One of the most rewarding challenges that a person will ever face is to learn to speak a second language. Traveling to other countries and learning to speak the native tongue is able to add wonder to an already zestful experience.

One can find so many courses that claim to teach a foreign language. How do you know which ones stack up, and which ones fall short? We put up this site in an effort to share our experience with anybody that is wanting to learn to speak French.

I have chosen to review Rocket French which has been produced by a company called Rocket Language Ltd. Marie-Claire Rivire wrote the course who is a native to France. This company prides itself for producing high quality language learning courses which include Spanish, Italian, Chinese, Japanese, German, French and the American Sign Language.

Thirty-one audio tracks are contained in the first module. Even after your very first lesson you will be able to speak some basic words. This course teaches you conversational French so that you will be able to speak with native French people in your travels. You will be in your own comfort zone as you speak with locals, order in restaurants and ask for directions, etc.

The package includes the actual transcripts of the audios and I found that particularly helpful in following along. Each audio is about 20 minutes long which means the full module is about 11 hours of content. The methods used within this content will allow you to absorb and speak modern French quickly. Eleven hours seems like a lot I know, but with the use of the audio tracks the time goes by very quickly and effortlessly.

The program also includes software that makes learning very easy, and more importantly, it is fun. The first software application is what they call MegaVocab.

MegaVocab is a vocabulary recognition tool. This was found to be very helpful especially in the beginning. Basically, as you run through a series of words, you learn the words not only through repetition but by association with a picture. This is sort of like using flashcards, the same method you used as a child.

The software has a total of 1,000 words and pictures built into it. However, the course allows you to add more pictures and words of your own choice as you advance with the French language.

Once I began to learn the vocabulary, I then went on to the MegaAudio software. I then began to feel a certain amount of confidence with all I had learned thus far.

Exercises are provided that both test and improve your recognition of the spoken French words. You will always have a unit of measure for your progress as the system will provide a score with each exercise.

I noted that this software was a lot of fun to use. It is one thing to learn the vocabulary of another language, but understanding it when it is spoken is another matter. Rocket French excels in this area while other programs seem to fall short.

Another very cool aspect of the Rocket French program was that it isn’t just an introductory course. The course is designed with the assumption that the student has no background in the language when starting. But it continues to an advanced level as well. I felt like this increased the value of the program because I wouldn’t have to go out and buy a more advanced course as I progressed.

Possibly the most impressive part of this course is the members only forum where you can ask questions and communicate with other students and the Rocket Language online instructors. To me, this forum made the cost of this course a real bargain. If you happen to get stuck on something, you find lots of help in the forum.

I would like to close with a comment about the price of this course. Since I wanted to get started right away, I was so glad to find that there was a downloadable option available. That means I did not have to wait for CDs, printed material and software to be shipped out. If you choose the downloadable option, you will receive a discount of $200. I was then able to listen to the software on my computer, burn the material to a CD and even load audio onto my ipod. By choosing the downloadable course, I saved myself $200 and was able to pick up the course for just under $100.

There is also another benefit that the people at Rocket offer. The course comes with a 60 day money back guarantee with no questions asked. When considering the quality of the material, the software, the bargain price, the forum participation and the guarantee, I can only bestow upon the Rocket French program the highest rating of 5 stars. If you want to learn a second language, you will have a difficult time beating this program’s quality.

Some things you must do: Foreign language courses are not similar to other courses so any deferring must be avoided. You can consider yourself a failure if you delay matters with regard to a foreign language course where it is compulsory for every student to plug in a minimum of 3 hours weekly and 15 minutes on a daily basis. While you need not put in more than 45 minutes learning the language in one session, try to accommodate all the extra time you have in your hands.

Distribute your whole study into small units. If you are serious about learning the language, attend classes regularly in order to pass. Recapitulate your previous learning on a regular basis as this is good for you, for instance the vocabulary. Here are some pointers given below which can make the job of learning a foreign language a walk in the park.

Perusing through printed matter: Try to comprehend what is written rather than worrying too much over unknown words. Make it a routine to browse through the chapters of the textbook everyday.

Speaking: Making mistakes is inevitable so listen to your friends in the class and start communicating. Practice speaking out loud on your own, in a group of friends studying the same foreign language and with your pets such as a dog or cat.

