Many Americans only know one language—English. With the rise of more global worldviews, more people are coming to America that speak other languages. These adaptations can lead to a wonderful learning opportunity for everyone—to learn a new language! There are countless benefits that everyone should take advantage of! These are some of the 5 reasons everyone should learn a foreign language.
1. Improve memorization
Learning a foreign language is associated with so many benefits, one of which is cognitive! If you learn a second language, skills like memorization can improve. Logically, if you learn another set of vocabulary and grammar, your brain is trained to remember more.
2. Connect with others in their native language
Another wonderful benefit of languages is being able to talk to others in their native language. There are not many things more special than seeing someone’s eyes light up when they realize you speak their language. There are special connections made in language, and this is no exception.
3. Learn more about other cultures
In any good language course, you will learn something about the country or countries a language is spoken in. For example, in my Spanish classes I have learned so much about Spanish and Latin American cultures and their traditions. This expansion of worldviews benefits everyone, personally and academically.
4. More job opportunities
When applying for a job, having intermediate knowledge or fluency in another language is a fantastic way to stand out to employers. They will not only see that you have a skill set that many other applicants do not have but will know that you have undergone the challenge of learning a language. Job opportunities can also come in the form of travel. If you know two or more languages, you have the ability to work with people that speak another language or even work abroad in a country where that language is spoken!
5. Easier travel
Speaking of travel, knowing a language is a great way to make sure your travel experience is much easier! It goes without saying that knowing a country’s language will make travel easier. There are many benefits of knowing a language while traveling abroad, some of which are saving money, being safer, interacting easier with the locals, and making friends. Locals will see that you’ve taken the time and effort to learn their language and can be more friendly!
Now that you know how learning foreign languages can benefit you, get out there and enroll in those classes or even just study online! Happy learning!