How do you plunge into learning a language? What is the general study plan for a language?

[speechhelp]

Hello all!
I think the first steps are learning how to read/ write/ pronounce it's alphabet.
In my opinion if you start to view TV shows or movies in your target language while a total beginner, you will probably not understand anything. It's only useful for getting to know the sounds of a language and ease your pronunciation by imitation.

Note that I am interested from beginner all the way to master level, so please make the study plan accordingly if you can.

[eido]

I think it matters what "master level" means to you. There are different ways you can be a master. And I don't think any one of us can give you an exact formula for yourself, because your goals probably differ from ours, especially if you study a different language. There are some helpful posts on this site if you dig. I can't right now because I'm on my phone. Following courses can help in the beginning, I will say. Reading a lot helps. Ultimately I think you should decide your study plan based on people's advice.

[zjones]

Personally, I like this method for language-learning, because it's very customizable: The "multi-track" approach to language learning (guest post by iguanamon). That's the method I used to learn French.

[sillygoose1]

I start with a course like Assimil or Teach Yourself. In the case of Russian & Arabic, I learned the alphabets first or at least as well as I can. After I complete an Assimil course, I try to fill in necessary gaps(days of the week, seasons, how to tell time, whatever) and learn the grammar. Declensions, word order, gender, etc. After that, I move on to an intermediate course - usually Assimil Perfectionnement but also Colloquial 2, Routledge reader, and so forth. My main goal is to reach the intermediate level as soon as possible because the real learning doesn't happen until you dive into native materials. I make sure I can read well first before I dive into TL subs or L/R. The most important thing, in my opinion, is reading fluency first. If you know the vocab, then listening will be easier. If you try to listen too early(radio, movies, etc) without subs or transcripts, you'll get overwhelmed.

After that it's just a question of making a language part of your everyday life. I've been learning French for 6 years now and even to this day I'm still picking up new words and expressions that I've never heard before.

[StringerBell]

Hello all!
I think the first steps are learning how to read/ write/ pronounce it's alphabet.

I didn't do this so I don't think it's necessary, but some people may decide that it makes sense for them to do this first, depending on their goals and how different the writing system is from ones they already know. By listening to audio with transcriptions/subtitles, I learned how to read in Italian and Polish without ever formally studying the alphabets. I use dictation practice to reinforce how to spell.

I also didn't use any course for either Polish or Italian. I understand the appeal, but I find them intolerably boring and not as useful as they seem.

With both Polish and Italian, I started watching/listening to videos and podcasts with subtitles/transcripts. With Polish, I started with graded reader-type stories that had audio. With Italian, I used the Italiano Automatico 300+ videos subtitled in both English and Italian. I also watched "Easy Polish" and "Easy Italian" (which are anything but easy for a beginner). They are street interviews with native speakers that are subtitled in the target language and English. For any given 3 minute video, I could easily spend an hour with all the pausing and looking up words.

Over time, the materials I listened to, read, and watched became more advanced. I started listening in both languages from the very beginning, and as a result, listening comprehension is my strongest skill. I also do a lot of reading, so reading is my next strongest skill.

My main reason for learning Italian was to have a conversational level so I could communicate with my spouse's family and friends. Therefore, I prioritized understanding native speech. In the beginning (before even watching the videos) I listened to A LOT of conversations that I couldn't really understand. When I noticed a word kept getting repeated, I'd ask what it meant. Very slowly, I was able to piece together meaning with these few words, some cognates, and some context clues.

I'm learning both languages for pleasure and personal interest. If I needed to learn for different reasons (work, school, etc...) I would do some things differently, namely, far more output (writing, speaking) and grammar practice.

[Jaleel10]

This post contained a lot of good answers https://forum.language-learners.org/vie ... =17&t=8795

[smallwhite]

and this one:

Your Language Learning Strategy...In 50 Words or so
https://forum.language-learners.org/vie ... php?t=5572

or some of these:
https://forum.language-learners.org/sea ... mit=Search

[JohnAllen9090]

The way I learnt a foreign language essentially involved:

1- Reading little by little starting with the very simple

2- Reading more and more in a gradual manner to increase my vocabulary

3- Moving to another higher level of complex text and rules etc


I would say take it gradually and step by step which is utterly important in order not to get frustrated.