Why Study Languages Adapted from a presentation by the Subject Centre for Languages, Linguistics and Area Studies …When Everyone Speaks English?

Sex Goda Skäl För Att Studera Språk… Did you understand? Du kan få ett jobb Du har nytta av det ute i världen Du kommer att träffa mycket folk Du lär känna dig själv bättre Du kan uppleva nya kulturer Det är spännande

Six Good Reasons for Studying Languages… It’ll get you a job It’s exciting It gets you places You’ll meet loads of new people You’ll find out more about yourself You can enjoy new cultures

It’ll Get You a Job A few facts about language graduates and employability But first – which of the following subjects do YOU think have the best job prospects? Physical SciencesGerman LawComputing Biological SciencesEnglish EducationBusiness Studies FrenchEngineering Media StudiesMedical Sciences

It’ll Get You a Job “Being able to speak other languages is a skill that gets you ahead” The UK trades with over 200 countries worldwide (Source: Trade Partners UK, 2002) Businesses – large, medium and small – need employees with foreign language skills They also need people who are happy operating across cultures

It’ll Get You a Job It’s not just language skills either Employers say they value the key skills developed by language learners – these include: communication skills team working skills interpersonal skills presentational skills problem solving skills organisational skills good learning strategies… …can you think of any more?

It Gets You Places Living abroad is an experience… “Going to university was amazing but going to Mexico was the best experience in my entire life – it was absolutely fantastic. It was the Mexican culture and generally being in such a fantastic country – it was just so different to being in the UK”

It Gets You Places You learn so much… “You arrive and you have to learn about new customs and where people live. You learn to deal with new people. You have to think about every word you speak until suddenly you are fluent. It makes you appreciate home too” Says Suzanne, who is going back abroad after her final year to marry her Mexican boyfriend

You’ll Meet Loads of New People “I’ve made lots of new friends, it’s really widened my horizons” Using a language is a social activity and language learning leads to encounters with people from many backgrounds

You’ll Find Out More About Yourself Most people find their experiences very rewarding at a personal level “It’s a challenge” “It’s enriching – you develop yourself” “It opens your mind to understanding other people but it also affects you in your own life” “You learn to get on with your surroundings – you become less judgemental”

You Can Enjoy New Cultures You find out about and experience different cultures … whilst reflecting on your own “I really enjoy meeting people with different perspectives on life – with different values – different traditions” “Meeting other cultures, you start to think about your own country and background” “You don’t realise that even the most basic things can be different”

It’s Exciting French German Italian Portuguese Spanish British Sign Language Japanese Arabic Chinese …and many more… Languages you can choose include

And If You Still Need Convincing… Maximum Career Prospects You will be very employable Maximum Experience There are lots of personal benefits Maximum Choice There are many languages and courses to choose from Maximum Fun It’s certainly not all work and no play Studying languages means