| PRODUCT DETAILS | | German III |  | |
German III
With Pimsleur Language Programs you don't just study a language, you learn it -- the same way you mastered English! And because the technique relies on interactive spoken language training, the Pimsleur Language Programs are totally audio -- no book is needed! The Pimsleur programs provide a method of self-practice with an expert teacher and native speakers in lessons specially designed to work with the way the mind naturally acquires language information. The various components of language -- vocabulary, pronunciation and grammar -- are all learned together without rote memorization and drills. Using a unique method of memory recall developed by renowned linguist, Dr. Paul Pimsleur, the programs teach listeners to combine words and phrases to express themselves the way native speakers do. By listening and responding to thirty minute recorded lessons, students easily and effectively achieve spoken proficiency. No other language program or school is as quick, convenient, and effective as the Pimsleur Language Programs. The Comprehensive Program is the ultimate in spoken language learning. For those who want to become proficient in the language of their choice, the Comprehensive programs go beyond the Basic Programs to offer spoken-language fluency. Using the same simple method of interactive self-practice with native speakers, these comprehensive programs provide a complete language learning course. The Comprehensive Program is available in a wide variety of languages and runs through three levels (thirty lessons each) in French, German, Italian, Japanese, Russian and Spanish. At the end of a full Comprehensive Program listeners will be conducting complete conversations and be well on their way to mastering the language. The Comprehensive Programs are all available on cassettes and are also on CD in the six languages in which we offer the Basic Program on CD.
Manufacturer: Pimsleur
Price Range: $224.29 - $345.00
 German III
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| User Reviews |  | too much money !!! get the barons course- it's better
rating: 1
For such a price i expect more. Too much English is spoken. The super boring conversatins repeated over and over make you want to commit suicide. The Baron's program cost much less and is more intense and diverse. Best yet get a Peter Maffay cd.
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Just add persistence and stir until ready
rating: 4
Pimsleur Language Programs products are among the best-selling audio language courses available. `Organic learning' seeks to approximate the conditions in which ordinary language-learning takes place. The process is almost entirely aural, supplemented only minimally-or at the student's discretion, not at all-by reference to reading lessons after each half-hour lesson.
Clearly, Dr. Pimsleur and his disciples-I use the word advisedly, as a glance at promotional and instructional materials will demonstrate-have done their pedagogical homework. Utilizing the spectacular power of the brain for on-the-hoof language analysis and replication, the Pimsleur Language Programs lure their listeners into meaning-rich dialogues, providing only the information required for one to respond. The closest thing to a grammatical concept that a student hears is a brief warning that `this is the form used with feminine words'. Yet with a little effort, the student intuits her way to the correct and timely use of all that grammar describes.
This is an extremely productive approach at the level of basic conversational skills that is the bread and butter of Pimsleur's products. The course writers have found just the level at which to challenge the student without counterproductive frustration. One is encouraged to achieve 80% control of a unit before moving on. Many students will accomplish this in most units on the first try. Yet the approach in these three volumes is never simplistic, reducing the urge to be somewhere else or engaged in a more advanced section to the vanishing point.
Pimsleur Language Programs has populated websites with two highly sellable language-learning concepts: the `principle of anticipation' and `graduated interval recall'. The former refers to the interval during which the student is challenged to retrieve information to which he has been exposed, occasionally take some small step in the processing of it, and then utilize that information in a response. PLP has refined just the right intervals to facilitate prompt but unhurried responses.
`Graduated interval recall' refers to the time lag between the initial learning of a language component and its subsequent reintroduction in a new conversation. Here, too, the Pimsleur method shows its debt to years of practice and research. By my lights, they do this perfectly.
Regionally and socially, PLP's German course(s) aim at an `educated' dialect that will prepare the student to be conversant throughout Germany, Austria, and Switzerland.
Regrettably, Simon & Schuster Audio tampered with a winning recipe and with predictable results. The voices in the recording of volume III are amateurish and the audio quality disastrous, a shocking departure from the evident quality of volumes I and II. This may seem a trifle, until one counts up the 15 hours minimum that one spends with each of these recorded albums. Attractive voices and good audio, especially for commuters like this one, are elements that matter. A Simon & Schuster Pimsleur Language network spokesman stated that a resolution is forthcoming.
German I, II, and III are available in cassette tape and CD versions, packaged attractively and with sufficient ruggedness to survive both winter and summer Midwestern temperatures in my car.
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Very good, but needs to be updated.
rating: 3
After working hard to finish Pimsleur German I and II, I was looking forward to tackling the next big hurdle, Pimsleur German III. And while I did progress quickly, I found that all of the unique and interesting ways Pimsleur was getting me to learn in Pimsleur German II were not as prevalent in III.
After looking carefully at all of the packaging, I discovered that the recordings are most likely from 1994 (compared to I and II, which were last recorded in 2002), and it sounds like they had been transferred from tape to CD. Because of that, the sound quality, which makes a world of difference when you're trying to learn to pronounce things correctly, was only fair. Also, it seems as though Pimsleur German III follows a pattern closer than Pimsleur German II, so it was almost too easy to guess what was coming next.
Finally, because this is an older course, there are some words and phrases introduced as new in Pimsleur German III that were already covered in Pimsleur German II. Conversely, there are words in III that were not in II (but perhaps were in an older edition of II) that Pimsleur assumes you know. This isn't a big deal because it doesn't happen very often, but it is an annoyance.
To sum up, this course is very good, and you will find nothing else like it. However, once you're at this level, you may not need the "Pimsleur crutch" to learn. Try to find it used, if possible.
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Fairly satisfied
rating: 4
I've completed Pimsleur 2 and 3. Although I feel the programs have the right approach, Level 3 should have been more difficult. There was a considerable amount of redundancy between level 2 and 3...... IMO you can always go back and listen to level 2, level 3 should have moved on. Some of the dialogue should have even been covered in level 1, not levels 2 or 3.
New students NEED a grammar book.
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what a ripoff
rating: 1
bought the german I tapes. I have some german couse experience about 30 yrs ago. I found the tapes extremely basic and the vocabulary rudimentary. I thought it was a waste of money to buy these expensive tapes for so little return. I have not listened to the german II tapes, but now I am not so sure that these would be any better. I have the Spanish tapes and they were just excellent so I am very surprised to see that the German tapes are such a ripoff!!!!!!!!
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German III
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