Transcript No Slide Title

Why Study Languages
…When Everyone Speaks English?
Adapted from a presentation by the Subject Centre for
Languages, Linguistics and Area Studies
Sex Goda Skäl För
Att Studera Språk…
Du kan få ett jobb
Du har nytta av det ute i världen
Du kommer att träffa mycket folk
Du lär känna dig själv bättre
Du kan uppleva nya kulturer
Det är spännande
Did you understand?
Six Good Reasons for
Studying Languages…
It’ll get you a job
It’s exciting
It gets you places
You’ll meet loads of new people
You’ll find out more about yourself
You can enjoy new cultures
It’ll Get You a Job
A few facts about language
graduates and employability
But first – which of the following subjects do
YOU think have the best job prospects?
Physical Sciences
German
Law
Computing
Biological Sciences
English
Education
Business Studies
French
Engineering
Media Studies
Medical Sciences
It’ll Get You a Job
“Being able to speak other
languages is a skill that
gets you ahead”
The UK trades with over 200 countries
worldwide (Source: Trade Partners UK, 2002)
Businesses – large, medium and small –
need employees with foreign language skills
They also need people who are happy
operating across cultures
It’ll Get You a Job
It’s not just
language skills either
Employers say they value the key skills
developed by language learners – these
include:
communication skills • team working skills
interpersonal skills • presentational skills
problem solving skills • organisational skills
good learning strategies…
…can you think of any more?
It Gets You Places
Living abroad is an
experience…
“Going to university was amazing but going
to Mexico was the best experience in my
entire life – it was absolutely fantastic.
It was the Mexican culture and generally
being in such a fantastic country – it was
just so different to being in the UK”
It Gets You Places
You learn so much…
“You arrive and you have to learn about
new customs and where people live. You
learn to deal with new people. You have to
think about every word you speak until
suddenly you are fluent.
It makes you appreciate home too”
Says Suzanne, who is going back
abroad after her final year to
marry her Mexican boyfriend
You’ll Meet
Loads of New People
“I’ve made lots of new friends,
it’s really widened my horizons”
Using a language is a social activity and
language learning leads to encounters with
people from many backgrounds
You’ll Find Out
More About Yourself
Most people find their experiences
very rewarding at a personal level
“It’s a challenge”
“It’s enriching – you develop yourself”
“It opens your mind to understanding other
people but it also affects you in your own
life”
“You learn to get on with your surroundings
– you become less judgemental”
You Can Enjoy
New Cultures
You find out about and experience
different cultures
… whilst reflecting on your own
“I really enjoy meeting people with different
perspectives on life – with different values –
different traditions”
“Meeting other cultures, you start to think
about your own country and background”
“You don’t realise that even the most basic
things can be different”
It’s Exciting
Languages you can choose include
• French • German • Italian
• Portuguese • Spanish
• British Sign Language
• Japanese • Arabic • Chinese
…and many more…
And If You Still Need Convincing…
Studying languages means
Maximum Career Prospects
You will be very employable
Maximum Experience
There are lots of personal benefits
Maximum Choice
There are many languages and courses to
choose from
Maximum Fun
It’s certainly not all work and no play