How to Learn a Foreign Language

Thanks for this article. I went and signed up and have started using the LingQ software. It’s great! Thanks

Thanks! I’m homeschooling a 9 year who wants to learn Greek and this is something I think I need to print out and stick on our fridge as a guide!

There seem to be no shortage of sites offering online language courses, and the stiff competition has given students great new options in taking on the challenge of learning a new language.
I have found learning Mandarin to be quite convenient with the excellent podcasts available these days ( like http://www.chineselearnonline.com)
If you have an MP3 player, I would recommend giving it a try.

Y’know, I’ve followed advice like this in the past and it hasn’t worked. Dedication is one thing. Dedication + ability = success in language learning. There’s no escaping that. Let’s be honest here: knowing a few phrases and speaking a language fluently (or better) are very different things. Most people can do the former; not everyone can do the latter.

Great ideas! Thanks so much! I have been a language enthusiast all my life and a language tutor for almost 10 years now, these are very good tips! Way to go and thanks for posting them!

I have recently used what I believe to be the VERY BEST language software. I have tried using Rosetta Stone before but I did not like it… I used the software and learned German in only 8 weeks which was awesome. They offer 7 languages total and I am debating on learning another one. I bought it after getting a referral from a friend, and then I found this website to be very helpful. http://www.certifiedlanguagesoftware.info so I hope it can be useful for you too.

Побольше бы таких тем!

I read Steve’s blog regularly and enjoy his insights. One thing I definitely agree with him on is that language learning takes time. Too many people have that instant gratification attitude when it comes to learning a foreign language.

Depending on a lot of different factors it can take 6 months to 5 years to learn a foreign language. However, you’ll be able to use and enjoy the skills you learn as you achieve your ultimate goal of full fluency.

I love your last tip the most: relax and enjoy yourself. Too often we make ourselves miserable. But when having fun, that’s when you learn almost without effort.

Right on target, need practice practice practice, and much immersion. Learning a language need not be so tough.

mwe-bale kuyinga kusoma lulimi. waliwo amanyi enimi zo’mu southern africa nadal e’za khoisan people. ba khoi khoi and the san people of south africa. hhahahaahha

I started to learn english when I was 10 years old and now I am 18 and I still go to that english private school. I am very interested in the language and I do some tests for examinations like FCE, CAE…etc. to practice my language skills and I listen to music, watch movies and sometimes chat with my friends in english. In one month I’m going to have CAE exam and I must do my best.

This post captured a few important concepts. The most important aspect in language learning is consistency. It is about being in the language daily that will pull results. Sure, ones will, motivation, methods and practice will all play a part, but even the unmotivated person with a poor method will learn if he has a date everyday to learn the language. Of course a motivated person with a good method will learn better and faster.

this is very useful site to save new words easly http://www.wordchamp.com

I have recently discovered that the best way to learn a foreign language (in my case it was Portuguese) was to combine fun with learning, entertainment with focus. After becoming a member of http://www.fluentfuture.com, I am happy to say that this is possible. Not only that now I feel confident about my Portuguese speaking skills, but I also made a lot of friends on this website. I encourage you to try it, even for a short time. It is free of charge and very easy to use.

Great article, and yes in fact all you wrotte lines above clearly shows to learn any language you must be constant, practice and practice.
thanks

Communication in a given language is just as important. I have worked with people whohad great listening skills, and when they went to another country they were almost lost because they were not prepared to use the language.

i think u r right maybe it takes time to learn a language but its lovely to learn a language that u dont know.im in the faculty of education english departmen nd i will be gappy if u put excersis for listening plz nd thank u

I think number 4 is the most important. Taking responsibility for your own learning and choosing the content that is right for you is a vital step in learning any languages. You have to really want it.

Hi Steve!
I read your blog a while ago and took your advices with me to Austria where I went to a German course at DeutschAkademie. The teachers there were very helpfull and the motto there is to not speak a single English word during their lessons!

