There are few people who are able to learn a new language by themselves. It requires guidance, some natural inclination to linguistics and lots of self-discipline. Even those who learn by themselves having nothing but their books sometimes find that they need a teacher.

Teachers have experience, they can guide you, they know how to make studies more easy and interesting. It is actually their job: to make you know what they know themselves and show you how to use your knowledge. However, if you're looking for someone to teach you a foreign language, you may encounter some pitfalls falling in which may cost you both time and money. Let's have a look at them.

1. Hiring a teacher is enough to make you educated

That's the most common and annoying mistake people make. They hire a teacher for themselves or their children and consider their part done. We have a teacher, we pay him, now let him "make us know". Studying is a two-way process, it's like playing badminton. Your teacher can throw hundreds of birdies at you, but if you just keep standing and gawking or counting birds in the sky, there will be no game.

Even if you have a teacher you still have to make efforts, spend your time, work and use your knew knowledge. You must use your teacher and take all he has to give, not just let him come and spend paid hours with you.

2. A native speaker of a language is the best teacher

While nobody speaks a language better than a native speaker, nobody can teach you better than an educated teacher. Farmer Billy from Texas may speak perfect English, but I doubt he'll have any idea about what a gerund or subjunctive mood is. Your teacher is supposed to know the mechanics of a language, he's supposed to be able to explain you how everything works and when you need to use this or that rule. Don't expect him to know every word or idiomatic phrase there is in the language he teaches.

As for native speakers - you'll need them too, but only for perfection of your language, not at the beginning of your studies. The most part of native speakers know how to use their language, while you need someone who knows how to teach it.

3. Stop looking for an ideal book

There's no ideal book. Yes, it's that simple. Every student is different and neither you nor even your teacher has a clue about what is going to work for you. The teacher may show you some books he works with, but you'll be changing and combining them with other books and manuals too. There are no books that are better or worse. There are those good and not so good FOR YOU. The faster you find it, the better - and your teacher will help you with that.

These pitfalls are very common but they're also easy to avoid. Just beware of them and I'm sure you'll find yourself a good teacher, and you two will work very productively together. It's always better to spend time looking for something really good than to waste it on something that's just not right for you.

Good luck with your studies!

Natalia Veselova: freelance article writer and a professional translator. http://nataliaveselova.weebly.com/