Review of Pimsleur after my first 2 weeks learning Spanish abroad
I wanted to write a review because last year I was searching online for some input on study methods so I want to share my experience so far.
For some context, I am only fluent in English. Before this year began, I knew next to no Spanish, but I do have a little background learning French. I also have a partner fluent in Spanish so I’d hear the language a little, but before actually studying, I truly did not know more than a few basic phrases. I knew I would be spending 3 months abroad at the end of the year to immerse myself but I wanted a foundation before I left.
I started using Pimsleur in January this year and I completed levels 1-3 in 8 months while I walked my dog. As lessons continued, I often reviewed lessons 2 days in a row to make sure I grasped the content. I really didn’t do much else to study besides create flashcards of what I’d learned with Anki or try to practice some phrases I learned with my partner.
I’m now 2.5 weeks into my spanish immersion in Guatemala and I am blown away by the amount of knowledge I have to speak in Spanish! Pimsleur doesn’t explicitly teach grammar, but if you pay attention you will notice the patterns. It’s created a much deeper level of understanding of the language for me. The grammar that I’m reviewing in school has context because of Pimsleur and certain things (like knowing when you use por vs para or other prepositions (á pie/en moto) just sound right. I’m also shocked at how much grammar Pimsleur taught me in the first 3 levels without feeling overwhelming.
Also very important, I’m waaaay more comfortable speaking than I ever was with years of French practice. In school while learning French I mostly read and wrote. When it came down to speaking, I was always tongue tied. But since the moment I arrived in Guatemala, I’ve been able to speak with my host family, my teacher, and others with MUCH less hesitation than I ever had with French, which I think is a huge advantage. It’s helped me stay engaged and excited about the language.
The downsides of Pimsleur for me are definitely that my speaking goes far beyond my listening and that my writing/spelling is a bit off. I think that’s converse to most students’ experiences here, but I don’t mind either of these things because after 2.5 weeks of immersion and classes, my writing has improved very quickly and the listening, while still difficult, is getting much better. Also the nice thing about knowing what to say and being comfortable speaking is that when I ask questions, I already have context for the answer which helps my comprehension. I would definitely say though that if I could change anything, I would add more comprehension practice through Dreaming Spanish or other means.
This is just my personal experience and I also have another 9+ weeks of language school and immersion, but these are my initial thoughts. Happy to answer more specific questions if anyone is looking for more info!