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TELL ME MORE Review
TELL ME MORE claims being one of the leaders in the language learning market. "With one of the most extensive range of features and content available it has become a benchmark product for language learning." they say.
But it's not without its fault. As you will see in this review problems with content design and the software mean that it may not be the best choice for many learners. Below you will learn exactly what you will receive if you purchase a this program, how much it will cost you and the main advantages and disadvantages of this system. Finally I will offer my overall recommendation and who I think will benefit the most from this product.
Foremost, TELL ME MORE is suitable for beginners, intermediate and advanced learners. It features vocabulary, grammar, reading, writing, listening comprehension and conversation practice lessons.
The installation is simple. It takes about 2 minutes to finish the whole installation process.
One of the nicest features is its use of speech recognition, which makes this program highly interactive. The speech recognition functionalities makes it easy for the learner to interact with the program and empowers the learner to practice proper pronunciation.
An other nice feature is that, in case you don't understand a word, you may click on it to find out its meaning, translation or pronunciation.
TELL ME MORE offers 3 study modes (Guided, Free-to-Roam or Dynamic). All of them automatically adjust themselves to your individual level in your personal language learning process.
What's included
The TELL ME MORE is a full multimedia language course. Included in the courses are videos which display every day scenarios that you are likely to encounter in the country you are visiting. You are also able to practice conversations with the voice recognition software which provides the opportunity for you to interact with the material. TELL ME MORE covers all aspects of language learning including speaking, writing, reading, grammar and cultural lessons.
There are also a number of additional features included such as 24 / 7 access to an online course advisor, weekly news which uses vocabulary, video and grammar lessons to teach a different news story each week, and progress and placement tests. Tracking tools provide a visual display of your progress with both charts and graphs.
How much does it cost?
There are a variety of different pricing options available for TELL ME MORE courses. To give a typical example the German language learning course costs upwards of $42 a month for online lessons and exercises. If you want to purchase all ten levels of the CD version of the TELL ME MORE course you can expect to pay $649. You can also select smaller packages such as the first five levels which will cost you $449.
Pros
- Incredibly extensive - The TELL ME MORE approach has virtually everything that you could want in a language learning course including adaptive learning, video tutorials, games, reading, audio learning and voice recognition. Each course contains over 40 different activities and dozens of hours of video material.
- Great for advanced learners - Most language learning courses focus on the beginner or traveller market. For advanced learners such as the business person who needs to master the finer points of negotiating a contract, there are few if any options. This is one of the only courses available that has the range of content to make it useful for advanced learners.
- Personalized approach - This program has one of the most personalized approaches to language instruction. When you start with the system you are given a test which evaluates your current level of ability with the language. This is particular good for intermediate and advanced learners because it means you don't need to cover material that you already know. It then gives you are personalized work program based on the results of your test. You can also take progress tests as you work through the course to evaluate how your skills are developing and what you need to work on.
- Clean user interface - The user interface is clean and intuitive. The screen is uncluttered and incorporates icons which show you what you need to do next. This means that you don't have to spend a lot of time looking through tutorials or reference books in order to operate the software.
- 7 Day free trail - TELL ME MORE offers a seven day free trial. This is a good option because you will be able to see for yourself whether you like the companies teaching approach and if the voice recognition software works for you.
Cons
- Voice recognition is frustrating - The voice recognition software that comes with TELL ME MORE is at first glance a welcome addition. However using the software can be considerably more frustrating. When using this software you are provided with both a written and spoken example of the phrase you need to repeat. You then record yourself saying that phrase and compare it to your native language tutor using a wave length graph. Unfortunately modifying the settings so that they work properly can be very frustrating and there is little flexibility in the responses that are accepted. This can slow down your language learning progress and be quite discouraging.
- Many phrases are not useful - One of the selling points of the TELL ME MORE approach is the rich amount of content that is available. However that can also be a significant disadvantage as a lot of the material taught will not be useful for the core beginner / traveller market. Many of the phrases that you learn are obscure and unlikely ever to be used. More thought into the design of the syllabus would improve the course.
- Its expensive - Perhaps not surprisingly considering the extensive range of material and features, it's not cheap. In fact with a price tag of up to $649 it will be unaffordable to many customers. TELL ME MORE is aimed at the corporate learning market, for the home learner there are many more affordable options such as Rocket Language learning.
Summary
- Guided or Individual mode
- Speech recognition technology
- Developed by Experts
- Good reputation
- $529 for all 10 levels
- Rather slow on older computers
Conclusion
TELL ME MORE is easy to follow and even the most humble beginner is able to understand what to do. However, priced at $529 for all 10 levels it's the most expensive piece of language learning software on the market that I'm currently aware of, which is a big turn-off. It is particularly well suited to advanced academic and business learners who need to master more specific material.
However for beginner to intermediate learners it is in my opinion not the best choice. The syllabus design often seems poorly conceived and there is plenty of material which is extraneous for beginner users. The voice recognition software can also be very frustrating. If you already speak the language you want to study but need to advance your skills then it's a good choice, but for most learners a better structured and fundamental approach such as Rocket Language learning will be more suitable.
