Using Pimsleur for the self-regulated learning of spoken phrases in Brazilian Portuguese: a case study

Abstract

[EN] This case study examines the self-regulated use of Pimsleur, a Language Learning Platform (LLP), as a tool to aid in the acquisition of spoken phrases in Brazilian Portuguese (BP) and their related pronunciation. Like many LLPs, research on Pimsleur is scant, as is the number of studies done on BP compared to other major languages. This study aims to address this gap in research. The participant-researcher completed the Pimsleur program through daily study over a 10-week period, after which quantitative data were collected through a post-test and delayed post-test. The results showed that Pimsleur contributed to the learning of the target phrases in the short term and that the participant produced speech that was highly intelligible, moderately comprehensible, but heavily accented. This shows that Pimsleur can be an effective tool for developing spoken BP and can offer a unique learning experience with its methodology and mobile capability that mitigates some of the issues around mobile-assisted language learning (e.g. app attrition).