I don't know if you can tell but English isn't my first language. I started learning English back in August 2011, and I wouldn't say I'm an expert, but I can definitely get by so I thought I'd share some pointers to help you out if you're trying to learn a language, that actually worked for me.
KNOW WHY First of all I suggest you get your priorities right, by that I mean acknowledge where does your motivation come from? Learning a new language is an amazing experience that opens up your horizons and allows you to access new experiences, make new friends, travel and extra knowledge. But it is also a time consuming activity that will require effort and persistence, so make sure you keep up the motivation!
GET ABSORBED If you really want to learn a language you need to love and breathe it! Travel, or even better, watch TV. Of course, without subtitles. I know, I know... You will probably not understand anything. But you will get used to it eventually. If the subtitles are on, the brain doesn't really focus as much on learning because it is on its comfort zone. It took me months to begin to understand any English, but I watched movies I had seen before, so I already knew what was going to happen. When you are a bit more confident start to read books, even if you only understand half of it.
TALK Practice even if it is just with yourself. I used to repeat the words I heard on television to myself, it is not like my pronunciation is perfect or anything, but is close enough, to the point that people can never guess where I am from! I know it can be a bit embarrassing, but go on and talk to as many people as you can, nobody learns without making mistakes first, and only a fool would make fun of you for making a mistake.
STUDY Get some basic grammar books, keep a journal and jot down any new words or expressions, the opportunities are everywhere. If English is the language you are trying to learn, probably you knew that "jot down" means to write something down based on the context, so it is always good to annotate these words and/or expressions and look up the meaning if you aren't sure.
GET HELP Doing something is always more enjoyable if you share it with someone else, whether it is from a friend that learns the language with you and helps you in the low motivation points. Or from a teacher, in fact I am going to recommend Simon, a friend that has always helped me with my English. He is a teacher licensed in English Philology and Literature. I believe he might be available for Skype lessons, so send him an email to simon_carle@hotmail.co.uk if you are interested!
Good luck expanding your horizons! Can you think of any more advice to learn a new language? I am currently studying German, so danke for reading!
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