Welding Videos & DVDs

One of the best ways to learn the basics of welding is by watching someone else weld. However that is not always possible. The second best way is probably watching a good video, followed by lots of practice. One of the advantages of watching a video is that you do not need to wear eye protection. This lets you see the whole process.
However, with welding, practice is going to be the one thing that will improve your skill more than anything else. I recommend stocking up on some scrap metal, studying the videos a few timesb and then just spend some time getting the feel of what it is like to try and repeat what you just watched.
Good luck.