1. 10 good Reasons to Learn a Foreign Language
There are so many great reasons for learning a foreign language that we thought we’d bring you ten of
the best! Learning a foreign language could really be a great idea and in ways that perhaps you hadn’t
considered. We think that to just remain monolingual, like other things in life, just forces self-
constrained limitations on you. We live in a fantastically richly cultures world and we should all strive to
understand and learn as much about our world’s diversity as possible. By not learning a foreign language
you could limit your communication and thinking skills but more importantly, you may miss out on a
whole host of opportunities for personal, professional, social and economic development and success.
Sick and tired of reading things like “Cold shredded children and sea blubber in spicy sauce” on menus?
There are many foreign languages that you could choose to earn – French, Spanish or English for
example. Here is why you should be learning a foreign language.
1. To Widen your Understanding
Learning a foreign language allows you to fully appreciate the culture and its context of a country. By
understanding a person’s culture, for example, you can avoid situations which could cause
misunderstandings. Such events have been widely documented in the press over recent years and
companies like HSBC have built successful advertising campaigns based on understanding cultural
differences. Being able to understand other cultures and through learning a foreign language you can
bridge the gap between cultures, which would be a powerful tool in today’s modern world. It is
interesting to note that 52.7% of Europeans are fluent in at least two languages, whereas only 9.3% of
Americans.
2. Improve your Employability
A fundamental element of business is being able to sell a product. Selling is all well and good in your
own country, but what happens when it comes to selling in a foreign market? To sell you must
understand the values and morals of the people you are selling to. We live in a truly global economy and
companies constantly expanding overseas. A more recent development is the globalisation of countries
from less developed countries, such as China and Thailand, to English speaking countries. These factors
create strong demand for multilingual employees – businesses need you and are willing to pay for you!
Despite what career you choose on, or whatever your life aims, it’s obvious that learning a foreign
language certainly won’t hurt you. The likelihood is that job opportunities would open up to you that
wouldn’t have and what’s for sure is that you will have much more earning power. And at the very least,
you certainly will stand out against a monolingual job candidate.
3. Better your own Language skills
Research has shown that having an understanding of a foreign language also helps your native language
development. It has been found that students can develop better vocabularies and an improved level of
literacy all through studying a foreign language. In fact, studies have shown that students’ exam scores –
such as SATs – have improved year-on-year for every year a foreign language is studied.

2. 4. Develop life skills
Learning a foreign language involves different learning skills and helps develop key skills through
listening, writing and reading. This in turn will help actually help you improve in other areas too. Your
general reading and mental skills improve through studying a language. In fact, if studied from a young
age, there will be a very noticeable benefit to cognitive development, such as creativity, problem-solving
and reasoning. But in addition to these skills, learning a foreign language will give you important life
skills. You will be better able to adapt and cope with changes and to deal with unfamiliar and new
situations. You will also find that you are better able to communicate with people from all walks of life.
5. Stand out when Applying for Higher Education
Being able to show to University Admission Clerks that you have previously studied a foreign language
could add significant weight to your applications. You will show that you are a more rounded and
educated person – the sort of thing that Admission Clerks absolutely love.
If you are looking to study a postgraduate for example, a foreign language may well be a prerequisite of
admission. This is especially relevant for those students considering PhD applications as research is often
published in books and professional journals around the globe.
6. Discover Entertainment from Around the World
There are so many great books, films and music from many counties around the world. A translation or
dub is just not the same as many elements of language simply can’t be translated literally from one
language to another. To be able to access the world’s great wealth of literature, music, film and theatre
you should do them justice and enjoy them in their original form. Learning a foreign language will
certainly open your eyes to amazing things.
7. Enjoy Travelling
Being able to travel and fully immerse yourself in the country and culture is a fantastic way to holiday.
Being able to “go native”, taking part in the everyday life of regular residents. Of course, we all know it is
possible to travel anywhere these days without speaking the native language. But, if you don’t speak
English then, well, you’ll struggle to say the least. The language barrier can be anywhere from mildly
frustrating to dangerous and intimidating. Having studied a foreign language you will feel comfortable in
ordering food, understanding directions, being able to fully travel on public transport and save
considerable money and maybe even batter for things in shops. In fact, many people often appreciate it
when you communicate in their language – or in some cases, at least try! And remember, if you really
want to explore a country and get away from all the tourist traps, you’re definitely going to need to
know the language. Perhaps one of the best reasons for studying a foreign language don’t you think?
8. Being able to study Overseas
If you choose to study a foreign language you needn’t study it at expensive, limited schools in your own
country. Why not combine your studies with travelling and find out about study abroad programmes?

