Tell Me More is the worst curriculum I have ever seen!!!

Our library has Tell Me More for free for people to use. So, after MONTHS of trying to get it going (it kept not recognizing my user name, password, crashing, shutting down, etc), the actual program is the worst worst worst thing I have ever seen!!!!

As far as I can tell, a picture shows. Then 3 sentences are next to the picture. You can click on the sentences to hear what it says. That is it. Then you can go to the next page and see a picture and then 3 more complex sentences. It also has something that says to carefully listen to all sentences before picking an answer. Well, these sentences are sooo complex, I have no clue what they are looking for. I also saw no place to click on anything to select an answer anyway. You click on the complex sentences and all you get is it saying the sentence to you outloud.

Thank God I did not put any money in to this. I am kicking myself over the time and energy I have spent driving to and from the library and getting it up and running. But this program is way way way beyond worthless. That is my review.

 

Thanks for that review - I have them on my website but I'm going to take them off my page if they are that bad.

 

How much is the libraries fault though vs the actual software? I know when our library had Rosetta Stone it was AWFUL to work with - but it was not the software but the library stuff involved with the huge network etc.

 

They have a technical support number..the actual Tell Me More. Even their site says if you have a problem, call and ask. I called. Not because there were signs of technical problems, but this did not seem like it could be a valid program. No one there had a cloe! I was transferred to leave person who was not in and left a message, never heard back. I called back later and was transferred to another person, never heard back. This is the same technical support that people who purchase it privately use. If this is how bad their technical support is, then it would be a very bad move to use this program. Plus, it really does appear that this is how it is supposed to work. It is the content of the program that I am complaining about, not slow loading times and such.

 

Tell Me More was not made for younger children--but then neither was Rosetta Stone or a large number of the other foreign language software products.

Second, how well the program works depends on the capacity of the computer on which it is installed and it seems to me that libraries are notorious for having older equipment.

I think Tell Me More is one of the best computer programs for learning another language, even better than Rosetta Stone, that is why I bought it last time it was offered on homeschoolbuyersco-op.org.

 

I have not had to use their technical support, so I have nothing to say on that.

As far as that works, it is very similar to Rosetta Stone. Did you "start" on the beginning level?

 

If my children would be considered younger children, then it would not be appropriate for homeschoolers. Besides, I was using it myself. Since my children that I had it for are teens, if they are too young for it, then it should not be marketed to homeschoolers. Since I tried it myself, even in the language I already know, I can honestly say it would be ineffective even for the adult.

 

And I did start on the lowest level possible for both the language I do not know and the language I do know.

 

Also, I want to add that I did go to such lengths to do this program based on recommendations I saw on the homeschool board. However, I now realize that no one recommending it actually has used it. If people are going to recommend programs based on word of mouth and have not tried it themselves, then they should clarify that in their post. If they have only viewed it but not used it, that too should be mentioned in their post. When someone raves about how great a program in, but has never tried it and doesn't mention it, that is almost the same as lying. They truely do not know anything about the product they are recommending and are giving the impression that they do. The probably do not intend to be so deceptive, but I am glad I did not spend money on this program. I am unhappy that I took the time to drive to a library that was an hour away, using gas and time and everything, for this program. I also had to pay for the library card because I do not live in that area. So while I paid a minimal amount, it was still a complete waste of time, money, and energy. And the effort I put in to it was based strictly on reviews on the board.

 

Oh..and we did use Rosetta Stone in the past. This program was not at all like Rosetta Stone.

 

This stuff listed here would not be a software issue - probably an installation issue on the Library side or they have it on a system that really can't handle 100+ people trying to use it at once. No amount of technical support can help you with that because you can't access the actual server to check into it. Why they would send you to Tell Me More support is beyond me when it should be handled by the administrator at the location where the software is loaded. <That's my computer technical geek side coming out from installing and doing that stuff for 12+ years>

BTW - to try out their software on your OWN system without spending $$ you can request a demo CD which was actually pretty nice - they even have free over the phone conferencing to teach you and help you use it if I remember - it was something like that.

 

Just like everything else in homeschooling, there is no one approach or curriculum that works for everyone, that is why, in the end, you have to try things for yourself to see if it works for you and your children, and that is your choice to do or not to do.

