Classes/Schools

• In choosing a class or a school, remember that all classes have different focuses. As the AITAS Japanese school website points out, you should consider items such as class size and the ratio of Japanese to English spoken in class. If you are a beginner, you may benefit more from a class that the instructor teaches in English but guides you gradually into using more Japanese as the course continues.
  
  

Textbooks

• As former Japan resident and Japanese language expert Ed Jacob says, choosing the correct Japanese textbook for you can be difficult but is necessary if you wish to learn the language in a manner that is as painless and frustration free as possible. In buying such a textbook, research as well as self-examination are important. In visiting the bookstore, ask people what the best books are for your level. For instance, "Japanese for Everyone" may be the book for you if you are a beginner, as opposed to "Japanese for Busy People." Also, gauge your decision based on how patient you are. If you are a person who quits after not grasping a new language after a short amount of time, you should take this into consideration when purchasing a Japanese language book.
  
  

Pronunciation

• Accurate pronunciation can mean the difference between being a Japanese speaker whom other Japanese can easily understand or being one who receives blank stares when he speaks--or who just sounds plain weird, as Jacob says. For example, Japanese speak with even stress on all their syllables. Don't speak Japanese as you would English, or you are likely to receive a number of laughs from the native speakers.
  
  

Inappropriate Phrase Use

• Don't assume that just because you use a certain phrase in English a certain way, it means you can use its Japanese equivalent in the same manner. For example, "Gensi densu ka," is "How are you?" in Japanese. Jacob points out that you should only use those words if you have not seen the person you are addressing for a while, but whom you know quite well. Otherwise, you may make people feel uncomfortable. You may appear as attempting to be too "familiar" or "common" with a person you have not already established a relationship with, and the person you are addressing may perceive you as rude.