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You
Can Learn to Speak . . . the Natual Way!
This first principle underlies the entire method used in our
courses. The lessons are designed to work the way your
mind naturally acquires language information. This facilitates,
rather than frustrates, the ease and effectiveness of learning
a new language.
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Would
You Prefer to study or speak a language?
The fatal flaw of most language programs is that they put the
cart before the horse, trying to teach "written" language before
"spoken" language. You learn "about" the language, but
aren't capable of "using it" to understand & speak to native
speakers!
Our self-study courses teach you first spoken language--the
way that your brain has already learned a language (when you
were a child). It's been proven much more effective
to obtain a spoken language base first, then add reading
and writing . . . just like a child learns.
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Anticipation--the
Key to "Usable" Learning
This principle simply means that YOU WILL BE ASKED TO "ANTICIPATE"
A CORRECT ANSWER--that is, you must retrieve the answer from
your own memory before the tape confirms the correct
answer. Less-effective programs are based on "repetition"--they
try to drum words into your mind by having you merely "parrot"
words, with the naïve expectation that language will somehow
sink in.
It has been discovered, however, that your
LEARNING ACCELERATES when the system focuses on interactive
participation--where you're taught new words and phrases, then
you are guided in practicing, remembering,
and using your new language.
Having to listen to a phrase by a native speaker, then think
of how to respond correctly and actually pronounce out loud
the requested word or phrase--IS THE EXACT
MENTAL PROCESS USED WHEN YOU CONVERSE WITH PEOPLE IN YOUR NEW
LANGUAGE. And that's why this principle is so
key to really learning your new language!
If you answered correctly, then hearing the answer confirms
that to you. If your response to the question was not
completely right--you mixed up the word order, mis-pronounced
something, or totally forgot a word or phrase--then hearing
the "right answer" helps you remember again, and reviews how
to say it properly. This is a powerful learning
process!
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Forget
About having to Remember
This principle has a complex sounding name--Graduated Interval
Recall--yet it is a very simple theory about memory. MEMORY
is the MOST IMPORTANT ASPECT of learning a new language--yet
most language programs do little to assure that you will remember.
They introduce new words and phrases, then let them fade
away.
Our course developers explored the most effective ways to help
learners remember the language they are learning. They researched
how long students remembered new information and how often they
needed to be reminded of it. If they were reminded too
soon or too late, they failed to retain the information--so
they created a schedule of when and how the information should
be re-introduced.
For example, you learn a word, and try to remember sp--but your
memory starts fading soon. However, if you'd been reminded
of it after five seconds, you probably would have been able
to recall it. You'd remember it for maybe a minute and
a half, at which time you'd need another reminder.
Each time you are reminded, you remember the word longer than
you did the time before. The intervals
between reminders increase longer and longer until you eventually
remember the word without any reminding. Our Spanish
teaching system is uniquely designed to remind you of information
at just the right intervals for maximum memory retention.
Each time your memory begins to fade, you will be asked to recall
the word. This powerful method allows
you to PROGRESS FROM SHORT-TERM TO LONG-TERM MEMORY without
even being aware of it. And it avoids the
monotonous repetition, used in traditional language courses--and
the discouragment of thinking you just don't have the ability
to remember Spanish words.
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Learn
the "Prime Rib" of Your New Language
. . . and Fast!
Our Spanish language learning system is a shortcut to
learning the ESSENTIAL ELEMENTS of a language, in the shortest
possible time.
It can be intimidating thinking of the immense number of new
words to learn in a new language. However, extensive research
has shown that we really need only a comparitively
limited number of words to be able to communicate in
Spanish. In reality, there are not that many vocabulay words
that you must know and use every day.
With our courses, you master the
ESSENTIAL "CORE" of the Spanish language. You learn the
basic "function words" needed to master the skill of quickly
putting a sentence together. You also learn the essential
vocabulary for every day use.
The lessons teach meaningful, useful words and phrases from
the first unit on. Lesson contents are selected to provide a
maximum amount of useable language for every ½ hour the learner
devotes. In a very short time, you have command
of the communication skills to speak and understand Spanish,
and a solid foundation for further progress and specialization.
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Learning
by Doing
Each recorded lesson consists of interactive self-practice in
realistic convesations with Native Spanish Speakers.
As well as having a master teacher to guide you along
in english.
With the uniquely designed system of question and answer
dialogues, the
AMOUNT OF PRACTICE you receive is multiplied greatly,
as compared to the practice you receive from any other Spanish
language products or small group class.
You practice listening
to understand, and speaking out loud to respond
to the questions, and to model the proper pronounciation.
Having to speak out loud and respond to questions TEACHES
YOU TO THINK IN SPANISH--and that's
what causes you to learn so much more, and to gain the
confidence to really converse with others in your new
language.
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Kill
THREE language Birds with ONE language Stone
Most programs teach the three components of language--pronounciation,
grammar, and vocabulary--as separate, totally
unrelated items. Memorizing vocabulary lists, studying grammar
rules, etc. Our course developers discovered that it is far
more effective to TEACH THEM TOGETHER, in an integrated
way.
In this way, you learn to hear and understand
the meanings of words and phrases, and how to think
and speak so that native speakers will understand
what you're saying. Teaching language components in
a non-integrated way, is the very
reason so many people report frustration with the results
of most language courses.
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Don't
just Memorize Phrases
. Feel Confident Talking with Native Speakers
Many programs teach useful phrases, but don't show you how
to combine what you learn to make new sentances.
Our self-study Spanish courses not only teach you very useful
words, phrases, and structures--the unique question and answer
format also helps you become skilled at
RE-COMBINING them into new sentances. This enables
you to respond quickly and flexibly, and to adapt
what you learn to real-life situations.
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You
Can Measure Your Progress
It's natuaral for you to want to know how well you are progressing.
Thanks to the nature of our self-study Spanish system,
each lesson is a built-in progress check.
When you are able to respond to about 80% of the questions,
you continue on to the next lesson. Therefore, whichever course
level and lesson number you have completed using that 80% guideline--indicates
your current level of proficiency. See the Comparison
Chart (click here) to gain additional perspective
of your current fluency and your goals.
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Short
Lessons, . . . Maximum Learning
The time recommended by teaching specialists for concentrated
learning tasks is just under ½ an hour.
Also very important, is that the schedule of listening to one
½ hour lesson a day--also follows the unique built-in memory
training system of our Spanish self-study courses.
Read
about BIG Advantages!
of our Pimsleur courses
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