This endeavor requires no equipment besides a good bilingual dictionary, the assigned class text, and your undivided attention during each class meeting. An excellent place to start is by looking at the non-credit or community courses available through your community college or local recreation center. This is usually where you find the most affordable classes that have convenient schedules on evenings and weekends. While intensive, short-term courses are offered by many private schools, these tend to be pricier and may not be economically viable for long term study. The more expensive private courses often promise fast results in a short span of time. Intensive courses can be very helpful for individuals that have specific language goals for, let’s say, a fast approaching trip or job, but may not be practical for the beginner that just wants to get her feet wet. Regular practice of at least two sessions a week over an extended period of time has been shown to produce more effective results with adult learners of a second language. Note that the more exotic a language you choose, the more expensive and difficult to locate the class may be. For the more adventurous learner, there are many reputable immersion courses available that offer on-site classes in a foreign country where the language is spoken. Be sure to get a recommendation from a professional in the field if you choose to study abroad.
Courses in Spanish, French, Japanese, German, Italian and many other languages are readily available for beginners, or students that are revisiting a language they studied long ago. Sign up for a course this next term and get started on a journey of life learning that is fun, profitable and globally relevant. ¡Buena suerte!