Unless I am misunderstanding your posts, you have not purchased the program either, so haven't you also given an opinion on it without actually using it on your own computer? And you did not just do that here on this board alone either, did you?

I really am very sorry that you have been disappointed, but do you really feel that your disappointment warrants accusing others on any homeschooling board of lying? I just think that saying things to make others feel bad isn't really good thing.

I suggest to others interested in Tell Me More to use the demo and make your own decision about purchasing and using the program. It has been my experience that technical support is only available registered buyers of computer programs.

 

Technical support is available to all users, the library pays for it. I spoke to the library today about it and apparently, they have received many complaints. I have used it, it is a bad program. Period, the end. I never said anything about purchasing it, but I did have to pay in that I only drove to that library and paid a fee for membership so I could use this program.

Since you are defending it so adamently seekingmylord, are you saying you have actually used it? Because I actually took the time to install their software and call their tech support line and everything and there is NO educational value to this program based on what I am seeing. I have described exactly what the program entails. So if you have never used it, why do you keep defending it?

Also, it is very deceptive of them to say to call them immediately for any questions, at the slightest bit of problem, then provide a number where their own employees do not know how to use their program.

 

Also, I have been to their online demo and it gives no actual demo, just a long description of their program. It leaves a person with no clue as to what is actually done. There is a fair amount of advertising in the demo "companies throughout the world use TellMeMore to train their employees" and other such statements. "Perfectly matches your learning goals." "Enables you to improve your communication." Nothing but advertising, no actual info on how the actual program works or what it does.

 

No, I did not. You need to go back and reread my posts. I install ALL their software. I spent considerable amount of time going back and forth with the library attempting to find someone, anyone there who knew how to use it. Then they referred me to the technical support at Tell Me More..the reps there insists when they sold the library their program that the technical support is available to all users. However, upon calling the technical support number all week, I never reached anyone who knew how to use their program. I left messages with voice mails that they forwarded me to, but no one called me back. Their OWN staff does not even know enough about the program. After calling back to speak with the library about it, I was told by administration that they were never instructed on anything by technical support beyond how to sign in. That was the extent of the training from the technical support. No one at the library was able to make any use of the program and they are looking for something different when their 3 yr contract is up. Unfortunately, they are stuck in a 3 yr contract.

For me, I find the low level, low quality of this program to be shocking. I see absolutely no educational value. I was trying to give them the benefit of the doubt that the program was running wrong, but in reality, my computer is almost brand new. There is nothing wrong in how it is running, it is purely content. And now I have realized that no one has come forth on this board to say they actually have been using this program.

 

Oh, and they do not have 100+ people using it. According to the library, no one has been able to make heads or tails of this program. It appears that no one is really using it at this point. They are looking for a different program to use in its place.

 

This is going to sound really stupid and has really nothing to do with liking any program or not. (I have never heard of that program)..

But what I think might be throwing people for a loop in this conversation, if I am understanding it right is that most people, me included, go to our library and use the computers with the programs already installed.

I think you said: "I install ALL their software."
When you say "Their" do you mean the library or the company that made the bad program?

Also, my library would freak out if I tried to install anything on their computers, and I think this is causing a confusion in the understanding of your post. (Well at least for this ditzy blonde)

You say you paid into it to use it? How does that work? Every thing at my library is free. Is it because of that program, or because you live out of district? (Grasping at straws, here sorry)

Sorry, just trying to understand and it has no bearing on the program. But it might help us understand the whole picture.

 

I agree. Word of mouth is how most homeschoolers make their curriculum purchases and it is deceptive to "recommend" a program that was never actually used by the person recommending it.

Off topic - but Rosetta Stone works fine for my 11 year old and I would expect ANY homeschool foreign language program to be easy enough for at least middle schoolers to do pretty much without input from parents, otherwise they should specifically say that it is meant for high school and up or it is not "self teaching".

 

Although I don't think my experience is going to change your problem or your opinion, to answer your question, I obviously am not having the problem you are describing with my own version of the program.

 

What you have to do is go in and get a library card. Then you go back to the resource desk and do some paperwork to get signed up. Then you go home and sign on from there and install their software. They call it remote access. The ONLY reason I had to pay is I do not live where the library is. It was a very small fee, but I had to drive some distance to get it. If I lived in the town, maybe the county, not sure, there would have been no fee. But the fee was small.