Knowing how to go about learning a language can make all the difference to how successful you are. There is, however, no single 'correct' way of learning; everyone is different and you'll soon find that some strategies work better for you than others. Trust your instincts ... but at the same time don't close your mind to new ideas and tactics.
Make time on a regular basis for your language learning. Little and often is best - ten minutes every day tends to be more effective than a marathon session once a week. But don't limit yourself to ten minutes!Create a routine for yourself. Try spending some time on the web every lunchtime doing at least o language activity. Play your language cassettes/CDs on the way to and from work or when you're jogging or cooking. Be realistic and don't expect miracles. Language learning takes time and commitment - don't expect to be fluent overnight and don't be hard on yourself when you can't remember everything you've learnt. Set yourself some short-term goals - the thought of a visit in a few months' time to a place where the language you're learning is spoken is a real incentive to learn. Don't feel you must always forge ahead with new material. Repeating activities is an excellent way of building familiarity with the language. So if you're tired and your mind is wandering, instead of giving your language learning a miss do some activities you've done before and which won't require as much concentration.Don't worry too much about mistakes. It's a normal part of the learning process, and you'll learn much more quickly by having a go at speaking than by saying nothing until you're word perfect. Generally, people are only too pleased to hear you trying to speak their language and make allowances if you don't get it exactly right. 
Improve your accent and your confidence by listening to speakers on the audio and video clips over and over and imitating them closely - out loud. The more you do this, the more you'll find yourself becoming comfortable with the sounds of the language.If you find your concentration wavering, remind yourself of why you wanted to learn in the first place. This helps to keep you focused. Keep a check on your progress. If ever you feel you're not learning fast enough, you may be underestimating how much progress you're actually making. Go back every so often to something you did early on to prove to yourself how much you've learnt. Make a point of finding out about the people and the culture of the country where the language is spoken. Search the web for information or buy a magazine ... but don't expect to understand everthing since these are written for native speakers.Enjoy your learning. Don't let it become a chore and never compare yourself with other people because everyone learns differently.You might find it motivating to learn with someone else or to join a class. If you studied languages at school some time ago, you'll find that things have changed a lot and it's much more fun now. Try out your new language at every opportunity. To avoid people speaking English to you, either to be helpful or simply to practise their English, make sure you know how to stay "J'apprends le français!"Make a point of looking up and using at least one new word every day.Don't let grammar worry you - but don't go out of your way to avoid it either. Grammar is simply the term for the mechanics of a language, and basic knowledge of the rules of grammar will allow you to say what you want to say instead of having to rely on set phrases. Check out the grammar notes on this site as you're learning. And if you want to know more, read the in-depth grammar section.When you're learning words and phrases, use any method which works for you and don't be afraid of trying out different approaches: write them on post-it notes and stick them around the house, record them on cassette, write lists, get friends to test you - they don't necessarily have to be able to speak the language.Make your learning an active part of your life. Recent research in adult learning shows that you're likely to remember 20% of what you read and 30% of what you hear ... and a staggering 90% of what you see, hear, say and do. So, practise by doing things like saying phone numbers out loud, making shopping and other lists, memorising orders in a bar or restaurant. If your ambition is to speak the language, you need to train yourself to listen without always seeing it written down. You might find this hard at first but it pays off when you come to speak it. You won't always be trying to pronounce it like English.Train your mind. When you come across a new word, instead of looking it up, think whether the sound or the look of it reminds you of something. Does the context help? And last, but by no means least, never underestimate the value and the pleasure of knowing another language. It breaks down barriers between cultures, and knowing even a little can make all the difference to the attitudes of the people you meet in other countries. It can also develop your communication skills in general, making you more confident and helping you to let go of your inhibitions. It's well worth the effort!Good luck!
Bonne chance! (extract of BBC Languages website)
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