Conversational English using Dr. Pimsleur's method. American English according to Dr. Pimsleur's method

I've heard about this method of learning American English for a long time. But I immediately liked the Rosetta Stone course that I wrote about, so I didn’t really look at Pimsleur.

But the whole point is that if I liked something and went quietly, this does not mean at all that the same thing will suit you. Therefore, today I will briefly outline the Pimsleur technique. And you try it yourself and choose what is best for you.

First, who is Dr. Pimsleur? Open Wikipedia and read.

Paul Pimsleur (October 17, 1927 – June 22, 1976) was an American linguist known for his work in applied linguistics.

Biography

He graduated from the City College of New York and received a Master's degree in psychological statistics and a PhD in French from Columbia University.

Taught phonetics and phonology French at the University of California. He was a professor of French at the University at Albany (English) Russian. He worked as a Fulbright teacher at the University of Heidelberg in 1968 and 1969. He researched the psychology of language learning and in 1969 was appointed chairman of the section on the psychology of second language learning at the International Congress of Applied Linguistics.

His research focuses on understanding language acquisition, especially organic learning in children who speak a language without awareness of it. formal structure. To do this, he studied the learning process in groups of children, adults, and groups of multilingual adults. As a result this study The Pimsleur language learning system was created. His numerous books and articles have influenced the theory of language learning and teaching.

Between 1958 and 1966, Pimsleur revised his views, reflected in previously published research, regarding linguistics and psychological factors in language learning. This led to the publication in 1963 of the monograph Underachievement in Foreign Language Learning, co-authored by other scholars, which was published with the assistance of the Modern Language Association of America.

In this study, Pimsleur identified three measurable factors for calculating language ability: language learning ability, hearing, and motivation. Pimsleur and colleagues developed the Pimsleur Language Ability Scale (PLAB) based on these three factors. Pimsleur was one of the first foreign language teachers to take an interest in students with language difficulties who were also excelling in other subjects. Today, PLAB is used to determine language ability or even language learning disability.

Paul Pimsleur died suddenly of a heart attack while visiting France.

The man didn’t live long, only 48 years old. But his contribution to the science of language learning is obvious. Let's take our hats off in gratitude and see what this course is all about.

I offer you the first lesson of 30 for your consideration. Read, listen. If you like it, you can easily find Pimsleur lessons on the Internet. There are three courses in total, in ascending order.

And this is the text of the lesson:

Listen to this conversation.

M - Are you Russian?
S - Yes, Miss.

In a few minutes, you will not only understand the meaning of this conversation, but you will also be able to take part in it yourself. Let's imagine a Russian man who came to America. He wants to talk to the American woman who is standing next to him.

To begin with he says:
Sorry.
Excuse me.

The American announcer will repeat this phrase in parts, starting from the end. Repeat after him, trying to follow his pronunciation exactly.

Be sure to speak out loud.
Me, Me
Use, use
Cuse, Cuse
Ex, Ex
Excuse, Excuse
Excuse me, Excuse me

How to say "sorry" in English?
Excuse me
Excuse me

Now he wants to ask if she understands Russian. Let's start with the word "in Russian".

Listen and repeat.
Russian
Russian
Sian
Sian
Ru
Ru
Russian
Russian
Russian

Have you noticed that English sound Is the “r” at the beginning of this word different from the Russian “r”?

Now just listen.
Russian
Ra
Russian

Listen and repeat, trying to imitate the speaker's pronunciation.
Russian
Russian

Say "sorry."
Excuse me

Repeat after the speaker, trying to accurately copy his pronunciation.
Excuse me
Excuse me

Say “Russian” again
Russian

Now he wants to ask, “Do you understand?” Here's how to say “you understand,” just listen:
Understand

Repeat after the speaker step by step:
Stand
Stand
Der, Der
Derstand
Un
Under
Understand
Understand

Say “you understand” again.
Understand
Understand

Here's how to say "you understand." Listen and repeat:
You understand.
You
You
You understand
You understand

Say "you understand."
You understand.

