Many people do not realize how important it is to take a foreign language course. In the world many of us live in, English is the only language we know. We know it to be a very widely growing language around the world. But do we realize how many benefits there are from simply taking a couple courses of a different language?
1. Your career
In many fields, you may not realize that knowing a second is actually beneficial. There are so many more opportunities when you can communicate in another language. For example, the health field is growing every day. Especially here in the United States. People from all over the world come here to seek treatment for an illness or injury they may have. A lot of them may not speak English, but having someone on staff that can communicate with them helps them to receive the treatment they need.
Not only is the health field important for knowing another language, but so are others. Business fields, public relations, communications, etc. Being able to communicate and break through the communication barrio is so beneficial to these careers because you could be discussing business with someone who is unfamiliar with English.
Aside from the communication barrier, some jobs may even give you a bonus on your salary for being bilingual! Yes, you can literally earn extra money for knowing another language. How cool?
2. Traveling
Every been to another country and you can't understand a word they're saying to you? Been there. But learning a new language could help you. When traveling to other places in the world, you can actually communicate with the people you meet on your trip. That just makes for lifelong friends and great memories too! Your trip will be so much more efficient and fun if you and the person you are communicating with can actually have a conversation. Even if it's small talk! Convinced yet?
3. Protects against age related brain diseases
This to me I found so interesting. Learning another language can actually help protect against age-related brain diseases. So, in other words, help fight against Alzheimer's and dementia. According to the U.S. National Library of Medicine, a study of over 200 patients was done. Those that were bilingual were found to have shown symptoms of Alzheimer's nearly five years later than monolingual patients.
4. Potential to improve learning
The National Institute of Medicine also says that knowing another language also can improve your learning. Research shows that the improvements in cognitive functioning from being bilingual could help the bilingual individual better process information. It's believed to help focus on things and leads to explain why it is easier for individuals who know a second language, learn another.
5. Become more open minded
While you take your course in your foreign language, you will learn about the culture of the language too. This will help you to be more open-minded when it comes to cultural gaps. Or differences in culture. This will help reduce prejudice and stereotypes.
6. More opportunities
This could lead to more opportunities as well. Not only is it something you could potentially use in career but there are many resources and opportunities you could receive from learning another language, as a student. Many of us are involved in many organizations. Some of these organizations could do service trips to another country. It helps to be someone on that trip that can communicate where ever you end up. And many brownie points with your organization too for helping them out! Many of us also want to travel and study abroad. Being able to speak and understand another language stands out when applying to do so.
7. Improves decision making
According to Forbes, knowing another language can actually improve your decision making. Bilinguals have gained a more logical thought process. When making an important decision, you will come to a more meaningful conclusion, at a quicker pace.
8. Become better at multitasking
Forbes has also stated that learning another language will improve your multitasking skills. When you are speaking in one language, the second one is constantly in the background. This leads to being able to switch between activities with no problem.
9. You will feel so rewarding!
Learning a new language is so fun! Being able to communicate in a different way than you do every day is truly exciting. When you take the time to learn another language, you'll feel so good about yourself for the work you put into it. There are so many things you can get out of this experience too. So your hard work does not go unnoticed!
10. It's really interesting!
While when taking a language, you may think that it's another course on top of your busy schedule. But truthfully, I've never found any foreign language course to be stressful. In fact, I've found them to be fun and interesting. Not only do you learn the language, but you also get to learn the culture of the language from which you are learning. It's so cool to see how people around the world live, instead of just the same boring town you live in.
