Laura Harrison

TEFL Course Advisor

Cactus Worldwide Ltd

Subscribe to my blog

Tumbit Approved Partner

Up until now, it has been a well-known fact amongst both the wider international community, and British people themselves, that us Brits are not the most advanced or enthusiastic nation when it comes to language learning. Perhaps times are finally changing though...

It does seem that attitudes towards language learning in the UK are becoming more in line with those of our European counterparts. In other words, there is finally some recognition, depsite the fact that so much of the developed world speaks English, that there is a need for, and advantages to, learning a foreign language.

There are lots of reasons why this might be, including the following five:

1. The effect of globalisation on employment

In the globalised world of today it is more and more likley that companies and organisations will have some involvement with foreign partners or representatives. In fact, the latest CBI skills survey showed that 74% of UK employers are looking for conversational language skills. In an employment market that has been heavily affected by the recession, up-skilling has become more important and more publicised than ever before.

2. A more multicultural society

Although there have long been pockets of Britain with multinational communities, the vast increase over the last decade or so in the number of foreigners to take up residency in the UK now means that Britain as a whole is more multicultural. Because of this, many people now have more friends and partners of other nationalities, which in turn inspires them to learn some of their language. In particular, the number of people learning Eastern European languages such as Polish and Czech has increased massively.

3. Increased awareness, especially in light of the 2012 Olympics

Increased awareness of the need to learn foreign languages has not just happened on a personal level – it has also happened on a national level, via government objectives and the media.  The increased reference to our foreign language ‘failures’ has been particularly obvious since Britain won the chance to host the Olympics in 2012. The return on hosting such a huge international event has huge repurcussions on both and economic and cultural level, and most Brits want to see our country succeed in organising a fantastic Games.

4. Increased options for foreign living

It is now very easy for Brits to live in Europe, and many more people are choosing to do so than ever before. Reasons for relocating vary hugely – they can be economic, cultural or even climatic! Living in another part of Europe does usually mean that you will need to master a new foreign language, it also means that friends and family who will visit regularly may want to learn too.

5. Cheap and varied options for foreign travel

Despite the rising cost of fuel due to environmental issues, the era of the low-cost airline has made air travel much more affordable, and therefore accessible to everyone.  The rise of low-cost carriers such as Ryanair and Easyjet has also vastly increased the number of destinations that you can fly to from UK airports, which means that there are far more options for holidaying abroad. Of course, not everyone views it as essential to learn some of the lingo before going on holiday, but there are certainly some people who enjoy doing so in order to get the most out of their foreign experience.

Irrespective of whether they learn some of the language before they go or not, the exposure to foreign culture and language that people get when abroad certainly increases their awareness of them, and you never know, it may even inspire them to take up a course when they return...