The "best" way to learn a foreign language?

Well, quite by accident, I've been running an experiment over the past five years to determine the best way to learn a foreign language.

Note:  I used the word "foreign" on purpose.  This is for languages that aren't part of your language environment, and therefore aren't really second languages and aren't supported in any way, shape or form by informal learning in the community.

And I should probably also clarify that this is for adult learners, as children have access to language learning approaches (such as regular, relatively easy classes, being an exchange student and going on camps).

I've done:

• the thing where you buy a commercial teach-yourself package with books and CDs, and try to teach yourself.
• the thing where you hire a private tutor and have regular one-on-one classes.
• the thing where you attend a two hour evening class once a week for ten weeks.
• the thing where you have two-week intensive classes in the country where they speak that language.
• the thing where you do a proper university degree via distance education.

I haven't done:

• the thing where you have a two week intensive course in your own country (but I'm thinking of doing that)
• the thing where you study a proper university degree and turn up to on-campus classes (but I wish I'd done that).

And, having done all of this, I sat down the other day and thought about what had given me the best results, and what I should do if I want to actually move forward with this whole language learning thing.

And then I realised that the advice I was about to give myself is actually my answer to "what is the best way to learn a foreign language?"

My answer:

• Buy yourself a good textbook package - like you would be using if you were doing a proper university course - and also buy yourself a good teach-yourself package that's a little less intense.  Then,
• Hire yourself a private tutor who can help you work through both books, provide correction and feedback, give you someone to interact with in your target language and keep you on track.  Then,
• After you've covered the basics with your books and tutor, take some short courses every now and then to give you the benefit of a classroom.  A short course in a place where your target language is actually spoken outside of class is a magical thing for locking in the things you've learnt with your books and tutors. And,
• Above all, do homework.  There are activities in those books you paid a fortune for.  If you actually did them, you would be better off than if you just read over them

I struggle with the last point, myself.  I try to power through and cover the information, and forget that there is a real benefit to actually applying it to an exercise.  Taking the time to think about the question and trying to write (or speak) and answer is probably the most useful thing I'm not doing at the moment.

So, this is what I'm going to try to do with my two target languages this year (and next).  Textbooks, tutors and short courses, with a touch more self-discipline in the homework stakes.

I was going to try to spend some quality time in Austria the next time I went to Europe, and I'd say a language intensive is on the cards.  I'll have to see if I can squeeze another one in Estonia in at the same time...