Are FSI Language Courses Worth It? An Honest Critique

Are you considering FSI language courses for your language learning journey? You're not alone.

I got a question about them from Dennis in Scotland who has been using the FSI German course. He asked me if these courses are appropriate for beginners vs intermediates.

These free Foreign Service Institute courses have attracted countless learners with their promise of military-grade language training. But just because they worked for American diplomats in the 1950s doesn't mean they're the best choice for you today.

I used FSI language courses when I started learning Cantonese. And I've got some thoughts to share. This honest review will help you decide if FSI language courses deserve a spot in your study routine.

If you prefer watching videos to reading, hit play on the video version of this post at the top of the page. You can also listen to the podcast version below. Otherwise, here's what you'll discover:

What Are FSI Language Courses?

FSI stands for Foreign Service Institute, and these courses have quite a story behind them.

Picture this: it's post-war America, early 1950s, and the American Foreign Service needs to train diplomats in foreign languages fast.

They developed these comprehensive courses to teach their foreign servicemen the languages they'd need for their overseas posts. And they believed they'd created the fastest, most efficient method possible.

The Foreign Service Institute created massive courses in loads of different languages, all based on what seemed cutting-edge at the time.

Now, decades later, these courses are freely available in the public domain. You can download them right now without spending a penny.

Sounds brilliant, right? Free courses developed by the American Foreign Service – what could possibly go wrong?

Well, that's where things get interesting.

The Audio-Lingual Method Explained

To understand FSI language courses properly, you need to know about the methodology behind them: the audio-lingual method. This approach was all the rage in the 1950s, built on behavioural psychology principles that were trendy at the time.

The basic idea? Learning happens through imitation and repetition. Just like training rats in a cage to avoid the cheese because they'll get an electric shock, the thinking went that you could train humans to speak languages through endless drilling and copying.

This behaviourist approach to language learning involved:

• Constant repetition of phrases and sentences
• Transformation drills (changing one element in a sentence structure)
• Heavy focus on pronunciation from day one
• Teacher-directed learning with minimal student input
• Separation of skills (listening, speaking, reading, writing taught separately)

The methodology was spearheaded by behavioural psychologist B.F. Skinner. And it seemed logical enough. Do this, then do that, then do this – and you'll learn to speak the language as a consequence.

But here's where it gets complicated: this behaviourist approach to language teaching has been largely discredited as a methodology. Too many holes were picked in it, and we've learned a lot about how language acquisition really works since then.

Are FSI Language Courses Effective? The Honest Pros

Before I tear into the problems with FSI language courses, let me be clear about something important: any thoughtfully created language resource that you actually use consistently will be powerful for your learning.

The “perfect” methodology that sits unused on your shelf (a classic hoarding villain symptom) is worthless compared to the “mediocre” one you actually follow.

That said, FSI language courses do have some genuine strengths:

Strong Pronunciation Focus

FSI courses drill pronunciation from the very beginning. You'll get endless practice on sounds, which is brilliant for building good habits early. This focus on pronunciation is something many modern courses overlook, so credit where it's due.

Complete Sentence Learning

Rather than just teaching isolated vocabulary, FSI courses focus on complete sentences. This approach gives you much more bang for your buck – you're learning grammar, vocabulary, and usage patterns all at once. It's something I'm a big advocate for in my own teaching.

Structured Progression

The courses follow a logical progression that builds on previous lessons. There's a clear path from basic phrases to more complex structures, which can be reassuring for learners who like structure.

Immediate Speaking Practice

Unlike some methods that keep you silent for months, FSI gets you speaking from day one. You'll be repeating, transforming and practising sentences right from the start.

Comprehensive Coverage

These courses are thorough. We're talking about extensive material that covers a lot of ground – far more than many paid courses offer.

The Major Limitations Of FSI Language Courses

Now, let's talk about the elephant in the room. While FSI language courses have some merits, they also have significant limitations that you need to understand:

Outdated Teaching Methodology

The audio-lingual method has been largely abandoned by modern language teaching for good reasons. It's based on behavioural psychology that treats language learning like training a pet – lots of repetition without much critical thinking.

