MARINE CORPS AIR STATION IWAKUNI, Japan -- Marine Administrative Message 629/10 was released nov. 5 to give notification of a new languagelearning software available to service members, family and civilians through station libraries.
According to MARADMIN 629/10, the new MARADMIN supersedes MARADMIn 228/10, Rosetta Stone Online Foreign Language Classes for Family Members and Other Eligible Library Patrons.
Due to the expense and inability of Rosetta Stone to meet high usage demands, Marine Corps Community Service libraries replaced the software with Mango Languages, a language-learning software made free and available for everyone.
According to Jessica Ossiander, library technician, the lack of time restriction placed on the user to use the program is a benefit of Mango Languages.
Language-learners can use the software at their pace and leisure as many times as they like.
“People could only use (Rosetta Stone) for a limited amount of time,” said Ossiander. “Six months was the limit. Whether they used it or not, they were done and couldn’t use it anymore. With Mango, everybody can use it. There is no limit. It doesn’t stop.”
The Mango Languages software is also available to any station library patron. An account with the library is the only requirement.
“Mango Languages is an online language program that is for everybody who uses the library whether they are stationed here or not,” said Ossiander. “All they have to do is register with their own e-mail, their own password and then it asks for a library card number.”
Service members and dependents can also take advantage of Mango Languages at MCCS libraries on base, overseas or even while on deployment as long as they have access to the Internet.
“If somebody who is deployedsays they want an account, we can help them set it up,” said Ossiander. “That way everybody has access.”
Once logged in, the Mango Languages Website provides a simple platform for library patrons to navigate through, which includes a dashboard, list of courses, a translation tool and support tab.
“Mango Languages is very straightforward,” said Ossiander. “It’s in English and it’s a little bit more traditional.”
Mango Languages offers 12 foreign language courses for English speakers.
The Foreign languages offered through Mango Languages include Arabic (Levantine), Chinese (Mandarin), French, German, Hebrew, Italian, Japanese, Korean, Portuguese (Brazil), Russian, Spanish (Latin America) and Tagalog.
Mango Languages also offers three English courses for Japanese, Korean and Spanish speakers.
According to the MARADMIN, Mango courses are designed to teach beginner and intermediate level language learners.
Each language course includes interactive listening, speaking, reading, and self-testing modules.
According to Marissa Krueger, library technician, each chapter takes about 10 minutes to go through and covers very basic language words and phrases.
“It tells you what you’re going to learn first and then it goes through the basics,” said Kreuger. “It breaks it down in color and makes it very easy.”
Rosetta Stone is still available to service members online at www.marinenet.mil.
For more information, contact the station library by calling 253-3078 or stop by Building 411, 3rd floor.