Are the Pimsleur Approach cds any good for learning a new launguage?
I’m a little skeptical because it says you can learn a new language in 10 days, which in my opinion is a little crazy.
I really want to learn french and rosetta stone is way to expensive and when I found that Pimsleur is only 10 bucks right now with no s&h I was considering buying it, but the reviews I’ve read are mixed. Please tell me (if you have tried them) what you think?
It’s called Pimsleur not Pimsleur Approach. Pimsleur Approach are only a reseller of the courses and their "learn a language in 10 days" ads are kind of absurd. I’ve never seen Pimsleur actually claim that. Sure after 10 days (10 lessons) you’ll be talking and understanding some, but to say that you’ll have learned a language altogether is laughable. I usually recommend Pimsleur to beginner students. If you want a method that focuses on conversational skills, Pimsleur is the reference imo. It’s a real confidence builder, which is essential for new students. You will learn to train your ear to understand natives (an essential part of early learning often overlooked by other methods), develop very good pronunciation and acquire the core structures and grammar of your new language (exactly what RS fails to do.) It’s also almost half the price of RS (check Amazon or even iTunes Store.) Regarding Rosetta, most people have no idea what they are actually buying. Yes, Rosetta has an amazing marketing machine yet most people know little about the product. Rosetta doesn’t teach you the language. It teaches vocabulary. There’s a big distinction. Rosetta is certainly not the method I would recommend to a beginner that hopes to SPEAK the language (I assume that’s your goal?). Rosetta Stone uses a flashcard method and like all other flashcard methods, it helps expand your vocabulary base but it will not teach you the core of the language or conversational skills. Knowing many words doesn’t mean you can speak the language. Once you are finished with Pimsleur, that’s when a vocabulary builder method such as Rosetta (there are cheaper alternatives though like BYKI, Babble, etc.) has its place. Daily conversation in the language after completing Pimsleur is really ideal. Good luck. I hope this helps.
January 18th, 2010 at 1:45 pm
It’s called Pimsleur not Pimsleur Approach. Pimsleur Approach are only a reseller of the courses and their "learn a language in 10 days" ads are kind of absurd. I’ve never seen Pimsleur actually claim that. Sure after 10 days (10 lessons) you’ll be talking and understanding some, but to say that you’ll have learned a language altogether is laughable. I usually recommend Pimsleur to beginner students. If you want a method that focuses on conversational skills, Pimsleur is the reference imo. It’s a real confidence builder, which is essential for new students. You will learn to train your ear to understand natives (an essential part of early learning often overlooked by other methods), develop very good pronunciation and acquire the core structures and grammar of your new language (exactly what RS fails to do.) It’s also almost half the price of RS (check Amazon or even iTunes Store.) Regarding Rosetta, most people have no idea what they are actually buying. Yes, Rosetta has an amazing marketing machine yet most people know little about the product. Rosetta doesn’t teach you the language. It teaches vocabulary. There’s a big distinction. Rosetta is certainly not the method I would recommend to a beginner that hopes to SPEAK the language (I assume that’s your goal?). Rosetta Stone uses a flashcard method and like all other flashcard methods, it helps expand your vocabulary base but it will not teach you the core of the language or conversational skills. Knowing many words doesn’t mean you can speak the language. Once you are finished with Pimsleur, that’s when a vocabulary builder method such as Rosetta (there are cheaper alternatives though like BYKI, Babble, etc.) has its place. Daily conversation in the language after completing Pimsleur is really ideal. Good luck. I hope this helps.
References :
http://www.pimsleur.com