Why Learning Multiple Languages Is Important
Dallas Querry
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We live in a multilingual world, where connections are now more important than ever. The world is becoming increasingly globalized and knowing a second language can always give you an unfair advantage.
Lack of integration is a real problem for most countries. More often than not, this is due to the language barrier. People outside of their home countries end up being isolated, hanging out only with people from similar communities where their language is spoken.
Did you know that being bilingual can also help you master your own language? For example, learning a new language with similar roots can help you learn other languages as well. Take Spanish, Italian, and French from one summer to the next!
Time management and multitasking are two skills that will always help you. Multilingual people have the ability to switch between languages. Their ability to think in different languages and be able to communicate in more than one language helps with multitasking.
Fully immersing yourself in a language learning environment means not only learning the basics of that language. It means learning how to communicate in another language with your peers or participating in extracurricular activities in that specific language.
Taking the Language Pledge at Middlebury Language Schools means committing to communicate only in the language of your choice for the duration of the program. You will live, play, and learn in a 24/7 environment.
Due to many geopolitical reasons, the Russian language is not very closely related to English. It is a very challenging language to learn, with complex grammar and syntax rules. However, it is an extremely culturally and politically relevant language.
At the School of Russian, you can experience the most effective method for rapid language acquisition. An immersion environment is a promise that you will read, write, speak, and listen only in Russian throughout the duration of the program. Some of the benefits of learning Russian at Middlebury Language Schools include interpreting poetry, learning about the culture, and mastering the Russian etiquette.
Arabic has been one of our most popular languages. It is a high demand language because it can get you ahead in a government career, but also give you endless opportunities in business and international relations.
Arabic is spoken by more than 300 million people and is one of the top 5 most spoken languages in the world. Learning Arabic as a second language can help you learn about the Arabic culture and religion. It not only gives you opportunities to expand your connections, but also offers great travel opportunities.
A summer at the Arabic School will help you experience the immersive environment on campus. At Middlebury Language Schools, the focus is on Modern Standard Arabic, with optional Arabic language classes in dialects such as Egyptian, Syrian and Moroccan.
A lot of people agree that Spanish is one of the easiest languages to learn, due to the fact that you read words as they are written. Spanish is the most spoken language in the world after English and is used by more than 400 million people.
The truth is, learning new skills every day enhances all aspects of your life. By learning new skills, you can increase your career opportunities, find out more about the world around you, and be a better person overall.
We highly encourage you to start learning a new language as early in your life as possible. However, you are never too old to learn! The world moves fast, and we must keep up with the changes - by developing new skills, learning more about ourselves, and also, learning a new language!
In the United States, only one in five K-12 students1 (and about one in 12 university students2) is enrolled in a world language class. This is a woefully small number of students, especially when compared to other countries:
Decisions made in a second language are more reason-driven than decisions made in your first language.3 When tackling a challenge in a second (or third or fourth) language, you gain the objectivity and emotional distance you need to properly assess the situation. The result? Clear-eyed choices made through sound, systematic thinking.
When you learn a second language, two amazing things happen. First, you come to know and speak your first language better. Second, learning a third language is much easier than the second (especially for children).4 Take a bold step toward communicating in as many languages as you choose!
It has long been established that learning a second language is beneficial. So beneficial, in fact, that many schools are incorporating bilingual education. This is because multiple studies suggest that bilingual education has cognitive, social, and health benefits. However, learning multiple languages does not simply benefit students in the classroom. As you will see, studying a second (or third) language is an investment in your future, no matter your age.
One study found that bilinguals were more creative than monolinguals according to the Torrance Tests of Creative Thinking (TTCT), which assesses fluency, flexibility, originality, and elaboration. Plus, language learning is fun. When you have fun while learning, it is natural to be more creative.
Along these same lines, mastering a new language will also improve your analytical skills. Those who speak more than one language have the ability to process information in a more logical fashion. For instance, rather than making decisions based on emotion, those who had to consider decisions in a foreign language made wiser decisions based on analytical reasoning. This may also explain why bilingual students tend to score better than their peers on academic tests.
Additionally, senior citizens are encouraged to learn another language because studies have shown multilingualism directly correlates to a decrease in dementia. This is because of the way language learning works as a type of brain fitness.
In addition to learning a new foreign vocabulary, you will develop your native vocabulary. For instance, if you speak English and are studying French, your English skills will improve as you work to learn the rules of the French language. This applies to all languages. For instance, students attending language schools in DC are surrounded by native English speakers as well as those attempting to master a foreign language. In this setting, it is common for the student to develop both languages while studying.
However, this does not stop at the high school level. Students serious about language learning should take foreign language classes at a dedicated language school in DC, such as inlingua. These schools are focused on language learning rather than making it secondary to their education. Students who take these types of English courses in Washington DC until they are fluent will have a return on their investment when it comes to academic success and employment opportunities.
In addition to academic success, learning multiple languages creates job security. As the workplace becomes global, it is imperative that employees do what it takes to hold on to their jobs. Those individuals who can speak other languages are already well ahead of their competitors in the workplace. Not only does being bilingual create job security, it potentially could lead to career advancement and raises.
Plus, there are certain desirable career fields that depend on those who are multilingual, such as interpreters or translators. In fact, there are even required foreign language tests for individuals who are seeking career advancement opportunities in government fields. For example, the Washington language institute, inlingua, offers private tutoring for those taking the Foreign Service Officer Language Test.
Whether you are traveling abroad or doing business with someone abroad over the phone, the ability to communicate is essential. When you learn to speak another language, communication becomes easier. As you travel, you will be able to find out information yourself rather than rely on translators. This will help you make wise decisions and lead you to places where you may not have gone before.
Studies have shown that learning another language fosters culture awareness and acceptance. Students who study another language are more understanding of other cultures. When you learn another language, you are not merely learning unfamiliar words. You learn about the people, the customs, traditions, and values where the language is spoken. It involves stepping out of your comfort zone and learning about the vastness of the world around you.
Finally, one of the most important reasons to learn multiple languages is to develop global relationships. Rather than living in a bubble where everyone lives in the same place and speaks the same language, those who are multilingual can form relationships with people across the globe. Language barriers are broken, and friendships are made. Plus, global relationships are imperative for global awareness and global thinking. When you learn another language, your worldview changes for the better.
A new study from the University of Washington finds that, based on brain activity, people who live in communities where multiple languages are spoken can identify words in yet another language better than those who live in a monolingual environment.
Then, faculty author Judith Kroll, now of the University of California, Irvine, had an opportunity to relocate her lab to Southern California, and the team decided to see what results the experiment might yield there.
Both groups demonstrated similar abilities to identify Finnish words they had studied and determining whether they were different from the nonsense words they encountered during the training sessions. Neither group, however, showed particular fluency with telling the difference between real words and nonsense words that they had not seen before.
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