When was the last time you tried to study a foreign language? Perhaps in school? Perhaps at college? Perhaps at home in self study, getting ready for a family vacation abroad?

When studying a foreign language intense work to learn is involved and many give up before actually mastering the new language. And then, if not practiced, all learned skills are quickly forgotten again.

If you are serious about learning  a new language or refreshing your skills there are 3 ways or ideally: a mix of all 3:

1. buy yourself with a vocabulary trainer (book, tape, CD, CD-Rom…) and practice the first
   200 – 500 words and some standard grammar

2. look for a learning group (school, community college, private language institutes)  or use the internet/web-cam
    option to have conversations with local trainers online using the free readily available offers, to intensify and deepen your skills and

3. visit / live in the country where the language you like to learn is spoken. This is absolut essential to entirely grasp the new language. Only if you have resided in the country for some time you will comprehend the full beauty of the language, a beauty beyond the pure combination of vocabulary and grammar. Only abroad you will develop a true feeling for the language you are aspiring to learn.

If you like your teenager to strengthen his or her language competencies, to improve grades in school, and to help your kid to be far better prepared for a life in an global environment, an international student exchange program would be the best answer. You will find a suitable foreign exchange student program online and if your local school does not offer any special high school student exchange program, then the best and lowest cost choice is a private international student exchange, where for approx 100$ per year you can organize as many exchanges as you like. Suggest to your teenager to be a foreign exchange student, and learning the language will be truly easy. And for a private student exchange no scholarships are required. If you go for a private vacation exchange, not even a school visit is needed: simply stay with the locals, and find out all about the country, which language you have been trying to learn all along.

Once you have mastered a new language, make sure you keep using it frequently. Watch international TV online, listen to local radio stations on your computer, stay in touch with your host family and the friends you made when living abroad. Read books and periodicals in the language you have learned. And maybe you even decide to raise your children bi-lingual by only speaking to them in the “different language”. If you do, then make sure, that you do not mix the languages (e.g. English and Spanish).

Enjoy learning a new language and within a a good couple of weeks you will be not just be able to follow conversation but also will you be able to communicate somewhat fluently.