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TIP #2: THERE IS NO TRUE SUBSTITUTE FOR TOTAL IMMERSION; but if you can’t do that, do the next best thing.

People ask me all the time what the most effective way to learn a foreign language is. Most of you know what I’m going to say…. It’s true – there is no substitute for total immersion. But BEFORE YOU ROLL YOUR EYES and stop reading, let me challenge you with this: immersing yourself in the language of your choice might not be as daunting as you think. If you’re single (and an adult!), this really is doable. If you’re married, it’s still not impossible. Here are some thoughts for you to consider:

• If you work for an international company, apply for a temporary assignment in a country where your target language is spoken. Otherwise, begin checking the job listings for overseas jobs where your skill set could be put to use.
• Are you a parent and concerned about how your child(ren) will fare? As the parents of three sons, all of whom were born overseas, my wife and I can tell you that your children will only be the richer for the experience. I’m confident any and all of our sons would concur. (They have each studied at least one to three foreign languages.)
• Join the Peace Corps or another service or mission organization that operates in one of your target language areas.
• If you own your own business, work yourself ALMOST out of a job, to the point where almost all your responsibilities and decision making have been delegated or outsourced. If you don’t believe this is possible, I challenge you to read Tim Ferris’ book, The Four Hour Work Week. This remarkable man had started his own successful sport supplement business, but it was running him into the ground. As complete burnout began to show its ugly head, Ferris came to his senses and figured out a way to make himself – shall we say, much less indispensable — from basically any corner of the globe, using a combination of automation, streamlining and outsourcing. By the age of 29 he had become fairly fluent in six languages by spending three to six months in countries such as Germany, Argentina, Japan and China. Yes, Chinese and Japanese are in his arsenal. He had to develop tremendous self-discipline and focus to accomplish his dream, but he was determined not to allow a job to stand in the way of his larger goals – including seeing the planet and experiencing life to the fullest. If life is about more than a job to you, his book is a must read, and you can find more tips at the companion website.
• If circumstances absolutely prevent you from a temporary relocation, find a community of speakers of your target language in your city. If you live in the US and you would like to learn Spanish, there is no reason or excuse NOT to find a Hispanic community in your city. In just a few short years, 25% of the US population will be Spanish-speaking. There are numerous ways to make contact, the most obvious being your favorite Mexican restaurant. Most mid-size to large US cities have a Hispanic chamber of commerce, not to mention dozens of Spanish-speaking churches, businesses and other organizations. Don’t be afraid to ask questions, and most importantly, develop relationships. If you become a regular at the local restaurant, they will be much more inclined to help you reach your goal of becoming conversant in their language.
• If your target language is not Spanish, chances are still good of finding a community or subculture of speakers in your city. Do an internet search, contact your local chamber of commerce, or place an ad on craigslist, stating that you’re looking for speakers or conversation groups in your target language. You might be surprised who comes out of the woodwork! In the day in which we live, the world has come to us. In my city of less than a million people, I can safely say that I could find speakers of virtually any language I wanted to learn – certainly all of the major languages of today’s global marketplace.
• Find and watch movies in your target language, and slowly wean yourself from the subtitles. I have European friends who actually became conversant in English simply by using this process.

Stay tuned — more to come!

By David K. Durham David K. Durham is a cultural affairs consultant, entrepreneur and expert on learning foreign languages, with over thirty years of cross-cultural experience. His passions include exploring the beauties of the world’s cultures, music, and seeing creativity in all its forms. http://www.teachyourselflanguages.net http://www.teachyourselflanguages.net/uncategorized/how-to-learn-a-foreign-language-and-why Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=David_K._Durham

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