italki vs Rosetta Stone

Continued from above...

So much of our life now is digital, so it's natural to consider learning German online. There are many programs to learn languages: live, one-to-one tutoring; a real person teaching you through recorded video lessons; video-game-like lessons and practice; recording your voice and getting computer-generated specific feedback; getting feedback on written work by real people; or playing games and letting the time fly by while earning prizes and getting on a leaderboard. With so many different methods of learning and practice, we can help you narrow down what is best for you and your learning style.

The first thing to consider is how much German you may know. Have you had German classes in high school and want to brush up and continue to proficiency? Or is Gesundheit! when someone sneezes the extent of your German? If you are a beginner, choosing an online program will be easier, as most focus at least on the beginning German student. If you already know some German, some programs offer a placement test and others have you look at their curriculum and you select your own placement. If you are pretty advanced or your goal is to get there, only a few online German programs can help you get to advanced proficiency, while others fall short past the beginning German level.

How would you like to learn German? Would you like live one-on-one lessons with a tutor or in a small-class setting? Would you like to learn from a person, but via video so you can pause or review? Would you like to learn interactively with a computer program where you match phrases you heard with images, then record your voice speaking, and then have game-like practice exercises with awards and a leaderboard with a little healthy competition? It's all out there, and you get to decide which is for you!

Once you know your current level of German and how you might want to learn it, there are a few more aspects to consider:

• Value. Does the program offer a free subscription that will offer enough to meet your goals? Is there a free trial period before buying a membership so you can really get a feel for it before you commit? Many German learning programs can give you a lot of features with a relatively low cost or at no cost.
• The right fit. If you take advantage of the free trial period, you can get a good idea if that program is right for you. It might be fun for the first lesson, but does it get boring and repetitive after that, so that you won't be motivated to continue? Does it offer enough features that you feel you need? If you want feedback on your speaking, is their speech-recognition technology advanced enough to make you feel satisfied with their evaluation? Do you gravitate to how you learned a language or other subjects in school? They have traditional-type programs for you to try. Or do you stay motivated with all the bells and whistles of a game-like learning atmosphere to make the time pass quickly and stay motivated?
• Refund policy. Before you commit to a membership or monthly or yearly subscription, check out their refund policy. Most offer between 7 and 60 days to cancel. With some you can cancel with a simple email, and with others you'll have to read pages of fine print to find out how to cancel. It's best to check out the refund policy before committing with a payment.

TopConsumerReviews.com has reviewed, evaluated, rated, and recommended the best choices for learning German online or via an app. We're sure that with the information we have for you, you'll be able to make your best decision for learning German and becoming more proficient and fluent in this common and popular language!