I'm going to class 8 hours a week, 4 hours monday, 4 hours wednesday. And while my classmates are all WAYYY better than me (after all, they are dedicated students) I have really noticed a difference in my level over the past few weeks. I might still talk like a 3 year old (with no tenses or grammar) but I can actually understand, like, 80% of what my teacher says! When i started it was about 20%.
Actually, for awhile there I was getting really discouraged, just feeling tired and left out (all my classmates are from asian countries and don't speak much english so it's chinese or nothin. Once a classmate and I walked back home together and we didn't talk the whole way because i couldn't understand anything while I knew he was semi-fluent. It felt so pathetic.)
I'm not saying it is easy, but just keep going to the classes no matter what. I figure even if I learn just one new word it is worth it.