3. You’ve made it this far through our Top 10 list and if you’re beginning to think you should be studying a
foreign language this could well be the option for you. You could be studying English in London, French
in Paris or Chinese in Beijing. The opportunities are endless.
The benefits of studying a foreign language in a study overseas programme is that you will be practicing
all the time – as soon as you step out the classroom you will be putting what you learnt into practice.
Compared to studying in a school in your own country, the benefits are two-fold: much quicker
development of your language skills and the chance to study the foreign language’s culture and context.
9. Increase your Understanding of your own Culture
If you study a foreign language and its culture, you will be able to see your own culture from another
perspective. Encountering other cultures will allow you to question things that you’ve taken to be
universal. Studying a foreign language will give you the unique opportunity of stepping outside the
boundary of your everyday life. Experiences of other cultures and your personal development through
the study of a foreign language will greatly shape your identity and heighten your self-awareness
10. Make life-time Friendships
Studying a foreign language and all the opportunities it can bring will definitely increase the number of
people on the globe who you can meet and communicate with. Be it meeting international students,
immigrants in your community and establishing new relationships with people overseas, studying a
foreign language really can change your life for the better.
So you’ve read our 10 good reasons why you should be learning a foreign language and been nodding
your head all the way? Great! You have seen how studying a foreign language can richly develop you
and your life. So what are you waiting for, read more about studying other foreign languages and study
abroad programmes.
The Advantages of Learning a Foreign
Language at a Young Age
Children gain several advantages when they study other languages.
There are several long-lasting mental, social and even professional benefits to learning a
foreign language at a young age. Children who continuously study other languages have
often been shown to think in a different, more complex manner than youths who only
learn their native tongue. They also are often more open and willing to accept the customs
of other cultures.
1. Enhanced Learning Abilities
o Studying foreign languages has been shown to have a positive effect on mental
development, particularly in young people, and an enhanced overall intellectual
growth. The Association of Departments of Foreign Languages states that

4. studying other languages at a young age can improve math and critical thinking
skills as well as strengthen the use and understanding of a child's native
tongue. Their research even shows that students who continuously take foreign
language courses score higher on standardized tests, like the SAT and ACT,
with each additional year of study.
Exposure to Other Cultures
o Studying a foreign language early in life exposes children to other cultures--with
different values, language patterns and ways of expressing themselves--in a
way they never would have experienced had they not taken up the subject. By
gaining the ability to communicate with people from other areas of the world at
an early age, children become more interested in, as well as accepting of, ways
of life that differ from their own.
o
Career Opportunities
o Learning a foreign language at a young age gives students an advantage in
becoming successful in their chosen careers later in life. By beginning studies
early, students can take advantage of educational programs at the primary
schools they attend as well as get a head start for studying languages in college
or life after high school. Mastering a foreign language will also increase a
candidate's chances in landing a desired job because she will be able to
communicate with more people from other areas of the world, and corporations
view this skill as a real asset.
The Advantages of Foreign Languages in
Elementary Schools
Learning second languages can help parents and children communicate.
There are many academic subjects that elementary students must master before being
promoted from grade level to grade level. It is not always required, however, for
elementary students to study foreign languages. Studies and experts claim that there are
several advantages to learning to speak a second language at a young age and that many
of those advantages pertain to academic and social progress.
1. Social Skills
o Elementary students who study foreign languages are better equipped to
embrace and interact effectively with people who are different. Learning a
second language creates conceptual and linguistic bridges that make it easier
for children to understand other cultures and to communicate with people

5. around the world. This increases the opportunities to be effective and
successful members of the global society in the future. Learning a second
language also improves chances of being hired and promoted in the global
workplace.
Cognitive Development
o A child of elementary school age and younger gain greater cognitive capacities
if he learns a second language. He performs better academically when he
studies foreign languages, often excelling in many ares of study, including
mathematics. These students tend to outperform other students who have
replaced the study of an additional language with the continued study of
mathematics or other academic fields. Students show improvements in creative
abilities, problem solving skills and mental flexibility overall.
Capabilites Due to Age
o Younger children, of elementary school age and below, have the ability to pick
up nuances in language such as native pronunciation and grammatical rules.
This is because a child is still learning her own native tongues and her brain,
like sponges, soak up differences in linguistics more easily than older children
and adults. Because a young child also tends to be more motivated to learn
new languages, she tends to excel in native pronunciation and intonation.
Neurological Benefits
o Studies by researchers at the Institute for Cognitive Neuroscience in London,
England, have concluded that learning a second language at a young age can
actually alter the human brain. The anatomy or physical makeup of the brain is
greatly affected by language when children are still in developmental stages
and the introduction of a foreign language during this time can increase the
development of the brain's grey matter.
What Is Tourism and economic development are linked by the various ways in which tourism can
contribute to the economic development of a tourist destination. This relationship between tourism and
economic development is the basis for the dependence of some tourist-based economies on the effects of
tourism for their economic development. For instance, tourism provides more jobs for local citizens, helps
local citizens start businesses that cater to tourists, leads to the generation of revenue from tourist spending and
fiscal policies, and aids in the development of infrastructure.
One of the benefits or links between tourism and economic development is the fact that a vibrant tourist region
provides employment for the citizens of that area. Tourism needs a lot of services in order to sustain the
industry. For example, the hospitality industry creates jobs for people in businesses like hotels and restaurants.

