Rosetta Stone TOTALe Version 4 is one of the most unique and exciting language learning tools available. It is a a fully interactive program allowing the user to learn a language in the most natural way possible, using a unique and proven Total Immersion method. No rules, no abstract grammar terms Rosetta Stone TOTALe offers you the chance to learn language with the ease of a child.Rather than using the usual laborious grammar drills and dictionaries you had forced upon you at school, Rosetta Stone eliminates everything explicit and aims solely to teach you your chosen language in the same manner you learnt your first. Total immersion means that no English instructions are used; instead you learn your new language by associating new words with beautiful colour photos. This method allows you to learn naturally the same way you learned your first language. You learn through experience, use, trial and error, prediction and exploration. It works with your brain rather than against it. This method gives you a deeper more intuitive native-like understanding of your new language. How does it work? Using the process of visual association, the first activity screen presents you with a spoken and written word or phrase. You are given four images and asked to choose the correct one. It will congratulate your correct choices and ask you to try again if you need to. You repeat this process in five different learning exercises: reading and listening, listening alone, reading alone, speaking and writing as well as the reverse - one picture with four written or spoken options. Once you have a basic vocabulary it will be incorporated into full phrases. You will learn tense and agreement through comparison rather than drilling or abstract rules. You will be required to pinpoint other aspects of the language by writing it and indeed speaking it. With the speaking aspect, Rosetta Stone TOTALe provides one of the most advanced sound print monitoring systems (voice recognition) that forces you to get the pronunciation absolutely perfect by matching your soundwaves with that of a native speaker. The speaking tutor records your voice and shows you your voice print compared with that of a native speaker allowing to literally SEE where you can improve your pronunciation. Its like having a private tutor helping you everyday. This feature is extremely valuable for tone languages like Chinese and Thai where the tone (melody) effects pronunciation. A quality Rosetta Stone microphone headset is included with your purchase. The writing activities offer you words or phrases on mixed up tiles and asks you to reorder them once you can do that it will then ask you to type in the words or phrases without assistance. This fantastic system is as accessible and effective for both adults and children - 8 years to 80 years - so its great for families. It runs on Mac and Windows. Rosetta Stone is a complete learning system. Rosetta stone does not just teach you language, it introduces, develops and consolidates your knowledge at each level reinforcing previous learning with responsive monitoring and exercises. It is the perfect language tutor.