"Learning a language is easy. Even a child can do it!" Most adults who are learning a second language would disagree with this statement. For them, learning a language is a very difficult task. They need hundreds of hours of study and practice, and even this will no guarantee success for every adult language learner. Language learning is different from other kinds of learning. Some people who are very intelligent and successful in their fields find it difficult to succeed in language learning. Conversely, some people who are successful language learners find it difficult to succeed in other fields. Language teachers often offer advice to language learners: "Read as much as you can in the new language." "Practice speaking the language every day." "Live with people who speak the language." "Don't translate - try to think in the new language." "Learn as a child would learn; play with the language." But what does a successful language learner do? Language learning research shows that successful language learners are similar in many ways. First of all, successful language learners are independent learners. They do not depend on the book or the teacher; they discover their own way to learn the language, Instead of waiting for the teacher to explain, they try to find the patterns and the rules for themselves. They are good guessers who look for clues and form their own conclusions. When they guess wrong, they guess again. They try to learn from their mistakes. Successful language learning is active learning. Therefore, Successful learners do not wait for a chance to use the language; they look for such a chance. They find people who speak the language and they ask these people to correct them when they make a mistake. They will try anything to communicate. They are not afraid to repeat what they hear or to say strange things; they are willing to make mistakes and try again. When communication is difficult, they can accept information what is inexact or incomplete. It is more important for them to learn to think in the language than to know the meaning of very word. Finally, successful language learners are learners with a purpose. They want to learn the language because they are interested in the language and the people who speak it. It is necessary for them to learn the language in order to communicate with these people and to learn from them. They find it easy to practice using the language regularly because they want to learn with it. What kind of language learner are you? If you are a successful language learner, you have probably been learning independently, actively, and purposefully. On the other hand, if your language learning has been less than successful, you might do well to try some of the techniques outlined above.

"學會一種語言是很容易的。甚至一個小孩子都能學會！" 正在學習又一種語言的大多數成年人往往都不會同意這種說法。對成年人來說，學習另一種語言是很難的事。他們需要數個小時去鉆研去練習，結果即使是這樣，也不一定保證每一個語言的成年人都能學成功。學習語言跟學習其他事物是不同的。有一些人很聰明，在他們自己的專業領域里很有成就，可是卻發現很難學會第二種語言。有些人學習語言方面很成功，可是卻發現要在其他專業領域取得成就確非易事。語言教師常向學習者提出建議："盡可能地用你新學語言文字去大量閱讀"。"每天都練習說這種語言"。"與操這種語言的人生活在一起"。"不要通過翻譯--晝用新學的語言去思考"。"像小孩學話那樣；用這種新語言去做游戲"。那么，凡是能學會一種新語言的人都是怎么學的呢？語言學習的研究表明凡是能學會一種新語言的人很多方面都是相似的。首先，凡是學語言學得成功的人都是獨立自學的人。他們不領帶書本也不依賴老師。他們總是要去發現適合自己的學語言的方法。他們不是等著讓教師來解釋，而是自己新自去發現各種和各項規則。他們能找出線索善于猜測，善于形成自己的結論。若猜錯了，他們就再猜。他們從錯誤中學乖。其次，凡是會學習語言的人都是積極主動的去學的。因此，學得成功的人都不是坐等機會來了才去使用這種語言。他們主動找尋使用這種語言的機會。一旦他們說或寫錯了，他們就去請操這種語言的人給予糾正。他們千方百計地去溝通。他們不怕重復聽他們所聽過的事物。他們非常愿意出了錯以后再設法改正。如果溝通有困難，他們也能接受不大確切或不大完整的信息。對他們來說，學會用所學的語言來思考比學會每個單詞的意思更重要。最后，凡是會學習語言的人都有一個明確的學習目的。他們之所以要學這種語言，那是因為他們對這種語言和操這種語言的人民都感興趣。對他們來說，學會這種語言以便同這些人交際拼向他們學習是非常必要的。因為他們想學會這種語言，所以他們認為不斷地練習實際應用這種語言是輕松愉快的。您是哪一類型的學習語言的人呢？如果你在學語言上是很有成就的，那也許你就正是這種能獨立自學，能積極主動并有明確學習目的的人。反之，假如你學語言學得不大成功，那你最好試一試上述列舉的這些學習的方法或技巧。