Quote Originally Posted by Pug505GR
So what do you think? Is it better to focus on the spoken word first, then reading and grammar will follow, or is it the general feeling that being able to read it an essential first step to understanding?

Thanks

Matt
Repeat after me: Listening, Speaking, Reading, Writing
These are the four language skills. You need all of them. Working on one will help with the others, but you need to practice all of them. Writing is generally the last skill to develop well. Listening is actually the most difficult skill to work on. Get yourself a variety of things to do with the language and work on all of them from time to time. If you are working on it and learning things, then you are doing it right.