RESOURCE LIST

Package courses

Pimsleur is an auditory-only, CD based program with38 different languages available. Full programs retail for $345 per 30-course level, but can be found new for more than half that and used at even greater savings, so be sure to shop around. Not all languages have multiple levels, but Mandarin, for example, has three, so be sure to check for package deals, as well. Sites such as Pimsleur Marketplace generally have good prices. Pimsleur lessons can also be downloaded directly from Audible.com. This program is also a great choice if you have a long commute to work or spend a lot of time in the car shuttling kids around.

Rosetta Stone is a computer-based visual+auditory, immersion-style program available in 30 different languages. Full courses sell for around $200, and discounts are offered for packages of more than one level. Rosetta Stone’s prices are more set in stone (no pun intended) than Pimsleur, so you’ll find little cost variation unless you buy a used program. If you happen to be a homeschooling family, they also sell homeschool versions at no additional cost, and these versions allow parents to track their students’ progress.

Our family uses both Pimsleur and Rosetta Stone for our Mandarin studies and have found that they combine nicely.

Online tutors

Here is one example for Mandarin, but you can find your language (if available) by googling your language, plus “online” and “tutor.” You will need a webcam and a program such as Skype or another VoIP program.

Returned missionaries

Ask around in your ward or stake to find someone who speaks your child’s language. Even a “rusty” 40-year-old can probably be of some help to you, should you need it. As mentioned above, most RMs are eager to use their language skills, and their help comes in especially handy if you've adopted a child over the age of 8 who needs to take the missionary lessons.

College classes

Many colleges offer a variety of language classes, and BYU and others offer several distance education choices, including Chinese.

Community classes

This is a good list of tutors and classes available in several larger communities throughout the U.S. Use Google or check your phone book to find translators and tutors near you.

Parent-oriented CDs and books

Mandarin

Chinese for Adoptive Parents
Free tutorial for China adoptive parents

Haitian Creole

Kreyňl for Parents
Creole dictionary and phrase list

Russian

Russian for Adoptive Parents

Amharic (Ethiopia)

Amharic phrases

Online machine translation

Babel Fish