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Saturday, August 02, 2014

The Key Benefits of Being Able to Speak English

The Key Benefits of Being Able to Speak English

Guest post written by Helen Wallis

Writer's note: The research for this piece was conducted alongside Tti English language school in London.

Even today, English is still considered to be the language of global business. It is thought that the number of people that speak English as a second language far exceeds those that call it their mother tongue. Those who are thinking of moving to England or an English speaking country like the United States will need to learn how to speak English in order to make communicating with others easy. Whilst many people can speak a little English, not everyone is able to read or write in English. Being able to do all three can improve an individual’s employment prospects and give them an advantage over those who can only speak one language. In this article we will provide the key benefits of being able to write, read and speak the English language.

Individuals that can speak English as a second language will have the opportunity to broaden their career prospects.
Individuals that can speak English as a second language will have the opportunity to broaden their career prospects. / PicCredit

Professional / employment opportunities

Learning to speak English can dramatically broaden an individual’s employment opportunities. This is due to the fact that the English language is commonly used in business. It is sort of seen as mutual ground as many people speak it as their second language.

Even if a person does not intend on moving to England or an English speaking country, learning to speak English can make them more of an asset to the company they currently work for. If they are one of the only people at their company that can communicate in English, then they will have great value to their employer as they will be able to communicate with English speaking business contacts and customers on behalf of their company. This may help them to zoom up the career ladder and earn more money.

It can also give individuals a unique competitive edge when it comes to applying for new job roles. If a candidate has exactly the same qualifications and experience as another candidate, but they also happened to speak English, it is very likely that the employer would choose to hire the candidate that could speak English. This is due to the fact that it adds value to the person as a candidate and means that the business would be able to use them to conduct international business meetings and deal with English-speaking customer queries.

Being able to speak English can also improve the career prospects for individuals wanting to work in travel or even translation. There is a lot of money to be made in both sectors. Those wanting to work for a Government agency like law enforcement or healthcare in the UK or the US will also need to be able to speak English as they will be dealing with members of the general public. It does not matter how skilled they are, if they cannot speak English, they will struggle to gain employment in these sectors.

Being able to read English will greatly help when it comes to shopping in England and America.
Being able to read English will greatly help when it comes to shopping in England and America. / PicCredit

Visiting English speaking countries

Those intending on visiting England or an English speaking country for a holiday or for work, will greatly benefit from learning how to read, write and speak English. It is a known fact that those from English speaking countries are far less likely to be able to speak a second language. This could be down to the fact that schools in England are not as dedicated to teaching foreign languages as countries based elsewhere in Europe are at teaching English, however the point is that individuals will need to be able to speak English in order to make communication easy.

Speaking English will enable individuals to communicate with locals, which can make their experience, whether for leisure or business a whole lot better. They will be able to learn all about the culture and history of the place they are staying and will have an all-round better experience.

Even if someone is planning on visiting a European country other than England, they will find it beneficial if they can speak English. As we mentioned before, many European countries teach English as a second language, so even if a person cannot speak German, French, Italian or Spanish (for example) they may be able to communicate with them in their second tongue.

Educational opportunities

It is a known fact that England and America are home to some of the best universities in the world. People travel from all over the globe in order to study as international students at top English universities. Those who want to stand a chance at studying at an English or American university as an international student will need to make sure that they can read, write and speak English. Not only will it aid them in their studies, but it will also help them to make friends and socialise with others, which is all part of a normal college or university experience.

Since the 6th April 2012, all international students wanting to study at degree level in the UK must be able to speak English at an ‘upper intermediate’ level. Information can be obtained from the UK Border Agency about the various different English language tests international students need to take and the grades they need to achieve.

International students can only study in the UK and America if they can speak English.
International students can only study in the UK and America if they can speak English. / PicCredit

Information, research and media

English is the main language used in everything from books and newspapers to academic journals, advertisements and even pop music. It is also true that the majority of internet content is delivered in English. Whilst individuals have access to translation technology today, sometimes this technology loses the meaning of a text or provides inaccurate answers. It is much more beneficial to be able to read and write in English, particularly if a person is studying a research article or academic text.

Many books and academic texts are published in English.
Many books and academic texts are published in English. / PicCredit

How to learn English

There is no such thing as being too old to learn a new language. Not only can it benefit individuals in terms of education, employment and socialising, but it will also enable them to feel a real sense of achievement.

English schools

Individuals no longer have to be of school age in order to attend English classes. Today there are many schools which specialise in teaching English as a second language. These schools are based in England and offer comprehensive programmes aimed at international students. Examples of some of the classes students can take include: general English, conversation, pronunciation and business English.

Whilst learning in traditional classrooms, students can benefit from being able to practice their language skills in English shops, restaurants and bars. Some English language schools also help international students obtain work experience placements, which will enable them to get a better idea of what it is like to work in England and also gives them the opportunity to test out the language skills they have learnt in class. Individuals considering joining an English language school should look for one that is accredited by the relevant industry bodies.

Online courses

Alternatively students can learn to read, write and speak English using online programmes. Obviously these do not have the same benefits of learning English at an English language school, but they do allow students to pick up the basics from the comfort of their own homes.

Helen Wallis, based in leafy Hertfordshire, UK, is a keen blogger/writer for years and regular reader of Malaysia Students blog. Send us your writing to be featured here and get read by 25000+ students in Malaysia.
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Comments
2 Comments

2 comments:

  1. Thanks for sharing the wonderful blog, its very useful for us to understand the grammar and it is so , keep sharing the new related topics.

    ReplyDelete

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