But what helped me the most was to stick with German the whole trip. I actually even started to think german and avoid English completely. Well it wasn’t possible 100% of the time but the exposure to German in 4 weeks was immense!

Also repeating grammar lessons over and over helped a lot. Especially with such a grammar intense language as German.

So for anyone who wants to study german – go to vienna.
http://www.deutschakademie.com is my best advice to you!

Lo mas importante para aprender el lenguaje, es poner el empeño necesario en el idioma.
Si disfruta lo que esta haciendo, sera mas facil perseverar en el aprendizaje.

well I have always been difficult English, but from today I will apply these five steps and informs them if I served. I hope so, because my greatest achievement is to learn English.

It`s true. The new tutoring is a great way to global communication and infinite possibilities of learning

excellent article, very good advice, I had never crossed his type of learning. wuold be of more help as we provide learning material.

Me gusto mucho esta lectura, porque nos da ha entender que si queremos aprender otro idioma se ingles o otro tenemos que meterle todo el esfuerzo si en realidad uno esta interesado, ya que no solo es de saber escribir, sino de saber pronunciar las palabras y como hay que usar estas, dependiendo de lo que vamos a decir, y escribir. Me parece que gracias ha este curso he aprendido del ingles cosas que no sabia.

I have begun to be but I attempt to the péliculas and the music in English and I look for the words that are a little I difficult to understand

Thanks for your tips on learning foreign language. I am doing the business of exporting oil painting now. My website is: http://www.oilpaintingcentre.com So, I am trying to improve my English further recently. Your tips are helpfull for me. I will spend more time together with Engish.

watch movies subtitled
listening to music in English
read books in English and reading comprehension

I am wanting to learn Italian, but quickly. I’ve always wanted to learn, but I’m seeing an Italian man who speaks very broken english. So, I’m very motivated. I don’t retin very well and I haven’t studied for a very long time. So, I need help with a really good course of study.

* Take responsibility for your own learning!

- I agree to this. I believe that no one can make you learn something but yourself. I see people that was forced into learning something, but because of due to lack of interest, they do not learn anything at all.

Hello!!! Thanks for this article. Learning English is very important in our times because it is a universal language and helps open many doors in the workplace.

1.Evita memorizar listas de verbos y vocabulario. Sólo al principio será necesario para que cuentes con una base mínima de palabras. Después, procura ir descubriendo tú solo otras palabras de la lengua inglesa. Sobre todo evita listas de palabras traducidas fuera de contexto. En todo caso trabaja con pequeñas listas de términos relacionados entre sí (campos semánticos), y juega a crear frases donde uses varias de las palabras.
2.La mejor forma de aprender nuevas palabras es leyendo, ya que la pronunciación en inglés no te aclarará mucho sobre cómo se escribe la palabra, al menos al principio. Lee y cuando no comprendas una palabra trata de deducir su significado por el contexto, sin recurrir al principio al diccionario. Después consúltalo para ver si estabas en lo cierto. Así se te quedará esta palabra mucho mejor que si te esfuerzas en memorizar largas listas de términos.

Hola, Gracias por esto. Es una muy buena tecnica para aprender ingles, la verdad para mi es un poco dificl entender lo que hablan, es mas facil para mi comprenderlo de un escrito. Es muy sierto que debemos leer todos los dias y las pabras que no entendamos acomodarlas al texto, no traducirlas asi se nos va a ser mas facil aprender este idioma que para algunos nos es muy complejo.

Practice whole phrases rather than just individual items of vocabulary.

Good night,
About this reading i think that is a complete analysis to lear a foreing lenguage. Something that is important when you realy want to learn is to be interesed and take control about your own learning.
If you are take this course is becouse you want to know more abount english lenguage and these are some tips interesting to follow.
Practice and make use daily of words that you know is an exelent exercise.

