Applied Languages

    Posted by Jaiken Struck on February 12th, 2009

Young people can open a window on the world when they learn a second language. They can travel and study abroad, or plan an international career. “When you have access to another language, you also have access to another culture and consequently, another way of thinking about the world,” says Benjamin Orillon, head of school at Lycee Louis Pasteur in Calgary, a private school for students from pre-school through Grade 12.

Enhanced creative thinking, better problem solving skills, and increased cultural awareness and interactions between people are among the many benefits that come from learning another language, Orillon says. Pre-school at Lycee Louis Pasteur is taught purely in French. Many three-and four-year-olds begin with no knowledge of the language, but by the end of the year, emerge with a solid foundation in French.

The early start “makes a huge difference,” says assistant school head Melinda Maclean. According to her, learning a second language early on lays the groundwork for acquiring further languages later in life. Being sensitive to other cultures is a major asset when working and travelling abroad. “They are used to dealing with different situations,” Maclean says. “They are culturally sympathetic and empathetic to other students and families. That is a wonderful life skill.”

Knowing a second language will stand young people in good stead after high school and university, as they begin their careers. Having fluency in another language has many advantages, including setting apart a resume from the rest, says Katharina Barbe, assistant chair of Northern Illinois University’s foreign language department. Many companies that operate internationally seek employees who can speak another language. “More and more businesses work closely with companies in other countries; therefore, there is a need for workers who can communicate in different languages,” Barbe said. “Many of our graduates were hired precisely because they had foreign language proficiency.”

Read more: Northern Star, Calgary Herald

This entry was posted on Thursday, February 12th, 2009 at 2:50 pm and is filed under Languages in the Workplace. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. Both comments and pings are currently closed.