My school teacher that taught French was agressive, so i did not learn well with him, so i decided to teach myself French by reading childrens books in the library or at home.
The best way is to start at the lowest age range of books and work up through the age range.
It will take time, but all of a sudden the brain recalls what you have read in the books and the language all clicks in to place.
You then learn fast when the wrong food arrives at the table at restaurants, when i started driving in Europe, i pointed to what the next driver was eating to order.
When getting stopped by the Gendarmes or the Douanes, they are impressed in my fluency and most of the time i am waved on after a few minutes, if on a full controle, which could take an hour in the mobile X ray machine or the cab or trailer being checked over, you can crack a few jokes with them, they love taking the mick out of our Prime Ministers, you can fire back and mention Le Penn or Sarkoszy, and have a good craic,they like the Thatcher jokes and Major.
Ooh la la.
Also vary the reading from novels, magazines and newspapers, time tables, every day life reading.