Comparison of Platiquemos and Pimsleur> <meta name="resource-type" content="document"> <meta name="generator" content="Microsoft FrontPage 4.0"> <meta http-equiv="pragma" content="no-cache"> <meta name="revisit-after" content="15 days"> <meta name="classification" content="Education"> <meta name="description" content="Platiquemos is the classic FSI Basic Course in Spanish updated and revised to help students learn to speak Spanish, learn to read Spanish and the structure of the Spanish language."> <meta name="MSSmartTagsPreventParsing" content="TRUE"> <meta name="keywords" content="Pimsleur Spanish, Pimsleur, learn Spanish, speak Spanish, Spanish classes, Spanish music, Spanish grammar, free Spanish lessons, download Spanish lessons, pimsleur, pimsleur spanish"> <meta name="robots" content="ALL"> <meta name="distribution" content="Global"> <meta name="rating" content="Safe For Kids"> <meta name="copyright" content="copyright Donald D. Casteel"> <meta name="author" content="Donald D. Casteel"> <meta http-equiv="reply-to" content="webmaster@platiquemos-letstalk.com"> <meta name="language" content="English"> <meta name="doc-type" content=" "> <meta name="doc-class" content="Completed"> <meta name="doc-rights" content="Copywritten Work"> <script src="../../menuscript.js" language="javascript" type="text/javascript"></script> <link rel="stylesheet" type="text/css" href="../../menustyle.css" media="screen, print" /> </head> <body bgcolor="#DEB887" link="#CD5C5C"> <table border="1" width="756" height="75"> <tr> <td height="75" bgcolor="#F5DEB3" width="746"><table border="0" bordercolor="#DEB887" bordercolorlight="#DEB887" bordercolordark="#DEB887" width="743" bgcolor="#FFDAB9"> <tr> <td width="154"><img border="0" src="../../PlaticandoLeft.gif" width="145" height="91"></td> <td width="411"><p align="center"><font face="Revenue" color="#CD5C5C" size="5"><br> </font><font color="#CD5C5C" size="4" face="Benguiat Bk BT"> The Platiquemos and <a name="Pimsleur">Pimsleur</a> <br> Spanish Programs Compared</font></td> <td width="156" align="right"><img border="0" src="../../PlaticandoRight.gif" align="right" width="145" height="91"></td> </tr> </table> </td> </tr> </table> <table border="1" width="755" height="137" bordercolor="#F5DEB3" bordercolorlight="#F5DEB3" bordercolordark="#F5DEB3"> <tr> <td height="131" bgcolor="#FFDAB9" width="145" valign="top"> <table border="0" width="148"> <tr> <td width="100%"><a href="../../index.htm"><img src="../../zz99MiscButtons/homepage.png" width="116" height="20" alt="homepage.png (616 bytes)" align="right" border="0"></a></td> </tr> <tr> <td width="100%"><a href="../QandAmain.htm"><img border="0" src="../faq-q&a.png" width="135" height="20"></a></td> </tr> </table> </td> <td height="131" bgcolor="#F5F5DC" width="3"></td> <td height="131" bgcolor="#FAF0E6" valign="top"><p align="left" style="margin-left: 5"><font size="2" color="#8B4513" face="Arial"><b><br> Background.</b><span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>The Foreign Service Institute Basic Course in Spanish, on which the Platiquemos program is based, was developed with serious diplomatic Spanish learners, and proven over decades of follow-up testing with diplomats who had used the program.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>It is unclear how much testing and follow-up has been done with the Pimsleur program, but it is highly unlikely that it has been tested and proven as effective in reaching high levels of proficiency as the original FSI program.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>The Platiquemos program carefully maintains the core content of the original FSI program, but has been extensively revised for "user friendliness", appropriateness and timeliness of content, and usefulness as a self-study program in the 21<sup>st</sup> century environment.<o:p></o:p></font></p> <p style="mso-pagination: widow-orphan; margin-left: 5"><font size="2" color="#8B4513" face="Arial"><b>Program Philosophy.</b><span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>The Platiquemos program is based on an eclectic approach, i.e. it contains elements of the audio-lingual, natural, and grammar/translation methodologies.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>The Pimsleur program is limited to the "natural" method--a method which assumes that adults should learn a foreign language the same way babies learn their mother's language.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>We believe that the Pimsleur extreme reliance on "listen and repeat" may have some benefits at the very beginning stages (which Platiquemos also has), but is not optimally efficient for adults to progress to real proficiency.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>Adults learning another language have already learned at least one language, and it is important to utilize their already extant language skills in transferring those skills to another language.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>Many people are also visually oriented, and we believe that the mutually-supporting audio and text of the Platiquemos program helps students utilize all of their skills and aptitudes.<o:p></o:p></font></p> <p style="mso-pagination: widow-orphan; margin-left: 5"><font size="2" color="#8B4513" face="Arial"><b>Program Goal.</b><span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>The goal of the Platiquemos program is the same as that of the FSI original: to take students to or near the level of proficiency in which they can conduct all aspects of their life, personal and professional, in Spanish.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>(This is the "superior" or "advanced high" level on the American Council on the Teaching of Foreign Languages (ACTFL) scale; or the 2+ or 3 level on the U.S. Government's proficiency scale.)