This is very true. I am dyslexic I was forced b my school to learn French and I hated every minute of it! I love Spain and everyday I wished I knew Spanish. Now I have stopped learning french at school and started my first class of Spanish yesterday. I was already at the advantage of knowing lots of spanish already and subconsciously learning it whilst listening to El Canto Del Loco – my favourite band. After school my mum asked me to try and write a small sentence about myself. I ended up writing 2 whole A4 pages of spanish – and my mum commented that I had all the grammer and vocabularly precisely accurate. – whereas my french was terrible after 4 years of studying, 1 day of spanish and I found Spanish 500% easier than french! listening to spanish music helps loads, watching my favourite movies in Spanish is a massive help and watching Spanish news reports and weather reports as well as reading Spanish newspaperarticles online helps loads!

thanks.

When I was 12 I came to the United states from Brazil, and all I did all day was to listen and read the lyrics to Backstreet boys songs, and that helped me a lot with pronunciation. I know that you learn fast when you’re at that age, but now I’m 21 and learning German, and I listen to German music and read the lyrics, and I’m finding it just as easy to learn as of when I was 12. So I think that music is a very good tool when learning a language.

great resource!

five tips for managing the English are very practical and effective to manage all this grasias these tips you can learn better English

Excellent advice which throws the onus firmly on the learner. Ultimately it’s got to be their call and they need to find an approach which is in tune with their personal learning style. Thankfully, today with so many possible sources of instruction, the learner can keep looking and drawing from those which best suit at the time. But, like everything else in life, language learning rewards persistence.

Motivation is obviously important and activities which increase motivation are very important. I have found that spending time immersing oneself in the culture of the people who speak the language helps to keep me on track when the going gets tough.

tells us that this forum devemos spend much time we want to achieve and also Arend devemos or hear and read every day and apply it to daily life trying to talk all the time devemos sentrarmos also in the words we say to raise the haci words and express what we mean and devemos ourselves also take responsibility for our own learning, searching for phrases and words that we also want to learn to relax and enjoy the language you want to learn

estos tips son de mucha importancia ya que son base de un buen aprendizaje de esa nueva lengua, en mi caso yo algunas veces veo peliculas en ingles para intentar entender y eso educa mi oido, además aprendo una palabra diaria para asi aumentsar mi vocabulario

yo pienso que este curso es una buena manera para comenzar a poner en practica nuevas formas para elconocimiento de otros idiomas para fortalecer todo lo que ya se sade y aprender nuevas cosas y para esto se debe ser innovador cambiante y sobre todo con mucha motivacion para el logro de nuestros objetivos. estar presto a toda clase de sujerencia que nos puedaser de gran apoyo para ser practocos en todo lo realcionado con los modlos de aprendizaje las cosas nuevas enrique nuestra mente, cuerpo y alma.

solo pongamos toda nuestras adtitudes y actutd.

este curso es muy inportante para nosotros ….viendo la metodologia de este curso me parese muy interesant poder conprender esdte idioma tan importante en la actualidad.

yo deseo hacer este curso porque se que es muy bueno y porque me ba a servir mas adelante

i think that a environment line with things for read and listen are very important for learning of a extrangers foreigner language, but the most important is like it, if you don´t like it, you don´t can learn,
it is not easy learn other language, because it is a cultural product, know works, verbs and phrases are not enough, is important to think like them.

Thanks steve. for the tips

This article is so great.
I want to Learn English.
If u want to find a teacher about Mandarin. Plz Add me.

I believe I can speak for all of us after I say this, our health could be the most crucial thing. If we have our health, I consider that we can get any woman/man we want and any career we want. But on the contemporary climate of things of the raising costs of supplements and such, I believe the average spend on health products and solutions is around $1000-2000 a year for me, it is almost certainly greater for others. I found an awesome way to fund this expenditure which has also helped me fund my holidays. Do not worry, this is not going being any nonsense which bores you to death, and it does definitely work, some individuals I know who use this definitely make a living off it It takes around an hour to set up and you do not require a lot money at all. If you happen to be interested, just check out the link in my name.