Putting pen to paper: Practice your skills on putting down your thoughts on paper till it becomes effortless.

Ask a friend to dictate a passage of the language and then later check it for accuracy.

Miscellany: Study the foreign language with a positive frame of mind, have pre-set objectives and goals. Ensure that you have set objectives and are clear about the paths which would take you there. If you need help get it and do not be afraid to ask questions or ask for help for fear of sounding stupid, or being embarrassed. Ask as many questions as you want and always seek help if you stumble as there are nothing to feel shy about. Get audio tapes of the language and listen to them or make you own tapes and listened to yourself in order to perfect your pronunciation. One of the most successful ways to have correct pronunciation is to learn through repeated listening of audio tapes of others or those made by you using the language. Make colored flash cards which help you to grow vocabulary where different colors are used to convey genders and words like nouns, verbs and adjectives, etc. Practice in study groups and become good friends with some of your classmates because they can help you out.

It is estimated that Spanish is spoken as a first language by around 400 million people. This doesn’t count the people that speak it at home or with their family, as is the case with many bilingual Spanish speakers in the United States.

A popular method to learn Spanish is to use an audio course. Such a course generally comes on mp3 or CD and is a convenient way to learn the language. This article will explain why an audio course is a good option.

If you have searched around for a Spanish language course, I would say that your first consideration is that it has an audio component to it.

The reasoning behind this is that ultimately we learn a language to talk to people. Whatever context this may be in, be it a social or business setting, we use language to express and receive different points of view.

The other things that you associate with language, like reading and writing are important of course, but they are not essential. Again, you learned to talk your native tongue long before you ever learned to read or write (and certainly before you learned about grammar).

So talking is the most important skill to have. Ironically, it is also the hardest part of learning a language because you have to perfect a number of skills.

So, speaking involves pronouncing words and understanding a flurry of words spoken back at you. These are hard skills to get down, especially when you have to do it quickly to keep a conversation going.

Thus a Spanish audio course facilitates this process without putting you under the pressure of talking to a person (which brings added pressure). This can be done in whatever environment that you feel comfortable in.

A popular way to use an audio Spanish course is to listen to it in the car. This is a great way to utilize a large amount of your time that is lost to traffic jams and grid lock.

Whilst this makes sense, it is not clear whether you can really concentrate on the course when you are driving. It takes a bit of concentration to get the best out of the course but this should and will be devoted to driving.

A typical audio course will have about 30 to 50 individual lessons. Each lesson could last up to 30 minutes. The basic format is to listen and then repeat what you hear. this helps you to get your pronunciation right. Each lesson will involve some instruction but the key is to speak after the teacher. Most courses try to get a beginner through intermediate to an advanced level.

By advanced I would say you can ask basic questions and understand the answers. An advanced level in most of these courses means this. It doesn’t mean fluent Spanish. This will take time, and in reality, will only happen when you are comfortable speaking to native Spanish speakers.

Being confident is another important skill to have if you want to become totally fluent. Confidence in speaking to people will bring your language skills on. However, a learn Spanish audio course is a good starting point.

In todays very competitive business world there are many reasons to learn to speak German for business. Having such a skill can benefit you in two ways. If you are a business owner, you will be able to open more doors to German speaking people or companies if you speak their language. On a personal level, you increase your chances of landing a special job if you are bilingual. Depending on the type of industry you are in, German could be a good language to have. This is the case in many industries, especially the automotive, software and financial fields.

Many people speak German, especially in Central Europe and parts of Eastern Europe. Germany is a major force in the world economy and many German companies operate in a multi national capacity. Anyone who owns a business that deals with clients in central Europe or in industries where German companies are particularly strong should see the advantages that speaking German can furnish.

Whilst many native German speaking people speak English, many do not. Obviously they will prefer to do business in their native tongue. Even those that speak English will be more comfortable if they know you speak a bit of German. It shows a commitment that many other people will not have. As a business owner, it should be clear to you that your business will grow if you cater to your German speaking clientele by providing them service in their preferred language. If you use one of the many home study programs available to learn German for business, you are sure to see your business grow.

