Now that we are celebrating multicultural month, there has been various taster sessions provided for students to try and experience learning a new language. Whether you are interested in Chinese, Portuguese, or Dutch, you can explore your passion for a foreign language on campus with ease. Along with being an enjoyable experience, learning a new language can equip you with some highly demanded skills in the workplace and develop your style of thinking and perspectives as a human being. While the benefits of learning a new language is endless, here are some benefits that are most important for you.
Advance your career
Gaining a new skill is always lucrative in the job market. And language skills can give you a significant competitive advantage that differentiates you from other candidates. Foreign language’s widespread applicability makes it more lucrative; no matter what field you choose to work in, demand for language skills keeps rising exponentially. With globalisation flourishing, companies are looking for employees who can communicate with clients from different parts of the world, in new and expanding overseas markets, as well as serve and sell to a large foreign-born population here at home. Whatever your career aspiration, with language skills added to the mix, you’re certainly going to get ahead of the crowd!
Gain Perspective
In the process of exploring a new language and culture, comparisons are naturally drawn on what is similar and different among different languages. You also end up making such comparisons with your own mother tongue subconsciously as you try to navigate your way through foreign idioms, proverbs, and play of words. This sheds light on aspects of our own culture – both positive and negative that you may not have previously considered. This enables you to develop a deeper understanding and develop insight into the nature of how cultures emerge. Consequently, you can draw on these experiences and build new perspectives which will enhance your thinking and cognitive action.
Connect with other people
Meeting new people is one of the most rewarding experiences of university life and learning a new language gives you more opportunity to do that. As you interact with fellow students, all of whom are very different from each other and yet share the same love of language, you share your experiences, hurdles, and joys of learning. Language gives you the scope to connect to a wide range of people. Not only will you understand their way of life, you will also be introduced to diverse communities. And you never know, you may end up making some friends you will treasure for the rest of your life.
Enhance cultural understanding
Language provides the most direct bridge to other cultures. Being able to communicate in another language exposes us to and fosters an appreciation for the traditions, religions, arts, and history of the people associated with that language. Greater understanding, in turn, promotes greater tolerance, empathy, and acceptance of others. People who have studied another language are more open toward and express more positive attitudes toward the culture associated with that language.
So go ahead and try out one of the taster sessions being provided for the multicultural month. No matter which language you are interested in, there are plenty of resources present to help you kickstart your journey. Don’t wait, start now; it will be an experience worth remembering.
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