Personally, attending to a language academy/school is the most efficent option to learn a new language for begginers, giving that you will meet other learners to interact with. Sometimes I feel uncomfortable and intimidated speaking another language in front of other people, but in a place like a language school is an easy way to start because you will know many people with the same problem and you can help each other to get over it.
Probably you feel like you are not ready yet to speak in public and you don't need to worry about it. I include myself because I often feel that way. Another great option to start learning a language is a personal teacher. Many of them will have no trouble in getting to your place so you will feel more comfortable as you begin learning from home.
Sometimes, these options could be a little expensive or maybe, you don't have time to attend to a language school or meeting a teacher. Most part of the year, I find myself busy with university related stuff and I barely have time to get serious about learning a new language. If you have any of these problems, please don't worry about that, there's always a back-up plan!
This is the option that what I always end up choosing, and it's called: INTERNET!. There are a lot of websites where you can learn stuff, actually, I'm pretty sure there's a tutorial for almost everything nowadays. I have used and tried different sites, and these are the ones that, personally, resulted as the most helpful ones.
1. Duolingo: I really love this website and I think this is the best place to start. Depending on your native language, you will find different options to start: italian, french, spanish, english, etc. You will learn basic words and the most used phrases in that language. Also, you can download the app to your phone and keep learning in your free time wherever you are! I strongly recommed Duolingo for begginers.
2. Livemocha: this is the first site I ever tried. Although I'm not really sure about some words and phrases, it's a good place to start learning the basic stuff. What I love about Livemocha is that you can read texts and let other native students hear you and advice you about your pronunciation. It's a great way to improve your accent. Recommended for every levels.
3. BBC: Although this is not really a social network like the two options above, you can find many videos, texts, games, etc of your interest to learn about in your chosen language. I don't recommend this one for begginers but for those who try to improve.
Do you think you are ready now to improve your accent and pronunciation? So let's go with some other great and cool ways to take. First, you need to get involved. Do you like music? I know this is kind of a silly question, everybody loves music, duh, So, go and seach some cool music in yoir chosen language, get the lyrics and sing along! personally, it gets easier to learn anything by singing a song, such like that Hannah Montana episode where Miley does the Bone dance to pass her exam!
For those movie lovers out there like me, watching movies in another language will make you learn not only their pronunciation but also their gestures and movements. It's a really great idea if you want to speak like a native! Nowadays, you will find Youtubers from every part of the world, so go and look for someone who speaks your chosen language.
Same for you book lovers, there are loads of bilingual books that turns really helpful. For those intermediate learners, it's a good idea to improve by reading at least once a week. Reading will make you improve at writing and also you will learn new words.
Last and best way to get involved, is traveling to another country. You will not only learn the actual language, but also meet many people to speak with and, why not, make friends with! Also you will visit awesome places and learn about different cultures.
So as you can see, there are many options to start learning a new language. I hope I could help you to make a decision and good luck! :)
LU ✈