No Self-Direction

These courses are extremely teacher-centred, which worked fine when foreign servicemen had 40 hours a week of classroom instruction.

But when you're sitting at home with just the audio files, you're being directed by a teacher who isn't actually there and can't give you feedback.

Lack of Critical Analysis

One of my core beliefs about language learning is that you need to be critical. You need to take dialogues apart, struggle with them and really understand what's going on.

FSI courses don't give you space to do this – they assume that if you repeat 100 phrases enough times, you'll magically be able to use them.

Missing Communicative Competence

Here's the big one: just because you can recite phrases doesn't mean you can actually communicate. FSI courses focus on drilling patterns without teaching you how to interact, respond naturally or handle real conversations.

Separated Skills

The courses artificially separate listening, speaking, reading, and writing. This isn't how language works in the real world – you need to integrate these skills from the beginning.

Boring and Dated

Let's be honest – these courses are from the 1950s. The content, examples and approach feel incredibly dated. I got bored out of my mind when I tried using them for Cantonese learning.

Should You Use FSI Language Courses? My Honest Assessment

Here's my take: if you enjoy the FSI method and feel you're learning from it, then knock yourself out.

You'll know when it's time to stop because you'll start getting bored (like I did) or feel you could be using your time more efficiently.

But – and this is crucial – don't use FSI courses as your only learning method. They should be part of a broader approach that includes:

• Reading books in your target language (I've written a series of short story books in different languages to help you do this)
• Having conversations with native speakers
• Consuming authentic media
• Practising writing
• Immersing yourself in the language

Who Might Benefit From FSI Language Courses?

FSI courses might work for you if:

• You're a complete beginner who needs structure
• You respond well to drilling and repetition
• You want to focus heavily on pronunciation
• You're learning a less common language where FSI might be one of the few free resources
• You plan to supplement them with other methods

Who Should Look Elsewhere?

Consider other options if:

• You get bored easily with repetitive exercises
• You prefer interactive, communicative approaches
• You want modern, relevant content
• You learn better with visual aids and multimedia
• You need flexibility in your learning approach

What About The “Free” Factor?

Many people gravitate towards FSI language courses simply because they're free. I've got strong opinions about this: just because something is free doesn't mean it's the best choice for you.

Psychologically, we tend not to value free things as much. When you invest money in a course or resource, you've got skin in the game – you're more likely to stick with it and take it seriously.

Don't get too sidetracked by the fact that FSI courses are free. It's much more important to find a methodology that works for you and fits your learning style.

If that means spending £30-40 on a better resource from a bookshop, it's money well spent.

FSI Language Courses FAQ

The Bottom Line On FSI Language Courses

FSI language courses aren't inherently good or bad – they're just one tool in the language learning toolkit.

The real question isn't whether they're perfect (spoiler: they're not), but whether they'll help you make progress towards your language goals.

Here's my core philosophy: the mediocre methodology you actually follow is infinitely preferable to the perfect methodology you never find. If FSI courses motivate you to study consistently and you're seeing progress, then they're doing their job.

But don't fall into the trap of thinking one course will solve all your language learning problems. No single methodology ever will.

The most successful language learners use multiple approaches, constantly evaluate what's working, and aren't afraid to change course when something isn't serving them anymore.

If you do decide to try FSI language courses, use them as part of a broader strategy. Get your drilling practice from FSI, but also read books, watch films, have conversations, and immerse yourself in your target language. That's where the real magic happens.

The most important thing? Stop searching for the perfect method and start using something – anything – consistently. Your future multilingual self will thank you for it.

Olly Richards

Creator of the StoryLearning® Method

Olly Richards is a renowned polyglot and language learning expert with over 15 years of experience teaching millions through his innovative StoryLearning® method. He is the creator of StoryLearning, one of the world's largest language learning blogs with 500,000+ monthly readers.

Olly has authored 30+ language learning books and courses, including the bestselling "Short Stories" series published by Teach Yourself.

When not developing new teaching methods, Richards practices what he preaches—he speaks 8 languages fluently and continues learning new ones through his own methodology.