Has anybody used the Pimsleur method? What did you think?
I have just purchased the Pimsleur Russian set – the full 90 lessons, 45 hrs worth. I understand I should have mastered the basics of the language upon completion.
I wondered what other users thought of this method of learning – how is your pronunciation? Could you communicate effectively? How many times did you listen to each CD before moving on?
Please let me know, also please state which course(s) you did and the number of lessons.
Pimsleur is an effective learning technique if you couple it with written practice, and practice with a native speaker who can correct your Russian pronounciation.
I completed the full 90 CD Russian course, and the Romanian course. The general comments I got from both Romanians and Russians was “ewww, your pronounciation is awful”.
You will notice that the man and the woman on the Russian CD’s pronounce things differently. Without written guidance (like a written script of what they are teaching, so you can verify the proper proununciation) you will pick up bad habits and improper pronounciation. (You will never learn the proper pronounciation of “Ti” and “Vi” from Pimsleur, nor proper pronounciation of letters such as “d”).
You will learn much, and a lot of it will be useful, but it will be obvious that you are not a native speaker.
I listened to each CD until I knew 95% of the material – often 3 or 4 times, and several more times on things I knew were being pronounced “improperly”.
Learn Russian w Movies – Брат (Brat) – (Brother) – Part 4 of 9
