As the world becomes more and more interconnected, learning a foreign language becomes more and more important. Learning a foreign language involves more than just memorizing a vocabulary list; students have to invest in learning to truly communicate and connect with others who speak the language.
There are many reasons to invest the time to truly learn a foreign language, starting with the ability to communicate with people in multiple languages, which is quickly becoming one of the most valuable world skills. Here are 5 other reasons why it’s important to learn a foreign language:
- Learning a foreign language improves students’ memories and attention spans. The more students challenge their brains to learn and recall information, the stronger these skillsets become. Learning a new language is an exercise for the brain. It requires students to recall multiple grammar rules, vocabulary words, and cultural phraseology. And as students’ brains become stronger, so do their attention spans. Learning a new language helps students maintain focus and develop a stronger attention span. When people switch between two languages, they strengthen their ability to concentrate and learn to block out extraneous information.
- Learning a foreign language improves students’ abilities to multitask. Multitasking is not an innate skill. Students must anticipate what needs to be done and identify which tasks can be performed simultaneously. Typically, task performance deteriorates when students attempt to take on multiple tasks simultaneously. Yet, students can strengthen their ability to multitask. One way to become a proficient multitasker is to learn a new language.When students learn a new language, they are learning to juggle two languages at once in their brains. Switching from one language to another in their head, students can process words in one language and translate them into another dialect. Their brains become accustomed to switching between different languages, and this helps them learn to switch between other tasks.
- Learning a foreign language boosts students’ creativity. When students learn about different cultures and languages, they learn to see the world from different perspectives. They learn what makes these cultures unique, and they learn about the customs associated with these cultures. This encourages students to think outside of their box, their cultural bubbles. It encourages them to see the world through the eyes of others. As such, students start to become more creative problem solvers, storytellers. Students become more flexible and find new ways to relate to those around them.
- Learning a foreign language connects students to different cultures and histories. When students study a foreign language, they are also presented with opportunities to learn the history of other peoples and immerse themselves in another culture. As students study a new language, they should examine how the language evolved. This will provide them with insights into the histories that shaped a culture. Language offers insights into a society’s traditions, customs, and perspectives, giving students opportunities to better understand the world around them. As students learn the nuances of a new language, they start to understand the words, phrases, and idioms that often reflect the culture and can only be fully understood when they understand the context of the language as a whole.
- Learning a foreign language opens potential career opportunities. In our interconnected world, many businesses are global. So, businesses need candidates who are fluent in multiple languages. Moreover, with a highly competitive job market, having an edge, like knowing another language, can make a student shine as a candidate. This means that a candidate is more malleable for the company and can take on various roles. So, becoming fluent in a foreign language, students have skills that are extremely valuable to potential employers.
GAMECHANGER Tutoring Connection is here to help students become proficient in a foreign language. Working with patient, seasoned foreign language tutors referred by GAMECHANGER Tutoring Connection, students can learn to truly understand and communicate in a second, third, or fourth language.
