesy flash card program for my Palm Pilot at one point. I'm not just saying this to be nice, but Transparent Language has actually made the program that I really did dream about!
The "Before You Know It" CD-rom has built in flash cards for Spanish, French, Italian and German. In addition, the software is for your PC and your Palm. I found that I was using my Palm version much more than the desktop. Basically, it's very straightforward in the explanation, in that it lets you choose a vocabulary list and it tests you on your knowledge of it. If you get something wrong you lose points, and get tested on it more and more. It has an algorithm so that it tests you more on the words that you don't know and less on the words that you do. It also has various means of testing like Italian to English and English to Italian, so that you can learn it more intensely.
My only regret with the software is that it won't allow you to copy over your "scores" from one program to the other. That is, if I'm doing well in learning on my Palm, it won't copy the user data to my PC and vica versa. Other than that, yes, they made the program of my dreams.
The other program that they have is the Learn Now series. I used Learn Italian Now! What makes the software unique is that you essentially watch a video of dialogue. While the video goes on, like a Bloomberg news channel, various words flash on the bottom. The word in Italian, the word in English, etc... After that it has an array of games to test your knowledge and learn it even further.
Between the two you can see that there were two paragraphs on one and one on the other. I simply loved the flashcard program as it was exactly what I was looking for and what I've always dreamed of. The Learn Italian Now! did the job, however maybe I was just too in love with Before You Know It to appreciate it.
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