You may already have a lot of German speaking customers and clients. Imagine how pleased they will be if you make it even easier to do business with them by making the effort to communicate in their native language. This, alone, should make you want to learn German for business, but there are even more very good reasons why this is a great choice.

If you can speak and understand German, your business could expand and become worldwide. There are many areas of the world where German is the primary language. If you can speak German, you can take your business there. Soon you will have more customers than you could ever have imagined. Learning German for business will make it easy for you to enter these markets. If you can speak and understand German, you wont have to hire and interpreter or a translator for documents. You can do it yourself.

Being able to speak German will open up new areas as potential locations for your business. Many of these areas are ripe for business growth. If you can speak German you will be able to enter these new markets. When you learn to speak German for business, you will be able to communicate with twice as many customers no matter where you set up shop.

There are many reasons to learn to speak German for business. It is a wise decision for those who want to see their business grow and soar to new heights. You can take a class or use one of the many at home language programs to learn German.

You will find that learn to speak German for business programs are very useful for someone with a very busy schedule. If you are a business owner, this is most likely your case. Learn German for business in the time that your schedule allows and be quickly speaking and understanding the language in no time.

If you have a business in certain industries, for instance, fashion or food you may recognize the potential that learning Italian quickly can have on improving the competitiveness of your business.

If you have your own business, you are sure to realize that it is important to make your business stand out from the pack. The more customers you can talk with, the more customers you will have. Its as simple as that. Greater communication means more business.

Even, if you don’t have a business, learning Italian quickly can help you get a better understanding of many of the cultural references that ancient and contemporary Italian societies provide to many western societies. Be it great literature, opera or pop culture, understanding something in it’s original language can provide more profound insights and help an individual to grow intellectually.

So if you want to learn Italian quickly, there are a lot of places you can go. But if you dont want to go anywhere, guess what? You dont have to! You can use the CD player in your car while you commute to learn Italian quickly. You can take a relaxing walk and use your CD player to learn Italian quickly. You could even get in a few Italian lessons while you jog or run. You can sit at your home computer and used a computer based software program to learn Italian quickly.

You might find it difficult to learn how to pronounce words with the right accent when you are using these methods to learn Italian. Without feedback it can be difficult to determine if you are saying the words correctly. If you know someone who speaks fluent Italian, you could ask him or her to check your progress as you learn.

You know, the world gets smaller everyday thanks to the internet. In todays business market, thinking globally and acting locally are practically one and the same. For this reason, we have a greater and greater need to be able to speak a language other than our native tongue. When you take the time to learn a new language and become able to communicate with people of another culture, it helps you to stand out as someone special.

And Italian doesnt have to be the end. Learning Italian quickly may encourage you to branch out even more. Soon you may find yourself learning yet another language from CD and attracting an even more interesting and diverse clientele.

As you learn more and communicate better, you will have more to share with your friends and customers and you will become even more able to learn. So you can see how much you have to gain by learning to speak Italian quickly. To find the best learn Italian quickly program for you, all you need to do is perform an internet search. You will find a wealth of information that will lead you to just the right program to learn Italian quickly and begin a tremendous investment in your future.

Learning to speak Spanish can also have very positive impact on your career and success in business. Bilingual English and Spanish speakers are finding that the demand for their skills is increasing in today’s business world. The ability to communicate more effectively with co-workers, clients, customers and employees will be enhanced by many of those who have a knowledge of the Spanish language.

Since the ability to speak Spanish enables more effective communication between employees, co-workers, clients and customers, speaking Spanish is becoming more important in business and career development. Bilingual speakers of English and Spanish are finding an increasing demand for their skills.

The fastest growing segment of the market in North America is the Hispanic population according to recent marketing studies. In order to attract and accommodate this influx in the Spanish speaking population, many companies find themselves scrambling to catch up with the market. Thus the value of learning to speak Spanish is enhanced.

This also means that learning Spanish can be a real boon to your career in terms of advancement or in the area of career choices. More and more often, listing that you can speak Spanish on your resume can make the difference between getting noticed or being passed over. In the United States, knowing how to speak Spanish is particularly helpful if you are in education, health care or any of the building trades.