Remember how to say “in Russian”?
Russian

Say “you understand” again.
You understand.

Now try saying “you understand Russian.”
You understand Russian.
You understand Russian.

And this word is often used to ask a question in English.

Listen and repeat:
Do
Do
Do

In English declarative sentence can often be turned into a question simply by placing this word at the beginning of a phrase.

Say “you understand” again.
You understand

Try asking “do you understand?”
Do you understand?
Do you understand?

Say "sorry."
Excuse me.
Excuse me.

Ask if I understand.
Do you understand?

Do you understand Russian?
Do you understand Russian?

The woman answers “no.” Listen and repeat.
No.
No.
No.

Now she responds with a more polite “no, sir.” Listen and repeat.
No, sir.
Sir, Sir.
No, sir.

This is a polite way of addressing to a stranger. Say "sir" again. Pay attention to the sound at the end of the word.
Sir
Sir

Tell the man a polite “no.”
No, sir.

How do you say "excuse me sir"?
Excuse me, sir.

How do you ask someone if they "get it"?
Do you understand?
Do you understand?

Do you understand Russian?
Do you understand Russian?
Do you understand Russian?

The man answers “I understand” with the word “I” at the beginning. Listen and repeat:
I
I
I

And now the word “I understand.”
Understand.
Understand.
I understand.

Have you noticed that “understand” and “understand” are denoted by the same word in English?

Now say “I understand.”
I understand.
I understand.
I understand.

You hear these two words spoken almost together. Try saying “I understand Russian.”
I understand Russian.
I understand Russian.

Now say “you understand.”
You understand.

Say “I understand” again.
I understand.

Do you remember how to ask a question in English? You understand?
Do you understand?

Ask a woman “do you understand Russian?”
Do you understand Russian?

Do you understand Russian?
Russian.
Do you understand Russian?

She politely replies “no sir.”
No, sir.
No, sir.

How to say “I understand”?
I understand.

Now she wants to say “I don’t understand.” Listen and repeat.
I don't understand.
Don't
Don't
Don't understand
Don't understand

I don't
I don't
I don't understand.

What makes this phrase negative is “don’t”.

Pay attention to the pronunciation. Notice that the "t" sound at the end of the word almost disappears.

Listen and repeat.
Don't
Don't
I don't understand.

I don't understand.
Don't

There are many sounds in the English language that, like the “t” sound, disappear when fast pace speech. However, it is important to notice them because they often change the meaning of the entire phrase.

Say “I don’t understand” again.
I don't understand.

Say "in Russian"
Russian
Russian

Remember the English "r" sound. Say “I don’t understand Russian.”
I don't understand Russian.

Ask “do you understand?”
Do you understand?
Do
Do you understand?

Ask me if I understand Russian.
Do you understand Russian?
Do you understand Russian?

Try answering “no, I don’t understand.”
No, I don’t understand.
No, I don’t understand.

Note that in English it is not customary to omit words like “I” and “you” even in short answers.

Now answer “I understand.”
I understand.
I

This is what the name of the English language sounds like in English.

Listen and repeat.
English
Lish
Lish
Ing
Ing
English
English

Say "in English"
English

This word contains the sound “ing”, one of those sounds in the English language that does not exist in Russian.

Listen and repeat to practice correct pronunciation.
ing
English
English

Say “I understand.”
I understand

Say “I understand English.”
I understand English.
I understand English.

Now tell me what you don't understand in English.
I don't understand English.

Say “you understand English.”
You understand English.
You understand English.

Do you understand English?
Do you understand English?

Here's how to say "a little." For now, just listen.
a little

Listen and repeat.
a little
L
L
Li
Li
Lit
Lit
Little
Little
Little
A
a little
a little

Did you notice the “i” sound in the middle of this word?

Say “a little” again.
a little
little

Pay attention to the sound “a” that comes at the beginning.

Say "a little."
a little
a
a little

You want to say “I understand a little.” Listen and repeat.
I understand a little.
I understand a little.

