The world we live in is rapidly growing into an enormous melting pot and most of us are very aware of the fact that the ability to speak a foreign language has never been as vital as it has been in the 21st century.
Learning a new language offers many new career opportunities as well as other advantages which are often ignored. Among the less obvious benefits is the change in perspective one will gain from seeing the world through different eyes. Every language expresses ideas in it’s own particular manner, giving us the ability to see things from another angle and thus allowing us to gain new insights of ourselves, our native culture and the world around us. This can spark creativity and give individuals an exciting new window through which to view the world and make decisions.
Consequently, those who learn a foreign language will become more dynamic and improve their problem-solving abilities. As a result, children who are bilingual (or multilingual) perform better at school and have a tendency to develop a higher level of intellect in comparison to their peers.
Whether it is about increasing our knowledge for personal reasons, or to add languages as a skill on a CV, there are many advantages of knowing a foreign language.
Here are benefits in more detail:
Cognitive Benefits
A mutilingual person develops creative thinking and an ability to think more flexibly. Such people have two or more words for each idea or object. They are also more sensitive to the needs of listeners, as compared to monolingual people. Being multilingual has a positive effect on intellectual growth of a person as well.
Curriculum Benefits
Multlingual people have a better thinking capability. Being versed in more than one language, gives people the benefit of better understanding. Multilingual individuals tend to show higher performance in examinations and tests as well. They find it quite easy to learn and speak any new languages.