#study plan

These 3 things can be done in sooooo many different ways. From very complicated multi activity study plans (such as using all: a textbook doing all activities, anki decks, an app, language exchange apps, tutoring sessions), to something like Dreaming Spanish where one ONLY does extensive listening to stuff they understand (to learn common words and basic grammar) then when they decide to work on additional goals outside of listening they just add reading speaking writing practice (while continuing to listen to keep learning new stuff).

I personally think step 1 and 2 can be as simple as you make them. It's just they also are when most people give up. Step 3 can get more complicated, because in addition to learning you start PRACTICING goals too, and that aspect involves deciding more intentionally what to do and why.

For step 1 and 2, ever since French I kept it simple because it works for me: I'd look up a common words list or anki deck, cram study it for a few months. I'd look up a grammar guide summary, cram read through it for a few weeks. (I'd also look up a pronunciation guide, go through it in a week). Repeat this for if the writing system is different - spend a few weeks to months reading about the new writing system and cram study. Get a basic familiarity within ~6 months. (Someone with an Excellent anki deck could just cram through anki, if someone was okay with Glossika then cramming through Glossika, if you have a textbook or a library course like Innovative Languages cramming through it). Not that everyone needs to cram. I just cram through these parts because I want to get to the learning while PRACTICING stage 3 asap. I enjoy learning by doing. And getting to DO stuff related to my goals motivates me.

Doing steps 1 and 2 can be as simple as:

Taking Beginner 1 and 2 classes in college.

Studying a textbook yourself, or self study learner book (Teach Yourself, Berlitz, Assimil)

Printing word lists and a grammar guide summary and reading through them.

Finding a common words in sentences anki deck and going through 3000 sentences. (There are many premade decks)

Using Glossika for 3000 sentences.

Using Clozemaster and going through 3000 sentences.

Finding a learner podcast with a bunch of common worda and grammar and going through it until it's covered all the basic grammar and a few thousand common words. (Innovative Languages/LanguagePod101, language-specific resources free and paid)

Using beginner Comprehensible Input Lessons (like on youtube) until you can understand intermediate Comprehensible Input Lessons.

*using an app until you have studied 1000-3000 words and basic grammar (I personally don't like this one, just because I feel the apps I have used are paced much slower than some denser-resources, and some multi-language apps don't always put equal effort into all language courses. So if you do this, I recommend looking up the amount of unique words the app teaches, as some apps only teach 500 words and they're not gping to be ideal. And plan to FINISH GOING THROUGH THE APP'S CONTENT in what is a timely manner for yourself. So if you were planning to get a vague familiarity with 3000 common words in 6 months? Then IF the app has 3000 unique words, work through that app so you finish going through it's materials in 6 months. An app will still work, if you have a favorite app that has enough content.)

*making your own common words in sentences anki deck/paper list, from stuff you actively immerse in from day 1. (This one requires a lot of effort from you. On the upside this allows you to learn from Practice from day 1. It can he very motivating if your personal goal is to understand a Specific material asap - since you can learn from THAT specific material immediately. On the downside, this requires you to look up words and gramamr points indvidually, frequently, a lot at the start. This also requires you to make all your own study methods, and decide what to use as your immersion materials.)

Crosstalking with a tutor regularly, a lot, until you can understand some podcasts for intermediate learners or some Intermediate Comprehensible Input Lessons or your tutor if they stop using pictures and gestures. (If doing this, be mindful of how many hours you're meeting a tutor. If you only meet once a week, versus if you're meeting 4 times a week. You'll need a number of hours to get a vague familiarity with a lot of common words. So every few months I suggest checking learner podcasts and CI lessons online to see if you understand them better, to check your progress. This method also pairs well with learning from CI lessons so you can get more learning hours in, and get through the hours required to get through beginner level in a timely manner. That said - if you were in say an immersion school doing crosstalk or being spoken to tons in the language, then you'd be easily getting 5+ hours daily and that's probably plenty fast paced and wouldn't need an additional resource. Think of ESL students in school 8 hours a day, with after school ESL lessons

(And for 1.5 and 2.5 either searching online, or asking a librarian to help you search online, or reading those sections in a textbook or self study book in the library or bookstore - should only take a few hours to read, may need dedicated resources if you need to learn a bunch of characters like Chinese)

In my view... the hardest part of steps 1 and 2 are: finding good resources (language learning forums old posts and college class syllabuses and librarians and checking what's most often recommended are good places to start searching), and managing my time so I progress to step 3 fast enough for me personally.

Finding good resources can take a few months - so I trial stuff for 1 week to 1 month, see what works for me and what doesn't, then stick to what works best for me.