How to learn a language

The best way costs nothing, but it always works and takes 4 – 5 years! If you don't mind wearing diapers again: the best way to learn a language is to be born to two parents who speak to you all the time in the language.

If you can't do that, consider spending a year in a country where they speak your desired language. If you want to eat and get around, you'll learn the language. Taking a course in the language will speed things up.

If you can't go away for a year, see us. Take private lessons once or twice a week.

You need good, correct, understandable input!. You can get this from your instructor, audio CD's, listening to the radio or TV, and reading.

Listen to radio or TV for 15 minutes three to four times a week, even if you don't understand everything. You will hear the rhythm of the language and your mind will be sorting out nouns, verbs and where they go. You will hear the sounds of the language. You will understand a little more each time. If you get tired, stop.

Read childrens' books in the target language.

Read newspaper ads with pictures. You will quickly learn the names of things.

Think about the language whenever you can. Try to remember how to say things or figure out how to say things.

Listen to language CD's. This will help you to learn new words.

Try to speak. Right or wrong get the words out! You will realize what you know and what you don't know. This will tell you what questions to ask your instructor.

Don't be too critical of yourself. Accept a certain level of error.

Periodically check in a grammar book, to correct your errors.

You need to produce reasonably good output! If you aren't sure of how to say something, say it anyway. Your instructor will tell you if it's right, and correct it where it's not. Reading out loud is an excellent way to get good input and output at the same time. In addition, it strengthens your pronunciation of the language.

Simple and effective: flash cards. Get business card stock from the stationery store and make flash cards for yourself. carry them around with you and test yourself. When you really know a word, take its card from your pile.

To supplement your lessons you should practice your language whenever you can.

Ask us if we have other students who would like to talk with you.

Several students supplement their lessons with software from
Powerglide: Foreign Language Courses
Transparent Language: Learn Language Now!™ by Transparent Language
or Rosetta Stone: