Read material in the new language every day. Find a news website written in your language and spend a few hours reading it over every day. Credible sites include large daily newspapers in a country that speaks the language and major international publications that publish an edition in the language.
Look up terms you do not understand. If you are trying to improve your first language, look the terms up in a regular dictionary. If you are learning a second language, look the terms up in a dual-language dictionary. Go to the side of the dictionary that lists the term in the other language, and the definition in English. This will tell you the English equivalent of the word, as well as the definition.
Speak with people in your language. If there is a speaking partner program at a college or refugee organization in your area, sign up by visiting their office. If you live in, or are traveling in, an area where the language is commonly spoken, go out and try starting conversations with people. If none of these options are available, try searching for international penpals on interpals.net, and ask prospective penpals if they are willing to chat with you online through instant messenger or video chat.
Listen to Internet radio that is spoken in your language. Select one of the web radio stations in your second language by visiting an international web radio site and picking one out. Again, look up any unfamiliar terms you encounter in a bilingual dictionary.
Write an essay or speech in your second language, and read this out loud in front of a mirror. Write a five paragraph essay on any topic that interests you. Write introductory remarks in the introduction. Write three substantive paragraphs in the body section. Write a summary in the conclusion. Refer to the dictionary if you are unsure about key terms in your second language. Read the speech out loud in front the mirror several times. Try giving the speech in front of the mirror without the paper in front of you.