Dispelling the myths
English is a global language, but in fact only about 6% of the world’s population are native English speakers and an estimated three quarters do not speak English at all.
Talk the talk: a guide to maximising your prospects using languages (British Academy, 2013)
The UK needs more people who can supplement their knowledge in a professional, scientific or other disciplinary area with an understanding of other languages.
Prospering wisely: How the humanities and social sciences enrich our lives (British Academy, 2014)
There can be great advantages for British businesses if employees can communicate in another language. More than a third of UK businesses value language skills among their employees in order to build relations with overseas suppliers, customers and other contacts.
Inspiring growth: CBI Education and Skills Survey 2015 (CBI, 2015)
French and German are the leading languages in demand by firms, but those geared to business in China and the Spanish-speaking New World are increasingly seen as useful.
Inspiring growth: CBI Education and Skills Survey 2015 (CBI, 2015)
Conversational fluency in another language can contribute to your career and 26% of UK employers saying language skills assist staff mobility within their organisation. Over half of UK employers perceive shortfalls in international cultural awareness among school and college leavers.
Inspiring growth: CBI Education and Skills Survey 2015 (CBI, 2015)
What subject can...?
Learning languages gives you confidence – confidence in social situations, confidence to stand up and talk in front of others, confidence in talking to people from different countries, confidence to travel to new countries.
Language learning can improve your employability. In some fields, you may be required to have language skills to get a job. In others, employers will value your intercultural, interpersonal or communication skills.
Language learning will give you a global outlook. It will enable you to engage in global citizenship, travel with confidence and communicate more readily with people from other cultures.
Language learning can have an impact on all your subjects. If helps you develop good study skills and encourages you to pay attention to detail; it helps you develop concentration, especially in listening and reading; it encourages you to develop learning strategies such as memorising and dealing with the unpredictable.
Learning other languages can help develop greater confidence and aptitude in your first language.
Learning one foreign language can help you develop strategies for learning other foreign languages and give you a head start.
Learning languages develops cognitive skills and gives your brain and memory a huge boost.
These statements come from the LLAS research project 700 reasons for studying languages. For more reasons to study languages, visit the 700 Reasons website.