by Vanessa Weyland

Created on: March 27, 2009   Last Updated: June 23, 2011

All too often, I do a Google search for "language learning" or "the best way to learn a language", just to see what might come up. I'm sure that if you've done a similar search, you'll notice that Rosetta Stone and Transparent Language figure prominently in your search results. You might also get one of those hokey advertisements, with a youngish-looking man telling you that he has the secrets to learning a language, and all you have to do is purchase his book for $29.95, and you'll have those secrets, too.

The truth is, there really isn't a secret to learning a language. Yes, there are tips and tricks out there that will make your journey into a foreign language fun and exciting, but there's no standard method for learning a foreign language. First, there are different methods for different people. Second, there are different methods that have to vary depending on the language you're learning. An English speaker learning Hindi will encounter different obstacles than an English speaker learning Spanish.

That said, there are some things that will help you learn a language more quickly and easily than if you just bought a textbook on your own. This is obviously not a complete list, and there are several methods to choose from if you want to successfully learn a language. These are just some that I've learned to trust over time:

1. Acquire a large variety of material. Don't settle for a phrasebook and a tape. Don't use one set of software. Make sure that you have several options to choose from when you're doing language training, and you're more likely to actually use them. My personal Spanish library consists of a comic book, two audio books, three Spanish novels, a physical dictionary, a virtual dictionary, a crash course, a software program, an easy reader, and a practice exercise book. Does that seem like a lot? Possibly, but I'm always on the search for more. I also have an iPod Touch, so I download Spanish classes, podcasts, songs, and another dictionary and phrasebook for those times when I'm commuting or standing in line.

2. Use songs to learn language. Very few that have heard Beyonce's "Single Ladies" can avoid tapping their feet and singing along with her. Songs will empower you to try to speak a language, or at least memorize the words. It's much easier to listen to Juanes over and over than the narrator on a Pimsleur CD.

3. Always have some note cards or flashcards on hand. Preferably, you've put them on your mobile device. My personal favorite is

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