Review of Pimsleur Foreign Language Learning CDs

Next to Rosetta Stone, Pimsleur is the most popular self-study language learning program on the planet. The system was developed by the late Dr. Paul Pimsleur, an applied linguist, and professor of French and foreign language education.

The system promotes four core principles:

1. The power of anticipation
2. GIR (“Graduated Interval Recall”)
3. Core vocabulary
4. Organic learning

Here are my impressions after using the French 1 and Russian 1 programs:

The Good

• GIR Really Works: The audio CD presents the same vocabulary items and phrases in progressively longer intervals, refreshing your memory just when you are about to forget new terms. Using Pimsleur’s proprietary spaced repetition system, I was able to learn and retain new French and Russian terms far easier than when using other systems.  And you know it works since it now is utilized in nearly all modern language learning systems, including Rosetta Stone.

• No overt memorization: While you will be presented with new words and phrases as you go through the CDs, you retain them through context and repetition, not rote memory.

• Portable: Just rip the CDs to your computer and sync them with your media player or smartphone, and you now can carry your immersion with you wherever you go. Listen to the audio tracks while doing household chores, running errands, waiting in line, or during boring sales meetings!

The Bad

• Expensive: The cost for one comprehensive level (e.g. French I, Comprehensive) is $345 (though you can find them quite a bit cheaper on Amazon).  For that price, you can buy premium online subscriptions to dozens of language sites.  (See my recommendations below)

• Repetitive: Despite the effectiveness of Graduate Interval Recall, it can get a little boring.  My advice is to supplement the Pimsleur CDs with other podcasts and listening material that will likely use similar vocabulary in new contexts.

• Audio Only: Visual learners (and in my opinion, everyone is at least partly a visual learner) would benefit from pictures and other visuals. Having a transcript would be nice addition for those that also want to improve their reading skills and back up what they hear with a written version.

• Translation: While Pimsluer uses a far more intuitive approach than pure grammar-translation, it still does present (and get you used to thinking to and from) English translations. This may feel more comfortable than a strict immersion environment (e.g. Rosetta Stone) where no translations are used, but keep in mind that it will ultimately slow you down. True fluency is acquired when there is a direct connection between sound and concept, with no need for translation or conscious application of grammar rules.

• Limited Vocabulary: The lessons only cover a very narrow selection of vocabulary, and by themselves, will not prepare you for the myriad potential responses you will hear after saying the phrases you learn in the course. I suggest supplementing the CDs with lots of podcasts, YouTube videos, blogs, etc.

• Quiet Recording Volume: I’m not sure if it’s just my car stereo or the particular batch of CDs I bought, but I found the recording volume to be extremely low. I had to crank the volume all the way up to 50 to hear it well, while I usually listen to the radio at about 25.

My Verdict

If you can afford it, Pimsleur is a very effective foreign language learning system, especially for getting your ears and mouth used to a new language. I recommend using it is addition to other more comprehensive language learning materials such as LingQ, ChinesePod, SpanishPod, FrenchPod, ItalianPod or EnglishPod).

A Few Tips on Getting the Most Out of Pimsleur

Here are a few quick tips on how to best use the Pimsleur CDs:

• Set aside 30 minutes for each study session. Breaking up individual lessons into multiple sections reduces the efficacy of Pimsleur’s “graduated interval recall”.
• Along the same lines, try to listen to one lesson each day; no more, no less.
• If listening to the CDs in the car (which is where most of us likely find the time to get in one lesson a day), make sure to turn down the volume before switching to the radio or ejecting the disc. The sudden change in volume between the ridiculously quiet Pimsleur CDs and the relatively loud radiocan wreak havoc on one’s ears.

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1. Frances says:

   May 5, 2010 at 2:23 am

   One of Pimsleur’s prime uses for me (using the Mandarin set) was getting accustomed to hearing and producing the brand new sounds. The formula of trying to say something, hearing the native speaker say it correctly, and with the contrast in mind saying the same thing a second time was hugely useful to me. For languages that use sounds very different from English, it’s a huge thing to be able to make the leap to comprehensible pronunciation.

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2. jf says:

   May 5, 2010 at 6:38 pm

   Excellent point, Frances. I forgot to mention pronunciation in the good. Pimsleur does do a good job of getting people used to moving their tongues and lips in strange new ways, though I do think stick to my conviction that speaking too soon (i.e. before you have received enough input) can lead to fossilized, mispronunciations. One thinks they are speaking exactly like the speaker, but are in fact making a rough approximation that is often unintelligible to native speakers.

   Reply
3. Catherine says:

   May 24, 2010 at 2:21 am

   It is an expensive program, so you might as well get all you can out of it. Pimsleur doesn't have to stop at the conversation – add spelling and writing in your target language to the mix.

   I used it to train myself to write in Thai script. Because it's repetitive and builds on learned words and phrases, a beginner doesn't get as discouraged.

   And having to listen close enough to be able to write down what you are hearing is excellent practice. Especially in a tonal language.

   Reply
   • jf says:

     May 25, 2010 at 1:23 pm

     Excellent idea, Catherine. The only challenge with Pimsleur CDs is checking your work since they don't provide transcripts as far as I know. This would probably work better with audio podcasts that include transcripts (e.g. ChinesePod, EnglishPod, FrenchPod, SpanishPod, ItalianPod, Get It Done Guy, TED Talks, etc.)

     Reply