Experience With Pimsleur Russian

I have had experience using Pimsleur’s Russian Language I system. Overall I found it a useful learning aide, but not too helpful as a primary learning tool. I ripped the CDs to my MP3 player and listen to it on the way to/from work, reciting the phrases.

I haven’t directly used my Russian yet, but I feel comfortable trying it and engaging others when the opportunity will appear. I found the Pimsleur system much more useful as an addition to taking a class. I enrolled in an evening class and listened to the CDs as a supplement to the class. The subtleties in the phrasing and accents of the speakers were a much added benefit as I practiced alone at home. I also found listening to the tapes to be a great introduction to topics that I would learn about in class as well.

As a more visual learner, the audio was sometimes not enough for me, but a quick looking up of words and phrases would help guide me to a better pronunciation. I would recommend Pimsleur’s as part of something more, such as a Dictionary, workbook, and/or a class. Overall I like Pimsleurs learning system, but as a stand-along system, I would look for something more interactive.