The increase in free-trade between the US and the countries of Central and South America brought about by the increase in globalization has led to an increased demand for bilingual English and Spanish speakers. It is clear that those who take the time and make the effort to become bilingual will soon have a clear advantage over those who don’t. Even without the increased free-trade, the demand for bilingual speakers is growing along with the changes in the demographics of the US population. It is estimated that over 40 percent of the increase in the US population is from within the Hispanic community currently yielding over thirty-five million Spanish speaking US citizens. This is a sizable segment of the population that US businesses cannot ignore.

The Spanish language is not only growing in popularity in the US, but also in Europe where it is the second most studied second language (English being the first). Worldwide, over 400 million people speak Spanish as their native tongue, making it the third most widely spoken native language after Mandarin and Hindi. Considering the growth rate of the Hispanic population worldwide, choosing to learn Spanish as a second language is a wise choice.

Certainly, the ability to speak Spanish as a second language will expand your opportunities for new experiences and interaction with people. It is becoming increasingly clear that with the continued growth of the Hispanic population, you will have more interactions with Spanish speakers as you go about your daily activities

For example, as my son did, you or a close family member may marry into a Spanish speaking family, or you might have Spanish speaking families in your neighborhood as my wife and I do. Also, if you don’t already, you might also find yourself with Spanish speaking employees or employers. Your interactions with the Spanish speaking community are increasing daily, whether you realize it or not. Just look at the signs sprouting up everywhere these days.

Learning Spanish is also a wonderful way to help you to have a deeper appreciate for the culture of the Hispanic people and the great impact that it has made in many countries. Many of the great poets, writers, painters, musicians and architects have made significant contributions to the culture of the world. And, the flavorful and exotic foods that emanate from the Hispanic culture add even more reasons to celebrate the Spanish language and its unique heritage.

Spanish is probably one among few languages that is widely spoken in different countries besides its native land-Spain. If you are a constant traveler, it becomes all the more important to know the language. Hence, it’s not surprising to see many people worldwide enrolling themselves in various possible Spanish classes available nearby to them. There’s great advantage in enrolling in such Spanish classes as it can not only help you understand the language but with time can enable you to converse through them. These days, you will find many experts giving Spanish tutoring to interested pupils. Thus, they are successful in not just imparting the knowledge but generating income through it as well.

If you are an internet junkie, you would have already come across many institutes and even individuals willing to offer Spanish classes to its users. This online Spanish tutoring experience is quite different to the traditional mode of education. You can enjoy Spanish tutoring right from the comforts of your home. What’s more, Spanish classes can be taken according to your timings and schedules. You will be given individual attention by the tutors. Now, isn’t that a great news for you?

There are also plenty of universities and colleges imparting Spanish classes to its students. This way the pupils can earn a degree in Spanish while they understand the basic nuances of the language. This should be pretty useful to you as you will get an opportunity to learn the basic words, grammar and improve on your vocabulary in the language. Additional care is given to students who are found weak in the language by setting aside Spanish tutoring classes exclusively for them.

Interactive Spanish tutoring is possibly the best way to go ahead in understanding the language. This way, you will know the language better and would be able to speak fluently later on. Spanish tutoring comes in different forms to cater all types of students. They are available either as an audio-video course, PDF format or even digital MP3 format. Always choose the one in which you are more comfortable. So, don’t be surprised if you can enjoy your Spanish class’s right in your I-pod while you are on the move. All said and done, it is not just enough to enroll in Spanish classes. You need to practice the language whenever possible and quite regularly. The more you practice, better would be your command in Spanish language.

There is no two ways in this aspect. Controlling the speed of Spanish classes is all up to you. If you are a fast learner, you can speed up the process. Else, you need to take your time. As time pass by, you should be able to engage in complex conversations in Spanish. Different ‘tiers’ of Spanish classes are available for you to enroll in. Always follow the tiers in ascending order. This would be the correct procedure for you to follow.

Chanukah 2008 is now here. The gift giving aspect of Chanukah is much more popular in the United States, than in other parts of the world. Or perhaps, you are starting to think about New Year’s resolutions? Learning Hebrew can be either a gift fo Chanukah, or a New Year’s goal.

