Pimsleur Italian Review

Hey folks, have you heard of Pimsleur? It’s been around since your parents were young, and apparently, it’s still “relevant” today. A course with a lengthy existence still enduring in modern times with some blemishes.

In this review, we’ll lay out the truth about this program. Come along and discover if Pimsleur suits you.

Pimsleur Method™ 

Pimsleur is more than just a course; it is a method that bears the name of the late Dr. Paul Pimsleur (an applied linguist who spent many years researching spaced repetition).

Spaced repetition is a learning process that involves exposing students to an idea and then waiting a certain amount of time before revisiting or recalling it. Dr. Pimsleur developed his own version of spaced repetition, which the Pimsleur Method™ now follows with strict adherence to a predetermined timeline, starting with high-frequency recall in seconds and minutes and gradually extending to days, weeks, and months. The Pimsleur program offers clear instructions and a strict order to follow. Each lesson is designated for one day’s work. There are even specific guidelines concerning when to repeat a lesson versus moving on. This structured approach provides a clear roadmap, outlining the time needed and when certain milestones, such as level completion, can be expected.

Pimsleur is an audio course!

Pimsleur, as we mentioned earlier, has been around for decades. It’s so old it’s from the era when cassettes were cool! The program heavily relied on audio, which remains its backbone after more than 50 years. Through the use of spaced repetition, Pimsleur manages to take learners by the hand and initiate them into the language. Although an app and website have been launched, the method remains almost exclusively audio-based. There’s a reading section too, but it’s basically just a sidekick.

In each lesson, an English-speaking narrator or instructor provides instructions while one or more native speakers engage in a dialogue (or monolog, whichever is the case). The English-speaking instructor never uses foreign words but prompts and guides the learner through the lessons. The key to Pimsleur’s effectiveness lies in its intervals. Learners hear a new word. Then continue learning other words and phrases, and then BOOM, the student is asked to recall and use that original word again. As learners progress, they’re asked to recall phrases from earlier lessons seemingly out of the blue, testing their memory and retention. Talk about keeping you on your toes!

Pimsleur Italian review

Do you enjoy challenges? What about taking an Italian lesson every day for five months? Well, buckle up because Pimsleur has got you covered!

The Pimsleur Italian course is divided into five modules, each spanning a month and comprising 30 lessons. The lessons are intended to be completed once daily, resulting in a total of 150 lessons. The entire course can be completed in five months.

Vocabulary is limited

A lot of repetition takes place inside the course. Thus, Pimsleur covers less vocabulary than other language-learning platforms. Pimsleur argues that the less extensive vocabulary they teach sticks with students better because they go over it frequently. And with that vocabulary learned, a student can continue expanding and consuming his own material once he has completed the course. It’s like they’re saying, “Hey, we’ll give you the appetizer, but you’re gonna have to order your own entrée.”

Complaints against Pimsleur

People have various grievances concerning Pimsleur.

First of all, as we mentioned in the previous section, the vocabulary you will learn in this course is limited.

Another complaint is that some of the stories and scenarios behind the dialogs are antiquated, inevitably feeling dated.

But one of the biggest negative comments about Pimsleur is that the course is very restrictive, not allowing any exploration freedom. Some people prefer a structured curriculum and like being led by the hand, but others like to explore on their own. And if you’re the latter, then Pimsleur is not the program for you.

Some people can learn a language faster on their own. Those that have experience learning languages will not enjoy the pace of the course and will find it exasperating. It’s like being in college and being forced to take 1st-grade classes. If you plan to learn your fourth or fifth language with Pimsleur, then it’s a bad idea.

Finally, some students address the course lessons as monotonous. Thus it becomes an obstacle to follow through with the hour-long daily requirement.

Pimsleur has voice recognition software!

As you are prompted to repeat or answer questions in Pimsleur, your voice is recognized and registered. This feature is relatively new on the platform, and it gives you needed feedback about your pronunciation. It makes sense, right? Pimsleur’s all about audio, so why not use voice recognition to help you out? Your responses are graded based on a star system. One star for “I can barely understand you” and all the stars for “Wow, you’re practically a native speaker!”

Pimsleurs price tag

Pimsleur is a costly venture, charging $150 for every module (that’s just 30 lessons).

However, if you’re considering Pimsleur, do not purchase the course. What? Let me explain. They’ve released a new monthly subscription plan with discounted prices. The monthly subscription allows you to finish the 5-month program for a mere $100 (signifying a monthly fee of $20, and you pay monthly).

What’s more, if you go the subscription route, Pimsleur provides you with a free trial of 7 days to see if you resonate with the program! No strings attached.

Pros and Cons of Pimsleur

Pros

• A research-backed, proven method
• Effective spaced repetition system
• Affordable with the new subscription model

Cons

• Audio only
• Dated social scenarios
• It’s a course mainly for beginners

Wrapping up!

Hey, what’s the deal with this 50-year-old course? Are you one of those podcast people? ‘Cause this course is all about that audio format! The audio aspect of the course is perfect for accompanying idle chores. But not everybody enjoys having to put on their headphones daily.

If you’re still not sure about Pimsleur but have made it this far in this review, we advise you to check out Pimsleur for free by clicking here. Nothing empowers you more than being able to decide based on your own experience.