The best way you think to learn a new language?

[Happilyhappy]

What’s your guys’ opinion(s) on the best resources with studying a new language?

[learning_slowly]

Rosetta Stone used to be good, but really the best way is to go and work there. When you have no choice but to learn the language, you soon start picking it up.

[TAV]

Yep, living amongst the people in a country where they speak the language is the best and fastest way to learn any language. After a few weeks you will start understanding more and then follows learning how to speak it better. If you add language studies to that equation it will speed up the process. When you are a native English speaker especially try not to let other people address you in your own language but insist on talking in the language you want to learn.

 

If you do not have the finances to move abroad; watching tv (or movies) in that language a lot will also help, especially if you combine it with reading in that language (if you are advanced enough) and of course learning the grammar etc.

 

In my country we do not dub tv shows (we subtitle) so as from an early age you are exposed to English, German and French which makes it easy for us to pick up on those languages later on in school/life.

[esteem-jam]

Try audio courses - Cd`s. I used to watch some anime, but I only picked up some words. Audio courses helped a bit, but I lacked persistance/motivation/reason and Im stalled atm. Its not like in childhood. Theres spanish audio courses resting on my hard drive, will see how it goes.

 

There are even audio courses labeled "learn before you land" (as in-plane). I find it rather humurous.

[d0nnivain]

Actually the very best way is to learn the language as a child when your brain is open to new ideas.

 

If a time machine isn't an option, immersion (living there) & something like Rosetta Stone are good.

[Moonborn]

English is not my native language. I learned it mostly by listening to songs, reading and talking to people over the internet. You need to build some basic grammar first to really profit from practice though. This can be easy or complicated depending on the language (it is fairly easier with English than it is with, say, Spanish or Italian imo).

[MisUnderstood1]

Taking classes. An audio-textbook package. Having a good dictionary on hand.

[Moonborn]

Taking classes. An audio-textbook package. Having a good dictionary on hand.

 

In my experience taking classes can actually be a huge waste of time. Maybe I just had bad teachers though.

[MisUnderstood1]

In my experience taking classes can actually be a huge waste of time. Maybe I just had bad teachers though.

 

@ bolded: Imo, not really. I've had positive experiences with the French Teachers/Profs I've had.

 

But I do see what you're saying, though.

Edited August 9, 2014 by MisUnderstood1

[merrmeade]

What’s your guys’ opinion(s) on the best resources with studying a new language?

 

These are all good suggestions, but the main thing is long-term commitment to learning and practice. Along with appropriate study opportunities, you need motivated interaction with native speakers that don't speak your language.

 

As a language teacher, I've seen and done it all, and here's my favorite formula:

Take a class abroad OR get a job and take classes AND fall in love with a native speaker!

In my degree programs, the class stars usually had lovers. Come to your own conclusions! I also had a family member marry and live in a foreign country. He'd struggled terribly with traditional classes in the U.S., but with the help of her family and classes he became fluent within a couple of years.

 

Multilingualism in Europe is common, and young people routinely work for a year or two in several countries after college, hopping from Italy to France to Germany, renting flats with other working singles, just to learn several languages, which they've often studied in school as well. If you want to interact normally with people of your social class and age in another language, the formula I recommend is immersion + study + long-term intimacy with native speaker(s). Intimacy has to include talking with people that don't speak a word of English. It can be family but having a girl/boyfriend or spouse WITH a family will take your language skills over the top.

 

2nd choice -

If you want to learn a language to improve your resume, just start - classes, home study, whatever. Just start. But to succeed, you have to spend time with it. Figure out creative ways to use it, and make it a priority in your schedule and life for some years. Took a colleague three years do this with a language she'd already studied in college. She already knew two languages. You can start with a commercial program like Rosetta Stone or Pimsleur or a class at a local community college, for example, but also find or create opportunity to use it — experiences in real life to speak, read and write. Think of your skills as living parts of you that need to be fed. Feed them what they like — fun, interesting experiences that are both below and above current skill level. Below skill level develops fluency, confidence and strategies; above skill level allows you to learn new content. Above all, have fun and stay excited about it. My colleague took classes nights or weekends, read books and newspapers in the target language (later on), wrote a lot - emails/letters/journal - and watched a LOT of foreign films.

 

This is great, too:

English is not my native language. I learned it mostly by listening to songs, reading and talking to people over the internet. You need to build some basic grammar first to really profit from practice though. This can be easy or complicated depending on the language (it is fairly easier with English than it is with, say, Spanish or Italian imo).

Also TV. Some of my best ESL kids in Europe said they learned from American TV. Edited August 20, 2014 by merrmeade

[Eggplant]

Start with some entry-level classes, where you can learn basic grammar and memorize some vocabulary. Once you've got a base, listen to music, read books, watch television and movies, talk to yourself in the language, and don't pass up any opportunities to speak with a native speaker. Travel to a place where that language is spoken and only speak that language while you are there.

[todreaminblue]

go to bed with a foreign language channel playing or tape recorder.......with the particular language you want to learn.....it might help....immersing yrouself with people who speak that language....sit on a train next to peopel speaking the language watch their bodgy language to get an idea fo what they are tryign to say....see the facial expressions.....so immersion in the language you want to speak ......

 

i want to learn sign language.......learning another language is a beautiful thing....there are so many unspoken words to learn that you can learn and speak....i love sign language for its expressiveness....and that i had a friend when i was a child who would sign with me on our hands....we conversed that way.....he taught em my first signed word....which was beautiful.....the actual word in thought and deed...he told me i was beautiful.......deb