The Pimsleur Method is among the most popular language learning programs available. The reason for its popularity lies in part with its strictly audio approach learning a foreign language. Its popularity and fame goes far beyond this.

And rightly so–the programs are well-designed, unique, and effective. The Pimsleur Method is probably unique in that it brings together a number of well known behavioral principles–gradual shaping of behavior, immediate reinforcement of response, stimulus control of the verbal response, systematically interlarding new and old material, focusing on the most common words in a language, and limiting the amount of new material to bite size portions–for its effectiveness.

At present the sole publisher (Simon & Schuster) has picked up the method and made it publicly available in courses consisting of up to 100 audio lessons depending on the language. The Pimsleur Method is respected by students of foreign language. It teaches exclusively by means of audio dialog; you can learn with ease in your car, with a portable CD player, or at home.

The success of the program has led to the Pimsleur Method being heavily advertised on the internet. The success of the program and the strength of the claim that the Pimsleur Approach is by far the best language method available for conversational skills, is linked to the fact that in comparison to other language programs you can learn a language without doing as much work. The Pimsleur Method is based on the fact that any language consists of a core vocabulary — a certain stock of lexical items that are frequently used in daily conversations.

The Pimsleur Method is good for conversation and its success has been compared to methods employed by the FBI and the CIA to teach their employees many languages. Created by language professor Dr. Paul Pimsleur, Pimsleur language courses provide the listener with a comprehensive, self instructional, step-by-step guide on how to learn a new language.

Pimsleur courses are available in beginner and comprehensive packages for more than 40 languages including Spanish, French, Italian, German, Russian, and more.

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