Reply #5: Nothing beats a real teacher... so true

[Left_Winger]

About fifteen years ago I needed to learn Polish. I found a series of books Teach Yourself Polish (or German, Spanish, etc.) and they worked quite well in learning how to read the language. Learning how to speak the language was a entirely different matter. I was lucky to find a Polish family who let me hang out with them. Especially helpful was time spent in the kitchen with the mother of the family as she prepared the meals and cared for the children. That is where I actually learned how to speak the language before departing for Warsaw.

These books are less expensive than software; and if they do not work, then you have not wasted that much money. You might even be able to find them at your local library.