Italian Learning Suite Reviewer's Comments

The Complete Italian Learning Suite, by Transparent Language, is a suite of Italian language software that combines five different programs, four software-based programs (including Learn Italian Now, Italian Before You Know It and LinguaMatch) and an audio CD collection. This provides a lot of material for learning Italian, but the Italian Learning Suite unfortunately is not greater than the sum of its parts.

The biggest drawback to this software is learning how to use four different software programs and moving back and forth between them in order to use all the features.

But the Italian Learning Suite does have quite a few advantages that help balance out these problems. The Italian Learning Suite integrates video into the learning experience more effectively than any other program. Some of the programs in the suite can also be used on MP3 players or mobile devices in order to let you learn anywhere you go.

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Features:  

The Complete Italian Learning Suite has progress tracking features, but only in some of the programs in the suite and none in the main program. We would like to see a progress tracking feature that summarizes the progress in each program. Similarly, you can customize your learning curriculum, but mostly by choosing which programs you focus on. The Italian Learning Suite is not a cohesive learning experience.

One of the Italian Learning Suite’s greatest features is compatibility with MP3 players and mobile devices, meaning that you can keep learning even when away from your computer.

Fundamentals:  

Between all of the programs in the Italian Learning Suite, you can find teaching methods for all the fundamentals, but only the main program, Learn Italian Now, has all of them. The others focus almost exclusively on vocabulary.

The Italian Learning Suite brings together pronunciation and conversation practice with the use of a speech recognition system. By itself, the speech recognition capabilities aren’t as accurate as the #1 or #2 program, but are still useful.

Ease of Use:  

The Italian Learning Suite isn’t difficult to use, just frustrating because you must switch back and forth between programs. The programs themselves can be confusing as well. The buttons are not clearly labeled and it takes a lot of trial and error to figure out what everything does.

Teaching Tools:  

The Italian Learning Suite offers you multiple products that cover a wide variety of learning styles. At the suite's core is Learn Italian Now; this offers features to help improve on your overall Italian reading comprehension and gain a better understanding of the Italian culture. Video, audio and word activities help teach words in the context of conversations. Speech recognition modules also help with accent and conversations.

To help build your vocabulary, the suite uses Italian Before You Know It, which is a program that presents hundreds of Italian words using a flash-card-type approach.

If you are looking for a more visual learning angle, Complete Italian Learning Suite has also included their LinguaMatch software that presents you with a 3D, panoramic environment, which you can then choose several locations, from a bus station to a bathroom. Within these environments you can select objects and the program will tell you its name in Italian.

The last software program included in the suite is a dictionary, which can be used to research over 40,000 Italian words accompanied by verbal pronunciations.

Word Tools:  

The Italian Learning Suite offers several different types of word tools, including a stand-alone dictionary.

Tech Support:  

Transparent Language doesn’t provide a FAQ for the Italian Learning Suite, but there are useful tutorials and user guides to help you figure out the programs and answer questions. You can also contact Transparent Language through phone or email if you have technical questions.

Summary:  

The Italian Learning Suite offers a lot of great features, but they are spread across several different programs. If you can use them all in conjunction, they will be an excellent way to improve your understanding of Italian.