Instructions

• Step 1: Find a program Choose a program. Options include instructional CDs or software, online courses, adult-education classes, language-immersion courses, and private tutors.
• Step 2: Put in the time Put in the time. You need to devote at least one hour a day to study.
• TIP: Language students retain more if they study in short but frequent spurts rather than infrequent, extended periods.
• Step 3: Immerse yourself If possible, spend at least a few months living where the language you're learning is the native tongue; being totally immersed is the best way to pick it up.
• Step 4: Use social networking If a sabbatical abroad is out of the question, use online social networking to hone your skills. There are entire web sites devoted to matching up people who want to practice a language with native speakers.
• Step 5: Watch foreign films Watch foreign films in the language you're studying. It's an entertaining way to get in some extra lessons and learn correct pronunciation.
• TIP: Watch the movie once without subtitles, and a second time with to see what you missed.
• Step 6: Get a dictionary Get a foreign dictionary and memorize the nouns and verbs you'll most likely use -- they're often different from the ones taught in audio recordings and textbooks.
• TIP: Pick up some slang. It will help you sound like a native.
• Step 7: Be brave Don't be afraid to make mistakes while you're learning. Most people will just be impressed that you're making the effort.
• FACT: In one study, people who grew up in bilingual households were able to learn twice as many words from a new language as people who grew up in one-language homes.

You Will Need

• A lesson plan
• Commitment
• Immersion
• Social networking
• Foreign films
• A foreign dictionary
• Bravery
• Slang (optional)