The Best Reasons to Learn English
1. You will discover that English is easy to learn
Most people think that learning a language is very difficult.
In many cases, it is easier for certain people to learn English because English is related to their native language. For example, for people from Europe who are learning English, they find that English is closely related to their languages. German is very close to English. French has influenced English a lot. Plus, English speakers can be found nearby in Great Britain! They can easily travel to practice, and it is very likely that they will meet English speakers in their home countries.
For people who live in different parts of the world and speak languages that are not related to English, English can sound very foreign, confusing and frustrating.
However, there is something important that makes English very easy for everyone:
Availability of resources. Because English is such a widespread language and is found all over the globe, the resources you can use to learn English are endless. It’s easy to teach yourself English because there are tons of resources on the internet for free. Sometimes you will need to pay a little bit to take an English course online or access another resource, but they are often worth the money.
So, get started! Watch cartoons or sitcoms in English on YouTube, Netflix, Hulu or other English TV websites for free.
For additional personalized English resources, you can even go online to hire an English speaker to communicate with and teach you on Skype.
English is everywhere. Take advantage of this fact!
2. You can find more job opportunities
Many large companies around the world require that their employees speak English. In some cases, these companies are requiring their workers to only use English.
As the world becomes more global (better connected), it is only natural that big businesses will want and need to communicate more. Right now, everyone is trying to learn and communicate with English. English is becoming the common language that people from different countries and cultures can use to communicate with one another.
For example, imagine that a businessperson from Israel, who speaks English and Hebrew, wants to do business with a someone from South Africa, who speaks English and Afrikaans. Even though they both started learning English as a second language in elementary school, they can use English to communicate with each other!
As Rakuten’s CEO Hiroshi Mikitani told CNN, “if you want to become successful in other countries, you need to internationalize your headquarters.” Because people from around the world know English and use it to communicate with everyone else, it is important that employees also know English. English is an important part of this process of becoming more internationalized.
You do not just need English to work at American, Australian and British companies. In my own experience as an English professor in Korea, many students have come to me asking for help with required English interviews at Samsung, LG and other large Korean companies.
By learning English, you can be well-prepared for interviews with any large, international companies. And, luckily, there are plenty of resources out there to help you practice for your English interview.
Not to mention, English is great for careers with travel, tourism and hospitality.
3. You can become better educated
Not only does knowing a foreign language expand your brain power, but you can use your knowledge of English to learn more and more things about the world.
These days it is relatively easy to take an English class. Whether you take this class online, on Skype or in the classroom, there are many options out there.
But here is a new idea for you: Have you ever considered trying to take a class about a specific subject in English?
Imagine all of the things you could learn by taking an American history class from an American, a math class from an Australian or an English literature class from a British teacher?
This kind of class, taught completely in English, will let you learn about culture, intonation, body language, vocabulary and slang while also learning about an interesting subject like history, math or anything else that you personally love to study!
Furthermore, there are many great works of literature, science, history and social science that were written in English first. Do not lose anything by trying to read a translation. Instead, you will come closer to the heart (the main idea) of what the writer is trying to say by reading the original writing in English.
4. You can easily travel anywhere in the world
I am a native English speaker and I have traveled to many places in the world. Communication has almost never been a problem for me, because people all around the world speak English. I have been able to speak English in every country I have visited. While learning a few words in the local language is always a good idea—it is polite and shows respect—English will help you with the details of travel.
In many places where you will travel, people find English important for their businesses. They need to know English in order to communicate with potential clients and customers. In most hotels, at least one employee will speak English—often, many of the employees speak English. This makes it easier for customers to get what they need and spend their money.
Even people in small town markets around the world know how to bargain with English speakers.
You will find that some of your best interactions will be with people on the streets who are trying to sell you something or who are looking to improve their English speaking skills. English will bridge the communication gap on your travels and make traveling a breeze.
5. You will know the global language
It is a historical fact that the economic power wielded by Great Britain and America over the last few centuries has resulted in English being so widespread today.
This has taken a long time, and many good things and bad things have happened in the process. English spread through war, trade, slavery and religious missionaries. History is complicated and it is not always pleasant, but today we can recognize that English is being spoken everywhere in the world.
We cannot change what happened in the past. However, we can use English as a positive power! We can use it to bring the world together, to communicate with people from foreign countries and to understand each other better.
Not only will it make traveling easier, but English will also allow you to know more about global trends, culture and social issues. It will give you a deeper understanding of people’s different perspectives on life.
You will be able to communicate with people who do not speak your native language, and you will be able to consume thousands more news sources, blogs, books and songs.
Knowing English will let you be part of a global conversation!
6. You will learn about culture
Language and culture cannot be separated. Language is culture, and culture is language. Simply said, knowing English will give you a better understanding of people who live in English-speaking countries. Knowing the English language gives you more insight into how people think, live and work.
If you do not know about the culture of English-speaking countries, this might lead to misunderstanding what people are saying in English.
It is not enough to just know basic words and phrases. To communicate well in English, you must know about things like tone, body language and facial expressions. You might think an English speaker is being crass, rude or dismissive when they are not!
One way to improve your cross-cultural communication skills is to practice using authentic content in English.
In this case, the FluentU language learning website and app could be a helpful resource, as it not only has authentic content in English but also unique features like videos equipped with interactive subtitles, the ability to make flashcards and quizzes to review video content, and a dictionary that puts words into context.
If you understand which words or expressions are acceptable and unacceptable in English-speaking cultures, this might save you from a cultural misunderstanding with your English-speaking friends and coworkers.
7. You can improve your understanding of science
English is the language of science.
If you want to learn, publish or speak with authority in the sciences, you must learn English.
Pharmacists, engineers and doctors around the world must always learn English along with their other subjects in university. In most cases, their other class subjects are taught in English or come with an English textbook. Most medical schools in America require English as part of their coursework. In other countries, this happens too.
Science research is primarily published in English, and most abstracts (the summary of the research) are written in English so that international scientists can read them.
Getting a jump start in learning English can give you a head start in medical school, help you earn a biology degree or it could give you the tools you need to study at one of the world’s best universities for science.
8. You can date more people
Okay. Maybe getting a great, romantic date is all the motivation you need.
Got it!
Well, you will be happy to know that English will increase the number of people you could possibly date. Try meeting people who speak English on a dating site, through Facebook or another social media site.
English speakers are generally very understanding when talking to people who are learning English, and they have plenty of patience. Do not worry if your English skills are not perfect yet. You are already very interesting because you are bilingual!
9. You can improve your confidence
I doubt there is any person alive who does not wish they could speak another language. It is a skill that everyone would love to add to their resume. With a little bit of studying every day, you can have this skill. Then you can be very proud of your ability to communicate with a wide variety of people.
Learning a language is hard and everyone knows it. People will automatically respect your commitment to learning and maintaining your English. Your ability to help and communicate with people will help you earn respect.
People will also seek you out to learn about you and your perspective on things. They will be interested in you and your experience in life. They will want to know the thoughts, hopes, fears and opinions of someone from another culture. When you feel more like you are more interesting, you will feel more special and confident!
10. You will exercise your brain
If nothing else, learning English will make you smarter and keep your brain strong.
Scientists have been demonstrating that bilinguals are able to understand concepts quicker and get better scores on tests. Who would not want that?
So, be smarter, more confident and helpful, get a job and date more.
That sounds good, right?
English is one key that unlocks a world of possibility.
