Visit http://www.WhatsYourTravelIQ.com to get started on your own mini-tour of the world, and connect through Facebook or email so you can track your score. Get tested on trivia about every corner of the globe, explore stunning images of unique and culture-rich locations, dance to traditional tunes, and brush up on your Chinese, Indonesian, and Navajo language skills. Plus, you’ll receive a travel rank in the process.

Remember to share your score with us, challenge your friends—and let us know what our next quiz should highlight. We hope our quiz inspires you to explore and discover even more.

On our last visit, my husband discovered a mixed tape that his parents made in the 1980s. He put it in the stereo and a German pop song blared from the speakers. I had never heard of the song called “Codo” by the band Döf (by looking at the music video it’s a wonder it never made America’s Top 40). His mother, who I had only ever heard speak in happy, but halting English, started dancing and singing along with the music. “Liebe, Liebe, Liebe” she shouted with the chorus, like she was back in a dance hall in Hamburg. My husband whispered in my ear that the lyric meant love and then he joined in with his family’s impromptu karaoke to the German song. They were not the Von Trapps, but they were putting on a show, and I was left to enjoy the show as an audience member, not a participant.

Rachel poses with her German-speaking husband.

That is why I signed up for Rosetta Stone TOTALe. I know that my attachment to my husband’s family will keep growing deeper, and I need to speak the same language to strengthen it. I am at the beginning of my language journey and—like his family with English—I speak in halting sentences and am self-conscious, but I will push through. I just started on lesson 2 of unit 1 where the focus is on family members. On our next visit, I will no longer see my husband’s family as belonging only to him, but as meine Familie, too. And maybe, just maybe, I’ll know enough to sing along to the “Codo” chorus one Liebe at a time.

Dear Rosetta Stone Community,

I am excited to share the news that Rosetta Stone has acquired Livemocha, one of the largest online language-learning communities in the world. With over 16 million members—including engaged language experts, teachers and multi-linguists—Livemocha significantly expands our online community and gives us ready access into new markets around the world. Together, we’re going to be able to reach more learners and change more lives than ever before.

Importantly, Rosetta Stone and Livemocha share the same mission and embrace similar core values. By joining forces, we will be able to give our customers more choice, create better tools and resources, and help more people around the world achieve their language learning goals.

However you view it—geographically, operationally, technologically, culturally—Rosetta Stone and Livemocha are a terrific fit. I’m looking forward to sharing our progress as we grow and learn–and get stronger–together.

Steve Swad
CEO
Rosetta Stone

I knew they were better prepared for the trip language-wise than I was, but it was amazing to see just how much they could actually communicate in Chinese with the people they met there. And how much they understood the road signs, menus, and even the occasional overheard conversation.

The connections these students made with the Chinese people they met will serve them well throughout their lifetime. These students were able to not only experience another culture but immerse themselves by speaking the language.  Their trip was so much more than just what they saw – it was who they spoke with, how they communicated and with whom they connected.  Imagine what the world would be if students were able to learn a new language well enough to converse with other students in their native language!  We truly are a global community and the students’ ability to connect with other children in their native language was a priceless opportunity all students should have!

—Deb

Teacher, Fairfax, Virginia

As much as the politicians mention how the United States needs to make their students more competitive in the world’s job markets, language learning in public schools is under increasing attack. Whether it is due to funding shortfalls or simply not enough time in the day to cover everything (especially if you are focusing on math and reading for the upcoming high-stakes test), the fact is that the number of elementary schools that offer language-learning classes has dropped from 32 to 15 percent in the last decade.

If you’ve taken language training, then you may have recognized benefits not just in social and business settings, but perhaps also some cognitive benefits throughout the day. Language learning in K-12 happens to benefit the rest of the subject areas as well, especially for our ELL learners.

The classroom technological revolution

As language learning shrinks in the educational setting, blending learning – or the use of technology to augment learning strategies both inside and outside of the classroom – has exploded, to the tune of 3 million K-12 students taking an online class in 2009. Schools and districts are adopting tablets and other technology gadgets at exponential rates.

The reasoning behind this movement is simple: technology gets results, and it’s becoming more intuitive, personalized, and available everywhere. The days of the school-wide computer lab is over. That lab now fits in a student’s pocket and schools are always looking for ways to leverage that technology.

These benefits are just as powerful in language learning as they are in the other subject areas, with Rosetta Stone leading the way in expanding the capabilities of these devices.

The Next Level

Are you surprised by the findings in this infographic? Share your reactions in the comments below.

If you found this information (and the infographic) valuable, please share this article in your social networks.

Click here to learn more about Rosetta Stone language-learning solutions for K-12 classrooms. 

This kind of scenario is very familiar to Anne-Marie Walworth, who works on public relations for Rosetta Stone. “We’re always getting phone calls,” she explains. “Rosetta Stone can be more convenient than a private tutor. Especially if someone values their privacy.” She’s hesitant to name names, but she knows that some of the most famous people in Hollywood can be found in Rosetta Studio sessions.

You may know Tichina Arnold from TV Land’s “Happily Divorced” or the CW’s “Everybody Hates Chris.”

Anne-Marie recently took me along on a trip to Los Angeles. While we were there, I had the chance to meet with some actors, producers, and directors who agreed to publicly announce their language-learning journeys. Believe it or not, many of the people I met had already purchased the classic Rosetta Stone box set for their families, but they had no familiarity with the Version 4 TOTALe online features. Anne-Marie and I were happy to explain that in addition to the coursework, they’d be able to access one year of Rosetta Studio live, coach-led sessions. Mobile apps and an online gaming community also come with the online subscription.

