How Pimsleur’s Quizzes Help With Language Learning
Ah, the quiz. A classic way to either check one’s learning or startle a class full of unexpecting students. Whether you were up late cramming at the last minute, prepared and eager to show what you know, or dreading the experience entirely, get to know quizzes in a whole new way with Pimsleur®. Pimsleur’s language quizzes focus on spaced repetition, active memory recall, and error reduction. And don’t worry, they won’t be a surprise and we won’t be using this information for your quarterly report card. Instead, these quizzes are a check point for you. You’re the learner, and seeing how you can mobilize new information you’ve just learned is a crucial part of retention.
Pimsleur’s language learning app has many features, so how do our language comprehension quizzes fit into the larger Pimsleur Method? What do Pimsleur’s app quizzes look like? Let’s discover why, alongside many other features, language learning with quizzes is so effective, and how they’re utilized within our popular language learning platform.
Why Quizzes Matter in Language Learning
Quizzes are beneficial in learning any subject, including acquiring a new language. That’s because they offer plenty of cognitive advantages, such as:
- Spaced repetition. Regular, interactive language quizzes provide opportunities between lessons to apply what you’ve learned. In the quiz, if you show that you know a phrase easily, you won’t see it again right away. Whereas if you struggle with identifying a phrase correctly, that one gets put back into the practice deck and you’ll see it again pretty quickly. Just like spacing out your reps at the gym helps you build muscles, spacing your language learning reps helps you build enduring neural connections.
- Active memory recall. Active recall is an important part of learning a new language. Quizzes force you to retrieve important language concepts from memory, and studies show this process actually improves your brain’s neural pathways to boost long-term retention.
- Making Visual Connections. To avoid slowing down the aural connections involved in learning and memory, Pimsleur doesn’t offer transcripts of the audio lessons; however, once you’ve completed the audio lessons, the Quiz lets you read the sentences you’ve learned. Combined with the Reading lessons, this will help you connect the sounds of the words with the letters and letter combinations.
- Error reduction. Language learning quizzes cue you toward the correct answer so your brain doesn’t hold onto that incorrect answer. Just like trying to take a bad habit and transform it into a healthy one, error reduction in practice looks like swapping out that incorrect answer for the correct one with prompting and feedback. In this way, you’re more likely to recall the correct phrasing in the language you’re learning, and you’ve effectively transformed your “bad habit” into a “healthy habit.”
What’s more, quizzes help keep you motivated and engaged, offer rapid feedback on progress, help build confidence, and generally make the learning process fun and intuitive!
The Pimsleur Method™ promotes organic learning, and our language learning quizzes are designed with that in mind. In many ways, quizzes are the perfect environment to capitalize on our unique, scientifically-proven language acquisition techniques.
Inside the Pimsleur App: How the Quizzes Work
The Pimsleur app uses two different ways to test yourself: Quick Match and Speak Easy. Each offers its own unique blend of recall and language comprehension techniques, along with audio and written elements for fun, interactive experiences.
Within Pimsleur’s language lessons, the natural flow of instruction progresses with these challenges. In the German module, for example, Lesson One begins with a simple German conversation. You’ll learn each phrase in the brief exchange, and throughout the lesson, you’ll learn to participate in the conversation yourself. This follows Pimsleur’s emphasis on listening and speaking. And our two types of language comprehension quizzes reinforce these skills. Let’s look at how Quick Match and Speak Easy both support your language learning.
Pimsleur App Quizzes: Quick Match
Memory recall is the focus of this popular quiz, and it’s super simple to access and use once you’ve completed an audio lesson.
You can do Quick Match immediately following the audio lesson, or to test yourself on multiple lessons, go to the Practice tab and select Quick Match. You’ll see a lesson selector screen. Tap on just one lesson to focus, or select multiple completed lessons to mix it up and challenge yourself.
Next, you’re presented with an English cue from one of the lessons along with four multiple choice options. Tap on the audio button to hear a native speaker say each phrase in your target language while you read along with the text. Listening to these phrases while reading them bolsters the relationship between the English and the correctly spoken and written translation.
Tapping or clicking on the correct answer reveals a green check mark, while an incorrect answer shows a red X. You’ll have a chance to revisit all incorrect answers – Pimsleur automatically reloads and redelivers those with spaced repetition principles to ensure you can try again. The Quick Match for Levels 1-3 are generally fairly simple, but when you get to Levels 4 and 5, you’ll have to read each line carefully as they get a lot harder to distinguish. Some of these advanced quiz items aren’t directly taught in the course, but are derived from combining multiple words you know or cognates you should be able to guess. Whichever level you choose, you’ll have a chance to read the sentences from the course, and advance your skill all while testing yourself.
Once you complete all the questions, you’ll receive a “Well Done!” message. All our language learning quizzes, including Quick Match, can be taken as many times as you wish. It’s a great way to review!
Pimsleur App Quizzes: Speak Easy
Our Speak Easy feature offers a simple, intuitive method to see phrases in a conversational context. Speak Easy is also accessed either from the lesson screen or via the Practice tab. Similar to Quick Match, you’ll see a lesson selector screen. For Speak Easy, you can only select one completed lesson at a time.
Once you select the lesson, you’ll find the conversation from the audio lesson, which is set in a specific context and rooted in a realistic experience. Press the audio icon next to each line to listen to a native speaker speaking it. If the speaker is too fast, you can slow the audio down to .75x or .5x to hear every syllable. Listen and practice that portion of the conversation as many times as you’d like. Or you can press the “Play & Repeat” button at the bottom of the screen. This feature plays the entire conversation with pauses in between each speaker’s lines for you to practice repeating after the speaker in real-time. This helps you to internalize the cadence and natural rhythm of the language.
Quizzes for Every Stage of Your Learning Journey
Speak Easy and Quick Match increase in complexity with each progressive level to help you to build confidence and establish a solid foundation. Generally, if you’ve completed the audio lessons, the quizzes will be fun and easy; just one more touchpoint on your way to speaking fluidly.
Interactive Quizzes vs. Traditional Language Learning Methods
Quizzes done the right way are absolutely critical for helping you learn a new language. Since our quizzes follow the principles of the Pimsleur Method, they seamlessly flow from the lesson and continue your organic learning. Pimsleur’s interactive language quizzes provide engaging, relevant, and purposeful ways to reinforce everything from vocabulary and pronunciation to verb tenses and reading comprehension.
As part of Pimsleur’s comprehensive approach to language learning, Speak Easy and Quick Match offer a distinct contrast to traditional learning techniques like rote grammar lessons, strict memorization, or reading from a textbook.
Plus, our quizzes are just part of the total learning package with Pimsleur. You should also take advantage of other helpful practice elements like digital Flash Cards, Speed Round and the AI-powered Voice Coach – all part of our revolutionary methodology to help anyone learn a new language!
Put Language Learning Quizzes to Work in the Pimsleur App
Speaking of quizzes, here’s a quick pop quiz:
Q: How fast can you learn a new language with Pimsleur?
A: You’ll be able to say a few basic words and phrases, and even participate in a short conversation after your very first lesson. Every lesson builds on the ones before it and sets the stage for the one that comes next. Even finishing a few of them will expand your ability to understand and communicate your basic needs. If you keep going, you’ll soon understand and be able to respond naturally in your new language in conversations with native speakers. The more consistent you are, the faster you’ll progress, but if you should miss a few days, just jump into the Practice tab to brush up, but most importantly, keep going! From language learning quizzes to speed round games, bonus content and more, there’s simply no better platform to learn a new language. Whether you’re learning for professional or personal reasons, it’s always a great time to start learning – browse our list of languages today!