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Nearly every single one of us at some point or another will have considered trying to learn a new language, but the reality is that most of us are stuck in our ways and rely solely on the use of our native language.
Becoming bilingual has countless benefits; most notably, it can enhance your career prospects and help bring multicultural societies closer together.
Let’s explore the importance of learning foreign languages and how you can take the initial steps to becoming bilingual.
Enhance your career prospects
It is proven that being bilingual has positive effects on your cognitive abilities. For example, studies have shown that bilingual individuals are able to multitask and process information far more effectively than monolingual individuals. You can imagine how much more effectively you’ll be able to work with enhanced abilities in such areas and this will only help to enhance you career prospects.
Studying abroad is something that many university students consider. Taking a year to live and study in a different culture can make you a well-rounded individual. Not only will it help to improve your employment prospects, but also the cognitive benefits that we mentioned previously might just be the difference in a degree grade at the of your course.
Many larger international organizations communicate with people all over the world. You may be working in marketing in London, and need to speak to a Spanish-speaking sales person. Jobs at multinational organizations are hard to come by, so being bilingual will most certainly enhance your chances of getting a job in such environments.
These are just a couple of ways that being bilingual can enhance your career prospects, here are a few more ways that learning a second language can further your career.
Become a greater part of society
Society and culture across the world is more diverse than ever. Gone are the days where countries solely inhabited by people whose families had lived there for generations, now the world is far more accessible. Consequently, there are countless multicultural communities all over the globe.
Immigration can present countless benefits to society, including economic gains, more skilled labor in needed sectors and much more.
If you live in an area that has a number of migrants, learning their language will help you to become a far greater part of society. By learning a language it will allow society to become more diverse and for every culture to be integrated in their community.
How you can learn a new language
Learning a new language takes time, but thankfully it is extremely easy to find yourself an opportunity to take a course.
There are countless schools that teach English, and you’ll also be able to learn online if you want to learn on your own time. However, most people tend to find the classroom environment more effective.
So there you have it. These benefits of learning a new language are just the tip of the iceberg. Becoming a bilingual individual can open countless doors and bring our multicultural society far closer together, so we urge you to take those next steps to broaden your horizons.
Helen Wallis works at an English school in London, working with foreign students to enhance their English-language skills. Helen has a passion for foreign languages, which has allowed her to teach the English language for over 15 years. She enjoys writing about her past experiences in teaching and showing others the many joys of learning a new language.