Maybe it is my Rosetta Stone start, but I find having a balance of input and output to be important to my learning process. For me, Rosetta Stone was great. It gave me input on my level with useful phrases and words. The best part though was the “Lifetime Plus” or “Live Group Coaching.” As soon as I had completed Lessons 1 and 2 of Unit 1, I had access to twenty-five minute long live group classes conducted entirely in Greek. It was a very low-stakes way to start talking and listening. The first Unit 1 class was perfectly adapted to that level and the coach was both patient and helpful. I found that trying to produce the language helped to imprint the words I had learned onto my brain and encouraged me to put words together in novel ways that had not been presented to me.

I still do the group lessons once or twice a week even though I finished all 12 levels of the Rosetta Stone Greek course. 

While I’ve moved beyond the program as a primary learning tool, I’ve continued to value having a combination of input and output in my learning process. 

One of my favorite forms of input is reading. I love reading in Greek! It helps me get used to the flow and rhythm of the language and introduces new vocabulary in context. Right now I´m working my way through the second Harry Potter book and the book ¨Η οικογενεία μου και άλλα ζώα” by Gerald Durrell. The Ελληνικά Β workbook that I use is also a good source of short texts and dialogues.

For output, I enjoy participating the the Rosetta Stone Live Group Coaching sessions as well as other conversation groups and book groups. Adding a social dimension to language learning makes it an even richer experience!

What is your learning process? Do you like a mix of input and output? What is your favorite means of input? Leave a comment below.