Pay attention to the word order. Literally you say “I understand a little.”

Say you understand a little.
I understand a little.
I understand a little.

Ask if I understand English.
Do you understand English?
Do you understand English?

Now say “I understand English.”
I understand English.
I understand English.

Say “a little” again.
a little

Listen and repeat “I understand a little English.”

I understand English a little.

Tell me that you understand a little English.
I understand English a little.
I understand English a little.

The woman wants to ask him “are you Russian?” Do you remember how to say “I understand Russian”?
I understand Russian.
Russian.

The words “Russian” and “in Russian” in English correspond to the same word.

Say "Russian".
Russian
Russian

Here's how to say "you're Russian." Listen and repeat.
You are Russian.
Are
Are
You
you are
You are Russian.

The word “are” in the middle of this phrase corresponds to the word “est”, which is usually omitted in Russian. But in English this word is always used. So literally you say “you are Russian.”

Say it again.
You are Russian.
You are Russian.

Swap the first two words and now you can ask: “Are you Russian?”

Try this.
Are you Russian?
Are you
Are you Russian?

Remember how to say "sorry"?
Excuse me?

Ask “do you understand English?”
Do you understand English?
Do you understand English?

Ask "Are you Russian"
Are you Russian?
Are you
Are you Russian?

Here's how to say yes. Listen and repeat.
Yes
Yes
Yes

Say yes again.
Yes

In America, it is customary to address a young woman you don’t know by calling her “Miss.”

Listen and repeat.
Miss
Miss
Miss

Say yes miss.
Yes, miss.
Yes, miss.

Ask "are you Russian"
Are you Russian?
Are you Russian?

Answer "yes, miss"
Yes, miss.
Yes, miss.

Ask if I understand English.
Do you understand English?

Now say “yes I understand English”
Yes, I understand English.

Now listen to the same conversation you listened to at the beginning of the lesson, just a few minutes ago.

S - Excuse me, Miss. Do you understand Russian?
M - No, sir. I don't understand Russian.
S - I understand English a little.
M - Are you Russian?
S - Yes, Miss.

Listen again.
S - Excuse me, Miss. Do you understand Russian?
M - No, sir. I don't understand Russian.
S - I understand English a little.
M - Are you Russian?
S - Yes, Miss.

Now imagine that a young American woman is sitting next to you, and you want to talk to her.

Where do you start?
Excuse me. Excuse me, miss.

She doesn't answer, try asking if she understands.
Do you understand? Do you understand?

Ask her if she understands English.
Do you understand English? Do you understand English?

And again there is no answer. Ask if she understands Russian.
Do you understand Russian? Do you understand Russian?
No, no sir.

How can I tell her that she doesn’t understand Russian?
I don't understand Russian. I don't understand Russian.

How does she ask if you understand English?
Do you understand English? Do you understand English, sir?

Tell her you understand a little.
I understand a little. I understand a little.

How does she ask if you are Russian?
Are you Russian? Are you Russian?

Answer "yes, miss"
Yes, miss. Yes, miss.

Now she will ask you a question, try to answer it.

Do you understand Russian, sir?
Yes, I understand Russian.
Yes, miss, I understand Russian.

She will ask you one more question. Answer using the word little.
Do you understand English?
Do you understand English?
A little. I understand English a little.

And indeed it is. Now you already understand a little English. Don't worry if you make mistakes sometimes. Everything you learned today will be repeated in future lessons.

If you have mastered the material by about 80%, you can move on to the next lesson.

If not, take 30 minutes to repeat this lesson again.

Let's summarize. As you have already noticed, Dr. Pimsleur’s method is intended for those who are completely zero in American English.

Everything is well explained, the sound is clear, the quality is excellent. All explanations are in Russian. For beginners, this is just a godsend.

