Step 1: Get the materials
The 2nd one helps you out with the grammatical stuff that you need to understand.

Minna no Nihongo 1 Main Textbook http://www.amazon.co....

Minna no Nihongo 1 Grammatical and Translation Notes http://www.amazon.co....

Online Japanese Studies
http://study.u-biq.or...

Step 2: Memorize the Hiragana Chart
Don't care about the Katakana Chart/Kanji first. Memorize the Hiragana Chart first. You can also look for a song in the market called the hiragana song.. lol http://www.youtube.co...

Step 3: Spelling for Hiragana Chart
Give yourself spelling for hiragana chart. http://www.sendspace....

Step 4: Numbers & Basic Greetings
Learn the numbers & basic greetings. There's audio for it.

Step 5: Move on to Chapter 1
Study in this order
-Vocabulary
-Sentence Patterns
-Example Sentences
-Conversation
-Renshuu A (練習A): Full set of sentence patterns that you need to know by the end of the lesson
-Mondai (問題) : Do the questions, the answers should be at the back.

Step 6: Watch some Japanese shows/listen to Japanese songs
It will help you in your Japanese.


Free free to add your way of studying Japanese as a beginner. =)

ooo. good to see a solid order like this. but for me, i'd do "step 6" at all times (even if i'm not doing any other steps). haha..

Hi,
I was browsing thru this thread and I think my post earlier could help

http://japanese.meetu...

Basically an online form of learning Japanese which perhaps you guys would like to try.

Good luck for your Japanese learning in 2008

Cheers
KH

Hi KH,
I don't think it's quite relevant as we are talking about self-studying tips down there...
Sorry.

Found Kanji Site for beginners - JLPT 4 :)

http://www.kanjisite....

Yup. That's a good one. =)

Can try this addictive game to learn Hiragana, katakana and kanji :)

http://lrnj.com/...

Any good ways to improve the listening portion of JLPT 3 or 4? That is the only section I'm having serious trouble with :) Any help appreciated :)

1 good way. 歌詞を見ながら、歌を聴きます

Another good way: watch NHK (Japan's equivalent to BBC)