| Many people study foreign languages for years | | | | to talk to. Better yet, join a language learning club |
| without ever becoming fluent, yet they have all | | | | or group where only he target language is used, |
| possible resources to hand. Others learn a foreign | | | | and practice. Or get a partner who wants to learn |
| language with almost no resources at all. The | | | | English and do a language exchange. |
| difference lies in the approach and the strategies | | | | 5. Make Mistakes We learn through our mistakes. |
| employed. Here are some simplified steps to | | | | Get someone to correct you and pay attention. |
| teaching yourself Spanish, Japanese, or any other | | | | Don't be afraid to speak for fear of making |
| foreign language. | | | | mistakes - it's inevitable, natural and useful. |
| 1. Buy a Good Foreign Language Program: A good | | | | 6. Learn Grammar by Using It: Don't study 6 verb |
| program has lots of listening components which | | | | tenses and expect to be able to use any of |
| are based on real language use, and include | | | | them. Study one structure, and use it until it's |
| sentence level passages such as conversations. | | | | second nature. |
| 2. Listen Listen Listen Listen to passages multiple | | | | 7. Read and Write: Even if you only want to learn |
| times, without reading. When you read and listen, | | | | to speak the language, reading and writing can |
| you are mainly focused on reading as we are | | | | help. Reading is the best way to increase |
| accustomed to learning by reading. But you must | | | | vocabulary and internalize linguistic structures. |
| listen, and only listen, to improve listening | | | | Read something that you are interested in and |
| comprehension. Listen many times. Then repeat. | | | | can enjoy for the content; for example, if you're |
| Then check the script and listen again. Also try | | | | a sports lover, read about sports. And write |
| and listen to TV programs, music, movies, and | | | | about something you are interested in as well. |
| whatever else is available. | | | | Writing will help you express yourself in the |
| 3. Listen and Repeat Listen and repeat, increasing | | | | language at a higher grammatical level. |
| the size of the "chunk" that you can handle, again | | | | As a foreign language teacher and lover of |
| without reading. Pay attention to pronunciation and | | | | languages, I've found the above strategies to be |
| intonation. | | | | very useful when studying alone. Of course it's |
| 4. Talk a Lot If you have nobody to talk to, talk | | | | best to be in-country and do total immersion |
| to yourself. Out loud. Make up conversations and | | | | programs, but not everyone can do these, and |
| practice them out loud. Or, find a native speaker | | | | that shouldn't stop you from learning. |