American speakers speak English in the lessons, I confirm this. Moreover, their pronunciation is almost perfect. Try it, you will like it! 🙂

Among the methods, methods and techniques of learning English, the Pimsleur method has always occupied and will continue to occupy its rightful place. Many school teachers include the work of this famous scientist in their lessons. When developing courses for Russian speakers, methodologists rarely ignore the ideas of audiolingual language acquisition.

The essence of the method

Learning any language is work that requires a lot of time and effort. Often people do not have the opportunity to apply both. This is where the Pimsleur method comes to the aid of very busy people.

Paradoxically, it is very busy people who are best attuned to this task. Half an hour in the schedule of a businessman who knows how to properly distribute his time turns out to be much more valuable than the whole day of a person languishing from melancholy and idleness.

The method is based on repeated listening to phrases in audio recordings. For Russian speakers, the recordings are voiced by two native speakers - Russian and English. The entries are clearly divided into syllables, words, phrases, and dialogues.

Since students not only listen to recordings repeatedly, but also pronounce absolutely everything English phrases, then it would be best to characterize the method as audiolingual, that is, when listening and speaking are actively included in language learning.

Basic Course Elements

Learn English using the Pimsleur method in three main stages, consisting of thirty lessons each:

The first phase of training begins with repeated repetition of the simplest monologues, where each word is repeated in parts until each sound is mastered. With careful practice of each lesson, the level of proficiency increases to the understanding and ability to use phrases in everyday communicative situations.
In the second phase, some phrases are lengthened to two or three sentences, and by the thirtieth lesson the student is able to communicate with native speakers while traveling abroad.
In the third phase, the basic idioms of modern English are included in speech, and by the thirtieth lesson, provided that all words, sentences, pronunciation and intonation are fully developed, the student is ready for free communication with native speakers.

Dr. Pimsleur's method is complemented by a short reading course, which is also accompanied by an audio recording. Here the pronunciation of sounds is worked out with special care. This course is especially important for mastering sounds that sound in English with nuances that are difficult for a Russian-speaking person to understand.

What are the advantages of the method?

English according to Dr. Pimsleur's method is good because when serious attitude and motivation, students can master it from scratch within three months. The method is called “ultra-fast”.

In fact, many people mastered the language using Pimsleur's work, but in three months only those who strictly followed all the instructions succeeded. To learn a language super-fast, you need very strict self-organization and confidence in the result.

There are people who could not study English language according to Dr. Pimsleur's method. As a rule, these are impulsive people who do not know how to set themselves a clear goal, which requires discipline and the ability to subordinate oneself to the goal.

Alternative Methods for Learning English

In addition to the Pimsleur method, we invite you to draw your attention to teaching English using the Oleg Limansky method. This teaching method has been implemented on the website. The method is based on the sequential implementation of 4 exercises: Listening, Vocabulary, Dictation, Translation and Oral translation. To understand how the technique works, register on the site and start free lessons.

Everyone wants to be a polyglot, but few people are able to actually take up textbooks and devote a significant part of their free time to a foreign language. As a result, many techniques appear that loudly promise to teach spoken English " for 2 days and 2 nights"without the slightest effort on the part of the student. It’s hardly worth trusting such statements, but among the many empty promises there are proprietary methods that are truly effective and give good results. A striking example One of these is learning English using Dr. Pimsleur's method. We’ll talk about it in today’s material.

Principles of Dr. Pimsleur's technique

This author and his innovative developments in learning English are famous throughout the world. And they are known precisely from positive side: Millions of people have shared their reviews of this original audio course and highly recommend it to beginners. So what is the secret of such popularity? We will answer this question a little later, but first we will try to understand what teaching English using the Pimsleur method is.

The innovation and uniqueness of this method lies in the fact that the author suggests learning English for beginners with the help of dialogues. An important note to make here: using interactive dialogues. That is, students are given not only a recorded conversation of native speakers, but also gradually involve them in the conversation. Thus, by the end of the lesson, the student completely replaces the second interlocutor in the dialogue, i.e. in fact, she can independently express herself in English on this topic.

