English is our unfinished business, our pending subject. Learning English has become an imposition which in the case of adult learners normally comes under time pressure. The more languages we know the more employable we are likely to be, but we need English if we want to be employable at all. Being able to add English to the merits in our CV has become an obsession and we are so focused on getting that precious piece of paper that certifies that we know English that we have lost sight of the ultimate reason for learning a foreign language, communication.
Even though we are really trying, we are failing, and sadly enough we have well-earned a reputation as the English language-learning dunces of Europe. There’s an obvious logic to this, after Mandarin Chinese, Spanish is the most spoken language in the world, so why bother? Here’s why!
- Communication
It may seem as an obvious reason to learn a second language but sometimes we stray a little bit from it. While Spanish outnumbers English in number of native speakers, English is the language with more second-language speakers. English has ceased to be the language of the English to become the language of global communication. Also known as Lingua Franca or the World Language, English is the world’s most widely used language in newspaper publishing, book publishing, international telecommunications, scientific publishing, international trade, mass entertainment, and diplomacy. Furthermore, seaspeak and airspeak are based on the English language. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/English_language - Travelling cheap and solo
If you are not interested in scientific research, trade or entertainment there might still be something in for you…Travelling! Passports don’t open you borders, languages do. Some people feel stressed when travelling to foreign countries because not being able to speak the language makes them feel insecure.
Design your own tailored made trip and save some bucks. Try coach surfing, https://www.couchsurfing.com/ or rent a home or a room from a local, https://www.airbnb.es/ for an affordable accommodation which offers you the unique experience of living like a local while abroad. Join a free walking tour to discover the secrets of the city you are visiting, what about a Jack the Ripper tour of London? http://www.freetoursoflondon.com/free-jack-the-ripper-tour/ or if you feel like partying you can join an international gang and go to a pub crawl http://londonpartypubcrawl.com/. No matter the type of traveler you are, being able to communicate in a foreign language will take you off the beaten track and that’ll make your travel experiences unique. - Learning languages makes you smarter
It goes without saying that learning a foreign language is a boost to your CV, but what if it made you smarter? Physiological studies have discovered the brain of bilingual people operates differently to the brain of single language speakers. These differences represent a great asset to the cognitive process and offer different mental benefits.
By learning a foreign language you build multitasking skills, learn to prioritize, boost your ability to negotiate meaning and improve your memory. - You’ll live longer and better
While being bilingual doesn’t make you immune to sickness, by challenging your brain and keeping it active you battle dementia even at an old age. Studies suggest that bilingual speakers hold Alzheimer’s disease at bay on average an extra four years when compared with people who speak just one language. http://www.medicaldaily.com/bilingual-benefits-how-learning-another-language-keeps-your-mind-sharp-no-matter-your-310308 - Boost your confidence
Last but not least, learning English or any foreign language will heighten your confidence. If English is one of your fears, by facing it you will be killing two ducks with the same stone. When you overcome your fears and doubts you learn more about yourself and dare to do things you deemed impossible. The ego boost you get when you get positive feedback from native and non-native speakers will be really worth it.
Learning a foreign language can be an incredible journey and an extremely rewarding experience. Forget your limitations and go for it, maybe you’ll get more than you bargained for.
Lara Ros
Profesora de Ciclos Formativos