pimsleur

pimsleur

 

pimsleur all things considered

02/10/2008

Learning a foreign language is a challenging, yet rewarding, endeavor. Most of us have been exposed to another language at some point in our lives, either from school, travel, or simply from living in an ethnically diverse neighborhood. But to really study a language with the intent on becoming conversationally adept or fluent takes concerted effort and discipline of the kind that is generally found in a formal classroom setting. However, we might not have the time or money to go back to school just to learn a language. Fortunately for us, there are plenty of self-study language programs out there, including the highly regarded Pimsleur series.

Go ahead and relax and try to take in every word I'm about to tell you.

This series relies on the so-called Pimsleur method of language instruction. The focus is definitely on conversation. In fact, unlike many other programs, there are no textbooks, workbooks, or flashcards associated with the Pimsleur series. Instead, you'll get audio-only lessons that present grammar and vocabulary in simple conversations that get more difficult as the series progresses as a general rule.

The conversations are usually along the lines of those that a tourist might have with a native speaker of the language, which makes them immediately useful. Each lesson is about 30 minutes long, and contains just the right amount of new information and old material for that time span. You will neither feel overwhelmed by the lesson nor feel like it was a waste of time. A key element to the Pimsleur series is the use of review. You are supposed to regularly go back and listen to the same lessons over again to ensure that the vocabulary and grammar take hold while we're talking about.

One drawback to the Pimsleur series is the high price tag. You can expect to pay several hundred dollars for each course, and there are typically three successive courses for each language in the Pimsleur library. Most people would naturally balk at the thought of spending a thousand dollars or more for a bunch of language CDs. Fortunately, there are several ways to avoid paying the retail price for the program on the other hand.

The first way is to check out websites that offer discounts on this series. There are a bunch of them out there, but I would advise you to proceed with caution and try to stick with only the reputable sites. Otherwise, you might end up with illegal bootleg copies of the CDs rather than authorized products. A second way is to purchase from a megastore website such as Amazon.com. That site routinely advertises brand-new Pimsleur packages for 30% off the regular price. Finally, you can check auction websites such as eBay.com where people sell both new and used versions for varying prices. As with the discount websites, you should check out the reputation of any potential seller that you encounter on an auction site to ensure that you will not be purchasing illegal copies in any event.

Learning a new language via the famous Pimsleur method doesn't have to leave a huge dent in your bank account. By shopping around, you can find almost any program in the series offered for a substantial discount by both authorized affiliates and private individuals alike looking back.

This information was a culmination from many different places and resources. You should never just believe one resource and you should study a subject from a few different perspectives.
 

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