French language product reviews
Pick of the bunch: Rocket French
Of all the language-learning products I've tried (and there have been a few!), Rocket French is in my opinion the most well-balanced, well thought through of them all. The heart of the course is an "interactive audio course" which is similar to other audio courses with the idea that it teaches through conversations, and through repetition. Where Rocket French differs, though, is that the lessons are actually interesting, and often rather funny. (Compare this to the effective but boring Pimsleur, or the tedious Michel Thomas.)
Each lesson is around twenty minutes long, which allows me to knock one lesson off on my way to work. The audio is clear, unlike some of the muddy offerings from the likes of Pimsleur French, and the lessons teach you practical language skills like booking a hotel room — and even flirting! — while still giving you a good grounding in grammar.
Beyond the audio lessons, there's also a well-constructed grammar course (with audio), and software games to practice those skills. It covers all aspects of language learning, and caters to all learning styles, and compared with the other offerings out there it is very good value for money.
Pros: Very reasonably priced. Suitable for all learning types. Grammar course comes with built-in audio. Games are good for older children. Teaches all aspects of French.
Cons: Not many. It's not available in shops, so you need to download the lessons and software, which might take a while on your connection.
Also good: Rosetta Stone
Rosetta Stone's French products are pure "acquisition" method tools. That is... they don't make you learn grammar or vocabulary lists, they just throw you in the deep end and allow you to "absorb" the language by seeing it used in context with pictures and audio — in much the same way as we learn our mother tongue as children. Rosetta Stone has been around for a long time, and is used by both NASA and the Peace Corps.
Pros: No need to learn grammar. Good for visual learners.
Cons: Expensive! Won't teach you "refined" French ... just enough to get by.
You could try: BYKI French
BYKI is a cute little piece of flashcard software for building vocabulary. Built into the software are a number of lists covering basic subjects (animals, food, seasons, numbers, etc). You select a list to practice, and then progress through the exercises.
The exercises focus very heavily on repetition: You have to answer the same question a number of times before you can progress to the next level, and even more repetitions are introduced if you get it wrong! This is pretty effective: I find vocabulary sticks in my head pretty solidly when I use this software.
Pros: Inexpensive, but effective vocabulary tool. You can also create your own lists, so the software advances with you.
Cons: Not hugely intelligent: You might say "bananas" when the software is waiting for "banana", and this counts as a mistake. This can be a little annoying.