6. Employment is a macroeconomic factor that contributes to the growth of an economy by providing workers
with disposable income and consequently leading to an increase in the Gross Domestic Product (GDP) of the
region.
Another way in which tourism and economic development are linked is through the provision of small or
micro enterprises for certain citizens. The citizens that might benefit from small businesses linked to tourist
include individual or sole entrepreneurs with limited funds and other types of collaborations that do not require
a lot of finance. For instance, some people might open a store that mainly caters to the needs of tourists. They
could collaborate with local artisans and craftsmen to supply them with handcrafted objects, which they would
sell to the tourists as souvenirs.
The store owners will share the profits with the local artisans, or they may buy the objects from them outright.
This helps the economy by providing the poorer members of the community with disposable income. Tourists
also like to visit places with a rich cultural heritage. Most times, these places are located in villages that would
otherwise not receive much government attention. Due to the significance of the villages, they will receive
more attention and more development as a result.
Infrastructure to support the tourist market or trade includes factors like good airports, security, hotels and
roads. Such factors help facilitate economic development and might not be as developed if not for their
importance to the economy. For instance, a tourist destination that is located in a remote village will need good
access roads, which might not be built if not for the tourist interest in the area.
Relawwaationship Between Tourism and Economic Development?
Tourism is an industry that encompasses a wide range of factors, including transportation, restaurants
and other hospitality facilities, local places of attraction, and other related aspects like car rentals. The
best tips for tourism industry development would be those that lead to the integration and greater
cohesiveness between all of the identified factors, while maintaining a healthy balance with the
available resources in terms of natural and human resources. To this end, the tourism industry
development tips include the analysis of the different local tourism environments with the aim of
applying a developmental process that fits the various unique environments. This also involves the
application of more responsible behavior toward the attainment of developmental goals as well as the
enactment of laws and regulations by the various communities aimed at encouraging development.
Since the tourism industry is split along the lines of local, national and international practices, the particular
type of tourism industry development tips will include an analysis of the unique factors in place in the area
under consideration with the aim of finding the exact type of developmental goals to pursue. For instance, the
type of tourism practices in place in an area where the main points of attractions are deserts will differ from the
exact type of practice in coastal areas where the main attractions are related to the water. A place like Egypt
would have different considerations from a place like Alaska or even the Bahamas, and these considerations
will help in the development of tourism. The level of development for the society or community of the local
tourism will also play a key role in the type of tourism industry development for that region. As such, less-
developed countries will have their own peculiar sets of challenges that may differ significantly from that of
more developed countries.

7. An example of how the tourism industry development in a less-developed country can differ from that in a
more developed country can be seen in the area of challenges that are presented by a lack of adequate
transportation, a lack of stability in the government, and a lack of the technology needed to enhance
communication and other desirable factors. A tourism industry development application that can help build the
industry is the enactment of laws by the various governments and local governments aimed at improving the
tourist trade. Such laws could include the reduction of custom duties that tourists have to pay, or the reduction
of the tax on their purchases.
What Are the Best Tips for Tourism Industry Development?
Between Tourism and Community Development? The connection between
tourism and community development lies in the impact that tourism has on the host community. Any economic
benefits found in tourism make up the most notable association between tourism and community development.
Other effects of tourism may be socio-cultural or environmental.
A significant number of communities depend on tourism as a primary source of income. For these
communities, the income derived from a well-managed tourist trade could translate to an increase in tax
revenue and a general improvement in the economy of the community. Tourism contributes to the growth of a
community because it creates a lot of jobs in the various industries associated with tourism. Some examples
include the hospitality industry, transportation, crafts and arts as well as entertainment. The association
between tourism and community development can be seen in the manner in which an increase in business
opportunities and corresponding employment opportunities contribute to an increase in the earning potential
and standard of living of the members in the community.
Tourism and community development are also linked by the effect that tourism has on the improvement on the
infrastructural framework in the community. A country or community that is a tourist destination will
undertake certain infrastructural development projects that will make the area more attractive to visitors. For
instance, the community will invest in the construction of good roads as well as the establishment of a good
transportation and communication system and other types of projects aimed at enticing more visitors to the
area. Such investments also help enhance and facilitate community development, because the local community
members will benefit from them as well.
Another way in which tourism and community development are associated is through the impact that tourism
has on the environment. For instance, most tourist destinations rely on natural resources as their main tourist
attractions. Such tourist attractions are most often places like waterfalls, unspoiled beachfronts, local flora and
fauna as well as historic sites and monuments. Places that are considered to be essential to the tourist industry
are usually preserved and maintained in a manner that would probably not have been the case if not for their
importance to the community. Most times, serious effort is put into the restoration and protection of these
places, including ecological studies aimed at further development of the community as a whole.