As with any new skill you want to learn or old skill you want to improve, practice makes perfect in language acquisition as well.  If you are in a school classroom setting, the curriculum guides you through the steps and you have homework assignments that discipline you to keep working on the language after you have left the classroom.

If you are an adult language learner, however, you have to be a lot more responsible for the outcome of your efforts in learning the new language.  Yes, the instructor will have a lesson by lesson chronology by which you will learn, but you have to tailor it to your time commitment and learning style.  You will not be obligated to do homework, though it usually will be assigned by the instructor. You will have to hone your own skills, create your own routine and enforce your own discipline.  Here are some ways to help you do this.

1.    Break your new knowledge down into manageable pieces.
A lot of information will be flying at you in your language class. Try to keep your notes organized into distinct categories. A good system is to use a notebook and label each section: greetings, nouns, verbs, pronunciation, etc., and add your notes to each section instead of having a hodgepodge of information that you cannot access easily. Treat your homework the same way, by breaking it up. Instead of cramming the review of last week’s lesson into the night before the class, discipline yourself to allot one half hour per evening to practice and review.  The information will absorb better and stay with you longer.  

2.    Be imaginative.
Think about your own lifestyle and how you can adapt to squeeze study time in. If you wait on line for a bus to and from work, this is an ideal time to use flash cards to practice vocabulary or phrases. This will not work if you drive to work, so you may want to consider recording some of your lessons so you can listen in the car. Use what resources you have, including people; ask a family member to help you with your homework in exchange for another favor.

3.    Don’t be afraid of mistakes.
Remember, “The man who doesn’t make mistakes usually doesn’t make anything.” Think of how a child learns; he fearlessly says something the wrong way, even twenty different wrong ways for the same word, yet keeps trying until he gets it right. Remember also, that everyone in your class is just as afraid of looking foolish, so just make a declaration that you are all going to look foolish together!
 
4.    Use crutches.
Flash cards, recordings, chit sheets that you can view when trying out pronunciation, any kind of physical aid you can think of will be helpful.  If you know anyone who speaks the language you are studying, ask them to review with you. Most people are delighted to do this.   

There are so many benefits to learning a language, from exposure to new cultures to actually keeping our brains healthy.  We should not be discouraged by time or fear from taking this exciting step in our lives.