<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>While individual results will of course vary, students who thoroughly master the entire Platiquemos program will be at or near this very high level of proficiency.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>We have heard that Pimsleur claims to be able to take students to the "intermediate-mid" (ACTFL) or 1+ (government) level quickly.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>The difference is that the Platiquemos goal makes real interaction on a substantive level possible with Spanish speakers; the Pimsleur goal is limited to very basic social interaction and survival skills.<o:p></o:p></font></p> <p style="text-indent: -.25in; mso-pagination: widow-orphan; tab-stops: .05in .55in 1.05in 1.55in 2.05in 2.55in 3.05in 3.55in 4.05in 4.55in 5.05in 5.55in 6.05in 6.55in; margin-left: 5"><font size="2"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1"><font color="#8B4513" face="Arial"> </font> </span><font color="#8B4513" face="Arial"><b>Program Content.</b><span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>The complete Platiquemos program consists of eight levels, with almost 1400 pages of text and 54 audio cd=s or cassettes.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>The complete Pimsleur program consists three levels, with a total of 48 cd=s or cassettes with no text whatsoever.<o:p></o:p></font></font></p> <p style="text-indent: -.25in; mso-pagination: widow-orphan; tab-stops: .05in .55in 1.05in 1.55in 2.05in 2.55in 3.05in 3.55in 4.05in 4.55in 5.05in 5.55in 6.05in 6.55in; margin-left: 5"><font size="2"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1"><font color="#8B4513" face="Arial"> </font> </span><font color="#8B4513" face="Arial"><b>Program Flexibility.</b><span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>The Platiquemos program has been carefully constructed for usefulness both as a self-study program, and for classroom use.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>The Platiquemos program is used by a growing number of language schools in Mexico, and is available in classes at an increasing number of locations in the U.S.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>An Instructor=s Manual is available for teachers and language schools.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>The Platiquemos audio has been extensively augmented to make it easy to use in a car, with a "walkman" while jogging or riding a bus, etc.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>The Pimsleur program is only, insofar as we are aware, useful as a self-study program.<o:p></o:p></font></font></p> <font FACE="Arial" SIZE="2" COLOR="#8b4513"><b><p>Program Price. </b> The Platiquemos program has a list price of $99 per level, but package prices are available for purchases of multiple levels. The complete program of eight levels in hard copy can be purchased for $599 from Platiquemos. Also, uniquely, the Platiquemos program is available in digital (adobe acrobat and mp3) format. That means an entire Platiquemos Level can be put on one compact disk, and the student can print the text as needed, and make audio cd’s as well as listen to the audio on a computer. The digital format in the download version can be purchased for as little as $199 for the entire program. Pimsleur has a list price of $345 per level, and is only available in "hard copy". Pimsleur’s price is often discounted, and the three levels of the Pimsleur program can probably be found for lower prices.</font></p> <p style="margin-left: 4"><a href="#Pimsleur"><img src="../../zz99MiscButtons/TopofPage.png" width="116" height="20" alt="TopofPage.png (660 bytes)" border="0"></a><a href="ComparisonsMain.htm"><img src="../../zz99MiscButtons/PreviousPage.png" width="116" height="20" alt="PreviousPage.png (697 bytes)" border="0"></a></p> <p style="margin-left: 4"><font color="#FAF0E6">x</font></p> <p style="margin-left: 4"><font color="#FAF0E6">x</font></p> <p style="margin-left: 4"><font color="#FAF0E6">x</font></p> <p style="margin-left: 4"><font color="#FAF0E6">x</font></p> <p style="margin-left: 4"><font color="#FAF0E6">x</font></p> <p style="margin-left: 4"><font color="#FAF0E6">x</font></p> <p style="margin-left: 4"><font color="#FAF0E6">x</font></p> <p style="margin-left: 4"><font color="#FAF0E6">x</font></p> <p style="margin-left: 4"> </p> <p style="margin-left: 4"> </p> <p style="margin-left: 4"> </p> <p style="margin-left: 4"> </p> <p style="margin-left: 4"> </p> <p style="margin-left: 4"> </p> <p style="margin-left: 5"><font face="Arial" color="#8B4513"><small><br> </small></font></td> <td height="131" bgcolor="#F5F5DC" width="5"></td> <td height="131" bgcolor="#FFDAB9" width="148" valign="top"><p style="margin-left: 3"><font color="#F5DEB3">xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx<br> </font><font face="Garamond" size="2" color="#8B4513"><b></b></font></p> <table border="0" width="148"> <tr> <td width="100%"><font face="Garamond" size="2" color="#8B4513"><b>The Pimsleur program(s), being all audio, would be naturals for digital versions, and would save customers a lot of money. Wonder why they don't do it. Anybody want to ask them? </b></font></td> </tr> </table> </td> </tr> <tr> <td height="65" bgcolor="#F5DEB3" width="82" valign="top"> </td> <td height="65" bgcolor="#F5F5DC" width="3"></td> <td height="65" bgcolor="#F5F5DC" valign="top" width="582"><font face="Arial" size="1" color="#F5F5DC"> 23,2004</font> <p> </td> <td height="65" bgcolor="#F5F5DC" width="5"></td> <td height="65" bgcolor="#F5DEB3" width="200" valign="top"> </td> </tr> </table> </body> </html>