If you want to learn a new language, Assimil is the perfect learning tool for you. This comprehensive system makes learning a new language easy and fun. In this review, we will discuss how the Assimil method works, and show you how to get started with this powerful language learning program.
What is Assimil, and how does it work?
Assimil is a language education program that uses conversation as its primary method of instruction. The program is designed to help you learn a new language quickly and effectively, by immersing you in the target language through real-world conversations.
In each lesson, you will listen to a conversation between two native speakers, and then answer questions about what you heard. The questions are designed to help you understand the grammar and vocabulary of the target language, and to practice using it in a real-world context.
As you progress through the lessons, you will gradually increase your understanding of the target language, until you are able to hold a conversation in it yourself.
The Paris-based language learning firm, Assimil, is one of the most popular. The company has a catalog with more than 100 languages.
Assimil is a language-learning company that was founded in 1929 by Alphonse Chérel and his wife, Marie-Louise Chérel. The company is headquartered in Paris, France.
What Did I Learn?
I started using the Assimil with Ease Portuguese language learning software, and I was really pleased with how immediately useful it was.
The course starts with common and practical phrases and words that are relevant in the real world, which I appreciated.
Other courses might include laborious intros, but Assimil skips right to the good stuff. The only complaint I have is that you are not provided with all of the tools need to deliver a complete intro.
The Portuguese course appears to be geared more towards traveling and business. The language in the works is relatively formal overall. Despite this, I found Assimil With Ease to be an enjoyable and effective way to learn Portuguese.
How to use Assimil to get the most out of your learning experience
Rather than focusing on memorizing words and phrases, Assimil emphasizes understanding and context. This means that most lessons can be completed in an hour or less, as you won’t be bogged down by rote memorization.
Assimil offers audio support for all of its lessons, so you can hear native speakers pronouncing the words and phrases you’re learning. I, personally, work through the lessons, reading the dialogues out loud before shadowing them once more along with the audio.
This way, I can get a feel for how the words sound in context and also start to internalize the pronunciation. Additionally, trying out what I’m learning in real life conversations is a great way to see how well I’m progressing. Whether you’re a complete beginner or looking to brush up on your language skills, Assimil is definitely worth checking out.
What Level Can You Reach With Assimil?
For most people, the Sans Peine series from Assimil will take them to the B2 level on the CEFR scale.
This is a great accomplishment, as it shows that using only one course or learning tool is never a good idea.
The course is not for someone who does not have any prior exposure to the language, as it would be much too difficult. It takes about 71 lessons to get to the B2 level with Sans Peine, but it is well worth it for those who are looking to improve their language skills. By the end of the course, students will have a much better understanding of the French language and be able to use it in a variety of situations.
The course is not for someone who does not have any prior exposure to the language.
The different methods that Assimil offers for learning a new language
There are many different ways to learn a new language, and Assimil offers a variety of methods to fit every learner’s needs.
For those who prefer a more traditional approach, Assimil provides textbooks with accompanying by Audio in MP3.
These books progress from basic grammar to more complex conversation, and provide an immersive experience that is perfect for those who want to learn at their own pace.
What Could be Better about Assimil?
I had some problems with the Assimil approach.
The basic pleasantries in the course were not as detailed as I would have expected for a beginner’s course. The course quickly moves on to situational and culture-related dialogues.
I would like to see more phrases related to the topic at the end of each chapter.
My biggest complaint was the sound quality. Because most computers do not feature a disc drive any longer, this is an issue. Fortunately, because of this, the course may now be purchased with a MP3 option.
If you don’t speak French, Assimil is not the best option for you. This limits your ability to access it outside of Europe. If you do know French, Assimil is an excellent tool.
My personal experience with using Assimil to learn Spanish
I started using Assimil to learn Spanish about a year ago, and it has been a great experience. The program is very straight-forward and easy to use. I would definitely recommend it to anyone looking for an effective way to learn Spanish.
The audio is clear and the pacing is just right. I never felt overwhelmed or frustrated with the material. I’m very happy with Assimil and I would recommend it to anyone looking to learn Spanish.
Is It Possible That I Actually Remember What I Taught?
Assimil isn’t a coursebook that awards points for working through the material. It’s up to the learner to keep track of progress and make sure they are learning the material.
The lessons are short and easy to read, so people can continue through them regularly without a problem. The only criticism is that one needs time to actually sit down and focus on the lessons. If one does not have time to study, one can just use the audio to test their listening comprehension.
Assimil’s approach is just challenging enough to hold my attention, and the time it takes to complete a lesson is just right. I also like the cultural tidbits and language facts they add in the end notes that give me a break from actual language learning.
The lessons were created in a way that allowed them to be completed individually and quickly, to then be compared and double-checked. The lessons were also short enough to never become boring.
If you want to know how you’re doing in a particular chapter, you can track your progress with the exercises at the end of each chapter. You can also check your progress by how many lessons you’ve completed and how much of the audio you understand without the help of the text.
The course has review sections every six chapters. These review sections are not too many nor too few, and this construction makes the course structure useful for achieving success. The course offers multiple ways for people to learn, so even though people may not retain everything, they can still take away the things they need.
Final Thoughts
I really enjoyed using Assimil and would definitely recommend it to others, but it’s important to make sure you use it in a way that is best for you. Don’t get discouraged if you don’t understand everything the first time around. Just keep listening and doing the exercises and you will eventually get it.
The Assimil method is different from the traditional way of learning a language. The first few chapters are passive, and you should be more active later on. They are currently at an intermediate level of Korean; they might hit B1 by doing more intensive work on translations, or by working more on the active chapters in the book.
This text is about a self-guided course for a foreign language. It includes instructions on what you should do, and it’s up to you when to work on the lessons.
They believe that Assimil is a good way to learn a language because it provides a context. You can find Assimil courses on Amazon, and they recommend other courses, such as those for French and Russian learners.
