We're now well into 2016, but if you haven't made a New Year's resolution yet it's not too late – and one of the best choices you could make this year is to learn a foreign language.

In the United Kingdom, the British Council is urging people to learn a new language in 2016, following a continuing decline in the number of pupils taking GCSE exams in modern languages. In 2015 100,000 fewer GCSE language exams were taken, compared to a decade ago.

This is a worrying trend given that employers are crying out for language skills, and the UK's current lack of them is estimated to be costing the country tens of billions of pounds.

Learning a foreign language can benefit holidaymakers too. In August 2015, a poll of 2,098 UK adults by the British Council found a quarter found a quarter felt nervous at the thought of having to speak a language on holiday.

Having the ability to speak the language of the country you are visiting can enhance your travelling experience by giving you a better connection with other cultures – and, of course, by making it easier to communicate with local people.

Learning a foreign language may seem daunting. But the British Council suggests that learning just one new phrase a day could see people greatly improve their language skills. With as few as 1,000 words – an achievable number – it's possible to hold a simple conversation in another language.

The great news is that there's a wealth of fantastic learning resources available, from CD based courses to free online interactive videos. We take a look at some of the best, with a focus on learning French.

Michel Thomas Total French

This is one of the best language courses we've ever encountered, and is about as close as you can get to being in a classroom setting without leaving your living room.

The course is entirely auditory, with no textbooks or writing – and absolutely no parrot-fashion rote learning. It's a recording of two students being taught by Michel Thomas, with frequent opportunities to pause the recording and try out the words and phrases learnt. The students make the sort of mistakes that you may well make yourself, with Thomas correcting errors and offering encouragement.

The great thing about this course is that it starts with what you know. And you know a lot more than you think you do. For a start, English words that end in -ible, -able, -ent and -ant come from French and are the same. Examples include: possible, acceptable, different and important. Then there are the 1,200 nouns ending in -ion – such as condition, information, reservation – that are exactly the same in French as they are in English.

This means that you begin speaking whole sentences immediately, with new vocabulary and information about grammar introduced gradually. Within a couple of weeks we are saying quite complicated sentences, such as “I would like to see you tonight, but I can't because I'm very busy” with confidence.

Each lesson is just a few minutes long, offering bite-sized chunks of learning that never feel daunting, are easy to fit into your daily routine – and are, most importantly, enjoyable. Highly recommended.

Duolingo

The free Duolingo app for iPhone, iPad and Android allows you to learn a language wherever you are, with fun, interactive games and activities. Or you can visit the Duolingo website and learn at your desktop during your lunch break.

First set up how long you want to spend on learning each day – the recommended time is 10 minutes, but you can select shorter or longer durations depending on your circumstances. When you complete your chosen duration of learning you're awarded points. You'll also earn 'lingots' as you complete skills – these can be spent in the Duolingo virtual store on extra games, activities and quizzes. As you complete each section, new lessons are unlocked.

It's quite addictive – and the small, achievable goals and clear tracking of your progress keep you motivated. Good fun.

Colloquial French: The Complete Course for Beginners

This book and CD is ideal for complete beginners, with no previous experience of French, who want to learn the language as it is spoken today. The course doesn't bombard you with lots of complicated grammar, but focuses on useful, everyday phrases that you're likely to need when visiting France.

BBC Languages

Ma France offers 24 interactive videos to help you improve your French. The videos feature interviews with French speakers – who speak slowly and clearly – covering useful subjects such as asking for directions, eating out or buying a house.

There's an option to have English and French subtitles – which can be turned off as confidence grows – and there are games, quizzes and activities to reinforce learning after watching the videos. A great way to improve your understanding of the spoken language.

French films

Once you've learnt how to form sentences in another language, and ask for what you want, you'll need to practice listening to French being spoken. There's no substitute for visiting the country and practicing your skills amongst native speakers – but if you can't manage a trip to France, an enjoyable alternative is to settle down to watch a French film.

Try The Grocer's Son, a gentle, heart-warming tale of an estranged son who returns home to the south of France to take over the family grocery business. Or La Nouvelle Guerre des Boutons (The War of the Buttons), a delightful tale set in rural France during the 1940s featuring two gangs of rival children fighting over buttons.

Or try this selection of French films, recommended to help improve your language skills.

Bon chance!