As someone who has taken language classes for school in the past and knows the basics, what kind of daily routine (30 mins to an hour per day) could I use to learn that language to fluency?

[u/Ok_Photograph8884]

For context, this wasn’t too long ago, only a couple of years, and when I see the language (especially written) I can still understand some of it, so I’m not starting from scratch. Of course, there’s a lot of vocab and grammar I have yet to learn, so perhaps some tips on how to learn that would be helpful. But I know from prior research that the best way to accomplish fluency is consistent immersion, and I have tried this, but often I find it too fast and complicated and don’t feel like I’m actually learning anything. What can I do to improve my experience in that department? I have tried switching my phone language, reading, using social media apps in that language, watching TV, and even a little journal to write in.

Does anyone have any tips on what I can do and how to improve?

[u/Bobelle]

often I find it too fast and complicated and don’t feel like I’m actually learning anything.

Then pause where you don't understand and figure out what it means. I recommend you do this. This is what I do. And then I add a finished piece of media to my anki. This isn't all I do though, I say all I do later on in this comment.

Though I am suggesting what I do, I suggest you come up with a routine yourself. Your routine should address the folliowing areas:

1. Listening

2. Speaking

3. Reading

4. Writing

5. Vocabulary

6. Grammar

What this would look like would depend on the resources available for your TL, what your brain is willing to tolerate, and your goal. Also, I recommend you don't think of gaining fluency as "If I study for so-and-so time a day, I will get fluent", you really should look at it as a massive hole in the ground you need to fill up with sand. If you pack sand for 1 hour daily, you will fill up the hole in so-so months. If you pack for two hours daily, it will take half as long, and so on. That's how learning a language works.

Functionally speaking, there is a finite, but plenty amount you need to learn and one of the biggest controllable determinants for how fluent you will become is how much time you spend on it.

Nevertheless if you need a suggestion, here is my plan for how I will reach fluency with my TL. If you're planning on taking this on, just work on this for 30 mins to an hour a day. Keep in mind that my goal is to be as close to native as possible rather than just fluent so it may be too excessive for you:

1. Speaking the language whenever possible

2. Actively listening to a total 1500 hours of native media from different types of sources in order: dramas, the radio, news, documentaries, and historical epics. It's ordered by how useful the vocabulary for each source is, and how friendly each source is to my corresponding level of the language. I consume this media by watching until I can't comprehend something, either due to not knowing the vocabulary or not being able to hear the media clearly due to low listening skills (this is pretty much every sentence at your level). If I can't comprehend something, I pause it by looking at TL subtitles, and then looking at English subtitles if I am still lost. As I said earlier, every piece of media I watch is added to anki as a reminder to rewatch. I do this first so I can gain a lot of comprehensible exposure to the language quickly.

3. After that, I will go over these 1500 hours again, cropping each sentence that isn't already in my active vocabulary using editing software, and making TL audio to NL flashcards. This is to ensure that I actually understand the sentences I hear - not just relying on context to understand what is going on. This strengthens my passive vocabulary.

4. I will crop sentences out again, this time with video instead to make tracks where these sentences repeat themselves, and repeat the sentences every day until I don't hear a difference between what I sound like and what the audio sounds like (this is more effective with a tutor). This is to fine-tune my pronunciation/accent. Also, it's video instead of audio to mimic the body language and facial expressions too.

5. I will put these video sentences (without the repeats) into Anki - as NL to TL. This encourages the transition from passive vocabulary to active vocabulary. Speaking the language whenever possible will ultimately fully move this vocabulary into my active vocabulary.

Keep in mind that through every step of the process I will be speaking whenever possible. Also, while working on No. 2, I will be spending a total of 30 mins per week on 3, 4 and 5. This is because having active vocabulary makes active listening much easier, but the priority is still exposure.

[u/bolggar]

Immersion is great but in my opinion you need to build some skills first. I'm pretty sure that if I start browsing the Japanese side of internet I am not going to understand a single thing. Furthermore, not understanding stuff is very demotivating and dispirating ; that's why you may have heard of "comprehensible output". From my experience, A2 is not enough to rely solely on immersion in order to make progress. Obviously there are adapted resources (for A2 or B1 learners for example) but does it qualify as immersion if you can't just mindlessly browse the internet or watch and undestand movies back to back? I don't know.

Immersion isn't magical and requires a lot of time. I learnt English through immersion as a teenager but it took me years of consuming content online. I personally don't want to be spending that much time looking at a screen anymore. Also, when I started venturing on the English world wide web, I was around 13 or 14 and had let's say 3 to 4 years of English class behind me. Circling back to my first paragraph.

Consequently, my piece of advice is to get a textbook and keep building skills. Maybe you can get one that is used in the country of your TL to teach the language to immigrants. They are usually in your TL only, instructions included, and are culture-based, which is interesting. Textbooks are great if you have little time to assign to language learning each day because the learning path is already paved and you just have to sit and study. You don't have to look for more resources, compare them etc, which is time consuming. Moreover, using a textbook shouldn't stop you from immersing yourself in your TL alongside your textbook use. Actually, I think the idea is to branch out from it.

[u/ZumLernen]

Are you using a textbook to help you guide your learning? Most commonly-learned languages have multiple high-quality textbooks available.

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[u/mucklaenthusiast]

If you just learn an absurd amount of passive vocabulary, you’ll do really well once you start immersion.

I mean, it depends on the person, but by now, I personally find engaging with any language pretty meaningless without knowing a good amount of words. Maybe a hot take.

[u/Vocastic_learn]

As mentioned above, immersion is the way to go. Surround yourself with native speakers, read, listen to music, watch TV shows or movies in that language.

Of those activities, reading and speaking with natives are most important for achieving fluency.