It is noteworthy that such a transformation occurs in literally 30 minutes! After all, that’s exactly how long a typical Pimsleur lesson lasts. But, naturally, a person will be able to speak only if he memorizes the material offered to him during this time. Memorization occurs automatically, thanks to carefully worked out steps:

Perception of new information – listening to a fully recorded dialogue.
Repetition of previously learned vocabulary in the form of answers to questions – the announcer asks a question, and during the pause you must answer it. Don't be afraid to make mistakes, because... the correct answer will be announced below
Alternating old and new vocabulary – throughout the lesson you will interact with the speaker, performing various tasks.

It is also worth noting that words for repetition are selected according to scientific methods. IN general outline its principle can be described as follows: new information lingers in short-term memory for several days, after which it must be repeated so that it is not forgotten. Only the active use of vocabulary will help “implement” your knowledge into long-term memory.

As a result of the step-by-step completion of the lesson, students will perform the following actions necessary for mastering a foreign language:

repetition of old vocabulary;
mastering new words and expressions;
improving pronunciation;
improving speaking.

It is for the development of speaking that Dr. Pimsleur’s method gained its well-deserved popularity.

Studying with textbooks allows you to master grammar and new vocabulary, but does not help you take the most important step - speaking. On the contrary, sometimes knowledge of various rules and exceptions only increases the fear of making mistakes and being incomprehensible. Not every student manages to overcome their shyness, and the Pimsleur course helps to develop speaking, even without focusing on such a problem as the language barrier.

But, there is nothing perfect in the world. And this technique, with all its positive qualities, there are still significant shortcomings. We'll talk about them in detail in the next section.

Learning English using Dr. Pimsleur's method - pros and cons

Before you begin to study spoken English strictly according to this course, we suggest that you sensibly evaluate all its positive and negative sides. For this we have compiled a separate table.

№	Plus	Minus
1	*Development of speaking from the first lesson.* It is impossible to study in silence with an English audio course from Pimsleur, because... there is a constant game of " Questions and answers».	*This teaching method is not suitable for everyone.* More precisely, it is suitable only for beginners getting acquainted with the language. At the same time, it is necessary to be able to perceive all information only by ear, which few succeed. Most people feel uncomfortable without the ability to visually familiarize themselves with phrases and translation.
2	*Learning new words and expressions with a set English pronunciation and in phrasal contexts.* Voiced vocabulary does not require searching for transcription, it teaches you to perceive English speech and helps practice correct pronunciation. And memorizing phrases is more effective than working with individual words.	*Minimum set of words.* During all the lessons you will learn about 400 new words and expressions. Yes, this is enough for extreme “survival” in a foreign country, but it is not at all enough to confidently communicate with native speakers. different topics.
3	*Memorization of words brought to automaticity.* There is no need to sit and pore over new words for hours. Thanks to frequent repetition, they are remembered by themselves.	*Lack of grammatical explanations.* No quick memorization techniques work when we're talking about about grammar. You can memorize several dozen colloquial phrases, but you will definitely have difficulty constructing statements on your own. Especially if you need to talk about something at different times.
4	*A well-thought-out system for repeating learned vocabulary.* The technique always keeps the acquired knowledge “in good shape” and does not allow words and expressions to fall out of memory for a long time.	*Monotony of classes.* Absolutely every lesson you will essentially be doing the same thing. As a rule, monotonous presentation of information quickly gets boring, and students quit classes.
5	*Quick assimilation of information.* Each lesson lasts 30 minutes. There are 30 lessons in total, i.e. in a month of active study you can achieve certain results in your language knowledge.	*Multiple repetitions.* The lesson takes 30 minutes, but it will take additional time to fully remember and repeat it. Experienced teachers recommend conducting such classes two or three times a day, i.e. English will have to be allocated 60 or 90 minutes daily.
6.	*Does not require any additional actions or materials.* All you need to do is listen carefully. And absolutely nothing else.	*Only auditory perception works.* Observations show that effective results those who use all opportunities for learning achieve faster results: and this includes visual perception, “mechanical” written memory, etc.

