Learning English as a second language is an exciting challenge. Before you begin, consider why you want to learn the English language: Do you need it for work, travel or because you've just moved somewhere English speaking? Do you need to be fluent or just have passing knowledge of the language? With the answers at hand, you can set reasonable goals and a schedule for studying. Choose lessons that are challenging but accessible. Stay committed and persistent, and take small steps along the way toward your goal.

Listen
When learning English, start by listening to it. You can listen to the television or the radio. Choose children's programs to start with since they use basic letters, words and phrases. If you pick engaging programs that you would enjoy in your own language, you will start to comprehend the English language faster. Online programs are a good place to go for programming in English as well. You can also watch movies with subtitles to help you follow the dialog.

Talk
Talking to yourself and others as you go about your daily tasks is a good way to practice English. Have conversations with native English speakers. Tell stories to others. Speak slowly and focus on pronunciation, especially of sounds that are not in your native language. By recording yourself and then listening to it a few days later, you can identify your weak pronunciation points. Listen to stories and then paraphrase them out loud. When you read, read out loud.

Read
Learning to speak and comprehend spoken English is imperative. However, to fully comprehend it, reading is also essential. Start with children's books and work your way up to books you enjoy. This way, you will improve your vocabulary and your comprehension without getting frustrated. Read out loud to hear your pronunciation. Use the context around a word as well as letter sounds to help you pronounce new or difficult words. Use an English dictionary to help you understand hard words.

Write
Once you have begun to understand, speak and read English, you should learn to write it. Begin with a journal or a diary. Write one simple sentence each day. When you're comfortable, write more each day. Write emails and letters in English. Translate news from your native language into English. Learn how to spell commonly misspelled words. Practice grammar and sentence structure slowly so it doesn't overwhelm you. One day a week write everything in English.