The world in which everyone lives is changing. There are shifts in how people live their lives. As a witness to this constant change, it can be normal to think, what’s next? How will tomorrow be? What does the future hold?
You can agree that this is basically true for everything around people. Be it how you communicate, work, engage, and learn.
Today, languages like Mandarin, English, and Russian have dominated the world for a long time now. However, this doesn’t mean that those languages will remain important in a few years.
The Changing Language Landscape in the World
Not that long ago, the list of many important languages to know would have been small. German, French, Spanish, and English have made it to the list, plus others, depending on where in Asia and Europe one lived.
Of course, the landscape of global business and power has changed tremendously, characterized by a striking ascent of China and surging youth populations in Africa.
Although there is a new list of other common languages to learn, English remains the world’s lingua franca. In fact, the British Councils approximate that there are more than 1.4 billion English learners globally. Other simple languages you can learn are:
- Portuguese
- Italian
- Mandarin
- Hindi
Shifts in World Language Learning and Teaching
While there have been language tutors who insisted on speaking English as much as new languages, most isolate foreign languages to structured lessons without requiring their students to use them to communicate.
However, now teachers and students are encouraged to learn a new language more efficiently. Plus, the ACTFL advises students and teachers to use new languages for 94% of class time.
Advantages of Learning Foreign Languages
In the globalized world, where everything, including mobility, is enhanced, learning new languages is beneficial. Apart from allowing you to tour other foreign countries with ease, learning can be beneficial for career prospects overseas.
In addition to that, acquiring a new language allows you to develop different mentalities at every age while boosting brain power, sharpening your mind, enhancing the ability to multi-task, and improving decision-making.
Important Language Apps to Improve Fluency
There are a lot of language apps available as the world dialects. Some of the best apps you can use to improve the fluency in foreign languages include:
- Babble
- Busuu
- Duolingo
- uTalk
- Rosetta Stone
- Memrise
The Future of Language
To an extent, Americans have an added advantages over the world’s population. Spanish and English are the most commonly spoken language globally.
So are Americans still willing to learn languages?
According to Modern Language Association, the number of American learners who studied a new language decreased by around 120,000. For most, taking lessons in economics is beneficial than French classes.
In other words, there is no single language of the future. Rather, language students still ask themselves about their own motivations and goals before making a final decision.
In Conclusion!
Regardless of where you study a new language, learning foreign languages is a perfect way to connect with a network, which is your global community.
Although it might look like a challenging task, everything is possible, especially when you weave in several tricks and tips to your daily routine.