Unfortunately, an amazing number of people studied Hebrew as a child, but over the years, they have let those Hebrew skills fall by the way side. Sometimes, as they become parents or enter their leisure years, the desire to learn Hebrew returns. In big cities, many of them take courses at the Jewish Community center, but in more remote places, many people turn to the computer to become their Hebrew teacher.

HebrewResources.com offers several products, which work well for adults and children. The first program in their series is “At Home with Hebrew”. It teaches how to read and recognize all the Hebrew letters and vowels, along some basic vocabulary (both modern and biblical).

“Hebrew Kindergarten”, despite the name, is not just for young children. It’s called Kinergarten, because it starts at the very beginning with the basics of nouns, verbs, and adjectives.

Something very special is Shirei Ha-Shabbat. This program teaches the basics of Jewish Liturgy for Shabbat. Again, this program assumes you already some basics about Hebrew grammar. The program highlights Shabbat Liturgy with two cantors from the Ashkenazi and Sephardi traditions. Its fun, delightful, and educational!

The cantor chosen for “Songs of the Sabbath” is really amazing. You can click buttons on the computer to hear the parts of the prayers, either word-by-word, or line-by-line, or you can hear the entire song at once.

Children are often the focus of Hanukah. Jewish parents usually require their children to learn some basic Hebrew, even if their own skills have become rusty. The tutorials above, can be used by inividuals. But how much better, if parents and children learn Hebrew together?

Believe or not, Jews are not the only people learning Hebrew. Many Christians today have a growing interest in the original language of the Bible, and many are learning the basics of Jewish practices to better understand the Bible. It has been said that “all translations are commentary”, meaning that any English translation of the Hebrew scriptures cannot help but have ideas of the translator behind it.

Yes, its the Holiday Season! Its Chanukah Time! Check out any or all of these programs: At Home With Hebrew for beginners, Hebrew Kindergarten for more advanced Hebrew study, and Shirei Ha-Shabbat for anybody who wants to learn the basics of Jewish/Shabbat Liturgy.

Shema Yisrael (often called simply “The Shema”), the Biblical passage from Deuteronomy 6:4, is certainly the best known of all Jewish prayers. It is part of the morning and evening Jewish prayer services. The phrase of course menas “Hear Israel”, and refers to the entire phrase “Hear O Israel, the Lord Thy God, the Lord is One.”.

Jesus himself quotes this verse in the New Testamenet scriptures. He is asked, in the Gospel of Mark, what is the greatest commandment. He replies with the “Shema” – “Hear O Israel, the Lord Thy God, the Lord is One.”

The Shabbat typically begins (on Friday evening) with candle-lighting and “Kiddush”. The Sabbath table is set with two candles (or more), a special kiddush cup is filled to the rim with wine or grape juice, and two loaves of challah bread.

Officially, the candle-lighting blessing should occur 18 minutes before sunset on Friday. The Torah forbids “kindling a fire” on the Sabbath, so the day is marked by lighting a candle immediately before it begins, and ends with lighting a candle at the Havdalah service (see below).

One of the most loved songs of Friday night is “Lecha Dodi”, which literally means “Come My Beloved”. The theme of this song is the bride and bridegroom – the Jewish people and God. It was composed in 1571 by Rabbi Shlomo HaLevi Alkabetz, renowned for his wisdom and poetry.

Havdalah is a brief ceremony that marks the end of the Sabbath. It comes from the word “l’havdil” which means to distinguish or separate. Three blessing are recited as part of this service: 1) The blessing over the wine, 2) the blessing of the spices, and 3) the blessings over the fire (a special multi-wicked Havdalah candle it lit).

The short Havdalah service includes three brachot (blessings). The first is over a cup overflowing with wine (or grape juice). The second is over spices, which remind us of the sweet smell of the Sabbath which is now departing till next week. The third is over the fire/light of a special multi-wicked candle-stick.

The brief Havdalah ceremony typically concludes with the song “Eliyahu HaNavi” (Elijah the Prophet). The song goes as follows: “Elijah the Prophet, Elijah the Tishbite, Elijah, Elijah, Elijah the Gileadite, Speedily and in our days, Come to us, With the messiah, son of David, With the messiah, son of David.