I feel very cool, because it is very good to learn new languages, and the method we are using here are very simple and easy to learn … this is an opportunity to acquire new knowledge that we can serve much the future

La temática N.1 se trata de las diferentes maneras como se debe aprender un idioma extranjero, el documento plantea como primero el pasar el tiempo que no es más que tomar los cosas en serio de manera que se conecte con lo que quiere aprender y se pude hacer escuchando, escribiendo y medios que le permitan desarrollar otra manera de expresarse que no sea el que común mente hace.
Otra manera para poder aprender un idioma extranjero es escuchar en un medio de comunicación todos los días y seguidamente poderlo leer para así poder familiarizarse con el idioma que se está aprendiendo, de esta manera también puede formar un diccionario con las palabras o frases más usadas que te permitan aprendérselas de manera más rápida. Además nosotros somos lo que queremos ser constructores de nuestro propio destino, y así es con el idioma que queremos aprender si colocamos todo de nosotros podemos manejar los dos idiomas fácilmente. y para que todo concluya de manera exitosa hay que relajarse y desfrutar lo ha aprendido que las circunstancias no deben asustarnos el susto pasa a lo contrario nos ayudad a reforzar lo aprendido y lo que debemos hacer es irlo perfeccionando para llegar a tener éxito. para concluir los comentarios de los diferentes personajes del documento son de mucha ayuda porque nos dan pautas para poder aprender los idiomas que deseamos uno de esos ayudas didácticas es el los diferentes medios de comunicación que son los mejores aliados para poder aprender lo que queremos ya sean ver películas , escuchar en mp3, radios traducir documentos, entre otras que nos van a permitir manejar el idioma aprendido.

tematica 1 es interesante no la dejes pasar.

Motivation is obviously important and activities which increase motivation are very important.

Hi, I want to share my opinion on the best Spanish language learning tools available to us. I hope my experiences and research will help everyone in the blog to have a better understanding of learning Spanish language.

Since I am a university student and I know learning Spanish, will add an extra edge to my resume. However, my challenges are – time constrains to attain a physical classroom, secondly, I need to commute a lot and hence I carry either my laptop or iPad and my iPhone.

Hence, I have been doing some research on the web and as a solution I have found – among the best Spanish language learning option are; – we can have website and we can go for a language learning iPad or iPhone apps.

Among the language learning websites, we have many good and free language learning sites like- http://www.Hello-Hello.com, http://www.livemocha.com, http://www.busuu.com. All these sites free language learning courses. Which one suits you, depends on you.

But, they all have their own advantages, like Hello-Hello offers course material, developed with collaboration of American Council on the Teaching of Foreign Languages (ACTFL), which results in their rich course contents. They also offers social networking platform to create learning very interactive.

Livemocha on the other hand are comparably older site and hence has large number of member options to make friendship with.

Secondly, there is another excellent options for people who owns iPad or iPhone, iTunes offers some very interesting and equally good Spanish language learning app. For iPad we have some very good Spanish language learning apps like – Hello-Hello Spanish, uTalk Spanish and some more (I am sure you will find out more names in the iTunes), but I have tried out both the above apps and I am learning from both for the time being. Both are good with their own advantages.

Among these options, which one suits you better, depends on your personal convenience and likings. But I am sure all of them are worth for trying out for once.

Es importante tener en cuenta el idioma aleán – si, mucho alemanes, sobre todo menores de 30 años dominan la lengua inglesa, pero como dicen, no hay lengua más hablada en el mundo que el “inglés de turista” – el hablar en el idioma local es vital para disfrutar un país, donde hay una cultura tan única…
Visita Babbel

hola atodos los invito aque se interesen por este curso ya que nos da muchos privilejios,para asi conocer, aprender mas del ingles y interactuar mucho mas y aprender nuevas lenguas.

hola a todos

el idioma ingles se ha convertido en el idioma universal lo que nos indica que es fundamental el aprendizaje del mismo y este curso es una muy buena opcion para empezar a aprender este idioma con el cual es posible la comunicacion con personas de diferentes paises,sin embargo,esto solo sera posible si el curso se lleva a cabo con una actitud positiva dedicando el tiempo necesario a escuchar las pronunciaciones y practicando el idioma.