In turn, people shared their reasons for learning with us. I was particularly interested in Tichina Arnold’s story. She explained that she became a cultural ambassador to Brazil, after being told that she was one of a small group of strong, black women represented on Brazilian television. Black and mixed-race people form the majority of Brazil’s population, but television does not necessarily represent the country’s demographics proportionally. “I wanted to go visit the favelas, and see if I could make a difference in the lives of my fans,” Tachina explains. She’s already been looking into studying Portuguese to facilitate frequent trips to Brazil.

CCH Pounder appeared in “Avatar” and FX’s “The Shield.”

CCH Pounder was also interested in learning Portuguese. Her region of interest is Mozambique. She’s on the board of directors of the African Millennium Foundation, and sponsors a sustainable village, A Nossa Casa, that supports schoolchildren living with AIDS. Although there are major dialectical differences between Brazilian Portuguese and the Portuguese spoken in Mozambique, we hope the Rosetta Stone Portuguese program will give her the foundation in the language that she can build on through her travels.

Tucker Abrizzi is a voice actor in the animated feature “ParaNorman.”

Tucker Abrizzi also impressed me. Although he’s only 13, his passion for learning Italian is unrivaled. He’s interested in exploring his Italian heritage, and he spoke very eloquently about all the architecture and art he’d like to see when he goes on a long-awaited, month-long tour of Italy.

Chris Tucker, known for his comedy and his roles in movies like the Academy Award nominated “Silver Linings Playbook,” spoke with us about his interest in the Middle East. The actor proved much more openminded than the character he portrayed in “Rush Hour,” who tried to overcome a perceived language barrier by yelling the famous line, “Do you understand the words that are coming out of my mouth?” In real life, Chris is willing to put in more effort. He explained that he’s interested in learning Arabic so that he can communicate better on his trips to Arabic-speaking regions. Speaking the local language, we agreed, can be an important way to show respect and forge a connection with new friends.

While I’m on the topic of new pals, I encourage you to browse through the friendly faces below. Click on the first photo to view the slides. And, the next time you’re chatting with someone in Rosetta World, be sure to ask about all the places they’ve traveled “for work.” Their answers might surprise you!

Try taking the Rosetta Stone St. Patrick’s Day quiz. When you’re done, see what the correct answers are below.

The Chicago River dyed green for St. Patrick’s Day. Image courtesy Ken Ilio/ Getty Images.

Photo by Rosetta Stone

If you wish to take a stab at it yourself and want a great Swedish challenge, try out the Södergran poem below—it’s one of my favorites, and it’ll give you a very brief taste of what formal Swedish sounded like at the turn of the 20^th century.

Click here to read the poem!

Learn more about Rosetta Stone Swedish here.

Foreign Language Week was started in 1957 by national foreign language honor society, Alpha Mu Gamma. In 1956, President Dwight D. Eisenhower endorsed the celebration via telegram and Presidents since then have added their support of this week. Alpha Mu Gamma now has chapters all across the United States and organizes activities during this week to help students become more aware of the necessity and advantages of learning a foreign language. Other organizations have gotten in the spirit and like Alpha Mu Gamma, have celebrated the week with activities such as foreign language film screenings, foreign music and theater festivals, and foreign language themed lectures. Each Foreign Language Week has a theme and this year’s theme focuses on brain fitness: “Foreign Languages: They Nourish the Brain!”

Rosetta Stone is celebrating this week by hosting a special Google+ Hangout today, Wednesday, March 6^th at 9 PM EST. Click here to RSVP to this special event: http://bit.ly/VurOfZ.

Google+ Hangouts are interactive online group video chats. Fans can watch our Hangouts to learn more about Rosetta Stone as well as our products, program and news updates. This platform is a great place to explore a variety of language learning topics and interact with the Rosetta Stone online community.

Tonight’s Hangout will focus on Travel. Tune in to learn more about Rosetta Studio sessions, travel stories, travel photography, languages, and living abroad! Our Hangout will feature several Rosetta Stone Studio Coaches as well as a few Rosetta Stone learners. Our learners have prepared questions for our coaches on this topic and we will also be including questions that users and fans have submitted.

Here are some of the questions we will be asking:

• What did you used to eat for breakfast growing as a child in the country you grew up in?
• What is the one thing that most reminds of your home?
• What’s the most iconic landmark in your native country?
• What are important travel tips to help prepare me for a visit to your country?
  
• What’s one thing that you always bring with you when you travel?
• What was the first foreign country that you ever visited?
• What are some good stereotypes about your native country?
• What do you think the biggest challenge is to learning another language?
• What is the best way to explore the country where you are from?

If you have any questions regarding this topic, please feel free to submit them in the comment section of the Hangout. We will provide the link to the live Hangout once we begin broadcasting. You will be able to click on the link to this event and starting viewing the Hangout as well as submit your own questions and comments for our studio coaches. Be sure to comment with your questions, as we will potentially use them during our live Hangout!

After our live Hangout we will provide a link here to the recorded video. Be sure to watch the whole Hangout so you take advantage of the special surprise we will be sharing with our viewers. We hope to see you there!

Update:

Check out our latest Google Hangout celebrating Foreign Language Week: