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Simon & Schuster’s Pimsleur is a great app for learning languages, at least in my experience. It sticks out because of the unique way it teaches listening and pronunciation, which is better than many other language programs in this way. Pimsleur has come a long way since its early days as a cassette-only radio program. It now has a full online learning platform with interactive tasks for many languages and a new system that uses AI to give feedback on pronunciation.
There’s no doubt that Pimsleur’s main material works, especially if you want to learn how to pronounce words correctly. Its relatively high cost is, however, one of its main problems. It’s important to know that Pimsleur books are often available at public libraries, which can help lower the cost. From my own experience, Pimsleur is a good choice if you want to learn a language and make sure you have perfect speech.
Pimsleur Specifications
Pimsleur reviews provide firsthand evidence of the language learning program’s efficacy. Individual experiences and feedback help prospective learners decide whether to invest time and money in a language learning tool that meets their requirements and goals.
| Feature | Description |
|---|---|
| Course Content | Comprehensive language courses for multiple languages. |
| Learning Method | Audio-based approach with spaced repetition techniques. |
| Supplementary Materials | Includes optional PDF booklets for additional practice. |
| Pronunciation Guidance | Companion audio files for accurate pronunciation guidance. |
| Flexibility | Self-paced learning, suitable for beginners and travelers. |
| Language Options | Offers a wide range of languages, including less common ones. |
| Accessibility | Accessible on various devices – desktop, mobile, and more. |
| Free Sample Lessons | Provides sample lessons for a risk-free trial. |
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What is Pimsleur?
Pimsleur is a well-established and highly praised technique of language learning, according to my own personal experience with the program. The term “Pimsleur” comes from the well-known linguist and author Dr. Paul Pimsleur, who has written a number of works on the topics of language learning and practical linguistics. He is the brains behind the Pimsleur Method, which is now commonly known by that name.
Dr. Pimsleur developed the very first version of the Pimsleur Language Program all the way back in 1963. During that time period, these language classes were made available to students through the use of cassette recordings and books. Since then, they have been converted into a digital version, which makes them easier to use and more comfortable for students in the present era.
Pimsleur review: Interactive Exercises
From my own experience using the language-learning platform, I know that each lesson comes with interactive tasks, such as flash cards, a matching game, and, for some languages, Voice Coach, an AI-powered tool for checking your pronunciation. These tasks are meant to go along with the audio lessons, not replace them. Even though they are helpful feedback, I’ve found that they are completely optional and not very interesting.
It’s helpful to be able to slow down the playback speed to 0.75x or 0.5x for listening tasks because it makes it easier to understand what is being said. The Voice Coach tool lets you talk while the app listens and rates how well you pronounce words on a scale from 1 to 3. Any words that are stated wrong are shown in red.
Pimsleur review: Optional PDFs
I’ve used Pimsleur’s language studies, and I liked that they come with free PDF booklets that go along with the audio lessons. Better yet, these books are completely free and anyone who wants to learn can get them. They are not required, though. You won’t miss any important information that you need to move on to the core lessons at your level if you choose to skip them.
But if you do decide to use these books, they come with a great audio file that walks you through the course material. Pinyin and Chinese characters are used for both single sounds and whole words in the Mandarin lesson. The audio files help you say words correctly, which helps you remember what you’re reading and learning. Compared to the structured core lessons, this part of the course is more self-directed, so you can go deeper into the subject at your own pace.
Final Words
In my own experience, Pimsleur language classes have been very helpful. Audio lessons and PDF papers that go with them have been shown to be a very effective way to learn a new language. The PDF books are available for free, which is a big plus. You can choose not to use them, which lets you make your learning experience fit your needs.
I thought it was very helpful that there were audio files that went along with it to help with speech. It’s very helpful to have this tool when working with harder languages like Mandarin. It lets you choose how fast you want to learn and lets you take charge of your language journey.
Pimsleur review: The good and The bad
When it comes to learning to speak and hear a new language, Pimsleur is one of the most accurate and effective methods available today.
The Good
- Effective Audio-Based Learning
- Pronunciation Emphasis
The Bad
- Limited Vocabulary
Questions and Answers
It’s easy to answer this question: most Pimsleur tools are out of date. Most of the time, they give you phrases that don’t apply nearly as much now as they did when they were taped.
Our team thinks that Pimsleur’s language learning course is better than Rosetta Stone’s after giving them both a long and careful look. Pimsleur has a more complete course from beginning to end than Rosetta Stone.