As you can see, the ratio of pros and cons is the same. It's up to you to decide whether to start learning spoken English using Dr. Pimsleur's method or look for other methods. It all depends on the requirements of the ultimate goal, to achieve which you plan to learn the language. Let us add only a few final conclusions.

Of course, the Pimsleur method has proven its effectiveness over the years of its existence and has become the basis of English language knowledge for many people. But that’s the whole point - this is just an auxiliary course that gives an introductory idea of the English language. Something like a demo version of really high-quality knowledge.

Is it worth spending your attention on such lessons? Of course, yes, and there are a number of reasons for this.

This method is indispensable when urgently moving for permanent residence to another country, because... allows you to quickly speak and solve pressing everyday problems.
It will be very useful for travelers, because during the classes they work through dialogues about a store, restaurant, hotel, searching for unfamiliar streets, etc.
It will also be useful for everyone who begins to learn English on their own, as it will help to establish the correct pronunciation and create an artificial embodiment of the language environment.

In general, we are both in favor of using this method, but only in conjunction with additional sources of knowledge. Follow the tutorial or curriculum, and as a relief from grammar, use the materials of the conversational audio course. This way you will combine all the necessary components in your classes.

There are many methods of learning English and each has its own unique approach.

So, in our time, when processes have accelerated and it is sometimes difficult to devote time only to English, advanced teaching methods come to the rescue. So, you can combine business with pleasure - for example, a bike ride or a hike, a subway train with listening to various effective recordings.

From the article you will learn:

English according to Dr. Pimsleur's method

English according to the Dr. Pimsleur method is quite popular and is one of the most advanced and effective methods studying of English language. Thus, the course presented below is designed for Russian speakers.

Everything is quite simple - the classes are structured in the form of a dialogue with questions and answers that cover everyday life and other aspects. So, in the first lessons, language constructions are given, that is, frequently used phrases in English that native speakers use in everyday communication.

It is suitable for both beginners and those continuing to learn English. Thus, Dr. Pimsler, based on research, has found that the brain memorizes and assimilates this or that material within no more than 30 minutes.

So, even if you have zero level of English, in a couple of months you will be able to place an order in a cafe or restaurant, refuel your car, make purchases in a store, ask for the location of a particular object and much more without any problems.

Purpose of the Pimsleur method

Target - quick learning spoken English, understanding foreign everyday speech, the ability to enter into dialogue on various topics with a native English speaker. Learn and apply more than 2000 words in the form of phrases and phrases used in everyday speech.

Description of the study process

As for the learning process, it is quite simple. You need to spend no more than 30 minutes a day studying and take 1-2 lessons. This way you can learn 100 words at a time. If you don’t understand something, you can always go through this or that lesson again, the main thing is to master the material so that as a result of your training you get the result that you expected.

So, the first level includes 30 lessons for self-study. There are levels two and three, but the first one still lays the foundation, so pay special attention to it.

So, as you have already calculated, the course takes only 15 hours. With due diligence and desire, you will definitely improve your level of English proficiency.

A foreign language is not a luxury, but a means of communication. Globalization of the world, business expansion and independent travel are not possible without knowledge of foreign languages. People want to study them, but spend as little money and time as possible, and this is a normal desire. Teachers shout about magical methods, using which students will immediately speak English or German. Is this real? Will the Pimsleur method help you speak?

Brief historical background

This approach to foreign languages was proposed by Dr. Paul Pimsler. In the 70s of the 20th century, the author proposed materials for studying English, Spanish, French and Greek. Published by Simon&Schuster teaching aids, as well as audio materials for them.