Hola a todos los invito a realizar el curso de ingles virtual porque es bueno aprender otros idiomas para tener mas oportunidades en el campo laboral y la oportunida que nos brinda este curso no la podemos desaprovechar por que es facil de apreder siempre cuando le pongamos interes idedicacion.Que Dios los Bendiga.

hola atodos, les invito aque cada dia se interencen cada dia mas y mas por el idioma ingles es muy importante he interesante para todos nosotros en este mundo tan globalizado, es de suma importancia por que es un idioma universal.les deseo exitos en esta nueva etapa de su vida y que culminen exitosamente y les sea de gran utilidada y probecho el ingles en su vida diaria y en lo laboral dios les bendiga ……….

how to learn second language

Indeed! Very useful tip you have there in your blog. Thanks for giving us some easy way to express our learning in english through a better way.

I lived in Denmark for three years and went to school there to learn Danish. Been young and silly I spent my time looking out the window…. just as your article says not clever! I have forgotten all that I learnt not that it was much – in hindsight you need to jump head in and literally live the language, you learn to enjoy and then the rest comes easy!

Mi proceso de aprendizaje frente al idioma ingles a sido un reto o meta que cada dia me esfuerso para poder trasar y cumplir ese proposito exitosamente .

Frente a los 5 aspectos fundamentales para aprender un idioma extrangros mi aprendezaje soy una persona que tiene muy claro cule son mis propositos y por eso el tiempo disponible que me queda durante el dia para reforsar mis conosimientos aserca del idioma ingles en cuanto los aspectos de lectura,escritura y pronosiaccion .Siempre asumo la responsabilidad o consecuensia de mis acciones en este curso en cuanto a las dificultades que se me presente derante el desarrolo de sus unudades y actividades.

Imbito a todas aquellas personas que de una u otra forma tienen dificultad para desarrollar las unidades y actividades de este curso virtial a tener una mayor fuerza de voluntad que se motiben y que se trasen un proposito para poder salir triunfante derante este reto didactico.

Les deseo exitos derante su proseso de formacion .

If you really want to learn to speak Spanish, you should go take a look at the very detailed Rocket Spanish review over at the Learn to Speak Spanish blog.
The review covers a lot of important aspects about the course, and why it seems to be so popular and effective. It sounds like one of the best Spanish language learning products on the market. And best of all it is available for download, so you can start using it right away.

Rocket Spanish offers an interactive audio course with e-books and games to help you learn to speak Spanish fast and easily. Go take a look at the review to get a better idea of what you’ll be getting.

Aparender inglès cada vez es màs fundamental, los diferentes metodos que se aplican en la actualidad facilitan grandemente un mejor dominio de èste. Pero es necesario que el individuo en su anhelo por avanzar en èl adquiera una disciplina aplicando diferentes formas no solo en la lectùra y escritura, sino tambien, hacer un buen uso de lo aprendido dentro de su diario vivir para aprovechar màs ampliamente sobre el objetivo que se ha propuesto.

En estos momentos es imporante aprender sobre el idioma inglès, no solo por requerimiento de algunas entidades y/o por cumplir con un requisito en el campo laboral, todo esto cuenta y es valido en cualquier momento. Si miramos nuestro entorno no solo vemos personas bien fundamentadas, tambien nos damos cuenta que a nuestro al rededor existe cantidades de avisos publicitarios, medios de comunicacion, noticieros etc, que nos muestran como el inglès forma parte de nuetra cotidianidad.

Luis Ferney Martìnez

i think that this steps are good or we can say enough to learn a language but the most important thing is to love the thing that you do so you have to love the language if you want it to love you give it all and then it will give you some

I WOULD LOVE TO LEARN DIFFRENT LAUGWICH XXX :p O:) 3:)

Really helpful.. thanks..

most suitable for learning Spanish language..

