There has been a global mass movement towards bilingualism as it comes with many perks and benefits. In fact, studies have shown there are more bilingual speakers than monolingual speakers worldwide, standing at 50% and 40%, respectively. That’s very interesting!
Yet, despite these tremendous worldwide numbers, only 25% of Americans are bilingual. Thankfully, these numbers are trending upwards as more and more Americans see the fantastic value that bilingualism can bring to both their professional and personal lives.
But what are these benefits?
In this post, we will look at why we should learn a second language. And does it really matter? Do we really need to move to another country to spend hundreds of hours in classes? ARGH!
It strengthens and develops your brain
You should learn a second language because countless studies have pointed to the fact that bilinguals gain many cognitive benefits. This has helped with the strengthening of their brains and has translated into many real-life gains.
These include:
- Better memory
- Better cognition
- Better at multitasking
- More creative
- Faster learning of new concepts
- Faster decision-making and problem-solving
- Fight off mental-aging and dementia
You can easily take advantage of these many cognitive benefits both on the job and in your personal life.
More new and exciting career opportunities
Let’s face it; the demand for bilingual professionals in the workforce has risen drastically over a few years. That means that to stay competitive in your field, it is critical that you keep yourself and your skills sharp. And learning a second language is the key to achieving that.
What’s more, by gaining this competitive skill, you will become more open to new and exciting career opportunities. You will no longer be confined to a few countries due to language barriers, but now be free to work in various locations and companies.
Also, if you work with clients, instead of being limited to English-speaking clients, you can now work with more clients from across the globe. Frankly speaking, the world is now your oyster.
Offers a boost in self-esteem and confidence
Learning a new language is a very exhilarating experience, but you may be prone to making a few mistakes. This is great and is highly encouraged as it allows us to learn from those mistakes and grow as human beings. This learning process becomes even more effective when we have a professional language tutor who is there to correct us and guide us along this journey.
With all of these mistakes and stumbling, it is fair to say that we gain heaps of confidence and self-esteem, especially when we make these mistakes in public. Learning to adapt and mature from these mistakes will allow you to grow as a person for the better.
Learning a new language expands your world-view
You should learn a second language because traveling is a fun experience that is shared by many. It allows you to view the world and immerse yourself fully into a culture. There are many reasons why becoming fluent in that country’s language is the way to go.
For one, you will gain a more authentic experience as you can speak to the natives, enjoy their cuisine, listen to their music, and attend their events, all with ease. And, two, you can navigate yourself comfortably in a foreign culture.
Rather than sticking to the more expensive ‘safe areas’ for tourists, you can find more affordable options faster, saving you both time and money.
All in all, learning a new language can make the travel experience more fun and immersive without the additional hassle.
Why you should learn a second language: New friendships and perspectives
By learning a second language, you are better able to meet new and exciting individuals across the globe. You can express feelings and thoughts in a different language, opening you to connecting with others, and forming lifelong bonds.
Similarly, delving into a new culture and language will help you learn a new perspective on life. As humans, we tend to understand the unfamiliar by comparing it to what we are familiar with.
Now that we completely understand a new culture and way of life, we will gain a new perspective on our own beliefs and customs. And with this perspective, we can use it to grow our thought processes and ideas.
For instance, it will make us more tolerant and open-minded of views and lifestyles that differ from our own.
Does learning a second language really matter?
Simply put, yes. There is a wide range of benefits that comes with learning a new language that we advise you to take advantage of. It gives you sharper mental processes, opens you up to new job opportunities, and makes us more tolerant and open-minded. And these are just the tip of the iceberg!
If you are ready to take the next step in learning a new language, we are here to help. We are eager to support you in starting on this path to complete fluency in a new language so you can benefit from these many opportunities.
Ready to get started? Choose a teacher and save 20% off your first month of language lessons with code TF20!
