Rosetta Stone Survey Finds Americans Fear Lack of Multilingual Skills May Cost Them High-Paying U.S. Jobs

In a May 2010 speech to the Council on Foreign Relations, U.S. Secretary of Education Arne Duncan said, "An issue that affects our ability to compete and collaborate on the world stage (is) the need to increase the foreign-language fluency and cultural awareness of all our students.” According to a national survey¹ conducted by Wakefield Research and commissioned by Rosetta Stone Inc. (NYSE:RST), a leading provider of technology-based language-learning solutions, Americans share Secretary Duncan’s concern. More than half (58 percent) of Americans fear that high-paying U.S. jobs will be filled by workers from abroad in the next two decades because of the country’s lack of foreign-language skills.

Americans do not consider their lack of foreign-language skills as solely their own challenge; it is also a challenge for the nation. Roughly half of Americans think the lack of foreign-language proficiency has put the U.S. at an economic disadvantage compared to its foreign counterparts. This perception has become a reality. In its Global Competitiveness Report 2010-2011, released last week, the World Economic Forum finds that the U.S. has become less competitive, falling two positions to fourth place, behind Switzerland, Sweden and Singapore.

Parents also echo the report’s findings and Secretary Duncan’s sentiments; nearly 60 percent of parents surveyed think that the current role of language instruction in U.S. schools is an afterthought and not prioritized as a core part of curricula. And, although 70 percent of parents believe that children who have studied a foreign language can introduce themselves in that language, only a third (35 percent) of parents think that their children would know how to ask for directions, and only 20 percent think their child would be able to write a personal letter in the foreign language they have studied at school.

Tomorrow, Rosetta Stone will launch the next generation of its award-winning language-learning solution – Rosetta Stone® Version 4 TOTALe™ (pronounced tow-TALLY). Tom Adams, Rosetta Stone president and CEO, believes that speaking more than one language is no longer just an asset in today’s job market; it is a requirement.

"The United States risks falling behind in the global economy if we do not strive to be a multilingual society,” said Adams. "Rosetta Stone is committed to changing the way the world learns languages, and Rosetta Stone Version 4 TOTALe allows us to offer the most comprehensive language-learning solution.”

The Rosetta Stone and Wakefield Research survey also found the following:

• Planning for the future. Sixty-six percent of parents believe their children will need to speak Spanish fluently in adulthood, and 34 percent feel that learning Chinese will be increasingly important during the next 50 years.
• Shifting parental priorities. Parents would rather their children learn a second language than play a new sport or a musical instrument (67 percent and 63 percent, respectively).
• Staying stateside. Forty-one percent of Americans surveyed feel they would travel abroad more frequently if they knew how to speak a foreign language, and almost two-thirds (63 percent) say they are hesitant to visit new countries because they believe they would be looked down upon for only speaking English.
• Attractive Qualities. Roughly half of women (48 percent) think someone who speaks multiple languages is sexier than someone with a full head of hair. Additionally, more than four in five (84 percent) Americans are impressed by someone who speaks more than one language fluently – and 62 percent believe people who speak more than one language are smarter than the average person.

Rosetta Stone Version 4 TOTALe is an innovative solution that pairs the trusted Rosetta Stone software, which has brought success to millions, with an entirely new online experience. It allows people to awaken their natural abilities to learn a new language in the same way they learned their first – through immersion, rather than tedious memorization and translation. This next-generation solution seamlessly integrates Rosetta Course™ software with access to Rosetta Studio™ sessions – live online conversational coaching sessions facilitated by native speakers – and Rosetta World™ community – the company’s online language-learning community.

Rosetta Stone Version 4 TOTALe will initially be available in 24 languages for learners ages 13 and older. Rosetta Stone will offer a wide range of affordable options for anyone who wants to learn a language. A full 5-level set that includes 15 months of online access will be available for a suggested retail price of $749. A Level 1 product, which includes 3 months of access, will be available for a suggested retail price of $249. Rosetta Stone Version 4 TOTALe will be available for purchase at RosettaStone.com, by calling (800) 767-3882 in the U.S. and Canada, at kiosks and at Rosetta Stone Authorized Resellers in the U.S. and Canada. The solution will be introduced to additional countries at a later date.

A selection of the survey results can be viewed at YouTube.com/RosettaStone.

For more information, or to see additional survey results, please visit pr.RosettaStone.com.

¹ The Rosetta Stone survey was conducted by Wakefield Research (www.WakefieldResearch.com), between June 22 and 28, 2010. One thousand interviews were fielded among nationally representative Americans aged 18 and older using random-digit telephone dialing. Quotas were set to ensure reliable and accurate representation of the total U.S. population ages 18 and older.

About Rosetta Stone

Rosetta Stone Inc. is changing the way the world learns languages. Rosetta Stone provides interactive solutions that are acclaimed for the power to unlock the natural language-learning ability in everyone. Available in more than 30 languages, Rosetta Stone language-learning solutions are used by schools, organizations and millions of individuals in over 150 countries throughout the world. The company was founded in 1992 on the core beliefs that learning a language should be natural and instinctive and that interactive technology can replicate and activate the immersion method powerfully for learners of any age. The company is based in Arlington, Va. For more information, visit RosettaStone.com.

Rosetta Stone, TOTALe, Rosetta Course, Rosetta Studio, and Rosetta World are registered trademarks or trademarks of Rosetta Stone Ltd.