Well, this is helpful. I’m able to express myself pretty well in writing Portuguese and I can read most of it too. Now with the listening, it’s very hard. I catch words but still cannot understand what is going on without lyrics or subtitles (in Portuguese or English) and I have been at it for a while. I listen everyday for a couple hours. It’s strange, I seem to get more out of listening to Spanish than Portuguese.

all very helpful tips and should be practiced religiously

Bueno, gracias

Hi, well i have to say this is a very helpful article/post. I loved it, and most of the ideas here written i knew them. But it refreshed my mind. Well, i’d be so happy if i could get some friends from this site. If you want to meet me add me please i leave my e-mail address. I love english too much that i’ve dedicated a lot of time on it. So if someone wants to meet me and talk i’d be gladly to. So i’ll be waiting. Ok?
Moreover i want to congratulate for this post amazingly!!

Thanks for sharing these insights. Actually, I am learning other language these days and I am hoping that sooner or later I may able to learn and practice it

Learning a foreign language is a bitter sweet ride. The least i think we should have to enjoy the journey and succeed – interest and consistency!

i want to learn any language i can most arabic German and French. i am native to english any 1 wanting to learn it that knows one of these i would love to teach you if you help me email me

it’s useful for me.

Bedankt voor dat post. Nu, zal ik proberen om meer Nederlands te spekeren vaker

I have available a business where students can learn up to twenty four different languages on a one to one basis, meaning computer to person. I supply accommodation and a complete holiday package to go with the lessons all for the resonable price of accommodation. Classes are held at times suitable for students and part time employment may be arranged. This is a chance to enjoy a package holiday and end up speaking another language.

Im trying to learn mandarin at the moment. This post really inspired me to keep on trying and stay at it when things are tough. Thank you!

we how to improve english

It is ture and very good. It is an exhaustive list. And surely worth doing it. It will give sound understanding of that language. But what if you lack the time of such a procedure. I suggest one site for learn gujarati that help you doing this fast, easy and with fun.

Factualang and informative. Learning may also be depending on the human interest on the certain topic and his or her perseverance to learn.

the 5 steps described in the article are really great and can help anyone to learn language. thanx

hey guys i think these tips are really true. i learned english with this things. if you really think that you can learn foreign language without spending time. i don’t think so..

My native language is English. I had a good working knowledge of Italian as my father’s family is from there, but I am trying to become more fluent. I lived in Israel for two years, tried taking Hebrew courses and got so frustrated I quit!!! I would still like to learn it, but I found that language incredibly hard…Anyone have any good ideas? And how about Sicilian dialect…Anything out there specifically for that?

Thanks!!

Hello Dears,

I saw your website.I like it.It also serves to make friends!Lots of Thanks for that.

I need to have a friend who need to learn English and who also will teach me French! I like french the Romantic Language!

My address is: Shiferaw02@gmail.com any interested person can contact me.And will get swift replay.

I have been cramming norweigion into my head for the past couple of weeks but I still don’t know how to speak it. Any ideas? I have been having trouble finding someone who speaks it…

This is a way better alternative to rosetta stone, thats for sure!

http://languageportal.webs.com/is for hohonono haha

Good advice.  If you want suggestions that can actually improve the way you go about language learning check out:
http://www.strategiesinlanguagelearning.com

For eg…with vocabulary you will more readily remember what you learn if you put the words you learn into sentences ( in the target language) that clarify the meaning of the word AND the sentence is personal and full of meaning for you! For eg. 
“This blue PEN is the one my mum gave me for my 14th birthday and now I only use it in my exams.”

I completely agree.  I started learning French via Fluenz several months ago and just spending the time to sit down and do the lessons within a schedule (and not just whenever I feel like it) makes all the difference in the world.  I’ve also found the best way to listen and read the language more often is to find a live streaming radio station, then follow a couple DJs on their Twitter.  You get real world conversational style reading and writing.

