I tried many different methods of learning Mandarin and in my opinion the Rosetta Stone Learning Software is by far the best.
I am a Canadian who has recently married a Taiwanese girl and moved to Taiwan. So not being able to speak Mandarin was a big problem for me. I tried books, audio tapes, different software programs but none of them were very effective.
Rosetta Stone takes a very unique approach, they treat the student as if they were a baby learning to speak for the first time. They use a series of photographs and scenarios associating the sound of the word with the image in your subconscious.
You hear the sound of the word then you choose between multiple photographs, so it makes it fun like you're playing a game.
With books I found I got bored and burnt out after only half an hour of studying, but with Rosetta Stone, I'm able to spend hours studying without any fatigue.
The Rosetta Stone software draws you in by activating your eyes and ears at the same time, making it like you're watching a movie, so it keep you interested and focused for long periods at a time.
Overall I would give Rosetta Stone "two thumbs up!", and recommend it to anyone serious about learning any language.
Sincerely,
Jonah West
