subject: Rocket Italian Review [print this page] If you're determined to learn Italian from a beginner level, please read on, here is some of my experience I want to share and I think you'll find it useful.
There're simply two ways of learning a new language, following a teacher or self-learning with an online course. If you have time limitation or a tight budget, I strongly recommend you to choose an online course. The course I've been using is called Rocket Italian with which I've achieved very satisfying results.
Right after I worked with Rocket Italian, I started using Italian when ordering food, greeting friends and even talking in simple words very quickly and confidently. In the whole package at only $100, I find the 33 audio lessons most helpful. They're so delicately designed, that I was lead to penetrate the surface of learning a new language without usual difficulties and hassles. These 33 audios are purely conversationally based with one male and one female voices. The female one is by a native Italian called Maria, whose pronunciation is pleasant, crystal clear and easy to follow. I also noticed that the structure is quite smart because old words I learned from previous courses always reappear in latter ones which can effectively reinforce my memory and make me to revise. Every lesson is focusing on one topic which is extremely useful in daily life and I actually used a lot of sayings from a lesson "At the dinner table" at a Spanish friend's and impressed them all. Rocket Italian also provides a grammar and culture lesson attached with each audio lesson which I think especially useful for those who are determined to take it to an advanced level.
The two games MegaAudio and MegaVocab also made the whole learning journey full of fun and entertaining. MegaAudio is to help you with understanding the spoken words by giving 6 pictures and an Italian word so that you can select one from the 6. MegaVocab has a database of about 1000 words. You need to select the Italian word from the 4 options to match the given picture. Remembering new words is always the most boring and difficult part in learning a new language. MegaVocab managed to relieve me from all of that.
Make sure you try the 6-day trial course before purchasing the product to find out whether this online program suits you, which from my perspective will, especially when you don't have any experience in Italian. To say the least, even if you're not entirely satisfied with this program, the Refunding Policy until 60 days' use can eliminate your last hesitation.