A guide to
language learning with Rosetta Stone and Pimsleur
Learning a foreign language, whether you are traveling, studying
abroad or simply want to expand your communication possibilities
can seem overwhelming at first.
Using language programs can help you considerably to learn and
comprehend the language that you are striving to perfect.
Two very good choices of language programs are Rosetta
Stone and Pimsleur.
The Rosetta Stone program is wonderful to help you develop
the ability to communicate with others in the language that you
are learning. This program helps you to associate images with
words and actions. The Rosetta Stone language program is
interactive.
You use your computer and have access to more than 8,000 real
life color pictures and phrases which are spoken by natives of the
language of choice. The curriculum contains 12 different activities
and a total of 210 lessons to teach you the language.
Using total immersion and intuitive learning processes, this
program will provide you with a series of tests and exercises that
will help you quickly and easily transform your communication to
the language that you are learning.
The United States State Department purchased several hundred
copies of Rosetta Stone and now makes this program available to
Foreign Service Officers and their families to help with the
languages of the countries where they are living.
Probably the best course of action for becoming completely
fluent in any foreign language is to combine the Rosetta Stone
program with Pimsleur.
While Rosetta Stone uses word and image association you really
do not learn simple conversations at first.
The reading and writing section does help with the language
barrier but when combined with the Pimsleur program you can
intermingle the lessons and really become fluent in your new
language.
Pimsleur programs are wonderful for helping you to develop
conversation fluency. These programs are suited for those who may
have more difficulty in learning foreign language or for those who
simply do not have the time or motivation to devote to the learning
process.
They are audio lessons that strive to teach you this new
language by listening to the speaker. Pimsleur programs use a
virtually effortless learning system that will help to expand your
vocabulary as well as master reading and writing abilities.
Typically each comprehensive level in the Pimsleur programs
contain 30 half-hour sessions.
You can take them with you in the car or on a plane to give you
more time to master your new language skill. They work very quickly
at getting you to a comfortable conversation level in your new
language as well. Many enjoy Pimsleur because of the lower cost and
the convenience over Rosetta Stone.
Truly the best way to learn a new language however is to combine
both these programs and use them both for their strong points.
Learning a foreign language is not easy however it does not need to
be as difficult as some believe.
By combining two programs that each offer a unique learning
structure you are giving yourself the ability to pick up the basics
in this new language quickly and easily.
Both these programs are highly popular in learning many
languages from Chinese to Russian and each offer something that the
other does not.
By using both systems you are giving yourself a much better
chance of becoming fluent in the language that you have chosen to
learn.
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