I am trying to learn spanish and at times i find it very hard to memorize lot of words and also at times i feel it’s pretty hard.
English is my second language and the medium which i am using to learn spanish is english only…hope not because of this i am finding it hard to learn.
I am self learning it and it has been almost 2months now.
Biggest problem is i forget lot of words.
Hope someday i will master this language.

Great text, I am now going to learn language abroad http://emanera.rs/, this is the next and final step

Having fun is certainly a great suggestion! There are too many people that take learning a new language too seriously and see it as a stressful undertaking rather than exciting new opportunity.

I think the fourth point is the most important to consider!

The best thing about learning French at 60 is there are no quizzes, exams, or grades to interfere with the enjoyment of learning my new language. I studied German for 5 years or so both high school and university and it was so stressful! Sure, I can get along in German but I will never like it the way I do French. I have been studying French for a year and a half and have just started a blog at french60andmore@blogspot.com

I couldn´t
agree with you more. In my opinion, your own motivation is the most important
part. To stay in contact with the language that you want to learn, as time as you
can, is essential. Luckily, nowadays with The Net, we can always be speaking
with people of a lot of countries and improve ours skills from our own house!

If you ask
me, I will encourage you to write more post like this and keep studying,
congratulations again for your advice!

I feel delighted to read such a good post. This post is good with regards of both knowledge and information. We appreciate that learning another language can be difficult, and maintaining motivation or even getting started is never an easy task.

Different methods were intended to get you started, aiding you in your desire to learn french, spanish, or any languages.

 This is an excellent article. I wish I had paid attention to number five before my last examination.

This is a great article about learning a foreign language. It’s really true that you must enjoy yourself while learning.  Doing so makes it more enjoyable much like a person who loves food and loves to cook. Thanks for a great article!
http://foreignlanguagesite.com

I totally agree with Steve, learning a language should be fun. If you are learning spanish and you are looking for fun spanish worksheets please visist http://espanolactual.com.

I think the important one is to relax and enjoy yourself, and don’t worry about making a mistake or looking foolish!  That’s why kids can pick it up so easily, is that they do not have the fear.

I’m wondering, what is the best way to learn academic English for studying at the Masters or PhD level?

Overall, a good post.  However, I’d have to disagree with your sentence saying that one hour of listening or reading is better than many hours of classroom learning.  If you get a small class and personalized attention, I’ve found an hour a day in the classroom to be tremendously helpful.  Not only that, but you can ask questions and have more tailored info for what suits you best.

Are all classes great?  Not necessarily.  And, perhaps it depends on your learning style, but I personally gain more from actively using the language (speaking and writing) than passively absorbing it (reading and listening).  Not to diminish reading and listening though, because that helps expand and fine-tune my speaking and writing.

So, keep that in mind, and try a well-rounded approach, and don’t necessarily write-off classes as useless.

Cool blog! Your blog is very helpful and informative! 

I love this site and how put the responsibility in the hands of the learner. When I learned French in college it just wasn’t like this and I felt helpless in my learning. I’m doing research on how to teach yourself another language and then how to share the language with your child. Check out some quick videos on http://www.youtube.com/getbilingual and I’d love to hear what other topics would help you learn a language.

i want to know german
whats the correct option

I like your tips.  Thanks!

Relax and enjoy yourself – this part I liked most of all? because Focuson words and phrases is quite difficult and boring. It’s better just to enjoy the process of learning anything! As for me, learning a language is a great virtual or  real trip! So how can someone not to enjoy it&!

Thanks for your language learning tips. I had a look at another site http://www.languagesoftware.net/ where they compare software to learn a language. Any idea where to get software the cheapest?

hi i think this is very important
reza saberi

I agree with this type of how to learn foriegn languages.

Just relax and enjoy in learning languages.

The best text I have ever read. Thanks a lot

yeah that is rieght  eveyday wanna i get up  iam learn chinese langugae and english …but i am so do it that 5 step .you now any langugae u learn u mosly have  you freinds that help you but  if u not have some one help u you never be learn .language is the bet easly  study major  …. i am apretiate  hall motivation u gave me .or us……..thank you a lot .