Electronic Mail and Guardian On-line newspaper July 28, 1999
Donna Dudley
CLICK WITH YOUR MOUTH

IN SHORT: Easy-to-use tutorials supported by great manuals and full audio and video effects.

The back of the tongue should be raised to touch the soft palate, the upper part of the tip of the tongue pressed tightly between the ridge of the teeth and the hard palate, and the tip of the tongue drawn sharply downwards.

Sound exciting? This is just one of the oral contortion acts you will find yourself performing with African Voices Thetha isiXhosa Nathi (Speak Xhosa With Us) interactive self-study course. A foreign languages graduate myself, I am well aware of what it takes to learn a new language, and so it was with a somewhat skeptical attitude that I found myself installing this program. My trepidation however, was short lived.

The course consists of a CD-ROM and a manual. Both components are well put together for content and functionality.

The CD-ROM comprises a series of simple conversational topics which run through each lesson of the course. This interactive portion of the program focuses on aspects of pronunciation, with real students practising their (perfect) pronunciation with you, as well as teachers showing how it should be done.

The screen layout is clear and simple, with easy to follow instructions for navigating your way around the lessons. One useful feature allows the user to return to previous screens for review, as well as incorporating a replay function for every sound and video clip. A unique record and replay function enables the student to evaluate the sound of their own spoken Xhosa. Owing to the somewhat complex nature of Xhosa pronunciation, these features proved invaluable.

All vocabulary and grammar within the lessons is explained using detailed hypertext links to jump between the CD-ROM resources, and the fact that I understood what I was saying and why I was saying it, greatly enhanced the learning experience.

The student is pretty much handheld through each lesson, and the interactive instruction is both friendly and encouraging. At no point of the program did I feel intimidated by the material, since the course is logically constructed (a critical factor in language studies) and provides a high level of interactive support throughout.

The excellent CD-ROM is well backed up by an equally impressive manual, which covers every lesson in exactly the same kind of detail and serves as an outstanding reference and review source. The manual also contains written exercises through which to test the students knowledge and allow him/her to monitor personal progress. Detailed instructions are provided at the beginning of the manual, explaining the installation of the program.

In terms of the more practical aspects of Speak Xhosa With Us, I had no problem at all starting it up. The installation was quick, easy and efficient, and I was able to begin the course within a few minutes.

Pricing will vary according to the number of programs being ordered, with special discounts offered to educational institutions. The product can be ordered online from the company website and is also available from most software retail outlets.

In addition to the sterling support provided to the student at all levels of this self-study course, an online product support and FAQ page is also accessible via the product website. A comprehensive set of technical questions and answers surrounding the running of the program are provided, and you can even contact the product developers directly via email.

Thetha isiXhosa Nathi comes highly recommended. I am waiting with baited breath for the release of the Zulu language product.