Basic principles of the Pimsleur method

All training is focused on these types of speech activity like listening and speaking. That is, a series of lessons is essentially listening to audio recordings and pronouncing phrases. The author based the Pimsleur method on 4 principles:

anticipation (the student does not repeat phrases after the teacher, but tries to respond correctly to the cue, construct the phrase himself)
repetitions (repetition of the studied vocabulary at increasing intervals of time is required)
the most important words(a vocabulary of approximately 2000 units is studied; according to the author, these are the words that are most often used in speech. By remembering them, a person will understand about 80% of the text on a general topic)
conformity with nature (the author himself called it “organic learning”, i.e. we study foreign speech as it is inherent in nature in childhood, we do not learn to read in our native language first and then speak, but everything is exactly the opposite. A child at first learns a lot listens, then speaks, and only then goes to school and learns to read and write)

Who is it suitable for?

Answer three questions. Make sure this is what you need.

1) Who are you?

We are all different and that's a fact! Let's consider different modalities of people or, more simply put, how they better remember the material they are studying. According to the method of S. Efremtseva, the following groups are distinguished: kinesthetics(touch), visuals(the main thing is to look at it to save it in memory) and auditory(must be heard to be remembered), also highlighted mixed type . So, this system is best suited only for a group of auditory learners. So before you try it for yourself new method First take the test and find out your dominant perceptual modality.

2) How old are you?

The age of the student is important!

Returning to the principle of conformity with nature, we can confidently say that this system would be suitable for children up to school age. Courses for preschool children in the form of songs, poems, and rhymes are based on this. But it won’t be suitable, since the form of work: sitting and listening, is not age appropriate.

And for school age this is not so relevant. Children grow up, their perception of the world and interests change. Our children are interested in playing on a tablet, where they can listen, watch, and also interact with it. move, buttons are pressed, bonuses are collected. Children listen little purposefully, as, for example, they used to listen to records with fairy tales, and then to cassettes on tape recorders. Modern children find it difficult to force themselves to listen to lessons using the Pimsleur method.

But for adults, these classes are suitable if you can find time in your daily schedule. For example, someone can allocate time on the way to and from work, maybe someone has free time during lunch break. A telephone, internet and headphones are the minimum equipment needed to complete the course.

3) What kind of English do you need?

You need to determine the English version. There are two of them: American and British (). All Dr. Pimsleur's materials are American English. The British version is also called classic and is studied in schools. Please note: these options differ in vocabulary, grammar and pronunciation!

How to study the material

So, we found the audio recordings of the course, decided that the Pimsleur method suits you, what to do next.

The course consists of 3 blocks of 30 audio recordings, i.e. 30 lessons each. The first block is for beginners, the second and third for intermediate ones.

One lesson is allotted 30 minutes. Psychologists believe that this is the optimal time for duration. Adults are able to maintain voluntary attention and not get tired during this time.

Working on a lesson consists only of listening and speaking. You cannot write down words, read or look up the meanings of new words in dictionaries.

Advantages and disadvantages

Let's analyze the pros and cons of this method of learning pros.

Pros:

low financial costs, you can study at home for free;
small lessons over time, you can find time once a day if you set a goal;
the correct American pronunciation is given, as it is voiced by a native speaker;
the minimum, but the most used lexical units are practiced;
studies how words are used in phrases and sentences in specific situations.

Minuses:

Suitable for adults with good listening comprehension;
limited vocabulary, a person may be stunned when hearing new units in speech;
No feedback, i.e. at independent work, no one will tell you whether you pronounce words and phrases correctly or not (it’s better to work with a teacher later to reinforce them);
there is a problem with reading and writing, because these aspects are not covered in any way in this course. Therefore, it is better to combine this method with others;
When you learn ready-made phrases, it becomes difficult to use them. How to change necessary word, if you don't know the grammar rules.

It turned out to be 50 to 50. This confirms that the Pimsleur method is controversial and therefore causes a lot of controversy.

Think for yourself, decide for yourself!

We are looking for effective and simple ways learning languages. In fact, any method can be effective, start with yourself: remove laziness and add more discipline.

Efficiency depends on the person: the more and more regularly you practice independently, the better the result. Practice at least 10-15 minutes a day, and you will see that speaking without fear of anything is real!